CAMPUS MINISTRY AIMS FOR INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
A SUCCESSFUL CAMPUS ministry that has spurred thousands of students to missionary service is planning a major expansion into the new millennium.
Youth With A Mission's Campus Ministry, which has trained almost 50,000 students over the past 19 years, aims to begin similar evangelism and discipleship programs at scores of overseas university and colleges. Leaders believe that the campus is one of the best recruiting grounds for future missionaries.
"Historically, the student evangelical movement has been a significant factor in world missions," said CM director Yoon-Sung Byun. "Combining faith and intellect, the movement has unlimited potential because the young have the creativity and pioneer spirit to make a real difference."
Established in 1980, YWAM's Campus Ministry now operates on half the country's 380 campuses, and has played a significant part in the mission's rapid growth. More than 700 South Koreans are serving full-time staff with YWAM around the world, making them the organization's third largest nationality group.
Campus Ministry groups hold regular prayer meetings, worship services and Bible studies, and offer short-term ministry opportunities within South Korea and abroad. Around 10,000 students currently take part in weekly Campus Ministry activities, and over 200 "graduates" of the program are serving full-time in missions.
Every year a Summer Missions Conference brings local groups together for a week's training. Last year the event drew 5,000 participants, nearly 2,000 of whom responded to a challenge to commit themselves to missionary service. Almost 700 Campus Ministry members are currently taking part in short-term ministry trips during their winter break.
In the past few years CM staff have gone to eight countries - including Thailand, Vietnam and Japan - to begin the program there. Now Vision 2020 aims to take the ministry even further afield.
"During the next five years we are aiming to start this campus ministry in 50 colleges in 25 different countries," said Byun. "There are about 8,700 colleges worldwide, and our ultimate goal is to establish the student evangelical movement in all of them, through pioneering and multiplying our ministry."
- reported by Rose Yoon
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