Stories

A new study of student wellbeing at Sydney University carried out by McCrindle Research highlights the positive impacts that faith groups are having in the lives of students on campus.
 
Dominic Steele speaks with Rowan Kemp from the Sydney University Evangelical Union and Geoffrey Folland from Power to Change USYD about the impact of the gospel on campus life. McCrindle research has recently found that students who belong to faith groups will rate their experiences in those groups much more highly than their experiences at university generally. 

You see, I’m not really much of an evangelist but I am convinced that Jesus wants us to share His truth with those who don’t know Him. Of course we believe that deep down everyone has a deep hunger for God, and the spiritual, and sometimes we see this expressed in a multitude of ways. The problem is that if I walked up to my work colleague or neighbour and asked if I could share the message of Jesus with them, I’m afraid the door would slam shut so quickly that I’d have to jump out of the way and just be left with a bruised ego. There goes that relationship now that the cat’s out of the bag as we will now live in a state of perpetual awkward hello's and quiet gossip to others to watch out for the Christian weirdo. We’re a nation of battlers but seriously I sometimes feel like quitting.

There was a collective murmur as one of the international graduates, Jenna, got up in front of a large crowd at the Power to Change Queensland 40th anniversary celebration. Melody, a Chinese graduate, had just shared how she became a Christian soon after she arrived in Australia and then had the privilege of leading Fiona to Christ. Fiona then shared, via a video from China, how she had led Jenna to Christ. 

John Altman is a lawyer, an ordained Anglican minister and a donor of Power to Change. In God’s eyes, any job or giving is good when He takes you on a journey of generous giving.

While he was studying arts and law at Melbourne University, two major life-changes happened. He met Kathy, the love of his life and then Jesus, the Lord of his life. Both John and Kathy gave their lives to Christ at university.

As a law graduate, he found work in a large commercial law firm. John shared,  “It was in the mid-80s, an era in the corporate culture where ‘greed is good.' I left after two years and worked for the State government in the Equal Opportunity Tribunal.” That was a better fit, but the Lord was stirring in his heart.

As a wife and mum of three children, juggling both ministry and family is not easy, but for Vanessa Vanderbusch, she takes joy that she can engage in ministry and be challenged to continue to grow and develop as a leader.