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Do you feel well equipped?

Tempo di lettura: 2 minuti

By Andrea Becciolini, GBU Staff in Florence and head of Formazione conference

One of the questions asked to the 26 students who participated in the National Formazione weekend (September 26-29) was whether they felt well equipped to take on the commitment of coordinator for the coming academic year. We thank God that practically all of them answered yes. Those who answered otherwise did so by mentioning two principles that we actually present during the training itself: total dependence on the Lord and the nature of the training process that lasts throughout the academic year at the local level, continuing the input received during the training weekend.

The areas in which we wish to equip student coordinators include not only capacity (in articulating the Gospel, organizing events, leading Bible studies, coordinating a group) but also, and above all, an ever-deepening knowledge of God so that they may mature into a character more and more like that of Christ. For this reason, the training is divided into three “tracks”: Knowing God, Coordinating Others, Sharing Jesus. These are three different but interconnected strands that point to the same goal, which is to see students become faithful witnesses of Jesus in the university who lead other students to do the same. 

These truths were reflected in the various seminars, workshops, and activities carried out, in praise, in prayer, as well as in evangelistic exercises—a true evangelistic outreach (also with a formative purpose) on the small university campus in Rimini, a branch of the large University of Bologna. As always before such an outreach, there were fears, doubts, and perplexities related not only to having to approach unknown students from scratch but also to the actual possibility of meeting and talking to them. Thank God, all this was swept away from the moment we arrived at the gate of the campus courtyard, where many students were gathered around the university’s official welcome desks and where, after half an hour, the break from classes brought in other students, many of whom were open not only to talking about their spiritual past in their families and their current beliefs, but also to asking questions about Christianity and listening to the Gospel. Glory be to God!

Let us now pray that all the input received at the National Training Weekend, together with the local training carried out by GBU staff throughout Italy, will bear fruit to the glory of God in and through the lives of the student coordinators as faithful witnesses of Jesus in the university, leading other students to be witnesses themselves.

True greatness!

Tempo di lettura: 3 minuti
by Sharon Fichera, student leader GBU Bologna

Hello everyone! My name is Sharon, I am 20 years old and Sicilian. I am also Bolognese by adoption, since I moved to the capital of tortellini to study Classical Literature. I love Jesus and I love talking about Him and, because of this, when I got to know the GBU, I fell in love with it and joined the group of students in Bologna.

This year I took part in the Formazione conference for Coordinators (GBU student leaders), which was held in Rimini at the beginning of October. In short, Formazione prepares young leaders to be a support to the GBU at local level. Needless to say, God worked in me more than I could have expected, which is why I want to tell you about my experience.

The Formazione programme consists of training in three different tracks:

Bible and Prayer

We deepened our knowledge of the Scriptures and our relationship with God through inductive Bible studies (SBI), prayer, praise and sermons. In this track we studied Mark chapters 8-10. What struck me most was seeing the continuous power play that is inherent in the human soul. Jesus was trying to teach the disciples that they should sacrifice themselves daily, love and serve others selflessly, stop trying to earn eternal life by their own efforts, and accept God’s love. Instead, they behaved arrogantly, did not understand the teachings of Jesus and believed they were superior to others, as well as competing among themselves as to who was the greatest. Jesus tried to teach them what true greatness was, but they (and often we) had hard hearts.

Coordinators

This track was designed to teach us who a coordinator should be and what he or she should do to make the right contribution to the local GBU and the mission in the university. It was also good to focus on our own potential as well as the potential of our GBU groups. What impressed me most was learning what it means to be mature coordinators. The definition we gave of spiritual maturity is ‘Constant, consistent and conscious growth in Christ’. To walk in this growth it is necessary to die to oneself, accept suffering, embrace sacrifice and the cross, knowing that all this is done for a greater joy and glory, namely the proclamation of the gospel and the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Evangelism

With this track we focused on sharing Jesus from student to student, both individually and as a local group. I really enjoyed a seminar entitled ‘Damaging Faith (?)’, in which we read some of the criticisms made of Christianity throughout History and Philosophy. I found it useful and inspiring to be given tools to counter these criticisms. Furthermore, it was very interesting to note that many people are not indignant or angry because of God, but because of what the Church has done in the name of God. This challenged me to be a good example to those around me and to honour Christ in everything I do.

But on a practical level, what has this training done?

Personally, the training encouraged and challenged me to be aware of my role as coordinator, to serve others, to sacrifice myself for Christ, to live a life of prayer, to seek the face of God, and to spread the gospel without shame. I am sure that all of us there received a great boost to work in our GBUs, for our GBUs and with our GBUs, to share Jesus from student to student.

At this point only one question remains, implicitly, to be answered: ‘What is true greatness?’  

To find out, we need only look to Jesus, the greatest King who trod the earth, the servant who washed the feet of his disciples.

And in the beginning God created a perfect plan for us today

Tempo di lettura: 2 minuti

by Simona Squitieri, GBU Parma

In the beginning God created. If I had to sum up this GBU training weekend (Formazione), it would be like this. 

But let’s start from the beginning. About sixty people from Trentino to Sicily, after overcoming long journeys, trains, buses, cars, arrived in Umbria, in a little house with a view of Lake Trasimeno, to participate in GBU Coordinator Training 2023. 

In the beginning

As the acronym GBU (University Bible Groups) suggests, we looked to the Bible again this year to address the challenges we should face. Organizational challenges, practical and theoretical, intellectual and social challenges, for which we prepared ourselves by looking at, interpreting and applying the first three chapters of God’s Word. Starting, therefore, right “from the beginning”!

Moments of praise to the Lord and prayer refreshed and accompanied us during the intense daily program of seminars, reading and study of the Word. The Staff worked hard to provide us with the tools to better serve the students of our local groups, but especially the yet unreached students within our universities. Through Bible studies, then, we noticed how in the beginning God had thought of everything, neglecting no detail, planning and arranging everything perfectly, including us, descendants of Adam and princesses from the beginning. 

God created

These two words highlight the relationship that we are called to have with God, even before we make any commitment to Him and to others: the relationship of Creator and creature. It is essential to recognize God the Lord as the creator of the universe and of our lives; and that before everything was, He already was. 

But the words “God created” also highlight God’s creativity. Everything we study, from physics to art, from literature to medicine, have the same creative origin here in these two little words.

After creating, in the beginning all things, light, waters, bright stars, animals and plants, after the creation of man in his image, God saw all that he had made, and behold, it was very good.

A perfect plan for us today

So, was I able to understand what place I have in all this? In all this “good”? Coordinators from all over Italy, did we understand what place we have, together with the students and our local groups?

Adam and Eve lived in God’s presence and had a purpose, stolen and ruined by sin.

But in the beginning God created a perfect plan for us today: to save us through his son Jesus and ask us to share with others this Great Creator, who wants to come back to reconcile with us through Jesus. To share him from student to student. 

Ready, set, go!

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Faithfully fulfill your service

Tempo di lettura: 3 minuti

By Giovanni Donato, Staff GBU Siena

A new academic year has begun and, like every year, the GBU has organized  Formazione (Student Leaders Training Conference) –  which is attended by all those who will be student leaders for GBU. This year, I was asked to preach from the book of 2 Timothy, which I was honored and pleased to do!

2 Timothy is probably one of the most suitable texts for such a retreat, the purpose of which is to exhort, train, and challenge the GBU coordinators (student leaders). I say this because that is precisely what Paul wishes to do with Timothy in writing of this letter, and every exhortation, every rebuke, every challenge that Paul issues to the young leader Timothy is easily applicable to young student leaders who are about to begin a new academic year with enthusiasm, but not without concerns.

In our four days together we were able to consider and meditate on the entire letter, however below I would just like to highlight two main lessons from 2 Timothy:

The call to Christian leadership is a call to suffering

Several times in the four chapters that make up 2 Timothy, Paul mentions the word suffering; he encourages the young leader to be ready to suffer for the sake of the gospel (1:8) and to patiently endure the suffering he will encounter in ministry (2:3, 4:5). Paul reminds Timothy that he too is suffering unashamedly for the sake of the gospel (1:12, 2:9), that he is also patiently enduring suffering for the sake of the elect (2:10), that his entire ministry has been marked by suffering (3:11); he informs him of the fact that he has been abandoned by all those who had been close to him up to that point (1:15, 4:9-10, 4:16) and how he had been violently attacked by someone whom he had until recently considered his friend (4:14-15). He makes it clear to Timothy that all who choose to be serious about God (“living piously”) will necessarily face persecution (3:12). Wow, put like that the call to leadership does not sound very inviting… However, Paul in this letter is not only saying that the call to leadership is only a call to suffering (thank God!), but it is also a glorious call!

The call to Christian leadership is a glorious call

In his letter, Paul repeatedly emphasizes the importance, honor, and even beauty of serving God. He reminds Timothy that the holy call to serve the King of kings is not received because of good conduct, but solely because of the glorious grace of God (1:9) that has been manifested to the world through the appearance of our Savior Jesus Christ (1:10). He explains to him that such a glorious calling is worth suffering (1:12) and that God is the one who will uphold us by his power (1:8) and guard us carefully until the day when we can lay down our arms (1:12). He exhorts young Timothy to invest time and energy into people who would one day take his place so that the flame of the gospel could continue to stay burning and be passed on throughout the unfolding of history (2:2); he urges him to watch over, care for and protect the body of Christ (2:14, 3:1-9), watching over it with love, humility, patience and consistency (2:15-16, 2:22-25). He called on him to preach God’s inspired Word faithfully and passionately (4:2), to use the gifts God had given him (1:6), and to faithfully fulfill the service the Lord had entrusted to him (4:5) because at the end of this great adventure, entry into God’s heavenly kingdom (4:18a) and the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous judge, would award to all those who joyfully awaited Jesus’ return (4:8)

Through the study of this letter we were able to do what Paul desired to do with Timothy through the writing of this letter: to exhort young Christian leaders to faithfully serve the Lord, not to be surprised or upset when they encounter suffering in their journey, and to always remember that the holy call to serve King Jesus is a glorious call that has been given to us by the grace of God and for which it is worth even suffering and dying, waiting for the day when we will meet him in glory.

Happy New Year and happy service to all GBU coordinators and to all those in the body of Christ who hold leadership and responsibility!

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Special Days

Tempo di lettura: 2 minuti

The days spent at Formazione GBU were special.

They were rich and blessed because every activity that we experienced was useful (to me). One fundamental part of the training was learning from the interactions and confrontations between the students or between staff members and students; how important it is to know the thoughts of others and to learn from one another!

Formazione was not only theoretical, but also practical! Each student leader had the opportunity to lead a brief Bible study using the inductive method as well as receiving “input” that will be useful for evangelism at our universities.

Also valuable were the moments dedicated to international prayer for various brothers and sisters from different universities around the world; the seminars in which we focused on reflecting on certain ideologies that are taking root within the universities and what the Bible says about them; what methods can be used to to share your own testimony or what one should be aware of when one wants to start reading the Bible with a friend.

All of this was set against the backdrop of Formazione’s theme – The Time is Near.

These words are found within the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, a book that, amongst many other things, refers to love: the love of God that shines through the seven letters sent to the seven churches of Asia Minor, which are also valid for us today.

As student leader of GBU Salerno, a newborn reality, I return home satisfied and enriched.
Thanks to this experience in the grace of the Lord I was able to receive encouragement, as a university student, looking at the work of God within other GBU groups.

During the last few days I have been able to think about some points concerning my personal life that, in other circumstances, I would perhaps never have reflected on.

Guys, God speaks to our hearts and knows very well what our needs, difficulties and uncertainties are. We must never stop having faith in Him because at the right time He answers, at the right time He shows Himself.

I encourage the person reading this article to strive in their GBU, where we share Jesus from student to student. Our efforts in His name are never in vain!

Finally, a special thank you goes out to all the GBU Staff workers who work daily to advance the Kingdom of God within the universities; your presence, your encouragement and your dedication is something I will always carry in my heart!

May God bless us.

To Him alone be the glory!

 

Giuseppe Ambrosio
(coordinator of GBU Salerno)

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GBU Student Leaders Training

Tempo di lettura: 3 minuti

It’s just a weekend…

If someone told me that in three days, God would answer so many questions and make me understand so much about my life, I wouldn’t have believed it. When I was encouraged to do the GBU Training Weekend, with the aim of becoming a coordinator, I already had the answer.

For almost any GBU event or activity, my head has had a plethora of excuses: “I’m too busy / I have to study / I have to do exams / I have to graduate / spend money / polish silverware / take my goldfish for a walk …!” As with any event, my head made this ‘useful’ list for me and the decision was obvious …

But thanks to God, he had a different answer in mind. As my head was saying “No,” before I knew it, I had already accepted the proposal and I had the strength (which until a few seconds before I thought I didn’t have), to make me want to begin this new experience right away.

God has plans bigger than I can have for me and GBU Training has given me the ability to understand it more and accept it. I was a little worried and wondered why I was there. Why me?! During these years within GBU, I have met so many coordinators and staff members and I admired their preparation, their seriousness and their organization … Why did God call me to do this?

Now choose life

At GBU Training, I have been given the opportunity to meet people from all over the world, with different ways of doing things, different characters and thoughts, but with the same motivation: to know and to be used by God.

As the feeling of how I could do this got stronger, I was also faced with the beautiful and delicate question – Who are you in God? Not according to yourself, not according to others, but according to God! I am His daughter; we are His children. God had spoken to me: each one of us was created in a different way, but in His image. Each of us has a function and a value that brings light to God’s service. We must leave room for God’s vision, not for our own. We need to understand who we are, not by ourselves but through God.

I still had a question, an uncertainty, and that is why I was very happy that the Bible study we looked at in Deuteronomy 27 – 30 covered this. I asked God that his will be done in my life, but would I be willing to accept it? To obey him? What would I receive in return?

I have seen how God is committed and engaging with me every day, how He blesses me and makes my life great. That is why I have decided to commit myself totally to God so that I can admire His beauty in the awareness that I cannot change by myself, but with the certainty that the Lord is at my side and will help me, as he did with his people .

In this new academic year, I made my choice: To share Jesus from student to student!

Manuela Buffa
(GBU Bologna)

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