Even with a robust Adventist education system, many young Adventists are choosing to pursue their education outside traditional Adventist institutions.
To bridge this gap, North Pacific Union has unveiled a visionary plan to establish Adventist Collegiate Fellowships on secular campuses, offering support and spiritual growth opportunities for Adventist students and their friends in the Pacific Northwest.
“This is an exciting frontier ministry for our territory,” said Rob Lang, NPUC youth and young adult director. “With more than half of our young people choosing to pursue their education on non-Adventist campuses, the church is seeking to provide leadership opportunities, support, fellowship and spiritual growth programs for them. We want these young people to know we are with them, we are for them and we believe in them.”
NPUC leaders are prayerfully working to establish at least one ACF on a secular campus in each of the six conferences over the next 18 months.
To help lead this effort on a local and regional level, John Leis recently joined Washington Conference’s team to serve as public campus ministries director. He is also serving as NPUC coordinator of public campus ministries and will be working closely with Lang to establish a public campus ministries network.
The official launch of this initiative will be at the NPUC ACF institute being held at the University of Washington, June 27–30, 2024.
Pastors, lay members and college students are encouraged to form a team and come to ACFi to receive training, resources and inspiration to launch their own church-based ministry at a campus near their church.
“Good news, there is grant funding available to assist a local church when a new ACF has been officially established,” Lang said. “This is an exciting mission field. Let’s meet our collegiates where they are and give them training and support to conduct a collegiate-led ministry on their campus, sponsored by their church.”
For more information and to register, click here, or visit npuc.org/ministries/young-adult. North American Division and NPUC are subsidizing this training opportunity and the cost is only $95 per person for three nights' lodging, six meals, all programs and resources.
