Most evangelical Christians come to faith before age 18. They cite parents as the leading influence in their conversion, but peers play an important role, too.

For example, The Spiritual Journey, a 2023 study by Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts, reported that 44% of evangelicals who converted as minors cited under-18 friends as either the “biggest” or a “significant” influence on their decision.

How can churches better prepare students to share their faith with their peers?

I would recommend giving them The Campus Missionary Guidebook by Lee Rogers and Youth Alive personnel. Rogers is director of Student Evangelism for Assemblies of God Youth Ministries. Youth Alive is AGYM’s ministry training students to share Jesus with others.

The book defines a campus missionary as “a student who commits to share Jesus — at school and beyond.” It begins with the encouraging stories of Deion, Arod, and Michelle, public high school students in Portland, Oregon.

The students used a variety of means to share the gospel: personal conversations, a Youth Alive Club on campus, and pre-game prayer with athletes. Over time, they led scores of their peers to Christ.

They endured a fair amount of bullying, both on- and offline; but they persevered. When asked why, Deion said matter-of-factly, “I am a campus missionary. I share the gospel.”

Campus missionaries need to know how to share the gospel. The Campus Missionary Guidebook uses Alive in 5 to do this. Alive in 5 pairs a symbol with a statement to summarize the good news.

If students express interest in putting their faith in Jesus, campus missionaries can lead them in a prayer for salvation.

One of the reasons Christians are wary of evangelism is because they think it means knocking on strangers’ doors or engaging in stilted conversations.

The Campus Missionary Guidebook addresses this problem by showing students there are many ways to share the gospel with their peers: everyday conversations, prayers over felt needs, Bible study, wearing a T-shirt, using artistic creativity, welcoming new students, starting a club, etc.

Some Christian students fear sharing Jesus on campus because they falsely believe the law prohibits it. Even some schoolteachers and administrators share this mistaken understanding.

The Campus Missionary Guidebook addresses this fear head on by outlining students’ legal rights. And most chapters include a QR code that allows readers to download applicable laws and court rulings.

The book emphasizes, however, that campus missionaries should focus on the mission of sharing Jesus rather than their personal legal rights. In this, they follow the example of the apostle Paul. “Paul didn’t use his rights for his own protection or benefit; he used them to advance the gospel and tell more people about Jesus,” writes Lee Rogers.

I am the father of one high schooler and two middle schoolers. The real-world stories of campus missionaries in this book encouraged me both to trust my kids’ developing faith and to empower them to share it. I plan on giving each of them a copy of this book.

Older Christians often worry about whether the next generation will remain faithful. The best way to find out is to equip students for ministry, then release them to do it.

Book Reviewed

Lee Rogers, ed., The Campus Missionary Guidebook: Students Sharing Jesus at School and Beyond (Springfield, MO: Gospel Publishing House, 2025).