I’ve always had this little idea to one day get through all the red tape and have a bungee jump on campus during freshers week.
I’m picturing a massive crane, parked up in the centre of uni, and if I was really shameless I’d make a big banner and call it ‘the leap of faith’. During fresher’s week, whilst everyone is having new experiences, seeking thrills and making memories, it would be the local church providing the most exhilarating activity. To the sounds of shrieks and the cheers of friends, freshers could sign up for a jump and all the while, it’s the local church, students who follow Jesus, creating the context for the best time on campus.
Take a leap of faith… try church…
Setting aside health and safety forms and the word ‘budget’, what would you do on campus or in your city to in some way reach more students with the good news about Jesus? What day dreams have you had about seeing students invited to connect with church, or experience the power of prayer, or get a proper family welcome into the town by their Jesus-following neighbours? Whether it’s throwing a party for your halls of residence that beats any night out so far, or creating some kind of flash-mob demonstration in the middle of town with a whole heap of helium balloons… if anything is possible, what would you do to cause a splash and get people’s attention and point students towards Jesus being real and being love?
Students and student workers, I invite you to be bold and audacious and have the guts to tell us at Fusion your ideas and dreams, the ones that maybe you felt were too ‘out there’ or cost too much to suggest up until now… because honestly, we might be able to help make them happen.
In the Student Mission Awards, we have one category for nominations that isn’t about celebrating the creativity and good news stories of student mission that has already happened. The Best Idea Award is an opportunity to hear and share as many potential mission ideas, projects, events, and experiments that could be. We hope more people will try braver and more creative things to share Jesus as they hear lots of new and potentially crazy ideas. And on top of the inspiration sharing, for a couple of you, your Best Idea could win grant money so that you have a bit of budget to make your dream a reality, to give that idea a go. You could actually throw that party, take international students on a trip they’d never experience otherwise, surprise your housemates with a jazz band in the kitchen, hire that crane on campus…
So, what is your secret idea you’ve not been sure is realistic? What’s your dream for your mates? What would you love to see happen in your city? On your course? At your sports team social? I know it’s a vulnerable thing to share your ideas and hopes, I know it might feel pressured to have to come up with something original. But don’t over think it, it’s actually simple. However big or small, whacky or normal, pitch what you’d love to do if you had more resources or less limits, and let’s get the church’s creative juices flowing. If we keep doing what we’re doing, we’ll keep getting what we’re getting, which is a bit of a creativity crisis in the church’s evangelism and still the majority of students not knowing how loved by God they really are.
