From the Director

Twenty years ago, the North American Division designated Adventist Christian Fellowship (ACF) as its official organization to reach the nearly 30 million students, faculty, and staff across more than 5,700 college campuses in North America. ACF’s mission is to build chapters on public campuses, engage students in the mission of the church, and empower these chapters through pastoral support, professional training, and access to resources. I believe the NAD has done an excellent job inspiring leaders who have taken up this work in their local unions, conferences, and fields. Today, there are approximately 100 ACF chapters across the NAD, with new chapters forming every year.

The challenge of this work is that, while pioneers have faithfully established chapters and pursued the vision to “Reach the Campus, Change the World,” the effort has often been spread thin and frequently relies on one or two students to carry the mission forward. Students face significant pressures while attending school, and many ACF leaders find it difficult to grow their chapters beyond a local Sabbath gathering. There is often little margin to engage the broader campus or to mentor the next generation of ACF leaders. Although local support is essential, churches are sometimes geographically distant from campus or have directed their mission energy elsewhere.

This is where University Commission can help. University Commission exists to provide intentional support so that ACF chapters can grow and become more missional. We believe the university campus remains a largely unreached mission field, and we are developing practical pathways to engage it more effectively.

One of these pathways is the ACF Gap Year Initiative. This initiative places one to two trained student volunteers on a campus to serve alongside local ACF leaders. These volunteers are recruited, trained, and supported by University Commission and are focused on campus engagement, evangelism, and discipleship strengthening existing chapters while helping them reach beyond themselves.

The ACF Gap Year Initiative is the first of several efforts currently underway through University Commission. Additional initiatives are in development and will be shared in future newsletters as they take shape and begin serving students on campus.

University Commission exists to support and strengthen mission on the public university campus by resourcing leaders, equipping students, and helping build sustainable, Christ-centered communities where the church has limited presence.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update and for your continued interest in the work happening on university campuses across North America. If you would like to learn more, offer support, or partner in this work through prayer or giving, more information is available at University Commission or by contacting us at info@univseritycommission.org

John Leis