FOCUS
Fellowship of Overseas Christian University Students
FOCUS is AFES’s ministry to international students. Most people communicate and understand best in their own native-language, but for many of these students, English is their 2nd, 3rd or 4th language. So, in line with the Bible’s principles of ministering to people in ways that are intelligible (1 Cor 14) and with cross-cultural sensitivity (1 Cor 9), we run FOCUS-specific talks, seminars, and electives in simple English or other languages, tailored to their cultural backgrounds. This also helps prepare students to share God’s word with others from their own national groups, both back home or elsewhere.
Strands
For a large part of NTE, we spend the day in small groups learning how to read God’s word and how to teach God’s word. We offer these in different languages (see the list on the right). We strongly encourage you to choose your native language as that enables groups to have enough numbers to run.
For those who know English as their second language, we offer the following strands in simple English: Strand 101, Strand 1, Strand 2 & Strand 3. If your strand runs in your native language, we strongly encourage you to choose that instead of simple English.
We offer Strand 1, Strand 2 & Strand 3 in Mandarin.
- (This may be subjected to change if we are unable to get enough numbers or suitable leaders. We still encourage you to select your native language when registering as that helps with getting enough numbers to run. We will always update you if there are any changes with your strand choice.)
We offer Strand 1 & Strand 2 in Cantonese.
- (This may be subjected to change if we are unable to get enough numbers or suitable leaders. We still encourage you to select your native language when registering as that helps with getting enough numbers to run. We will always update you if there are any changes with your strand choice.)
We offer Strand 1, Strand 2 & Strand 3 in Indonesian.
- (This may be subjected to change if we are unable to get enough numbers or suitable leaders. We still encourage you to select your native language when registering as that helps with getting enough numbers to run. We will always update you if there are any changes with your strand choice.)
We offer Strand 1 & Strand 2 in Japanese.
- (This may be subjected to change if we are unable to get enough numbers or suitable leaders. We still encourage you to select your native language when registering as that helps with getting enough numbers to run. We will always update you if there are any changes with your strand choice.)
FOCUS Talk sessions & Elective
FOCUS students are encouraged to attend the FOCUS Talk sessions & Electives, in place of the Campus Mission Electives & Global Mission Electives.
The FOCUS Talk Sessions occur twice, with all international students coming together to participate in fellowship and mutual encouragement.
Joshua Ng from Campus Bible Study, UNSW and Matthew Meek from Uni Bible Group, Uni of Wollongong will be speaking from God’s Word in these sessions.
TBC
FOCUS is our AFES international student ministry. Praise God for bringing many international students to Australia, a number of whom are becoming Christians! Our aim is to share Christ’s gospel with them, inviting them to put their trust in, and be built up through Christ, training them in how to study the Bible well, and sending them back to win their nations and the nations for Christ as cross-cultural missionaries knowing their own language and culture.
FOCUS is our AFES international student ministry. Praise God for bringing many international students to Australia, a number of whom are becoming Christians! Our aim is to share Christ’s gospel with them, inviting them to put their trust in, and be built up through Christ, training them in how to study the Bible well, and sending them back to win their nations and the nations for Christ as cross-cultural missionaries knowing their own language and culture.
