R EAC H IN G S T U D E N TS IN N OR WAY CELE B RAT IN G S T U D E N T M IS S I O N GO D ON T HE M OV E I N B IRM ING HA M
fusionmovement.org
“Write down the vision; make it plain upon tablets, so that the one who reads it may run.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
Our calling in God has moments of clarity where the fog lifts and the clouds burn away, we find ourselves on the mountain top and the view is breathtaking. We take deep breaths and puff out our cheeks, awed and humbled by the vista. We catch a glimpse of our contribution and the much bigger Kingdom agenda that it is part of. This “vision” that we have seen in God, becomes etched in our mind’s eye. It’s like looking for a fraction of a second too long at the sun and even though our eyes are turned away the heat spot still remains. This lingering impression is so vital to our journey, however, unless it is written down we will find ourselves running alone or, worse, those without a vision perishing. Fusion is celebrating 20 years of casting vision to students and this edition of Fuse looks back at the journey (p.36). Our focus is still to inspire the current generation to run hard after a vision of Jesus. So please enjoy a little bit of reminiscing and consider making a renewed commitment to run with us for the next twenty years (p.50).
CONTENTS
HELLO...
FEATURES & INTERVIEWS 04 News 08 Reaching Students in Norway 12 Try Church 14 Celebrating Student Mission 18 God on the Move in Birmingham 22 #EscapeAndPray 25 Student Linkup Story 26 Student Worker Interview 28 Church Profile 32 European Update 34 Student Mission Story 36 Fusion at 20 42 About Fusion 44 Fusion Resources 48 Where Are They Now 50 Fusion Giving
Design: Bravery Creative braverycreative.co.uk For advertising opportunities please contact: Editor: Caroline Harmon E: caroline.harmon@fusionmovement.org Fusion UK is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 3679369 and a registered charity No. 1073572 18 The Office Village | North Road Loughborough | LE11 1QJ
Rich Wilson Team Leader Fusion @richwilson01
Printed on 120 Cocoon 100% recycled, FSC® certified paper, totally chlorine free. Printed with vegetable inks.
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INSIGHT NEWS NEWS BERS NEW FUSION TEAM MEM on Nayagam is
two new team members. Aar Fusion is excited to welcome He’s passionate ion’s Asian church networker. based in Liverpool and is Fus Michael fan. meet Jesus and is a cricket about seeing his generation . He’s a student ning trai al ern ion’s internal and ext Wadsworth is developing Fus time studying Derby and spends his spare worker at Community Church school and is has just graduated from drama Theology. Katherine O’Shea of drama schools. ure ve of God amongst the cult passionate about seeing a mo rch. Chu tion a part of New Genera She’s based in Sidcup and is
STUDENT MISSION AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN Here at Fusion we’re taking nominati ons for the first ever Student Mission Awards until 30th November 2017. The awards will celebrate church-based student mission all over the UK and with 10 categories you’re bound to find one that you can enter your mission activity into.
We’ll be announcing the winners at a big awards ceremony in London on 15th February 2018 and there will be mission grants for every category. Find out more on page 14 or head to our website to get nominating: fusionmovement.org/awards
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FAVOURITE TWEET St Luke’s @stlukeskt workers from across the Love having St Luke’s packed with student ionSWT #fusionswt @Fus tries South being equipped for their minis
INVENTOR OF TUITION FEES W OULD LIKE TO SEE THEM SCRAPPED
The man who claims he was ‘largely resp onsible’ for the introduction of university tuition fees in the late 1990 ’s believes they should be scrapped. Writing in The Guardian, Andrew Ado nis, a former adviser to Tony Blair who also served as an education mini ster, says he never anticipated that what started as asking students for a contribution to their education would lead to students racking up debts of £50,000 by the time they graduate. He has pointed out that debt levels are now so high that the Institute for Fiscal Studies believes that 75% of grad uates will never pay back all they owe.
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INSIGHT NEWS NEWS DISCIPLESHIP DECK IS A HUGE SUCCESS Fusion’s latest resource has been a massive hit, selling more than 500 copies in the first week it went on sale. Discipleship Deck is a set of playing cards with a difference as Luke Smith explains: ‘We’re so happy to announce that this pack of cards is out. It plays like a normal deck of cards but each one has a discipleship question on it. Tough, awkward, sharpening questions to keep your walk with God honest and deep.’ Questions range from ‘‘what are you praying for that is impossible without God?” to “Where do you go for comfort?” This is courageous card playing which asks you to put away your poker face!
We’re already hearing great stories about how people are using the deck. Jamie Pritchard who is based in Romley, said: ‘I had a mate come over for dinner and we got out the discipleship deck and it sparked some awesome discussions on really challenging stuff about living out our faith. It was so good to have a resource that is so chilled and easy to use but helps you grow in your relationship with God by asking the tough questions that can be so easy to shy away from. ’
Order your pack online: fusionmovement.org/resources 6
CHURCHES WORK TOGETHER TO WELCOME COPENHAGEN STUDENTS 20 churches in Copenhagen are working together to welcome all new students, Christian or not, to their city. ‘Surveys have shown that one of the biggest fears amongst new students is being lonely. For the last two years during the first week of the university year we’ve run a project called Welcome to Copenhagen,’ explains Thomas Willer, a church leader in the city.
also been keen to let non-Christian students know that the church is involved in social mission. New students are looking to engage in their city and they can do this through our community; we’re working with the homeless and with trafficked women for example. One student I spoke to was amazed that we don’t just pray, we also try to make the city a better place.’
Last year the initiative provided free bicycle maintenance (cycling is big in the first official Bike City in the world); a BBQ and DJs in a park; the ‘longest community kitchen table in Copenhagen’ where several churches served food in one of the city’s squares; and a huge outdoor party near the city’s main nightclubs. The city’s Mayor even attended to welcome students to the city.
Aside from engaging thousands of students, Welcome to Copenhagen has created a new sense of unity amongst churches in the city. ‘As a network of different churches we’re now meeting monthly to pray.’
‘Christian students found it easy to invite their new university friends, who they’d they often just met the day before,’ explains Willer. ‘We have
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REACHING STUDENTS IN NORWAY In In its its first first four four years years Touchpoint Touchpoint has has reached reached 700 700students studentsand and young towns. young people people in in five fiveof ofNorway’s Norway’suniversity universitycities citiesand and towns. Caroline Harmon caught up with Roy Elling to find out more.
Tell us a bit about your work
What has God being doing recently?
Our mission is to reach people who are away from church and God and make them disciples of Christ. Our vision is to be in 10 towns in Norway, covering every big student town and some of the smaller ones. We also want to work in key areas where there are young people aged 18-30 who are working rather than studying. We started in Kristiansand and we’re now in five towns. It’s all student-led and we hope to launch in a fith town soon.
In Kristiansand we’re seeing people saved on a weekly basis and we’re hearing similar stories from other campuses. I know it’s happening but I almost don’t believe it; it doesn’t feel normal but God is doing it!
‘People are getting saved on a weekly basis. I know it’s happening but I almost don’t believe it’. 8
One student brought two of his friends to church. They hadn’t been to church in their life and at their first meeting they said yes to Christ. He was totally blown away and now wants to serve in Touchpoint because it changes lives.
One girl came to her first ever church meeting; she was 19 at the time. God spoke to her immediately and she accepted Christ. Within a year she’d started Bible School and next year she will train to be a missionary. Just one meeting and – boom – her life changed. It’s amazing.
Another person who wasn’t a Christian came along to help with the sound and lighting as he just loves that sort of thing. For almost a year his friends tried to evangelise him. He gave his life to Christ at a meeting I spoke at. >
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‘We want to be a part of reaching young people for Christ all over Europe.’ What advice would you offer to others looking to do similar work? Don’t let money be an issue. We partner with a church in the US. Their building is too small to hold all of the people they have but they’ve said they won’t ever let a building stop them doing what they need to do. They will find ways to do their work. We heard this story and decided we wouldn’t let a lack of money stop us. We don’t have much money as students often have nothing to tithe with but we just make plans to do what we need to do. We have seen the Lord just bless us; people have given us money time and
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again. They’re not rich, they’re just normal families that want to bless what we do and we’re like ‘wow, that’s a month’s salary from someone.’ Let young people lead. We’re planning to start Escape and Pray in Norway and it will be led by a 23 year old. The old ones like me, we’re just standing behind them coaching them, but they are the leaders. We need to raise up new leaders and the only way to do it is to give them responsibility. Get good people with the right heart and right focus. There aren’t that many people who are focused on students.
Looking beyond Norway, what are your dreams for Europe? Having met with some of the Fusion Team we’re now planning a pilot of Escape and Pray here in Norway (see p.22). Norwegians like to travel a lot so I think we will have lots of people who want to take part. We intend to work with other denominations and ministries. We hope that two or three years from now the whole of Europe will be covered by young people travelling and praying. I think it’s a great tool for raising up new
missionaries to take what God is doing to Europe. We want to be a part of reaching young people for Christ all over Europe.
Roy Elling Foss is employed by the Missionary Federation. Roy lives in Kristiansand, and leads Touchpoint Kristiansand and Touchpoint Norway.
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The Student Linkup app has helped thousands of Christian students find a church to call home at uni. But we want it to do more. It could be a missional tool to invite not-yet Christians to #TryChurch. Miriam Swaffield explains. Imagine walking into Freshers’ Fair.
Uni is full of trying new things, embracing
You’ve stood in the queue for an hour
new experiences and considering life
with housemates you only met yesterday.
now that you’ve sort of left home. So
It’s hot and noisy and crowded. You’re
why not #TryChurch you think? Makes
walking over scattered flyers joining
more sense than rugby anyway. They
the flow of people circling around the
show you a free app that helps you
hall full of stands and colour.
connect with specific local church communities ready to help you feel at
You’re feeling a bit overwhelmed. You
home. They suggest that there might
join more mailing lists than you know
be more to life than what can be sold
what to do with. The size of the guys
to you on a flyer or expected of you by
on sign up meant you’ve already felt
society or your family. They assume you
too scared to say no to rugby trials.
are open to the spiritual and that you
You hate rugby. And then, in amongst
know the world needs more hope and
the free sweets and Student Union wall
purpose than we currently get served.
planners, you stumble across a Student
They’re right. You are open, you’re
Linkup stand, with some friendly
curious, you feel invited.
faces who turn out to be students and churches. Their message amongst the
TAKING STUDENT LINKUP TO FRESHERS’ FAIRS
madness is simple: #TryChurch.
In 2016 we experimented by having
Student Workers from several local
Student Linkup stands at eight
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Freshers’ Fairs in student unions
PRAY WITH US
around the UK. Staffed by our local
We need your prayers, because this is
Fusion churches and various Fusion
big and can’t happen if the Holy Spirit
team, we spoke to more not-yet-
isn’t with us. It feels like we’re moving
Christians than Christians by a long
from fishing in a pond to fishing in
shot and signed them up to Student
the wide open, wild and glistening
Linkup, to #TryChurch.
blue ocean. We are praying that every Christian student would be natural
In 2017 we’ll be at thirty Freshers’ Fairs.
and confident in inviting their mates
Student Unions positively want Student
to #TryChurch as they start uni life. As
Linkup as they see value in a tool that
we look to develop the Student Linkup
helps students find a home. We are
app we want to make it easy and clear
heading towards a day when we would
for not-yet-Christians to use and be
love the local church to confidently be
connected to churches who are ready
able to invite this generation to
to share Jesus with them.
#TryChurch. To see their role as welcoming every student to their city and helping them connect to an expression of Jesus’ family.
‘THIS IS BIG AND CAN’T HAPPEN IF THE HOLY SPIRIT ISN’T WITH US.’
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CELEBRATING STUDENT MISSION Get out your best party clothes! On 15th February 2018, Fusion will hold the first ever Student Mission Awards. We’re going to be celebrating creativity and excellence in student mission across the country. Students across the world are growing hungrier for something more and it is both the job and the joy of the local church to be able to reach out to these students. If you’ve been a part of a missional activity in your church then you’re a part of the student mission story and these awards are for you. This awards party is a celebration
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MISSION AWARD
An estimated 20% of students in the UK are international. This award recognises those who are engaging most effectively with their fellow students from all around the world.
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and recognition of your faith and obedience in sharing Jesus in your city, with your mates and on your campus. We want to celebrate the significant diversity there is in how people have sought to see the Kingdom of God come in their locations. There are ten different awards up for grabs. Have a read and think about which one could be the award for you. >
FRESHERS AWARD
Freshers isn’t just about how many Christian students we can get into our churches, but about welcoming all new students to try church amidst the chaos of freshers’ week. This award is for all those who have done exactly that.
ESCAPE AND PRAY AWARD
Pilgrims, not tourists. Mission, not city break. Revival, not survival. This award celebrates remarkable stories of mission and prayer from Escape and Pray.
DIGITAL MISSION AWARD
As we live much of our lives online, the need to engage with people digitally is fundamental. This award is for the digital missionaries.
SOCIAL ACTION AWARD
An award for students who have demonstrated a heart for the poor and needy in their cities and towns. For those who recognise the call to live for Jesus at uni takes us beyond our campuses and into our city street.
BEST STUDENT MISSION IDEA AWARD
This one’s for the dreamers and schemers. Give us your best idea for a bold and exciting new missional activity and we will sponsor you to make it happen.
Josh from G2 in York has submitted this creative idea for the Digital Mission Award. ‘A bunch of us students spent an evening learning to hear from God for others and use what he says to encourage, strengthen and comfort others, like it says in 1 Corinthians 14:3. As part of the evening, every student there spent time listening to God for one of their mates or family that didn’t know Jesus and then used text, Facebook or WhatsApp to send them a specific word of encouragement and to let them know that they had been praying for them. This was a bold yet simple act and it sparked some brilliant conversations with people who they wouldn’t have otherwise spoken to about Jesus.‘ This is just one example of the many creative ideas that the SMAs will celebrate. Does your church have a story that could compete with this one for the Digital Mission award? If so, submit it now!
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MISSION STYLE AWARDS The Mission Style Awards are four separate awards based on the four Mission Styles:
CONVINCE ME
This award celebrates missional activities that engage with those who love big debates, discussions and research.
LET ME EXPERIENCE
This award is all about those who act first and think later. Ideas that come from asking ‘why not?’ and then going and doing.
SHOW ME
This award celebrates missional activities that help people realise that Jesus makes a difference in practical ways. Show me people see needs and meet them.
TALK WITH ME
This award recognises the best and brightest ways of connecting with people who enjoy a good conversation and personal connection. Talk with me people respond to relationship, story and testimony.
Every award has a mission grant attached to it which will be invested back into student mission.
Applications close on 30th November 2017:
fusionmovement.org/awards
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The Discipleship Year is an opportunity for 18-24 year olds in England with a hunger to discover their calling and fulfil their potential. It is a chance to be equipped, empowered and encouraged to advance the kingdom of God in the world today. It is about making disciple-making disciples, building solid foundations for a life of adventure following Jesus. For more information and to apply, visit new-wine.org/DY
GROWING AS DISCIPLES OF JESUS FOR A LIFE OF ADVENTURE
M NP NewWineDY
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Britain’s second largest city is home to 65,000 students and seven universities. Caroline Harmon caught up with some church leaders in the city to find out what God is doing there. Jeff Stamps is an Assistant Pastor at Birmingham Vineyard It feels like Birmingham is on God’s map at the moment. I came to Birmingham because I love big cities. I think God loves them too because they’re full of people and God loves people! As a city we have the second largest number of students in the UK. Students are often open to thinking about faith; our university days really shape the rest of our lives, so living in a student city gives me so many opportunities for the Kingdom. At Birmingham Vineyard we have a site on the edge of Sellyoak, which is a student area. We have about 80 students in a church with 400 adults overall. We ran an Alpha course this
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year and we’ve seen a number of students go from being quite nominal Christians to coming freshly alive in their faith. We also saw two students come to faith for the first time. The challenge we face is that Christian students can easily create community amongst themselves, but how do you get them to mobilise for mission and involve others in that community? It is happening but we need to tell those stories to build momentum. We’re trying to use Instagram more to do this.
Jeff Stamps Birmingham Vineyard
‘My big dream is that everywhere our students go they believe they can be life to the city.’ Tim Muller et Lu St ke’s Gas Stre Tim Muller is the Student Pastor at St Luke’s Gas Street We’re just over one year old as a church and have lots of students in our church community. Our building used to be a site where gas was manufactured and then used to light street lamps in the city. It’s a nice metaphor for our students being sent out into the campuses and neighbourhoods. On Good Friday we hold a public event with music, art, the spoken word and performing arts. Last year, one girl came in and God really spoke to her through what we were doing and she’s now a Christian. She’s been with us for just over a year and she recently got baptised. She brings her friends to church all the time. Another of our students was on a night out
and he was talking with a drunk guy about faith. They exchanged phone numbers. The guy called the next day with more questions and he gave his life to Jesus the same day. My big dream is that everywhere our students go they believe they can be light to the city. We want them to love the city and to stick around after they graduate to keep loving it, rather than seeing uni as a transitional period. We’ve a very diverse city spiritually and I’ve got some good Muslim mates. It’s good to share our different perspective on faith; I think having dialogue with people of other faiths is especially important given world events at the moment. >
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‘Four years ago we had no student work, now it’s starting to sustain itself.’ George Kawalek Birmingham City Church George Kawalek is the Student Worker at Birmingham City Church Many of our students are at Aston University, which means we have a lot of international students. Many of them have been brought up to go to church because ‘that’s what you do’. It’s merely a label rather than a faith. I’ve seen a lot of fruit from going back to the basics of faith in our student bible study groups and helping people to see that Christianity is a relationship not a label. Once they get that our students become missional and bring friends to church on a Sunday. It’s all about relationship. We have an international student whose
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parents were missionaries but his own faith was just a label. I met with him at least once a week for a whole academic year; my only intention was to be there for him, I didn’t have a big missional strategy. Now he’s finished his Masters and gone on to take some theology modules because he’s realised this is what it’s all about. Four years ago we had no student work, now I’m no longer building it. It’s starting to sustain itself with students leading things themselves. My dream is to take a step back and let them do it. Once you get ownership people buy in and you get better student work. They have far more capacity than me and there are more of them than me!
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JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES JOBS.FUSIONMOVEMENT.ORG
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210
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People
Flights
35 Teams
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Different churches
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Countries
Cities
There were also
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teams sent from the Netherlands
@duffy_nick
This is a lifestyle not just a trip! #escapeandpray
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DEBRECEN
Fusion Team Member, Alan, was part of an Escape & Pray team that visited Hungary’s second city, Debrecen, home to 30,000 students. We prepared for our Escape and Pray mission in listening prayer. We sensed we needed to find a big fountain in our destination city. We flew into Debrecen airport then hitchhiked to the city in a plush 4x4. Our first sight as we stepped out of the car was a Catholic Church. We met a young Priest there who’d learnt English through video games! He understood the word “pilgrim” from his Catholic history and grasped our mission immediately. ‘Do you know a fountain in the city,’ we asked. ‘Yes, it’s right by the university.’ Brilliant, we were in a proper God space now. We headed there to connect with students and continue our mission praying and sharing Jesus. 24
In prayer one morning we had the words ‘apartment, floor three, room 28’. We ran through a storm past the fountain to one of the student apartment blocks, but couldn’t get in. We met Victoria and Adam outside having a smoke. We chatted and shared the Gospel. Victoria had never heard it before. We prayed for Adam for healing and, to our surprise, he said he felt the pain go! We told him about the clues ‘apartment, floor three, room 28’ and he said, ‘that was my room!’ On returning to Manchester the following week Nick shared the gospel on the streets. A young lad received Christ and was baptised in a bath. Where was he from? Debrecen!
STUDENT LINKUP STORY
RICHARD BLIZZARD is studying Product Design at Nottingham Trent University. He joined Trent Vineyard Church after finding the church through the Student Linkup app.
Student Linkup helped me so much. I probably wouldn’t have gone to church at uni without it. I found out about it at a New Wine Conference the summer before I started university. I downloaded the app and started using the messaging service and I was really impressed with how Trent Vineyard got back to me.
At home I went to church because that was the norm for me. At university I had to decide: was I going to go to church on my own or was I not going to bother? My sister didn’t go to church much at university because she couldn’t find anywhere to go. Student Linkup made sure I knew where I could go.
Today I’m on a team that helps integrate new students coming through the doors. I’m also involved in a weekly small group which is really supportive and I help if they need an extra pair of hands at events.
Don’t leave it until after Freshers’ Week to find a church. Before you even get to uni have a look at some churches on the Student Linkup app otherwise time can slip away with you. Get stuck into everything. People in church will be so friendly and are there to help.
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STUDENT WORKER INTERVIEW
Al McNicoll and his wife Caroline are the Student Leaders at Oxford Community Church, which has around 30 student members.
Recently we felt God calling us to prepare to run an Alpha course even though none of our students were in a place of needing to do Alpha at the time. One person came for a bit then disappeared for about four weeks. You expect drop off during Alpha Courses so we just thought we’d lost him. Then he asked to meet up, so we went for ice cream and he said he was going to become a Christian. He didn’t quite know what that meant, but he wanted to do it. Another person brought along three of their friends and they all became Christians quite quickly. It felt like some people were running to become Christians and others were crawling but it was great to see so many new Christians!
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The Christian student world can be a bit crowded. Students might have church commitments and CU commitments and they could also be part of Just Love, a group of Oxford Christians tackling injustice. For a while we wondered if we should just step back from trying to engage students in church and focus more on supporting them in their society commitments. But we really believe the local church has something to offer and Fusion helped us to see that. Students also keep very different hours to the ones I would prefer! They want to start meetings at the same time I want to put my kids to bed. My wife and I have felt challenged to not
be so focused on our family that we lose our fire and passion for the work God has called us to with students. This year I visited some of our students in their home towns over the summer. The summer is long and students don’t always have the same support for their faith back home so we want to keep in touch. We’ve posted all our students Fusion’s The Discipleship Deck and a prayer dice. Fusion has helped keep mission at the forefront of our student work. Fusion’s staff regularly call us. They listen to what we’re doing, offer to pray, and the next time we speak they remember what we said last time. To have that kind of support, to know that someone cares enough to be that interested, is invaluable.
Fusion’s resources are fantastic. Last year we had a big intake of freshers so we spent a lot of time sowing into culture because there weren’t as many older students for them to pick this up from. We realised that what we meant by ‘discipleship’ wasn’t always the same as what this year group meant. For us it’s about asking challenging questions that make sure our lives are about Jesus. Fusion’s Discipleship Desk has helped our students to do this. If you’re just starting out doing student work in your church remember that God has given each church unique characteristics. Don’t be tempted to try to look like the church up the road that has lots of students. Be who God has made you.
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CHURCH PROFILE
KXC, LONDON In each issue of Fuse we profile a Fusion Connection Church. Rosie Fraser caught up with Jon Carter, one of the Student Workers at Kings Cross Church (KXC) in London.
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Tell us a bit about your church
What has God been doing
We’re seven years old as a church, so we’re still pretty young. We’ve grown from just a handful of people to between 500 and 600 people who call us home. My wife Jo and I lead the student work together. We’re right in the middle of a lot of different campuses in London, with five on our doorstep and 15 different universities represented amongst our students. At the start, we found that for some reason Kings Cross was a hard place for students to find a church to call home. We’re now pushing 100 students and they’re a remarkably diverse group.
The bar of what our students want to see God do is so high. What we’re seeing at the moment is so many of them bringing mates to church on Sunday and students coming to faith through that. It’s incredible. We’re seeing a real growth for the heart of Kings Cross. Having so many different unis represented across our student work creates a whole other challenge as to what mission looks like. To try to tackle this we have six or seven hubs in different areas through which we encourage missional stuff. One goes and meets with the homeless of Kings Cross; it’s amazing to see.
recently?
Of course, all of this stuff is irrelevant if it is not done with the presence of God with the Spirit, and that’s something that we’re noticing is becoming a part of the makeup of our student work. We run something called #ReclaimTheMorning where we meet on a Wednesday between 8am and 9am to pray and reclaim the morning for devotional time with God. The idea is that we might see the morning as our own time to get bits done or to just be alone, but instead we’re encouraging and modelling a lifestyle of devotion and discipleship. From that place of being with God, we can be outward looking and do all the exciting stuff we want to see, but we can’t do it without that time.
What challenges do you face? London is an overwhelming city, it can be a chaotic place. One of our challenges is to create a safe place for people to feel like they are with family and at home with us. We support students in then creating home for each other too, to become rooted and call London home. We haven’t yet had loads of people graduate, but it will happen next summer. We’re starting to think about how we help people to do graduate life really well. We want to set graduates up to thrive. There will be some big lessons we can learn from other churches who’ve done this already. >
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CHURCH PROFILE
What advice would you offer to a church that is thinking about doing student work? So often our question has been ‘how do we get students to come to KXC?’ God has the opposite heart, and we need to learn to serve the community, rather than feeling like they are serving us. Become a Fusion Connection Church. Fusion is full of people who are for us, and want to see us thrive. They don’t want to own it, or have their name on anything, but it is just amazing to see how they’re supporting us and praying for our church and students.
Does your church work with students, or would you like to? Sign up as a Fusion Connection Church and you’ll be able to message students coming to study in your area, plus Student Work Training will help you reach each generation for Jesus.
fusionmovement.org/churches
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THE SOUND OF A
CLEAR CALL IN EUROPE
Alan Taylor, Fusion’s Europe Developer, hears a clear call to battle for the students of Europe
“Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” 1 Corinthians 14:6-8 In this passage Paul shares the importance of interpreting what God is saying. The metaphor of a rally call to battle is a disturbing image for what the Spirit is saying. As Fusion visit and meet leaders across Europe we sense that there is a war for students to come into the Kingdom and a battle for the church to lead in student mission. What hope do we have of winning these battles? We have huge hope!
Jesus’ victory at the cross defeated satan, sin and death forever. Now the veil is torn, the Spirit is unleashed on and empowering God’s beloved children - the church. The breath of God in the church means we can say the local church is the hope of the student world in Europe. Fusion’s role is to encourage the church to enter the battlefield of student mission with confidence, creativity and courage. I recently visited the Church of the Holy Spirit in Heidelberg in Germany. The building has been standing for over 600 years and for hundreds of those years, right up until the 1930s, there was a partition dividing Catholic and Protestants. Walls must come down for the church to effectively live in God’s mission. The partition between the church and students is one such barrier that must fall for student mission to be more fruitful.
KEY STATS
398
Fusion Connection churches in 26 nations in Europe
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leaders from Norway visited UK for training
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Student Linkup App live in 12 European nations As Fusion in Europe we want to encourage the local church to lead in making disciples in the universities. All kinds of churches, shapes and sizes, colours and sounds are being called onto the battlefield of God’s mission with students. The workers in this harvest field are waiting to be commissioned by the church. Fusion in Europe are getting ready to equip this new uprising of workers
leaders at a training event in Germany
Pray for more workers: Would you join the growing network of passionate advocates for churches praying for and working with students in Europe? We’d love to hear your perspective and how you’re responding to the call.
How can you enter the battlefield? Encourage a church in Europe to create a profile: Invite churches onto www.studentlinkup.org. This is a declaration of war to the powers that hinder students finding churches. Host a gathering: Do you know churches in Europe that want to help more churches in their nation connect with students and are equipped in student mission?
Alan lives in Manchester with his wife and two children. He’s imagining pioneering churches across Europe for a spiritual awakening in the universities. Contact him for more info:
alan.taylor@fusionmovement.org
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INSIGHT NEWS MISSION STORY STUDENT
LAUREN HERBERT
is in her third year at the University of Lincoln Being a Christian at university is such an amazing experience, you just have this whole new group of people to get to know and go on a journey with. But I sometimes find myself overwhelmed by the number of people that don’t know Jesus. I sometimes feel like all I ever hear about is evangelism and I can’t help thinking that it’s all very well and good for other people to be evangelists, but definitely not me. These are just classic moments where I trip over and start to think that it all has to be my own doing. That I have to know what to say, when to say it and who to say it to - but that’s not true, and that is the beauty of it!
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According to Fusion’s Mission Styles quiz I am a ‘talk with me’ person. This just means that I love to build relationships with people which then allows for deeper conversations to happen naturally and in a very trusting environment. I am especially passionate about doing this within my rugby team and I feel like I have become really integrated with that group of girls. I know how intimidating it can be to read or hear stories about people who are seeing radical transformations at their university, I always come away thinking that’s amazing, it really is, but it would never
happen to me. But what if I told you that of the five rugby players who I have taken to church this year, I haven’t invited a single one? By living life alongside these people and simply being there, being approachable and being open about my faith, I have been approached (very randomly!) by five people about their desire to come to church and explore faith. I constantly feel like I am not good enough, or equipped enough, but it is very clear to me that God has other ideas - He is in complete control of every conversation I have and every relationship I deepen.
In a society built upon the internet and social media, people are getting hungry for something real, something that isn’t posed and made to look glossy. As christians, we can live in a way that shows people that we are who we say we are, because our identity comes from Christ. I love 2 Corinthians 3:17 which says - “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.” If you truly believe you are free, people will start to notice, and that’s when God begins to move in their hearts. I have just been so encouraged recently to know that it is God who transforms people, not me! I will just continue to pray and love and know that God is moving in a powerful way.
DISCOVER HOW YOU NATURALLY SHARE JESUS MISSIONSTYLES.ORG
CELEBRATING
years 20 d
As Fusion turns 20, Rich Wilson takes stock of all that God has done and looks at what the future might hold. of passion and prayer, reimagining what student mission could look, feel and smell like in the 21st century. Some incredible things began to happen as students planted missional small groups that we called Fusion cells. In St Andrews as cells multiplied from two to 11 it led to a church being planted and meeting in a pub. In Cambridge there were wonderful stories of salvation as cells continued to multiply to 40 over a few years.
Fusion started with an explosion in autumn 1997. Different leaders, church traditions, church networks and Christian organisations came together to serve a much larger Godagenda for the student world. Fusion didn’t claim to be the answer and still doesn’t, however, it was very clear that God had spoken to a number of different people around the UK who were now finding each other around this common mission. It was a fusion
1997 Fusion is launched in London – the inquisitive, the desperate and the adventurous show up. Over 400 attend.
1998 Fusion Cells start being planted and leaders are getting trained. 36
2001 Over 500 students attend the national Fusion gathering in Derby.
1999 The first national gathering sees 40 Fusion Cell leaders attend.
2004 Fusion Cells have multiplied to 500 in 88 universities.
2002 Fusion goes on tour with 24-7 Prayer, Tearfund and 100 Hours visiting eight cities.
In Oxford I remember a catalytic prayer meeting where a power cut felt like a God ordained interruption as it preceded a number of powerful prophetic words and declarations. Within five years nearly 500 Fusion cells had been planted as students created communities around Jesus with a focus on evangelism. Mission was largely about lifestyle and it was the lives of Christians in these cells that were standing out, creating curiosity and leading many into relationship with Jesus. Alongside the growth in cells there was a growing number of local churches who believed they had a mandate to reach the student world.
2006 Fusion’s focus moves to championing, training & equipping the local church for student mission.
2005 1200 students pack out the Student Evolution venue at Spring Harvest.
Many of the cells were connected to, resourced by and trained by these churches. It became evident that the future of student mission would depend on local churches playing a much larger role. Churches began to create new roles and Student Workers were appointed in paid and voluntary roles all over the UK. Fusion introduced Student Worker Training for church-based student workers and in 2002 ran a week-long residential for 29 student workers from across the 47 Fusion-connected churches. Now, two decades on, the church connections have swollen to over 2,000 and in recent years over 1,000 student workers a year have attended Fusion training.
2009 Fusion embarks on a 20 city loveyouruni tour. 200 churches are now connected.
2010 New resources are launched including the School Leaver Pack to prepare new students for university.
2007 The Fusion team expands and appoints Student Work Developer, Student Mission Developer and Church Relations Manager. Fusion’s big bash student conference is in Oxford. 37
Still Not Satisfied We are really grateful for all God has done through us but we not satisfied. Two years before Fusion started God was stirring a dream in me… In October 1995 I was wrestling with big questions about my generation and what it would take to disciple a whole generation. On that day I recognised that these weren’t just my questions, these were seeds that God had planted in me and was encouraging to grow. Calling was being incubated and I was about to catch a glimpse of the future. That day I began to dream about what it could mean, what it would
2012 Grow to 850 churches
2013 The start of a two year loveyouruni road trip in a VW Campervan visiting every university city in the UK.
2011 Fusion team grows appointing three new team members. We’re now working with 700 churches. 38
look like, what it would feel like. Generation after generation of students igniting fire after fire in the lives of fellow students. Multitudes getting a vision for God’s preferred future and kneeling in submission to his Kingdom agenda. Seeds of calling planted that, over time, would grow into huge trees, bearing fruit and providing shelter and home, feeding both individual names and whole nations. A stampede of God’s people being unleashed into business, politics, church planting, education, arts, media, medicine and more. Marked by encounter, they leave their mark in society for generations to come. Looking ahead to the next two decades there is much more that must be achieved. As part of God’s church
2016 Missionstyles.org is launched. Student Linkup invites students to #TryChurch at 18 uni Freshers’ Fairs.
2014 Student Linkup App is launched and churches from around the world begin to join the movement.
2018 Student Mission Awards will celebrate excellence and creativity in student mission.
2017 The 2000th church creates a church profile! The Discipleship Deck is launched. Fusion team swells to 24. Student Linkup invites all students to #TryChurch at 20 Freshers’ Fairs.
we have vision for generations and nations. In the UK each new student generation must be given an opportunity to respond to the gospel and invited to #TryChurch. Across the nations, new church-based student movements must start. 25 million students across Europe need the church to show and share Jesus with them. Fusion is committed to playing its part, raising up more workers and serving God’s mission to students through the local church and in partnership with other ministries.
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WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT FUSION
A lot has been said about Fusion in the pages of Fuse over the years. We collected some snippets: There is a prophetic edge to Fusion that gives such sharpness to what they bring.’ Grace Cooper, Jesmond Methodist Church, Newcastle (Issue 10) ‘I see in the lives of the Fusion staff a genuine love for God, passion for his kingdom and an abundance of life and joy.’ Rev Richard Pennystan, St Chad’s in Romily (Issue 13)
‘Fusion is doing great work in linking students to churches. Crucially, they’re helping to enable and equip the church in encouraging and discipling students in their faith; releasing their gifts into Christ-centered ministry.’ Archbishop John Sentamu ‘Fusion has revolutionised our student ministry.’ Dan, Tyneside Vineyard (Issue 16)
‘It was in the environment of faith, risk and expectation that God will do something outrageous, that Fusion provides, that I heard God clearly.’ Sanjay Mahtani
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IN OUR LIFETIME WE PRAY. TWENTY YEARS INTO OUR FEW PAGES OF GOD’S STORY, TWO DECADES OF RUNNING FOR JESUS’ GLORY, THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY LIFETIMES OF MILLIONS, STILL WE KEEP KNOCKING, ON LOCKED DOORS, ON HEAVEN’S DOOR, BELIEVING ON EARTH THAT
. e r o m see n a c e W TWENTY YEARS OF WATCHING THE CHURCH GET NEW CONFIDENCE AND HOPE, SEEING LOCAL EXPRESSIONS OF JESUS’ FAMILY WELCOMING STUDENTS HOME. GIVE US THE NEXT TWENTY, TAKE US FROM GLORY INTO GLORY, IN OUR LIFETIME, IN THE LIVES OF THOSE TO COME,
WE WILL SEE SOMETHING.
#TRYCHURCH
ABOUT
N FUSION VISIO The vision of Fusion is to champion and catalyse church-based student movements that see the student world reached and transformed by the gospel.
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‘I love Fusion because they create an easy, practical and effective way for students to get connected to local church.’ Tilly, studying at Loughborough University
‘The Student Linkup app is a great tool that can be crucial to connecting with those coming to or living in London. We love all that Fusion does to help churches.’ Mark Nelson, St Johns Hackney
FUSION OUT WORKS THIS VISION THROUGH: Equipping Students: Preparing & inspiring students for a life of mission & discipleship at university. Serving Churches: Connecting students into the heart of local church and encouraging churches to be at the heart of student mission. Developing Student Workers: Training, resourcing and strengthening all those in church based student ministry.
fusionmovement.org 43
RESOURCES
DISCIPLESHIP DECK £5 Discipleship Deck is more than your average deck of playing cards. Each card contains a discipleship question that will provoke honesty and integrity. They bring purpose to accountability. Throughout the church, people are meeting up to encourage one another in their walk with Jesus. This deck of cards helps those conversations to get real, quickly. Each suit is a different category of questions focusing on your lifestyle, relationships, spiritual growth and mission. The questions include;
“Where do you go for comfort?”, “Who are you praying will come to faith in Jesus?”, “What are you thankful for at the moment?”, “Do you need to forgive anyone?” Put away your poker face, this is not a game you can win by bluffing. Instead raise the stakes in vulnerability, bet on honesty and gamble with openness. Courageous card playing is not about sticking to safe hands - greater freedom and friendship is what this game is all about.
BUY RESOURCES ONLINE fusionmovement.org/resources
RESOURCES
Resources for Your Next God Adventure At Fusion we want to make it as easy as possible for students, and those who work with them, to get hold of the knowledge and tools that will make your university days the most amazing part of your lifelong journey with God to date. Fusion’s resources prepare and inspire students for a life of mission and discipleship at university and beyond. They equip churches to send and receive students well.
Whether you want to delve into a book on your own or find resources to use with others, we’ve got something for everyone. The Student Linkup Box contains three books for the price of two and is perfect if you will be starting university soon. The loveyouruni bundle is ideal if you’re already at university. From before your uni days have even begun (Student Linkup Sessions) until after they’re over (The Graduate Alphabet) our resources will guide you every step of the way.
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STUDENT WORK CONFERENCE 2017
the Uprising d has begun
WHERE ARE THEY NOW? James Hill
James Hill studied Management at UMIST between 2000 and 2003 where he was a member of Ivy Church, a Fusion Connection Church. Today he is the Managing Director of Hampton Manor, a Michelin starred ‘restaurant with rooms’ in Birmingham.
As a student I helped run Alpha courses in curry houses in Manchester. We had 90 people on some courses. Students can’t resist free food and lots of student live around the Curry Mile. Some students slightly older than me planted a community in Moss Side and Rusholme, an area of social deprivation. They asked questions about what God’s Kingdom looks like in the whole of our lives; in the workplace, in the home, in society, in government, and in education. They were great at recognising what God was doing outside of the walls of the church. For me this was influential.
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My sister became a Christian whilst at university in Birmingham and one-by one the rest of my family followed. I was about 10 at the time; my mum and dad ran a pub in Worcester and we used to have all the staff for dinner on a Sunday round a big table. The Bar Manager became a Christian, then other members of staff became Christians. The pub became a neutral environment in which to run Alpha and Marriage courses. Today I run Hampton Manor. My work there is about expressing the Kingdom of God and giving people a taste of what is coming. The Moss Side community showed me that the gospel isn’t just good news for when we die, it is also the good
news that Jesus started something very special when he rose from the dead. We are part of that redemptive work of building something through our work and our whole life that speaks of what he’s up to and points people to the ultimate goal of the renewal of the whole of creation, including humanity. Recently I’ve gone to a new level of thinking on this. What my parent’s business established for God was very exciting and now we’re increasingly seeing new and broader ways to understand God’s work in our new venture. The product itself has something of God’s Kingdom very clearly in it. We’ve recently commissioned a 4.3 meter long table for the restaurant and a large tasting table for our reception area. They were inspired by God constantly
using the metaphor of the table and eating with each other to show us what the Kingdom looks like. Our business isn’t just about making a profit and looking after our staff. When people eat here and having significant moments together, there’s something of the Kingdom in that. It’s given me a greater understanding of entrepreneurism and the responsibility we have for our work to implicitly tell the story of God and be alive and meaningful in his Kingdom. If you’re studying at the moment try to get Christians around you who value what you do outside of the church. People who will help you lean into a career that lets you fully express your strengths and use them to bring the Kingdom of God.
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FUSION WANTS TO INVITE ALL STUDENTS TO #TRYCHURCH STUDENTS: The best thing you could do at uni is join a local church; you will discover a home away from home, a community, interesting people from all walks of life. You will also discover that Jesus is real and is passionate about getting to know you. So would you #TryChurch at uni? Churches: How are you welcoming all students to your city? Not just the Christians, all of them. Thousands of students arrive in your city each autumn to make it their home. Together, the church in the city can champion a welcome to the students of the city.
TO MAKE THIS A REALITY OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS FUSION WANTS TO INVEST £300,000 IN STUDENT LINKUP. PLEASE JOIN US AS A REGULAR PARTNER, OR WITH A ONE-OFF DONATION.
GIVINGFORM I want to partner with Fusion through the following Direct Debit Donation:
CONTACT Name Email Mobile No.
BANK DETAILS Your sort code:
Account number:
How much would you like to donate per month? £25
£50
£75
£100
Or different amount: Address:
Post code:
GIFT AID If you are a UK Taxpayer paying income tax or capital gains tax you can make your gifts worth 25% more at no extra cost to you. I am a UK tax payer, and want Fusion to claim back the tax on all donations I have made in the past four tax years and on all future gifts. I will notify Fusion if I change my name or home address or if I no longer pay sufficient tax on my income and/or capital gains.
Signature:
Please return forms to: Fusion, 18 The Office Village, North Road, Loughborough, LE11 1QJ or email to hello@fusionmovement.org Fusion UK is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 3679369 and a registered charity No. 1073572.
Date:
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Donate online:
fusionmovement.org/give
fusionmovement.org/awards Nominations Close 30th November 2017