It is often said that the number of current world leaders who chose to be educated in another country can serve as a useful, though rough and incomplete, indicator of ‘soft power. . . . Since 2015, the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) has been publishing desk research on the tertiary education of serving heads of state and heads of government and determined how many sitting world leaders in 195 countries around the globe were educated in other countries too. Where world leaders were educated
2019
2018
2017
United States
62
58
57
United Kingdom
59
57
58
France
40
40
34
Russia
10
10
9
Australia
9
9
9
Counting the education of world leaders is quite challenging. Some of the criteria includes: You have to decide what a ‘leader’ is. They define the term in a restrictive way to mean only heads of state and heads of government(monarchs, presidents, prime ministers). You have to define what a country is. They define countries as places that are members of, or observers at, the United Nations (currently 195 places). You have to decide what types of tertiary education count. You have to decide whether only some qualifications or periods of study count (a year abroad in one country counts as much as a whole degree or a doctorate), and you have to decide whether to exclude anyone becasuse they seem unpalatable. According to 2019, the US cemented its position a the most popular place of study for overseas students who later go on to lead their countries.
Cajuns for Christ, a ministry to the athletes at the University of Louisiana co-sponsored by Chi Alpha and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes began in 1994 when Eric Treuil, as campus minister, started a Wednesday Bible study in the athletic dorm for the athletes across every sport. The time demand for athletes is pretty intense, from workouts, practices, film sessions, and study hall, along with various other meetings. With all these demands, it leaves very little time for athletes to get involved with activities of a regular student and the reason our weekly Bible study has to be after 8pm and specific to athletes.
In 1999, the school’s coach invited him to travel with the team as a volunteer chaplain to present pregame messages. Neither players nor staff are required to attend, but Treuil says the coach is there every time, along with most of the team. The outreach to the athletes also involves weekly attending practices, going to the weight room, and being present whenever the team gathers.
Many of the athletes have committed their lives to Christ in the Bible studies, in conversations with Eric traveling to games, and at XA events. One such athlete was Charles “Peanut” Tillman, described by Eric as a devout student with no church background. Charles came to the athlete Bible study and gave his life to Christ. After graduating, he played 13 years in the National Football League, 12 of those years as a cornerback with the Chicago Bears, and played in the Super Bowl 41. In his final year 2015, he played with the Carolina Panthers.
Several athletes have followed up salvation with water baptism in the UL Intramural Center swimming pool. At an away game, Otha Peters, linebacker for UL Ragin’ Cajuns, told Eric the Lord convicted him of his need to be baptized in water, so Eric baptized him in the swimming pool at the hotel where the athletes were staying.
For 27 years, Eric has enjoyed a relationship with several of the UL coaches and a discipling and mentoring role with athletes, and conducted marriage ceremonies for athletes. About 60 XA students assist at each home game by carrying the world’s largest Louisiana state flag on the field as a part of pre-game festivities. The Ragin Cajuns ended last season, ranked #15 in the AP poll with a 10-1 record. Eric does a live pregame Facebook broadcast weekly with the film coordinator of the Ragin Cajuns Darren Walker. Also, while on road games, Eric makes it his habit to connect with the local Chi Alpha missionaries and encourage them to reach out to athletes.
For the original news story see: https://news.ag.org/en/News/Ragin-for-Christ by DeAnn Alford, Sept. 28, 2021
Did you know there are other XA missionaries serving as football chaplains to reach college athletes at University of California Davis, Idaho State University, University of Central Arkansas, Southern Arkansas University, Sam Houston State University, Nicholls State University (Louisiana), and Western New Mexico State U.
Dateline: Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia
Daniel and Catherine Andrew are pioneering XA at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, and Daniel has met with the athletes and formed a discipleship group for athletes.
Check out, an article in Christianity Today, “For God so Loved the World, He Played”
Normal is calculated by previous history. Our future cannot been calculated by normal due to we have never been in this position before. So we will need to put our faith and trust in our God who will guide us to the next dimension.
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Normal is calculated by previous history. Our future cannot been calculated by normal due to we have never been in this position before. So we will need to put our faith and trust in our God who will guide us to the next dimension.