Thanks to your support, each year dozens of young Christians are able to take part in Amplify. This programme developed by SU and Christian partners helps young people share their faith with their friends. Two of them, Zara and Lydia, explain how it has helped them.
Amplify Young Evangelists Academy involves Scripture Union, Youth for Christ, The Message, Alpha, Festive, Urban Saints, New Wine Luminosity and HOPE Together.
It runs from October to March and includes two residentials plus monthly online group mentoring sessions and masterclasses.
Lydia and Zara have both done Amplify more than once and are now young group leaders, working alongside mentors to support other young people that are new to the course.
Why did you want to do Amplify?
Lydia: ‘I realised our purpose is not just to be in a relationship with God but to tell others they can be too. The good news is too good to keep to ourselves!’
Zara: ‘I heard about Amplify when I did a week’s street evangelism with my church and thought it would be a great way to learn more.’
How did you benefit from it?
Lydia: ‘It was amazing being with other like-minded young people on the residentials, which deepened our own relationship with God, so that sharing faith was a natural response to that experience. At the monthly online meetings, we got encouragement, support and advice from our mentors and each other. The mentors really invest in you – between sessions they’d pray for us. I felt more confident and like I wasn’t alone.’
Zara: ‘At an Amplify masterclass on evangelism, I asked how you deal with knockbacks or feeling like people aren’t interested. They explained that the time is never going to be wasted, because you’ve planted the seed and you have to trust God to water it – it’s not all up to you. ‘Another masterclass helped us to share Jesus with people of other faiths – I’ve found that harder than sharing Jesus with someone of no faith, because they sometimes try to catch you out and it’s easy to end up in an argument. Now I’ve learned how to hold my ground in those discussions, but also to focus on sharing the love of Jesus.’
What have you done since to share Jesus and how has it gone?
Lydia: ‘I was the only Christian in my sixth form, so I set up a “Grill a Christian” session. I’ve also done some street evangelism. I’m now at university in York, and at a church that wants to share Jesus with students on campus, so I work with them. University students are more open to faith than sixth formers were! They are looking for some meaning in life – but the downside is that they’re open to everything, which can be dangerous. So I try to guide them to Jesus.’
Zara: ‘I felt challenged to set up a Christian Union at school, which was well outside my comfort zone! We ended up with about 20 people. Several weren’t Christian but wanted to find out more, and some were Christian but didn’t go to church. Delving into the Bible, praying over things, and encouraging each other is so amazing. But you do have to remember to unpack things a bit more for those people who don’t have that Christian background – once you understand that, it gets easier.’
Amplify your faith too!
Many young people have found faith through the influence of other young Christians. But while many young Christians are happy to talk about their faith, 80% want more confidence to do so*!
So if you’re a young Christian, or know a young Christian, who would benefit, why not consider doing Amplify this year?
*INFLUENCERS: Peer-to-Peer Evangelism Amongst Young People in the UK (SU and others, June 22) – download available at su.org.uk/research
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