Is it worth it?
Throughout the 11 years that I have been working with the GBU, many times I have asked myself why I do what I am doing and if it really is worth it…
In other words, does it make sense to strive for the proclamation of the gospel in universities? There are so many important ministries out there and I want to be sure that I am dedicating my time and energy to something that is really worth striving for.
For this reason, I would briefly like to share three reasons why I still believe that is it extremely important that we bring the gospel of Christ into universities:
1. The gospel needs to be preached wherever knowledge is put on a pedestal above God
The apostle Paul tells us that knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1), and it is true! We can clearly see this in universities. Increasingly, in the minds of many people, especially those with a greater level of education, there seems to be a clear distinction between everything that is rational, ascertainable, or can be empirically demonstrated and anything that concerns faith, God, and religion. In a contest in which human pride rises up against its own Creator, we need to be ambassadors who humbly and confidently proclaim the message about Jesus of Nazareth, for the salvation of those who consequently choose to follow him.
2. At university, we can reach people from every corner of the globe
Throughout the years that I’ve been working with the GBU, I have had the opportunity to make friends and share the gospel with students from the most varied of countries: China, Azerbaijan, Libya, Iran, Oman, Gabon… just to mention a few. The Lord Jesus commanded us to proclaim the gospel to all peoples and when we reach out to university students we have a great opportunity to interact with so many nations which, most likely, we would never have the possibility of physically going to in our lifetime.
3. The leaders of tomorrow are the university students of today
The politicians, judges, doctors, architects, engineers, etc. who will one day lead our nation, right now they are being trained and educated, filling the lecture halls of the various university departments. Taking the gospel into universities means reaching out to those who, in a few years, will be at the head of our society. For this reason, we can see how crucial it is that we are there as witnesses and that we proclaim the good news of salvation in universities! If Christ’s church desires to positively influence society, we cannot fail to see this great opportunity to reach future leaders with the gospel.
Whether you are a student, church leader, someone who financially supports the work of the GBU, or simply someone who devotes time to prayer, I would like to encourage you to believe in this important ministry and to continue supporting it in whichever way the Lord is calling you to.
Giovanni Donato
(GBU Staff, Siena)
