Over the past month, almost 600,000 new students will be packing their toastie makers and fancy dress outfits and travelling to uni for the first time.

The uni years are full of opportunity and adventure. They are an opportunity to learn and explore many new things and they will help determine the course of student’s lives.

We believe that the church needs to start wholeheartedly encouraging with those who are starting life at university. It’s time that the university years become a foundational training ground for Kingdom values and living. It’s time where Jesus is put first. It’s time to prepare our school leavers like never before.

Our hope and prayer is that every student finds a family and community at university, and we think that the church is best placed to offer that. Our prayer is that churches across the UK engage with students, support them and encourage them to be the best disciples they can be whilst living in the middle of student culture. There are so many amazing opportunities for students at university, and we as the local church have a responsibility to support students in that. 

But, the truth is that it’s a pretty hard thing to do. Each year thousands of Christian freshers move into university towns and cities. We estimate around 7 out of 10 Christian students won’t find a home in a church when they get to university. The transition to university is perilous. It's likely that a young person from your church, your friends' son or daughter, your niece or nephew; won't find a church when they land. That’s why supporting students to prepare for university, and engaging with them when they get there is of the upmost importance. 

Preparing our school leavers for university should be priority and part of our DNA as a church. It’s easy to underestimate the importance of this, but with around 99% of students not in church, university is one of the greatest opportunities for mission and evangelism. 

God desires a generation of Christian students who will live in the pressure areas of student culture, who don’t apologise for or hide their faith and who build deep friendships with their fellow students- it’s time that we encouraged our students to do this. 

We have a responsibility as the church to help prepare Christian students for university and ensure that every generation of students land well. It’s a big task, but an exciting one. 

Let’s get stuck in.