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P2C – Students: Fall 2013 Recap

Written by Jennifer Penner

December 6, 2013

Power to Change – Students is all about helping students discover Jesus. We long for the day when no student graduates without engaging in the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. This fall, as hundreds of thousands of first year students set foot on university campuses across the country for the first time, God was working to make this vision a reality.

In September 2013, Power to Change – Students connected with approximately 15,000 students on university campuses through a simple survey strategy, and hundreds of volunteers worked tirelessly to connect personally with each interested student. Already in the fall semester, 69 known students have indicated a decision to follow Christ.

A Growing Movement

With a ministry presence on 60 campuses so far, there is exciting potential for God to open the doors on new campuses, including: Memorial University (St. John’s, NFLD), University of Prince Edward Island (Charlottetown, PEI), and Trent University (Peterborough, ON), among others. Plus, there has been a new student movement growing at Mount Royal University (Calgary, Alberta) within the last two years, which has grown from just four students to over 40 currently involved in campus ministry there.

In Fall 2013, more students across Canada continue to be reached and impacted as P2C – Students expands and finds relevant and innovative ways to help them discover Jesus. On October 2^nd and 3^rd, at the Queen’s University campus in Kingston, ON – a school known for its “loud and proud” spirit – P2C –Students hosted a Q&A event called, “If You Could Ask God One Question, What Would It Be?” Apologist and scientist Dr. Kirk Durston facilitated the event, which saw a steady stream of students (at one point around 20-30) listening and interacting with issues of faith and spirituality in an informal context. Hillary Flinn, 3^rd Year Student and P2C Student Leader at Queen’s says, “God was working in the hearts of students during those events.”

Creating Spiritual Movements in a Digital Age

Reaching the next generation in an increasingly digital age can seem daunting; however, a couple of recent events are sparking a movement to utilize digital mediums to further P2C – Students’ mission.

At the University of Waterloo, P2C – Students tackled the question: “Is social media an enemy or an opportunity in spreading the life-changing message of Jesus on your university campus?” Guest speaker, Eric Nielsen, director of myCravings.ca, showed students how they can use social media to advance the gospel on campus. About 70 students then prayed for specific non-Christian friends and took steps of faith at the meeting in going online to share relevant myCravings.ca posts and videos with them to start gospel-themed conversations.

And, this month, from November 5 -7, the first ever Indigitous Conference in Waterloo, Ontario, focused on using digital media to further the Great Commission. Participants gathered to collaborate, share, and inspire one another on a quest to learn more about how to effectively use digital media to engage others with the life-changing message of Jesus and make disciples.

A Transformed Life

“I started getting involved with Power to Change last winter when some students met me in the cafeteria and asked me about my spiritual background. I decided to re-commit my life to Christ that day and have been growing in my faith ever since. Power to Change has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone to bring glory to God. He has given me a new boldness, enriched my life with a love for Him that was greater than before, and I pray that that love would overflow onto others. I rely more on God now, realizing that every result comes from the Holy Spirit giving me the courage to take a step of faith. I pray more, sing more, and read the Bible more, all in search for Him and His will for my life.” – Ashley P, University of Guelph student

The life-changing message of Jesus Christ is what P2C – Students wants every student to engage with. Our prayer is for each one to know Him personally, and to encourage and equip those on their campuses to share the gospel and be a spiritual multiplier.

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