By Arlan Howard
You Will Make a Difference
The research company, Barna, revealed a concerning statistic: approximately 70% of high school students who enter college as professing Christians will leave with little to no faith. This is a pressing issue that needs our immediate attention.
American Enterprise Institute survey suggests nearly four in ten (38 percent) students on collegiate campuses today identify as atheists, agnostics, or nothing in particular.
A University of Michigan School of Public Health study found that 44% of students reported symptoms of depression, and 15% reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year—the highest recorded rates in the history of the 15-year-old survey.
Our college-aged students and young adults are struggling with their faith and struggling to cope with the pressures of life.
These statistics are why our Family and Build Ministry Teams invest so much time and effort in helping our families become strong in discipling their children. This investment of time and training will strengthen their faith and help them lean on their faith in Jesus Christ to meet the challenges of life.
But we’re not stopping there! Mount Carmel has joined First Church of Christ Burlington, Plumcreek Christian Church, Lakeside Christian Church, and Powersville Christian Church to launch a new ministry on the campus of Northern Kentucky University called “Ignite the Norse”.
This ministry’s purpose is to help students take the next step in their walk with Jesus. To help this happen, we will focus our efforts on four elements.
The first is to focus on Jesus. When a student attends an Ignite the Norse event, they will hear about Jesus and the hope, salvation, and the purpose he has for their life. We will have excellent Christ-focused worship on campus several times a month, to which everyone will be personally invited. Our Campus Minister, Josiah Allcorn, will be on campus daily to engage with students. We have a professor on campus who has already recruited more than 15 students and they will ensure everyone knows they are wanted. We will have small discipleship groups that will study the Bible and share life; this will help students connect on campus with a group of people who will get to know one another. Finally, our groups and leaders will share with students how important it is to be connected to a church home, and they will help facilitate connecting students to churches we know are Bible focused and will help disciple them in their faith.
Learn more about the ministry here!
This is a necessary effort, one we believe God is calling us to join. We need your help and prayers.
1. Pray for specific needs by signing up for our prayer and newsletter at https://ignitethenorse.org/prayer/ . We have a goal that more than 1,000 people will pray regularly for the ministry, will you be one of those 1000?
2. Let any students who attend NKU know about the ministry. You can also let Josiah know about a student, and he will reach out to connect with them. You can contact Josiah directly by emailing him at Josiah@ignitethenorse.org or through the website ignitethenorse.org.
3. We need your financial support, especially regular monthly funding of $25-50 to help sustain and grow the ministry. You can make donations at https://ignitethenorse.org/give/ .
Mount Carmel, you are making a difference in our neighborhoods, community, country, and world through your support of Mount Carmel ministries. If you have any questions about this ministry or any of our local or overseas partners we support please go to our website https://mountcarmel.cc/serve-in-our-community/ or contact me directly at ahoward@mountcarmel.cc or 513.528.0230
