It's been a few years since I was out past 2am. Yet last week, I found myself sat in a packed McDonalds at 2.30am with a team of 25 students, eating chips and chatting to a bunch of students who were rounding off their night out with a McFlurry. 

Viking Raid is the biggest bar crawl of the year at York uni. Thousands of students hit the streets of York, going from pub to bar to club until the early hours of the morning. As G2 students, we decided to wade in and see how we could serve students at this event which marks the end of Freshers’ week. 

You'd be surprised at how conversations flowed just from giving out bottles of water and ridiculous amounts of lollies. We chatted to hundreds of students, each with questions and opinions and beliefs, and with every conversation I saw each of our team grow in boldness and excitement to be visible church, to share something of their story of knowing and following Jesus. 

Having gathered the usual team, plus a load of freshers already wanting to get stuck into living out mission among their housemates, I had no idea what to expect. 

But we soon realised that all we had to do was show up and pray for open doors - open doors into conversations and into helping people have a great night. Open doors into telling people about Jesus and praying for healing. Open doors into being some people's first encounter with the church and being a reminder to those who'd forgotten about the church they used to be part of a matter of months ago.

So how will you show up for students in your city? Are you seeking and praying for open doors?

'And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.' (Colossians 4:3-4 NIV)