University parties would be one of the last places where you might expect a Church to encourage their Young Adults’ ministry to hang out, but our young adults’ pastor Simon Grubb has other ideas. This year, Energizer YA, combined with our friends at Velocity Church YA, is launching a fortnightly outreach into the student accommodation at UTAS. A team of volunteers will go into the various accommodation services and provide support, pastoral care and free pancakes to the students who live there. Red Frogs is a chaplaincy service, founded on the Gold Coast as a response to the danger that young people were putting themselves in a Schoolies Week. It now operates through the local church is over 9 countries, in universities, at music festivals and sporting events.

This year, Energizer Church is launching out into the deep and finding ways to “do things different”. For Energizer Young Adults, this means getting out of their comfort zone, heading out into the community and creating opportunities to serve their generation. It might just seem like free pancakes and red frogs, but to a young person stressed out with a uni workload and living away from home, that little bit of love is going to go a long way. Energizer YA aims to provide opportunities for those already connected with the church to put their faith into action; they want to see a generation empowered and released to take the love of Christ beyond the walls of the Church. To this Red Frogs Crew, that’s what Connect, Empower, Serve, Send is all about!

Matthew 20:28 is the verse that underpins Red Frogs’ existence, according to founder, Citypointe Church pastor, Andy Gourlay:

“For the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

It’s this verse that has inspired Simon to gather a team of passionate and willing Red Frogs volunteers from amongst the young adults’ ministry. “We are inspired by Jesus’ example to serve in a way that has meaningful impact in the short term, but also allows for longer term connection and discipleship,” explains Simon. “Jesus gave his life, so our response is give up some of our evenings and make them available for his kingdom”.

The Energizer YA Red Frogs Team is in need of some volunteers. If you are looking for opportunities to get out of your comfort zone and bring the love of Christ to the community, then this could be perfect for you!

By Jen Grubb