ZAFES exists to equip Christian students reach the whole campus with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to develop Christian leadership for the Church and society at large, to promote professional excellence among associates/graduates thereby enabling them to participate in community development and social welfare.
There are over 400,000 students in various institutions who eventually graduate to key and influential positions of leadership in their professions, church and society in Zambia. Young and impressionable students are open and eager to try new ideas. Their adventurous spirit and idealism places a great opportunity for preaching of the gospel and helping them choose biblical values that will shape them for a life time. This makes ZAFES one of the most strategic student Christian ministries in the nation at this time.
WHY THE CAMPUS?
When new students arrive on campus for their first year, they are certainly excited, nervous, sometimes overwhelmed. But as ZAFES, we don't just see over-eager first-year students. We see Bible study leaders and worship leaders and evangelists and future doctors, engineers, teachers, nurses, counselors—students who will become next-church leaders, and community members who shape their spheres of influence.
ZAFES is in Higher Learning Institutions in Zambia because we believe it's the most strategic place we can invest in to see God's kingdom spread in our community, government buildings and other places.
Perhaps nowhere else but campuses are people asking the questions students ask with as much passion and curiosity—questions like, who do I want to be? What should I do? What needs exist in the world? How can my skills make a difference? Will my life matter?
The way in which students choose to answer those questions will greatly change both the communities they found themselves in after they graduate, and broader social, cultural and professional spheres. And as a movement, we play a primary role in helping students answer those questions. We provide a team of staff and Graduates (Associates) in their fields, they mentor and train students in how to think about and contribute to the world. These expertise' become an example which strongly influences what students will pursue, and who they'll pursue it for—their own glory or the good of others. The potential for kingdom growth through a strategic, biblical presence on today's campuses is immense.
THE CAMPUS NEEDS RENEWAL
We are also present on campus because our institutions of Higher Learning need the hope of Jesus Christ. Most Students struggle with a number of things drug abuse, HIV/AIDS, religion, gender, sexual identity, socio-economic status, ethnicity, to mention a few . And these issues get intensified in the smaller cultures of individual campuses.
As a movement, we long to see God's kingdom, hope, power, reconciliation and love redeem the schemes, structures, and cultures of academia in across Zambia.
WHY ZAFES
God has over the past years renewed students and campuses with his love and grace all over the world. And for over 40 years as a movement, we've transformed thousands of students from the campus to the present communities in Zambia and all over the world.
Today, we stand even more prepared to continue to participate in God's mission of producing flourishing disciples of Jesus at universities and colleges and sending them out to shed his kingdom light in Zambia. The following traits are a few of the reasons why:
A CULTURE OF EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS
Student across Zambia have caught a vision for joining God's work on their own campuses to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to their fellow non Christian students and also their communities. We believe for us to transform the campus, evangelism is key and as a movement our goal is to engage the whole Campus.
Hence, we seek to equip students in effective witnessing, to hold evangelistic bible studies and also to live in ways that demonstrate grace and generosity through trainings.
This year, our focus is on Missions. We have lined up a number of activities like the National Evangelism Campaign so as to encourage and foster missions among the students.
DEVELOPING LONG-TERM DISCIPLES OF JESUS
Our ministry continues to give students the tools and leadership experience they need to flourish spiritually in and after college. The practices students learn in their institutions years give them roots for a faith that continues for a lifetime.
Our discipleship training are intensive efforts at ensuring that students remain and grow in faith.
A DEEP LOVE FOR SCRIPTURE AND FELLOWSHIP
We engage students in deep study of the Bible in ways that help them see the implications of the text for their own hearts, their friends and classmates, their communities, church and their fields of study.
We unite all Christian Students into a caring and worshiping body that spurs each other into love and good deeds.
