what you may not know about Christian groups at uni

With uni ministry, I think people know it's there but don't really get past the point of knowing it's there.. they don't always get to the point of supporting it by going or praying for it or whatever. Just an observation. But just so you know that it really isn't to be ignored and it aint just a nice little group to go to for your own fulfillment, listen to this.. (and this isn't my life story, it's ok!)

Where I grew up, I went to a little Baptist church in a country town with my family, where there was no youth group and maybe 3 or 4 other people under the age of 30 who weren't babies. So basically all my friends through high school and college (and awesome friends they were, they're still some of my closest friends) were not Christians. So if you're gonna direct your life towards God, sure you can do that on your own and with just your family, but it's sorta like you end up floundering. BUT! When I moved down to Hobart for uni after year 12, I was handed a FOCUS brochure before O-Week sometime and was overjoyed that there was a Christian group, and that I wouldn't once again be the only one.

So I started going (scary for a 1st year) and throughout that year I met Ronnie, a Chinese student, and found a church through her. At the end of the year was NTE (National Training Event) in Canberra, and by going on this I got to know Bridget and Jono and Tania and those people who'd been at Focus for awhile. So that meant that the next year, I had Christian friends! That conference - which was scary as hell to go to at the time, when you're in 1st year and know no-one, and have never been to a Christian conference where you're required to pray and talk about God - meant that I was built up in confidence as a Christian who actually wanted to go and do things for the sake of the gospel.. and also, I had Christian friends now.

Of course from then on I was able to not live as an "island"! (I remember the first Focus meeting I ever went to, Jono said "so no man is an island? Well no Christian is an island"). In second year I met Georgie and Ilise and we started going to Baywest, and now, years after finding Focus, I can see that if it hadn't been for this Christian society and the people who went to it, I might not have gotten any further in my walk with/towards God. I would've sorta come to a standstill, and stayed there. I would've been living for God, but I would've been doing it on my own.

So Focus and other groups like that aren't just nice and fulfilling to go to, they are instruments that God uses to set your life going in a good and purposeful direction when you're at a sorta pivotal point in your life, where a lot of Christians could either go away, stay right where they are, or get their life going towards God :) and get some confidence in their faith, rather than just knowing they're a Christian.

There's actually lots of Christian groups. Focus (fellowship of christian uni students) is the main one, 1pm on Tuesdays at SocSci room 210 and 1pm Wednesdays at Chem room 210. IBM is for international students, and it's 6pm on Thursday at Life Science. There's also a Conservatorium Christian group and a Med Christian group. Other groups meet up during the week too as far as I know.. :)