Resourcing

the next

50 years

A ministry hub 
on the doorstep of UNSW

The Opportunity

Back in 1975, Campus Bible Study consisted of 12 students, one pastor and one clear vision to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to university students so that they might “no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor 5:15).

Over nearly 50 years, God has graciously changed many lives through that faithful teaching of his word. CBS has now grown to include 13 Pastors, 27 Ministry Trainees, 1,000 students who love Jesus, 50,000 students who need Jesus, and countless generous partners like you who (under God) enable it all to continue.

Thank you for partnering with us on the journey so far. As the ministry continues to grow, God has provided us with an exciting opportunity to purchase a ministry hub that will serve and resource CBS (God willing) for the next 50 years. But we need your help with the purchase. Would you please generously partner with us prayerfully and financially to resource CBS for the future?

Carl Matthei
Senior Minister of CBS

13 pastors

27 ministry trainees

1,000 students who love Jesus

50,000 students who need Jesus

1 big mission

For nearly 50 years we have been trying to find suitable accommodation to base the ministries of CBS. At last, we have the opportunity of securing a centre that is affordable and sufficiently close to campus to meet our needs. Please give generously that the work of the gospel on UNSW may continue to go forward.
Phillip Jensen
CBS Founder

50 years of gospel growth

Since 1975, Campus Bible Study has evangelised, taught, trained and sent out thousands of UNSW students to serve the Lord Jesus in his world. As a university ministry, we minister to the next generation at the stage of life where hearts and minds are shaped, and lifelong decisions are made. Under God, the impact of CBS has been extraordinary.

Local impact

CBS graduates contribute significantly to many ministries in Sydney, serving as Sunday School and Scripture teachers, youth and Bible study group leaders, church wardens, deacons, elders and pastors.

Carmelina Read

Dean of Women, Christ College

As a parent, I have seen first hand the invaluable contribution that Campus Bible Study has made to the maturity of my sons as disciples of Jesus. I’ve seen them grow in their understanding of the Scriptures, their confidence to share the good news with others, their ability to engage with culture through a Biblical lense and their commitment to serving Christ in the local church and beyond. I would commend to you supporting the ministry of CBS at UNSW.

National impact

CBS has contributed to university campuses throughout Australia by training student workers, many of whom now serve with AFES. Initiatives such as ‘Mid-Year Conference’, Two Ways to Live, and the Ministry Training Strategy (MTS) have all grown out of the ministry at UNSW.

Richard Chin

AFES National Director

CBS was the ministry that God used to open my eyes to his gospel in 1983. Since then God has graciously revolved my life around the plans of his beloved Son. And God has continued to save students, establish them in the faith, and raise them up to serve him throughout Australia, and the world by this same gospel through the ministry of CBS, together with all the other campus ministries affiliated with AFES. If you are a beneficiary of CBS, I can’t think of a better eternal investment than partnering with them for the glory of Jesus.

International impact

Through our FOCUS ministry to international students, we have seen many graduates return to their home countries equipped with a saving faith in Jesus and the skills to minister in their local church. CBS graduates have also served with international mission agencies in countries like Tanzania, Spain, Argentina, and Japan, as well as many more.

Leonardy Josoeb

Business Owner and FOCUS Church Member

Over many years of my involvement with FOCUS Church at UNSW I have witnessed the transforming work of the gospel among International Students. Some have come to Christ, some have grown in their faith and others have become full time Gospel workers. I have been encouraged by the many especially those who go to the nations because of the Gospel; to live and work there.

A new ministry hub

For many decades, CBS has prayed for a ‘home base’ in close proximity to the University. The benefits of owning such a property are numerous. It would serve as a public front door for the ministry, a convenient, stable location for the office, an administrative hub for pastoral staff, a meeting point for staff and students, and a long-term asset to anchor our finances.

Recently, in God’s kindness and providence, we’ve been able to negotiate the purchase of an ideal property for these purposes, on Anzac Parade, 200m from the University!

Will you help us buy this property?​

The full cost of purchase is $1.2M. We have put aside $200,000 already, but we need your help to raise the remaining $1M. We would love to raise the full amount before October 2022, settle the purchase, make slight renovations and move in over the summer.

We understand that generosity looks different for everyone. It’s about the heart rather than any specific amount. Please prayerfully consider what amount you could give—joyfully, willingly and sacrificially—to help resource our ministry in this way for the next 50 years.

Bill Peirson

Master, New College Communities, UNSW

Since I first sat at a weekly Bible talk in a UNSW temporary wooden hut in 1979, CBS has continued to bring blessing to my life and ministry. I encourage everyone to join me in supporting this God-given opportunity for CBS at the University of New South Wales. This permanent home will greatly facilitate their ongoing and important student witness and work.

CBS staff team 2022

CBS staff team 2022

The impact of CBS

Mark Thompson​

Principal, Moore Theological College

Every year I hear multiple testimonies of lives that have been entirely transformed by the ministry of CBS. This is one of the vital ministries for the future advance of the gospel of Christ in Sydney, Australia and the world. We at Moore College highly value our partnership with CBS.

Sarah Sholl

CMS Missionary, 2009–2020

MYC in 1989 showed me that Christ’s love compels me to live not for myself but for him, and then CBS gave me the skills and the confidence to make Jesus known through his word. As a CMS Missionary in Mexico I was able to open the Bible with women and help them to be compelled by Christ’s love.

Peter Kaldor

Managing Director, City Bible Forum

I became a Christian during my 5th year at UNSW and was wonderfully followed up by a ministry apprentice. Within the following 18 months I was trained in evangelism and that has set the tone for the rest of my life. Graduates like me entered the workforce and so began the work of City Bible Forum, pioneered by another CBS graduate, Craig Josling. City Bible Forum is blessed to carry on the work of CBS in the lives of its graduates.

Kanishka Raffel

Anglican Archbishop of Sydney

Through the ministry of Campus Bible Study, God has blessed the Anglican Diocese of Sydney (and other dioceses around Australia and the world). CBS trains students to serve Christ, and our diocese benefits from these CBS graduates at all levels—as bishops and rectors, wardens and treasurers, Sunday school and SRE teachers. I commend the CBS ministry to you and ask that you help support them in the purchase of a permanent Ministry Hub next to UNSW.

Rochelle Hicks

Rural Doctor

I came to university to obtain my medical degree and left with so much more thanks to the ministry of CBS and Unichurch. The faithful Bible teaching and discipleship gave me a deeper understanding of the gospel at such a formative time in life. It grew in me a desire to see others be brought from death to real life, something no doctor except the true healer Jesus can do! Through the training we received, my husband and I left feeling well-equipped for a lifetime of ministry and are now serving as active members of our church in Orange. Please give generously so that the ministry of CBS can continue its mission in teaching and training more university students to be sent out as faithful servants of Christ to other parts of Australia and the world.

How can I help?

1

Pray

God has been incredibly gracious in getting us to this point. Please pray that he would oversee all the details still to be worked out, and provide the resources we need to complete the purchase of the new ministry hub.

Frequently asked questions

The hub will be used as a resource centre, meeting point, and general office for the ministry.

Due to our usage, our legal advice is that donations for the hub could not be tax deductible.

The ministry needs a hub to provide a stable centre to the work, one that is easily accessible to provide the services that the staff require to bring the gospel to UNSW.

How to give

Bank transfer

BSB: 062-188
Account: 1021-1389
Name: Campus Bible Study
Bank: CBA

Description: Full Name HUB

International Transfers
SWIFT Code: CTBAAU2S

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Our Mission

Prayerfully proclaiming the crucified Christ as Lord of all,
we evangelise, teach, train and send each other
as God’s servants into all the world.

Simon Sheely

Simon did his traineeship at CBS before studying at Moore College.  He will return to pastor the Unichurch congregation.  Having lived in one of the colleges while studying, he is well equipped to minister to the residents at the university.  He is married to Ange.

Ross Ireland

Ross did his traineeship at CBS before studying at Moore College.  He will return to be the dedicated evangelist on the team and will also serve the wider ministry enabling communication between students, grads, and supporters.  He is married to Lilian and has two children.

Talar Khatchoyan

Talar graduated Moore College in 2018 and has served at Yagoona Anglican and Naremburn/Cammeray Anglican Church.

Dr. Jerome Jayasekera

Jerome was born in Malaysia, grew up in the US and spent time in Egypt. Having come to faith as a postgraduate student at uni, he loves the opportunities that uni life opens up to encountering Jesus. He is super keen to help everyone at uni, particularly postgrads and academics, find true meaning and life in Jesus. He loves spending time with his family, outdoor activities, and engaging in thought provoking conversations.

CORE
TRAINING

Because the Christian life is about service, CORE Training is a series of practical small group training courses. They will equip you to know and share what you believe, to read the Bible on your own and with others, to lead a Bible Study group, and help you transition from Uni to the rest of your life!

Make the most of your university years to be equipped to serve now and well into the future!

CORE
THEOLOGY

If God has made the world and the Bible tells us how we are to live in the world, theology is all about knowing God truly and learning to view the world with His eyes.

CORE Theology is a fun and engaging weekly seminar that won’t let you sit back with indifference. Wherever you are, we want to stretch your thinking and firm-up your foundation to live rightly in service of God and others!