Electives

Everyone loves a good story, and there is none better than the true story of salvation in Jesus! We long for others to hear this story and meet Jesus, but we can find it hard to know how. If you’ve met Jesus yourself, then you already know an awesome introduction to the story that leads to life. Join us to learn how sharing your story can help others meet Jesus!   

You’ve boldly invited a friend to read the Bible with you, and they said ‘yes’! But now what? How do you actually lead that discussion in a way that lets the Bible do the talking? This seminar will equip you to do just that. We’ll also touch on how this can be a great way to help more experienced student train those who are newer – multiplying the word on campus! 

Often, we have the desire to share Jesus but just don’t know how to get the conversation started. Rattling off a gospel outline can sound like a monologue – so how do we real conversations about Christ? In this elective we’ll cover some practical ways to infuse your conversations with the good news of Jesus! 

We look at our campuses and see so many who are lost and need to know Jesus. But we don’t even know them… where can we start? This is an elective about how to meet others on campus (and in everyday life!) and how we might invite them to meet Jesus in the Bible with us. 

You’ve got a friend who’s shown lots of interest in Jesus, maybe come to your uni group, church, or read the Bible with you. But you’re not sure they’ve put their trust in Jesus as Lord. What next? Join us as we discuss practical ways to follow up someone interested in Jesus, prayerfully taking them from meeting Jesus to making Him Lord of their life!

Jesus welcomed children to come to him, and it’s a great joy to be able to teach kids them about him! How do we do that in a way that makes sense to their young minds, is true to God’s word, engaging and fun? Come along, whether you teach kids regularly or you’re leading a kids program for the first time on NTE mission.

What makes an effective gospel youth ministry? How can we engage the hearts of young people with the gospel so that they love Jesus, love their neighbour, and overflow with hope? Perhaps you’re a youth leader, or giving a youth talk on mission – this elective will help you disciple young people and proclaim Jesus more effectively.

How far can you go to take the gospel to the nations? Many rural and remote areas of Australia need the gospel, and have far fewer ministry resources than our cities. What would it be like to live in a country town for the sake of the gospel? There are unique joys and challenges – this elective will open your eyes to the possibilities. 

This elective explains what Muslims are taught about Christianity, how to share the gospel with them, and how to answer common questions like the Trinity and reliability of the Bible. There will be ideas for training and missions on your campus, and a free booklet on the Trinity.

You may have noticed that God is bringing more and more South Asian students to study in Australia! Many of these students come from Hindu backgrounds and are open to talking about religion, but have different starting assumptions than many Westerners may realise. Join us to hear more about Hinduism and how we can help these students to meet Jesus!

More people are recognising that many things Western culture takes for granted have their roots in Christianity. Even well-known atheist Richard Dawkins has called himself a “cultural Christian”. But is that the same as calling Jesus your Lord? How do we engage people who have similar values with the call to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour?

Many people are looking for something more than what we can see and touch. But there are also many ways people seek to satisfy that longing: could it be found in mystical practice, religious rituals, or spiritualism? This elective helps us prepare to help these seekers meet the eternal, transcendent God who has made himself known to us in Jesus.

From a distance Roman Catholics and evangelical Protestants have much in common. But as you look a little closer, there are many surprising differences. How do you make sense of this, and what does it mean for how you can engage well about Jesus with Roman Catholics?

Did you know that 1 in 4 students on campus in Australia are international students? Many have never heard the gospel, or even met a Christian. But God has opened a door for us to share his gospel with the nations without having to leave Australia. Come and learn about how you can connect with international students and help them meet Jesus.

Whether you’re exploring Christianity, or have been a Christian a long time, come to this session to engage with the most pressing questions about Jesus! There will be a chance to ask questions, as well as thinking about how to helpfully engage with and answer the questions other people have.

Whether working or studying, universities provide access to regions of the world where life is most difficult as a Christian. Come and explore how working as an academic or studying as a postgrad can open doors in less reached and less resourced regions. Can I really study anywhere? Where are academics most needed? Will I need to learn the local language? Is my academic discipline going to be useful?

What does it look like to make disciples of all nations if we won’t all be able to go  ourselves? How can we serve as arms of the body of Christ extending hands to the less reached and less resourced of the world? Come and hear how serving through sending works for God’s global glory!

AFES is only one part of a wider movement to reach university campuses with the good news of Christ Jesus. Come along to hear the history of IFES and be challenged to take your part in the service of seeing the gospel go out to students around the world!

Getting to the mission field feels like a marathon! But every marathon begins with the first few steps. Come along and hear about what steps towards global mission look like practically and be encouraged to consider what steps you can be taking in service of God’s global gospel purposes!

With an estimated 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, the population of Oceania as a whole is around 46.6 million people! With many remote, unreached and under-resourced places across vast oceans, how is mission being conducted to reach these precious people for Christ? Come and hear from our precious partners in the Pacific and find out how you can get involved!

What can mission in an African nation look like? Ever wondered how health mission and word mission fit together? Come along to hear first hand from locals and missionaries about their ministries and learn what cross cultural mission has to teach us about living for Jesus wherever we are.

Europe may be full of churches, but the churches are not full of Europeans. Instead they are full of tourists taking photos of stained glass windows. What would it look like for revival to sweep through post-Christian Europe? How can universities be used to awaken the cauterized consciences of secularised students? Come along and hear from our valued visitors how you might be involved in the re-evangelisation of Europe!

With a complex history of indigenous cultures, colonisation, political change, and social justice movements, the opportunities in South America are vast and ever-changing. But the message of the Gospel remains the same, and its enduring relevance for all peoples has not ceased. Come along and hear what ministry in South America looks like from campuses to churches and beyond – and consider how you might be involved in what God is doing!

With over 60% of the world’s population, Asia continues to hold the majority of the world’s most unreached and gospel-poor peoples and places. For generations, faithful witnesses both local and global have sacrificed comfort to bring Christ to the Asian continent. Come along to hear about the diverse needs of a land full of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims and more – all of whom need to hear about Christ! Could you be the one to serve alongside God’s people to share Jesus with them?

There are roughly 2 billion people around the world that identify as Muslim. From folk Islam mixed with traditional practices, to fundamental militant followers, the Muslim world is broad and the needs are ever present. Have you ever wondered what it would be like being a missionary in the Muslim World? Come along and find out more!

Did you know that only 1 out of every 30 missionaries is sent to an Unreached people group? That’s despite the fact that approximately 42% of the world’s population belongs to Unreached people groups. This means that more than 3 billion people live in communities where there is little to no access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Come and be inspired by the joys, challenges and opportunities of reaching the unreached and engaging the unengaged with the glorious Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!

When you finish study, what will working life be like? What expectations will there be? How can we adjust? Maybe you’ve become a Christian! This changes how we think about life and all other things. How can work to fit into God’s plans for our world? Come and find out! 

Returning home is never an easy journey, especially if you have lived long enough overseas. What preparations do you need to take while you are still a student in Australia? What steps do you have to do before you return to Indonesia? What do you expect when you return to Indonesia? This elective will be run in Bahasa Indonesia.  

Many things have changed since you left home and came to study in Australia. Perhaps the biggest change is becoming a Christian! What will it be like to return home? How will you honour your parents as a Christian? What will church be like back in your country? Come and find out! 

You’re studying in Australia. You may have many questions about what will happen after graduation. This elective will help you know how to live God’s way as a Chinese Christian. This elective will be in Mandarin.