T H E L O C AL CHURCH Alan Scott
R A IS I N G UP EVA N G E L IST S Miriam Swaffield
CH U R C H P R OF ILE Ivy Church
www.fusion.uk.com
“STUDYING THEOLOGY AT THE LONDON SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY (LST) TRANSFORMED MY VIEW OF GOD AND THE WORLD. IT HAS BEEN THE LAUNCHPAD FOR MY CAREER.” KIT POWNEY, CAMPAIGNS OFFICER, CHRISTIAN AID LST is the first choice for studying Theology, Theology, Music and Worship, and Theology and Counselling. Study options range from a one year Certificate through to research PhD. Study online, on campus in London or by distance learning – realise your academic potential and go on to change the world!
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We’re excited to introduce a fresh new Fuse as we seek to reflect more of what God is doing in and through the student movement. We believe God has gone ahead of us into the campuses and universities and has called churches to have a central role in his mission to students, which is why we’re pleased to include an interview with Alan Scott about the hope the church brings to the world and universities (page 8). He is calling students to be spectacular for Jesus as they carry his presence and his message of freedom, as our very own Miriam explores (page 14). This last year has been about hearing and responding to God’s call to live more adventurously for him. It has shaped much of our training, events and equipping. As the Road Trip (page 28) accomplished the goal of visiting every university town and city in the UK, new pathways and connections across Europe are being forged as #escapeandpray (page 24) takes us by surprise.
CONTENTS
WELCOME TO A NEW LOOK
FEATURES & INTERVIEWS 04 News 08 The Local Church, The Hope
of the World
Alan Scott
14 Raising Up Evangelists
Miriam Swaffield
18 Church Profile
Ivy Church
21 Student Interviews 24 #escapeandpray 28 Roadtrip Update 32 Student Workers 34 About Fusion 36 Fusion Resources 38 St Brendan’s Prayer 42 Key Partners 48 Where Are They Now? 50 Fusion Giving
Design: Creative Hope Studio www.creativehopestudio.com For advertising opportunities please contact: Editor: Caroline Harmon E: caroline@fusion.uk.com 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
I hope you enjoy the updates and stories, Rich Rich Wilson Team Leader Fusion Follow Rich on twitter @richwilson01
Printed on 120 Cocoon 100% recycled, FSC® certified paper, totally chlorine free. Printed with vegetable inks. 3
INSIGHT NEWS NEWS
A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN STUDENT A new survey of 1300 UK Christian students has provided a fascinating snapshot into how they spend their time and how they engage with mission. Promisingly, 96% of respondents are church members, with 90% of those attending three or four times a month. Yet they still find time to socialise with non-Christians. Just a third predominantly socialise with other Christians, whilst the rest spend more time with course, hall, house and society mates. Almost 60% are members of a society other than the CU, with a third of those taking on society leadership roles. 4
Chosen groups range from the usual, such as sporting and theatrical, to the more bizarre, including Quidditch. They also reflect a range of interests you might more readily associate with their grandparents, such as knitting, baking, cake decorating and wine appreciation. Doing mission on campus is still a daunting task though. Whilst more than 90% of respondents said that all or most of their friends know they are a Christian, 24% never invite a friend to church and 77% hardly ever pray with non-Christian friends. The survey was carried out by Fusion. Rich Wilson, Fusion’s Team Leader, said: ‘We wanted to find out about a week in the life of a Christian student, how it might be changing, and the impact this is having on mission. We were surprised at the high level of response and feel we’ve got a really good picture of what’s going on around the county. We’ll be releasing more results over the coming months and using them to direct our work to support UK Christian students.’
FUSION IRELAND
Mark Knox from Lurgan We are delighted to appoint a strong church-based to work in helping establish for all Ireland. He will be student mission movement send and receive students resourcing local churches to ent ministry and inspiring effectively, strengthening stud s. Please get in contact students to live missional live mark@fusion.uk.com with Mark and cheer him on:
MORE NEW FUSION FACES Fusion is growing and these are some of the people who are helping us grow. Jo Blair will be based in York and helping further develop student mission. Sam Deakin is part of Coastline Vineyard and will serve Student Workers on the south coast. Alan Taylor is a veteran Student Worker from Manchester and will be helping Fusion strengthen and pioneer church based student ministry across Europe. Hannah Stone and Dave Coates will be joining us in the Fusion office in Loughborough and serving operations, churches and international.
MASS MOVEMENT OF THE WORLD’S STUDENTS
In what has become one of humanity’s great mass movements, five million students are likely to be studying for degrees outside their own countries this year. Europe is the top destination, hosting 48% of all international students. This presents incredible opportunities for the European church and over the coming months and years Fusion will be working hard to encourage and strengthen more church-based student mission and ministry. Our hope and prayer is that Studentlinkup.org will soon be able to serve the whole of Europe and beyond.
5
NEWS
THE UPS AND DOWNS OF STUDENT LIFE UP 58% of students expect to leave uni with more than £20K of debt, compared to 2% in 2004
76% are primarily focused on future employment opportunities, compared to just 36% back in 2004
28% of students think that accruing so
much debt isn’t acceptable as a career investment, up by 10% in just two years
21% now glean information from social network websites to help them choose a uni, compared to only 11% in 2008
DOWN Despite rising levels of debt
just 4% are worried about leaving university with debt, compared to 14% 2004
Only 36% work 11-20 hours per week in a part time job compared to
55% ten years ago
76% spend less than £20 a week on going out with friends, compared to
67% in 2012. 20% spend nothing at all, compared to just 14% in 2012.
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All stats from the Sodex University Lifestyle Survey 2014
Only 35% of freshers say that
uni was their ’obvious next step’ compared to 42% of those in 2nd year or above
47% of students in second year or above lead quieter lives than in previous years. Most of them says this is due to higher academic workloads.
THEY SAID… ‘Universities will have to work harder to demonstrate the value of higher education to students.’ – Jane Longmore, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Southampton Solent University, commenting on the Sodexo University Lifestyle Survey 2014
‘The meaning of education (has) changed from something that is inherently good and improving for society, to simply a means to being employable.’ – Josie Long, Comedian, commenting on why, if she could change one government policy, she would scrap tuition fees.
‘You are a Christian. You cannot go to university just to get a better job or have a better life. The years you spend as an undergraduate are like everything else in your life… they’re Christ’s.’ – Stanley Hauerwas, American theologian, ethicist and public intellectual
‘Students living on beans and sketches about student poverty have become a punchline. But this isn’t a joke, it’s a national crisis. For our poorest students every day is a struggle. It is really important for them to have money in their pockets they know they are entitled to, and won’t have to pay back. It gives them the confidence they need to succeed.’ - Megan Dunn, NUS president, commenting in The Guardian on government plans to scrap maintenance grants for students from low income families from Autumn 2016
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THE LOCAL CHURCH: THE HOPE OF THE WORLD Alan Scott tells Caroline Harmon about the world’s best hope.
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Why do you think the local church is the hope of the world? Everywhere around us people are desperately hurting and secretly hoping to break free from the only life they’ve ever known. Something incredible happens when the church shows up in the community and beyond the walls of the church. If it shows up with compassion and authority then it begins to tap into that hope in the hearts of people. Recently our students were out on the streets praying for the sick and a guy who’d been dabbling in witchcraft had an encounter with Jesus. He
went into a local shop unaware that we own it. He began talking to the staff there. They gave him a bible, he opened it and suddenly this man who has been searching for solutions found himself in a climate of hope. That’s only possibly though local churches. They’re incredible agencies of work in the world with wonderful compassion. The local church is the only organisation with hope for the whole of humanity. You’ve talked about church involving ‘mess in the grace and grace in the mess.’ What would you say to people who feel hurt by church community? We have a little phrase in our church: ‘the awesome’s in the awkward.’ Every community is broken and fragile and we all carry our own weariness and wounds from life. There’s something beautiful about leaning in past the awkward. We can learn not be in intimidated by it and learn that God has put an inheritance in each person no matter how broken we are. In church you’re going to meet people you do like and people you don’t like but somewhere in that we have to decide to be awesome by getting to know one another and laying down our lives for each other.
9
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JOBS & OPPORTUNITIES
REACH
|
RELEASE
|
Each generation must be released into what God has called them to do and provided with jobs and opportunities to outwork their calling. Whether you're a business, a charity or a church; we want to encourage you to make students and graduates aware of your existence and the opportunities you offer.
RESOURCE
Students & Graduates: Find jobs and opportunities.
Businesses, Churches & Organisations: Tell Students & Graduates about your jobs and opportunities from just ยฃ15. Receive a free six month jobs & opportunities advert when you book a Fuse classified advert. Contact caroline@fusion.uk.com for more information.
JOBS.FUSION.UK.COM
You’ve also talked about the need to focus not just on personal salvation but on transforming whole institutions. How can students transform a whole university? Ivan Illich, a philosopher and priest, said that if you want to change a society you have to tell an
alternative story. Saying we want to transform a university sounds triumphant, like we’re trying to conquer something. Actually, the model of Jesus is one of vulnerability. If students can own their insecurities and all their sense of inadequacy and share their story, then in the middle of that it begins to awaken something.
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As they continue to be unashamed and unafraid of their story and their vulnerability before you know it another life is transformed. As lives begin to be transformed the story begins to take root in different pockets of a culture. It’s not trying to take over, it’s simply laying our lives down in a way that brings hope to others. The story is then bigger than individuals. It’s not limited to my personal transformation. God’s design and desire isn’t just for the students in the university, it’s actually for the campus. Way back, when someone dreamed of centres of education that equipped people for life that was probably a God-given dream. So it’s about much more than rescuing people from a forsaken culture; God is placing you into something that he dreamed up in the first place. What advice would you offer to students who are just starting university? You’ve been faithful in the little in your schools, now God is entrusting you with something more. He’s trusting 12
you to go bring life in the greater capacity you have in this season of your life. The question isn’t can you survive university, it’s can the university survive your faith! You’re a life carrier and you’re seeking to bring life to the campus. I was at a church event where a number of people came to the front who wanted to start walking with Jesus. There was a Christian girl who was living with seven non-Christian friends and one of the people who walked to the front was the last of her housemates to give their life to Jesus. Her whole friendship group came to faith because she wasn’t just holding on to faith, she was holding out life. It’s an incredible privilege to share Jesus; it is deeply scary, but enjoy the experience.
ALAN SCOTT
Alan Scott is the founder and leader of the Causeway Coast Vineyard Church in Northern Ireland. The church has planted several other churches and is the originator and catalyst for the healing on the streets movement. @Alan_Scott www.alan-scott.com
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RAISING UP EVANGELIS Miriam Swaffield explores how churches can raise up student evangelists ‘Evangelists just make more evangelists.’ It sounded obvious once he said it, but this simple statement from my friend struck me as revelation. It's accepted as obvious that leaders naturally raise up other leaders similar to them. It's a bit of a running joke at church when one of the girls I mentor preaches that she even has the same “I'm-screwing-in-lots-of-lightbulbs” hand gestures that I also display when explaining a point. Yet somehow I hadn't really thought about evangelists making anything other than more believers and, more broadly, building-up and unifying the body of Christ, (see Ephesians 4). Of course, I've seen other leaders "breed what they lead" so why would that not be true for evangelists? 14
Who Do You Want to Replicate? Who do you have leading in your church community at the moment? Can you spot how they are being replicated? It was Ness Wilson who said to me ‘who do you want to see replicated a hundred times in your church? That's the person you want as a leader.’ Whichever way you look at it, although we do want to see more prophets, teachers, pastors and apostles, when you consider the student population of your area and you realise you probably can't account for more than 1% of them actively
involved in Christian community, the need for evangelists to be raised up is mission critical. You might well be thinking, ‘but we don't have any evangelists in our community.’ I'd be very surprised if Jesus has missed your church family off the gift list when it comes to the types of leader Paul explicitly teaches us He has given to the church. If you can't think of anyone, chances are they just need to be discovered. I had to be taught what an evangelist was when I was a student and that's how I realised I was one, owned it for myself, and started intentionally operating as one in the church. When was the last time you did any
STS
teaching on what an evangelist is and invited people who thought they might be one or wanted to be one, to be prayed for? You might also be thinking, ‘the only student evangelist I can think of certainly should not be raised up as a leader right now!’ When working with students, or rather wrestling with them and their forming identities as we call them (or drag them) into adulthood with Christ, I'm aware some young evangelists aren't in a place to be given the microphone and the authority to equip the church.... yet. But they will keep inviting people into community anyway. They will keep showing up with more "fringe" followers, or hung-over housemates. They can't help it; they’re evangelists. So leaders have to learn to celebrate what we want to see replicated, which won't be poor lifestyle choices, but it will be their consistent inviting. That will cause other students to see it's possible for them to invite too. Not just possible in fact, but noticed and encouraged.
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Provide Opportunities Your messy, young evangelists need to be given the opportunity to hang around more mature evangelists who can raise them up and grow them up in their gifting, rather than leaving them to their own devices as if they'll sort themselves out and magically be ready for you to use in a year’s time. I try and take students on the road with me every time I travel for this reason. Raising evangelists will take time, energy, relationship and encouragement to persevere, even when they feel like the only person in the world who
cares about sharing their faith and seeing people saved. Everyone in the church longs for people to come to know Jesus. We'd love our story to be "the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved" (Acts 2:47) but this doesn't happen without people participating with the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave His church evangelists to catalyse this faith-sharing culture. So let's use the gifts He's given us; teach about evangelists, find them, pray for them, hang out with them and watch how many more evangelists start cropping up in your community just by remembering and celebrating that they exist.
MIRIAM SWAFFIELD
Miriam Swaffield has spent much of the last two years driving round the UK
in a camper van visiting students in
every university city and town and
encouraging them to love their uni as Jesus does. She helps lead G2, part of The Belfrey Church in York and
is Fusion’s Student Mission Team Leader. She finds most things funny, including herself, and
thinks she is more of a surfer than she actually is.
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@miriamswaff
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CHURCH PROFILE
IVY CHURCH, MANCHESTER Each issue we find out more about one of the 1374 Fusion Connection Churches. Ivy Fallowfield in Manchester meets next to a large hall of residence and counts a number of students amongst its members. Luke Smith caught up with Anthony Delaney, Leader of Ivy Churches; Nick Duffy, Team Leader at Ivy Fallowfield; and Olli Davis, Ivy’s Student Worker. Tell us a bit about your student work Olli: We meet students where they’re at. We run bottle drops, giving out sweets and bottle of water with messages of hope on them to students who’ve been on a night out. Rather than trying to get them to church the challenge is to be out there on the streets 18
in their context. Our Alpha course has seen a tight knit community develop. One girl had been searching for a community and she’s now found one she can really get involved in. Nick: We want to take students out of the student bubble. We have projects feeding the homeless
and students who visit brothels. We ask students to not just come (to Manchester) and consume, but to give something to the area and be a blessing.
This is capturing the imagination of students who are not yet following Jesus. We ran a project collecting coats for the homeless and people who aren’t Christian brought their coats. Students tell us all the time they have mates who are by no means following Jesus but they love our church and they ask questions about their life because of what we are about. We’re sowing a lot of seeds.
What is your hope for students in Manchester? Anthony: There’s obviously potential for them to be people of influence in the future. The enemy wants to take them out of the game and have them live an unproductive, selfish life full of regrets. But Jesus said he has come so that people can have life in all it’s fullness, so that’s our hope. We have the choice about whether we’re about people we can keep or people we can reach. If you focus on the people you can keep you’re going to be in a spiral of decline. Ivy Fallowfield is all about who we can reach, then people who get the 19
mission of Jesus want to be involved anyway. With student work there has to be a balance between the two because you want to keep Christian students from falling into a prodigal life that they may or may not come back from. There are many ways to do that but one of the best is to model a sacrificial, evangelistic life. Then people see that Christianity is not going to church, it’s being the church. What has God been saying to you recently about your student work? Nick: God’s really been challenging me to put myself out there a bit more and say ‘I’m coming to your house,’ like in the bible when Jesus goes to Zaccheus’ house. Let’s not pull people straight away into what we’re doing like inviting them to things we’re doing - but let’s go to their place, to their work, to their hall. Let’s try and equip them in their world. I’ve been doing that with a guy and we’ve seen him come to faith recently. Anthony: I’m beginning to believe that the question how do we get people, particularly students, into church, is
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the wrong question. It’s really about how we empower people to be in the small, medium and large missional communities that change the culture for Jesus. How do we empower people to be the leaders of 10, 50 or 100,000 people and exercise spheres of influence?
What advice would you give to a church starting out in student work? Anthony: You might get some people to come to your church on a Sunday if you give them free pizza. You won’t get them to stay as part of your community unless what you’re doing meets their questions about life and the hole in their heart for community. Establish some missional practices that help your people to have the joy of seeing people coming to know Jesus, because that’s what gets more people coming to see what’s going on. Nick: Get involved with Fusion. When student work is tough, Fusion reminds us that mission can be both glorious and tough and that we shouldn’t give up.
STUDENT LINKUP STORIES Student Linkup is Fusion’s church finding app and website: www.studentlinkup.org Annabel and Adam explain why they would recommend it.
ANNABEL
Annabel Hawkins is a law student who found that Student Linkup helped her get stuck into church straightaway. By the end of her first year two of her mates had got involved too. I signed up to the Student Linkup app at a Christian summer festival. The app meant I got messages from different churches about what they were doing and where and when they met. I arrived knowing there were churches I could go to that wanted to welcome me. It made it much easier. I
had applied for university whilst I was in Bolivia on a gap year and I was a bit nervous because I hadn’t even visited my university! If you’re going to be a fresher soon don’t be scared to try different churches. You’ll be going somewhere where you don’t know anyone but they want to welcome you. Don’t leave it too long because otherwise you can get caught up in uni life and forget. Because I’ve been involved from the beginning I have a strong sense of community. Some people come to uni and feel a bit lost but I’ve not had
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to experience that. I’ve made good friends in church, I lead a cell group and some of my Christian friends have had the opportunity to do talks in church. Two of my friends became Christians in my first year. They were always commenting on how friendly my
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Christian friends were. One became a Christian in the first term of uni and got baptised before the Easter holidays. Another became a Christian later in our first year. Because I got involved in church from the start I felt I had somewhere I could invite friends to, rather than somewhere I myself didn’t even belong yet.
ADAM Adam Mitchell-Baker studies Politics at the University of York where he’s part of G2 Church. I didn’t use Student Linkup and I regret that. I prioritised rugby in my first term and didn’t find G2 until the end of term. I went along once or twice then I broke my leg. At the start of my second term people in the church who didn’t really know me offered me lifts, cooked for me and did washing for me. That really endeared me to the church and I’ve been involved since. In my second year I watched freshers coming in at the start of the year. The app helped them get hooked in straight away and that’s so good to see. At first I assumed I was strong in my faith and didn’t need to go to church. But in a church people really get alongside you and support you. Uni culture can be quite challenging, and also full of opportunities to share faith. Having a community that supports you makes such a difference.
Now I lead a Missional Community in my church. We started a football group because we were struggling to get blokes along. The first week we had 12 people, then the next 16, then 25. It’s great to get people along who aren’t Christians and have never been to church, or they’ve only come once or twice, but they come to football and then bring their mates along. Sometimes you wonder if what you’re doing is making a difference, so it’s incredible to see how God uses it. We had Christmas Dinner for students at people’s houses before a G2 meeting. Four people who came along became Christians and one of them got baptised last term. I would tell new students to make an effort to get to know flatmates and course mates. It’s easy to get into a Christian bubble but uni is such a good opportunity to model Jesus for people. A big part of that, of course, is having a church to support you. Try as you might, you can’t do it without church.
Annabel and Adam were talking to Caroline Harmon. If you’re starting uni soon, use Student Linkup to find a church to get involved with at uni: www.studentlinkup.org
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#ESCAPEANDPRAY EUROPE
COULD IT BE THAT IN EUROPE A FIRE IS BEING STOKED AND THE UNIVERSITIES ARE THE KINDLING? In June 2015, 109 students from the UK visited 24 European university cities in teams of two to four people. They were there to pray, connect, prophesy and fulfil a few challenges such as eating the local cuisine, praying over the local uni campus and finding somewhere to stay! From Paris to Sofia, Reykjavik to Madrid, our first #escapeandpray was more successful than we could have imagined as these photos and tweets show.
#escapeandpray 2016 will take place from 10th-20th June 2016. Get involved: www.escapeandpray.org 24
A JOURNEY IN TWEETS @richwilson01: So proud of everyone who is doing #escapeandpray and thankful for all who are following the adventure and praying. #greaterthingstocome
@milsholmes:Â Excited/nervous off to #EscapeAndPray to a mystery destination in Europe in the morning @stgeorgesleeds @loveyouruni
@Jooo_s: Arrived in Germany... No transport... No accommodation... Let's get praying! #EscapeAndPray
@holly_s_w: We prayed for the vice chancellor of a university in Stuttgart! She was great. Thanks for having us! #EscapeandPray
@loveyouruni:Â #EscapeAndPray Team in Milan have been helping &
praying with stranded refugees from all over the world @Miriamswaff @Razza4Christ: God is really looking after us!! Thankful for the divine connections so far #EscapeAndPray #WingingIt
@emilyclode: God took us to Church, met some special people,
watched 4 people get baptised, accommodation and food for tonight sorted #escapeandpray
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@JasonSmartey: Accommodation sorted, very fast response to our prayers. Thank you Lord #escapeandpray
@Yall_rightJD: Waking up in
Bulgaria, thankful for generosity and praying for today’s
opportunities. #escapeandpray
@loveyouruni: #EscapeAndPray is challenging, exciting,
faith building, unexpected,
adventurous, testing & surreal. A few descriptions from escapees so far
@KossickLive ...Taken out of my comfort zone and been shown the miracles that really can
happen. What a story!! Thank you #EscapeandPray Thank you Jesus @patrickjbc: our journey is
almost at an end, as we go to
our gate, it’s been an incredible
weekend with an incredible God @loveyouruni #escapeandpray
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#ESCAPEANDPRAY 2016 WILL TAKE PLACE FROM 10TH-20TH JUNE 2016
GET INVOLVED: WWW.ESCAPEANDPRAY.ORG
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U P DAT E Miriam Swaffield has been on a road trip. Over two years she visited every university location in the UK in a VW camper van. Her mission? To inspire those involved in student mission. Catch up with her final update. Well that was the most epic two years of my life. 68 university locations, from Aberdeen to Falmouth, to Norwich, to Aberystwth and a hop over the sea to Dublin and Belfast, I've travelled the actual length and breadth of the land, all for the sake of student mission. 29
Leading up to the start of this adventure I felt God give me a very simple focus for the whole road trip; encouragement. Go wherever I am invited, to every town and city, to every church family I come across and pour my energy, passion and prayers into them, give them courage to keep going and to reach further for the sake of the student world. In some ways it's hard to measure the impact of encouragement. I could tell you about the new friends I've made all over the UK; the churches who have started or restarted their student work; we could interview the 60 younger leaders who joined me for a stint in the VW so they could tell you how it catalysed their vision for church and students. When you've covered that much ground and served that many different expressions of church community, the stories behind the statistics, the people and the moments shared, are what will stay with me.
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By time you’ve read this we will be doing, or have finished, a final round of freshers’ week missions with the VW out on the streets to serve the local church, since Benedict the camper van is quite the people-gatherer. Then he will be found a new home and the sale money ploughed back into student mission. On that day I will probably sigh with relief and shed a tear simultaneously. Thank-you to anyone reading this who gave me a roof over my head or a decent meal whilst I was out on the road. Thank-you to all those hundreds of churches who invited me to come and share their student mission journey for a moment and for all the prayers and petrol money that fuelled us round the country. Finally, I particularly want to honour those students who stepped out in courageous ways to share their faith when I came by and challenged you to. This Fusion road trip may be over but I pray the lifelong journey of sharing Jesus with our mates is gear-shifting into a new normal. Keep moving forwards, keep inviting others on the adventure with you. See you on the road.
I N
N U M B E R S
167 churches served 7400 people spoken to in gatherings 12,500 miles driven 3 breakdowns requiring Mr RAC 2000+ water bottles/lollies/hot drinks/popcorn/lovehearts/glow sticks given out on the street & in clubs
290 church and student leaders met with 60 younger leaders taken along for the ride 1 freshers’ week salvation 1 minor crash with no damage... basically bounced off the back of a white van. Oops!
Over 300 (I lost count a long time ago) Living Mission books in the hands of students Probably 1000
selfies taken by strangers with the VW
MIRIAM
STUDENT MISSION TEAM LEADER
miriam@fusion.uk.com 01509 268 505 @miriamswaff 31
STUDENT WORKER STORY Ben Jackson is a Student Worker at King’s Church in Portsmouth. Each year his church receives a list of students who have signed up to the Student
Linkup app* and are coming to study in Portsmouth. Here he tells the story of the ‘radical transformation’ of one of the students who appeared on this list. I’m a Student Worker now but in my second year of uni I was out on the streets doing mission. We met a guy called Matt who was on a night out and chatted to him for over an hour. He came to church that Sunday and really seemed to enjoy it. We invited him back the next week and he didn’t get back to us. He became unresponsive to our messages and eventually we fell out of contact. It’s always quite gutting when that happens. A couple of years later Matt’s name appeared on our Student Linkup list. Download and Delete? By chance Luke Smith (a Fusion team member) had followed Matt on Twitter and so Matt had seen a link to the Student Linkup app. He’d downloaded it, but then deleted it because he felt stupid. But he had already signed up and sent his details to churches in Portsmouth. 32
Matt started coming to our student events. He got stuck in and really connected. He had been living an extreme life by student standards. He had been involved in bar fights and threatened at knife point. Throughout this time he felt a pull to come back to church. Around the same time he signed up to our app he had been to a festival. Afterwards he was telling a new workmate how drunk he had got. His workmate explained that he was a Christian and didn’t get drunk. He started telling Matt about faith and Matt gave his life to Jesus there and then. The Matt of today is a really radical transformation from the guy we met a few years ago. And it wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t downloaded the Student Linkup app.
STUDENT WORK TRAINING Resonate: Mission: Wednesday 2nd December 2015 Resonate Discipleship: Wednesday 2nd March 2016 Resonate: Leadership: Wednesday 1st June 2016 All dates: London and Sheffield
www.fusion.uk.com/resonate-days
MATT’S STORY I’ve found out so much more about myself, about God and about my relationship with him, whilst making new friends within church, going to small group (sometimes leading it), praying out loud and having the courage to speak up. I can now chat with non-Christian friends, feel confident about chatting about the bible and prayer, with them actually taking me seriously and realising that this is what I about. This is something I think in first year, when I first met Ben, would never have been imaginable… As I write this now looking back it makes me so excited about God’s plan for me with what he’s done so far, and what adventures there will be in the future, but this time on the right path with God on my side all the way. *Register your church as a Fusion Connection Church: www.fusion.uk.com/churches
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ABOUT W H AT ? 7 million students, 46,000 churches – unleashing the potential
‘We love being a part of the Fusion family as they’re as passionate about building the local church as we are.’
Jo Willis, 18-30s Pastor, Hope City Church, Sheffield
HOW?
Fusion connects students to churches and churches to students. Not just one or two but serving thousands of churches in reaching and discipling millions of students. We are convinced that local church needs to be at the heart of student mission and students at the heart of local church.
W H Y?
‘Through Student Linkup, Fusion helps people know that there is a church that will suit them. As a parent, I know that when my child goes to university there is somewhere they can get connected.’
Anthony Delaney, Church Leader and Parent, Manchester
Fusion is committed to catalysing a relentless student movement that sees thousands respond to Jesus and prioritise their lives and ambitions around God’s kingdom agenda.
Fusion’s values underpin all that we do and outline how our mission is outworked. We are committed to being: 34
BIBLICAL RELATIONAL MISSIONAL CATALYTIC INCLUSIVE
OUR CORE PURPOSES Equipping Students
Serving Churches
Preparing & inspiring students for a life of mission & discipleship at university.
Connecting students into the heart of local church and encouraging churches to be at the heart of student mission.
This happens through: The Student Linkup App and the Student Linkup sessions. The loveyouruni project.
Resources that prepare, connect, equip, inspire and disciple students.
Sharing stories of what God is doing amongst students across the UK and beyond.
This happens through: Advising and resourcing churches to prepare school leavers for the university experience and to send them well.
Equipping churches to welcome and connect with new students in their city.
Putting local churches on the map of student mission.
Developing Student
Workers Training, resourcing and strengthening all those in church based student ministry. This happens through:
Providing local and national forums where student workers from different churches and locations can connect and support each other.
Access to a wide range of specialist resources, white papers and student work experts.
Student Work Conferences.
Register your church with Fusion: www.fusion.uk.com/churches 35
FUSIONRESOURCES
ÂŁ5 The Student Linkup Sessions prepares school leavers for their next big life stage at university. The book is creatively designed and practically focused around four areas; The Start, The Culture, The Opportunities and The Legacy. This preparation is key to your personal and spiritual growth at
university; taking some time to work out who you want to be during your time at university, what God wants to say to you and what your values and priorities are before you get to university is an invaluable place to start. It can be read as an individual or in a group as part of a preparation for university course. The Student Linkup Sessions are also available as part of The Student Linkup Box.
www.fusion.uk.com/sessions
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The Stuff of Life
Living Mission
£5
The Stuff of Life is about the stuff that affects all of us. It’s the stuff that affects our relationships, values and outlooks. It’s stuff that, if not faced, can diminish a lot of freedom and enjoyment in day-to-day living.
HEARTBEAT
BREATH
MOVEMENT
£5 (also available on Kindle) This book invites you into the adventures of students who are intentionally living mission-shaped lives and sharing God with friends and communities.
Studentscape £5
An A-Z For Life After University
the graduate alphabet
Studentscape is an honest and reflective discipleship tool and bible study for any student new to or within the university culture. Using a value-based approach to discipleship, it will challenge and equip you for this life stage. It covers topics such as identity, work, friendships, money and cultural expectations.
Contributions from Liz Clark, George Critchley, James Featherby, Alexander Lee, Sarah-Jane Marshall and Anna Mathur.
Liz Clark, George atherby, Alexander Lee,
Graduate Alphabet £5 (also available on Kindle)
The Graduate Alphabet is a light-hearted, fresh and practical guide to life after graduation. It celebrates the many new opportunities in this life stage, and offers wisdom for its challenges too. It talks about adulthood, bosses, interviews, parents, responsibility, singleness and success.
Student Linkup Box £10
The University is full of opportunities, people and learning. Your school years have prepared you for so much, but what about everything else? The Student Linkup Box will give you all the important advice, as well as time and space to reflect, pray and plan for your next life stage at university. The box contains four resources: The Student Linkup Sessions, Studentscape, Student Alphabet & Fuse magazine.
Student Alphabet £5 (also available on Kindle)
An A-Z for starting university The Student Alphabet travels quickly from A to Z with everything you need to know about starting university. It is light-hearted, practical and shares hundreds of tips, stories and advice throughout. It covers alcohol, budgeting, fresher’s week, halls, lectures and relationships.
Loveyouruni Bundle £10
The loveyouruni bundle contains a trio of resources for current students for just £10 (£5 off). Living Mission, The Stuff of Life and The Graduate Alphabet. 37
Shall I abandon, O King of mysteries, the soft comforts of home? Shall I turn my back on my native land, and turn my face towards the sea? Shall I put myself wholly at your mercy, without silver, without a horse, without fame, without honour? Shall I throw myself wholly upon You, without sword or shield, without food and drink, without a bed to lie on? Shall I say farewell to my beautiful land, placing myself under Your yoke? Shall I pour out my heart to You, confessing my manifold sins and begging forgiveness, tears streaming down my cheeks? Shall I leave the prints of my knees on the sandy beach, a record of my final prayer in my native land? Shall I then suffer every kind of wound that the sea can inflict? Shall I take my tiny boat across the wide sparkling ocean? O King of the Glorious Heaven, shall I go of my own choice upon the sea? O Christ, will You help on the wild waves?
201 6
F R A NC E 29 A P R I L - 2 N D M AY TH
SUM M E R 22 - 26 T H J U LY ND
STAFFORD WWW.MOMEN TUM.ORG.UK
DISCIPLESHIP YEAR 2015-16
2015-16
DISCIPLESHIP YOUR LIFE, HIS KINGDOM YEAR 2015-16
IS NO PASSION ‘ THERE TO BE FOUND PLAYING SMALL - IN SETTLING FOR A LIFE THAT IS LESS THAN THE ONE YOU ARE CAPABLE OF LIVING.
’
Nelson Mandela
‘I’ve only been on the Discipleship Year for three months yet it’s already helped me onto the path to become the person God wants me to be. I’ve been able to discuss some of the questions that have been on my mind for years in a safe, friendly environment which, in turn, has helped me be more confident in my place in God’s kingdom.’ Luke Harmer, Canterbury DY student 2014-15
‘Following my Masters degree, the DY has provided me with great opportunities to focus on God. It can be very easy to lose sight of the ‘big picture’: why we are doing what we are doing. The DY has been a time of seeing God in every activity, consciously glorifying him in day-to-day life. I have been welcomed warmly into an unfamiliar Christian community and had many opportunities to serve and do ministry. The access to quality teaching and opportunities to be mentored by experienced Christians has helped build (or re-enforce) firm foundations in the faith.’ Ian Hough, Canterbury DY student 2014-15
‘I have loved the in-depth Bible teaching alongside subjects like leadership, mission and our identity in God. It has been my first year away from home and the Discipleship Year has equipped and shaped me both through the teaching and the quality time spent with others. I’ve hugely enjoyed the variety of ministry, relationships, fun and challenges!’ Maddie Hall, Cheltenham
‘The course material has been inspiring and has opened my eyes to so many different ways that I can build my relationship with God and hear him. It has developed my knowledge of the Bible and given me practical ways of reading God’s word and living it out. I can’t wait to see what God does this year!’
Katie Hunt, Plymouth DY student 2014-15
‘I had an amazing year on DY. I was blessed to be able to serve my local church and be a part of what God has planned there. I’m now preparing to marry my fellow intern, Ben!’ Georgina Carpenter, Canterbury DY student 2013-14
Where?
Confirmed Training Centres for 2015/16 can be found at www.new-wine.org/DY.
Lancaster
Bolton Manchester & the West Peaks
Liverpool
Leicester
Cheltenham
Witney
Ashill
North East London
West London Canterbury
DY student 2012-13
Plymouth
Poole
How to Apply 1 Pray about it. 2 Visit www.new-wine.org/DY for further info and an application form. 3 Get ready for a life-changing year of adventure and discovery!
In association with
CHURCH
NETWORKS
Fusion serves a number of church networks, strengthening their work amongst students and young adults and helping them become increasingly effective in sending, receiving and reaching students.
New Wine is a movement of local churches working together with one vision: to see the nation changed. We do this through a network of church leaders, training events, discipleship courses, resources and conferences including the United National Gatherings each summer. We believe this nationwide change will be brought about by the spiritual transformation of individual lives, and through the renewal, strengthening and planting of churches. Join us!
The Ground Level Network is made up of churches throughout the UK that are committed to welcome, empower, release and support students and other young adults to discover their God given destinies and make a lasting difference in this world. We are passionate about providing students with a vibrant, welcoming and supportive church family when they go to uni and we’re grateful for our mates at Fusion who help us to make this happen. Ground Level also hosts the ONE event (formerly Grapevine).
info@new-wine.org
tim.alford@serious4god.co.uk
carl@groundlevel.org.uk
www.new-wine.org
www.serious4god.co.uk
www.groundlevel.org.uk
@NewWineEngland
Pioneer is a network of networks, church hubs and ministries committed to church planting, leadership development, training and the support of innovative caring projects. We are committed to non-religious Christianity, building missional church and working in partnership wherever we can. We host a variety of gatherings throughout the year our Annual Leaders Conference, Summer School of Theology and the National Churches Forum - to encourage and support leaders.
@elimpentecostal
Vineyard Churches UK and Ireland participates in the advancement of the Kingdom of God through the work of local Vineyard churches that communicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and practice. Across the country, university cities have Vineyard Churches that would love to welcome you into a community of people who are working out their faith practically, making room for those who are seeking, in a fun, accepting environment. We train and equip young people to make an impact in this world, in whatever sphere God has called them. We are working with Fusion to achieve this.
@GroundLevel
Since the early days of Salt & Light we have been about partnering in the mission of God to make disciples of all peoples and to go together as family. Comprising around 75 churches in the UK and a family of churches worldwide, S&L have a vision to plant new churches, develop strong equipping hub churches worldwide, as well as ultimately transforming our society with the power of the Gospel.
admin@pioneer.org.uk
students@vcuki.org.uk
info@saltlight.org
www.pioneer.org.uk
vcuki.org.uk
www.saltlight.org/uk
@Pioneer
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Elim has been serving cities, towns and villages across the UK for almost 100 years. Our 550 local churches often vary both in style and size and are united by a desire to reach the lost and make effective disciple makers. Many of our churches, particularly those in university cities, have worked over many years to welcome and resource students. We are working closely with Fusion to develop this further.
@vcuki
@saltandlightuk
Key
Partners
Through the Key Partner programme Fusion is acting as a doorway to other ministries working with, supporting, serving and resourcing students. Our hope is that areas of specialism that have been honed and developed over many years can be much more readily accessible to students. We believe this will lead to greater joined up thinking and action that will better serve God’s purposes in this nation & beyond.
Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that freely explore the basics of the Christian faith. No pressure. No follow up. No charge. Check out alpha.org to find out how you can run Alpha in your University today. We want to see a generation of students invite their friends to explore life on Alpha.
The Christian Aid Collective is a movement of people who want to create a different world, without poverty and injustice. Where everyone has what they need to live life in all its fullness. We believe that community has the potential to change the world. That by joining up to take action where we are, we can impact our global community for the better and make it poverty free. Poverty over: a beautiful plan.
Compassion supports some of the world’s most vulnerable children and, through individual sponsors, helps them break the cycle of poverty, giving them hope for the future. Compassion works through local churches in 26 developing countries to release children from physical, economic, social and spiritual poverty.
Joseph.snelling@alpha.org
Collective@christian-aid.org
Info@compassion.org
www.alpha.org
www.christianaidcollective.org
www.compassionuk.org
@alphacourse
Tearfund are passionate about seeing the world changed through a generation who have the guts to become the kind of people that change the world. We are excited about developing habits, regular patterns in our lives that change us and the world as we live out Jesus’ values of generosity, advocacy, contentment, and connection. We call this Rhythms. To join the community and sign up to Rhythms, head over to the website.
@theCAcollective
Our heart is to help young people capture first a vision of Jesus, then to equip, train, empower and release them into his ministry in their everyday lives. We do this in many different ways including: conferences, retreats, resources, training events and a leadership course. Momentum is our conference for students and twenty-something’s. Come along for relevant teaching, intimate worship, ministry and a whole lot of fun!
@compassionuk
The Salvation Army is a worldwide Christian church and registered charity working in 126 countries, demonstrating Christian principles through practical support, friendship, and hands on help to people of all ages, backgrounds and needs. Students can get involved in all sorts of ways; through volunteering with fundraising initiatives and activities as well as attending church services and groups.
Dot.tyler@tearfund.org
jonny.goodchild@soulsurvivor.com
alove@salvationarmy.org.uk
www.rhythms.org
www.momentum.org.uk
http://alove.salvationarmy.org.uk
@TearfundRhythms
@MomentumGB
@ALOVEUK
43
TACKLING
CLIMATE CHANGE If electricity pylons mean urban then the village of Zantiebougou in Mali is definition rural. You won’t find even one of those pylons blighting the landscape here as this village is beyond the reach of the conventional energy grid.
Of course, Africa happens to have a cracking renewable energy resource (the sun!) and since 2013 the village has had a solar grid, thanks to Christian Aid’s partner organisation, Mali Folkecentre, making them part of a clean energy revolution.
Not being able to interject the nightly cover of darkness with a lightbulb or two is more problematic than you can even guess; from burns caused by kerosene lamps to a generation of students who have had their education pretty well stunted. Imagine not being able to make the most of that 24 hour uni library at 2am when it comes to the exam crunch?
‘The first thing that changed was the improvement in the grades of the children. The first lights we had were the street lights and the children would study under them. At the end of the year we could see that their exam results were better,’explained Kone.
‘It was so bad that for three years not a single child passed the exams to get to secondary school,’ explains village elder Bakare Kone (pictured above). ‘Only rich people were able to have electricity; it was very difficult for ordinary people.’ 44
On top of that the village saw wild improvements to healthcare with women being able to give birth in good light with fans and hot water. Then there’s the introduction of a radio station which has kept the community in the loop with births, deaths and crop top tips. Cool huh? These guys have leap-
frogged polluting fossil fuels and skipped straight to the good green and clean stuff. And that’s pretty important. Perhaps now more than ever. In Paris in December 2015 the UN gathers for its annual climate summit. That means that participating governments from across the globe are getting together to make an action plan to tackle the beast that is climate change. This year we are hoping and calling for resolute meaningful action in the form of a legally binding and ambitious global deal to reduce the emissions that cause climate change. We are also calling on our own government to take ambitious action here in the UK, whatever might go down in Paris. The poor are already suffering from climate change and we in the global north can’t pretend that it’s someone else’s problem and won’t give us a run for its money too. There is good news though. We can act. What’s happening in Mali is just one good, green and clean story and,
as a collective, we can forge our own planet-loving stories too. For one, we can let our government know that this matters, that we voters care and we will push them till we are green in the face to make the right decisions when they gather with other nations in December. For two, we can start making small (and big if you are up for it!) changes to how we do life. We are all gung ho for re-writing this climate change story and we know that we are all the more strong in our impact as a Collective. Whether you’re reading this before or after the Paris Summit in December, join us in taking action: *Take a climate challenge www.christianaidcollective.org/ take-action *Make sure you get your autograph on this petition too http://actclimate.org All photographs taken by Christian Aid / Lilly Peel 45
CHARITY FEATURE
Xplore helps students share faith at University through word and action. Here is Philippa’s story, a student in Birmingham. Xplore is amazing and really helps turn your enthusiasm into practical ways of telling people about Jesus. I joined Xplore last year. Our online community had others from Oxford, Belfast and Liverpool. They kept me accountable, prayed for me and we were able to challenge each other so I felt motivated to share the Gospel. It changed the way I viewed evangelism and it became less of a daunting task and more of an exciting opportunity - although it was still pretty scary each time! No longer do I think evangelism is just for the confident christian but everyone can do it. Xplore challenged me to say to God every morning, ‘if you give me an opportunity to tell people about Jesus today, I will take it.' God did some amazing things because of it. At one point I had 6 of my non-Christian course friends at an alpha event, and I'd only invited one of them!
For more information go to www.xplore.org.uk
Join us during Summer 2016! Momentum: 22nd – 26th July Week A: 27th–31st July
jobs.fusion.uk.com
Scotland: 6th–10th August Week B: 13th – 17th August Week C: 19th – 23rd August
www.soulsurvivor.com
WHAT IS Visit alove.salvationarmy.org.uk
Rhythms.org/poverty
for resources, gap year information, projects, programmes, campaigns, training and events.
student ski Trip 12th - 21st December 2015
switzerland Come along with friends from uni for 7 days skiing, beginners to experts, great ministry and worship, fantastic food, awesome scenery, unique outreach opportunity, new friends, and lots of fun.
01753 880753 www.goldhillholidays.co.uk
KEEP CALM & JOIN THE SCARGILL COMMUNITY
Encounter God & experience Community living in the Yorkshire Dales Opportunities to develop your practical & leadership skills Join our Kitchen, House, Admin or Estate & Maintenance Teams Community receive accommodation, food & monthly allowance. Contact Diane Stone di@scargillmovement.org 01756 761236 www.scargillmovement.org
W H ERE A R E T HEY NO W? KIERA PHYO Kiera studied in Birmingham between 2000 and 2005. Today she works for Tearfund, presents BBC Radio 2’s Pause for Thought and
There was a small group of us in halls who were really serious about faith. We started meeting and soon we were about 15 people, six of whom weren’t Christians. People of no Christian background came to faith. People who had grown weary and cynical of church found our approach creative. I was at Soul Survivor last year and one of the girls who became a Christian was there with her family which was amazing!
Today I lead Tearfund’s youth and young adult engagement. Our flagship initiative, Rhythms.org, brings together like-minded people who want to love Jesus and live differently. It’s all about building small everyday lifestyle habits that pursue justice and make a difference in the world; whilst shaping our character, helping us become more like Christ. By building these ‘holy habits’ we love the world better and think about our global neighbours and the way we’re connected to people living in poverty.
Fusion really supported us. They came to champion and encourage us. We attended Fusion weekends where we got inspired by others to be really missional and to live differently on campus. A couple of local churches
I also present Pause for Thought on BBC Radio 2. I got involved through a talent search. It’s really fun and an exciting, open place to talk about faith and do some storytelling about Jesus. We get about two million listeners.
helps run a church in Peckham.
48
supported us and helped new Christians to connect in and get discipled.
My time as a student was incredibly formative for my faith. University was my time of practising following Jesus and working out what that means in my choices, my relationships, my values, and how I view the world. University was a time to work out not what my parents believed but what my faith meant to me. I was choosing my own church for the first time and having theological debates about God’s way in the world and his character. If you’re at uni now and thinking about your future, don’t leave yourself out of God’s invitation to love
and change this world and be part of transforming your community or industry. Whether it’s the career you’re about to step into, the neighbours on your street, the global poor and social justice; you are important. God is desperate to include you in his dream for this world. Be inspired by what it means to say yes to this invitation.
@kieraphyo Kiera was talking to Caroline Harmon
49
HAS SAILED INTO A VERY EXCITING SEASON As we voyage forward we need an extra ÂŁ30,000 a year in monthly giving to keep up with the growth God is giving us.
GIVINGFORM CONTACT
STANDING ORDER
Please complete in BLOCK CAPITALS Title and Name
I have set up this standing order myself directly with my bank. Please still return this form to Fusion for our records. I want Fusion to setup this standing order by sending this completed form to my bank.
Address
To the Manager Bank
Address Postcode
Postcode
To the Bank Manager, Please set up a Standing Order payable to Fusion Barclays Bank, East Street, Chichester Account No: 00047198 Bank Sort Code Number: 20-20-62
Phone Number
For the amount of
GIFT AID If you are a UK tax payer, 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
ÂŁ
To be paid on the 1st or the 15th of the month and thereafter on a monthly basis until further notice. I wish for the standing order to start as soon as possible, or on the following date:
Name of Account Holder(s): Account Number:
Please return forms to: FUSION UK 18 The Office Village, North Road, Loughborough, LE11 1QJ For other methods of giving including via Stewardship, CAF and direct debits please visit www.fusion.uk.com/give
Sort Code Signed
Fusion UK is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales No. 3679369 and a registered charity No. 1073572.
Donate online: www.fusion.uk.com/give
Date
STUDENT LINKUP CONNECTS STUDENTS TO CHURCHES AND CHURCHES TO STUDENTS
#LinkupNow studentlinkup.org
www.studentlinkup.org/iphone www.studentlinkup.org/android