Two years have passed since the first Campus Outreach investigative team members headed to Scotland. During the first year, the team learned about their new city, got involved in the local church, and built relationships with neighbors. At the beginning of this fall semester, the team felt more settled personally, allowing them to focus solely on the creative work of investigation on campus.
For the first time, a majority of people in Scotland say they are not religious. According to the 2022 census, 51.1% of respondents indicated they had “no religion.” This statistic takes shape on the campus. The team leaders shared, “We haven’t faced animosity towards Christianity; it’s just not on their radar. They don’t think about Christian things. It’s not negative baggage about the church. Students are neutral at best and apathetic at worst. They just don’t care.” This neutrality allows a certain level of ease with initial spiritual conversations. Students’ curiosity creates a willingness to listen to the gospel or personal testimony, often responding with, “Wow! You really believe that?”
Shifting curiosity to genuine interest in investigating Jesus and the claims of Christianity takes time, involves building a network of relationships, and moves forward slowly. As in other countries, mental health issues contribute to a feeling that something is missing. Creativity is necessary as the team considers how to love and serve students to build trusting relationships.
The team operates under the principle, “People belong before they believe” and has consistently found this to be true. Exposure to the Christian community is essential, allowing students to see that the Christian faith is normal. This conviction prompts many invitations to church, helping students connect and see that church is not scary.
The team aims to build genuine relationships through service, cultural connection, and hospitality.
Creating a study space has been an effective way to serve. Libraries are packed, and many coffee shops don’t have Wi-Fi, so the church opened its doors to provide a place for studying.
Burns Night is a Scottish celebration of Robert Burns’s life and writings. Campus Outreach hosted a Burns Night at the church, which included the traditional reading of “Address to a Haggis.” Students appreciated the effort to connect with their culture.
Hospitality played a significant role in this first year on campus: the team welcomed students into their homes and offered hospitality at the church. In November, the team planned a “Friendsgiving” and hosted the event at the church. The team cooked all the food, and over 50 students attended for an authentic American Thanksgiving meal.
John attended Friendsgiving with his girlfriend, a friend of the staff. Nothing crazy happened! He connected with guys from the American football team, where the CO team leader serves as the chaplain. In the new year, John attended Burns Night at the church and went out with a group afterward to hang out at the pub. One staff member engaged in a gospel conversation with the group, and John committed to attending church the following week. He followed through, attended the service, and his interest was piqued. After many conversations, John realized that Christianity offered the answers he sought. What started as a social event at the church with Friendsgiving evolved into an investigation of Jesus, leading John to become a Christian. He was baptized a couple of weeks ago.
Things move slowly during the ministry’s investigation phase, and creativity is in high demand. Discouragement is always a concern, but God is merciful and kind. Please pray with us for the Campus Outreach team in Scotland as they continue the creative work of investigation. Pray for relationships to develop, for the team to persevere in doing good, and ask the Lord to raise up laborers where the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few.
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