I stood on York St John University campus, smilingly inviting students to take part in a worldview survey - ‘we are doing a survey all over the UK to get a picture of students’ worldviews - their perspectives on themselves and their beliefs...it gets a bit intense’...in an hour I only got one ‘no thank you’ and the conversations were addictive. Each question, each answer, set off an explosion of others in my mind…

How happy are you? 7/7
How confident are you in yourself? 2/7

…Interesting.

What one thing would make you happier? Money. 
Where do you get your primary sense of identity? My achievements. 
What are you most afraid of… 

As each student answered, I couldn’t help wondering about the stories behind the answers - the conversations, relationships, experiences, hopes which have shaped these individuals up to this point. And here they are, at the start of one of the most formative seasons of their lives, poised, ready to be shaped (and to help shape others) through new conversations, relationships, experiences, hopes…

Why not pause, and take five minutes (on the clock) to reflect on some of the conversations, relationships, experiences and hopes which have helped shape you. Who might you thank God for? Where has God been faithful? What has he taught you that can strenghten you afresh in this season?

…

Whether you connect with 100 students this freshers season or 10, this moment matters. Their answers to the questions above, and those of whether they have hope for the future, who shapes their worldview and whether they know the story of Jesus, in one, three, five years time could be hugely impacted by the posture of the church towards them in these coming weeks and months. What will be your posture toward them? What is the posture of the students already in your community toward their fresher peers? 

Which questions will you ask the freshers you meet?