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"to proclaim good news to the poor..." (Isaiah 61:1) No matter how many times I read Isaiah 61, it’s still the end of the first sentence that arrests my attention the most.  “...good news to the poor.” Of all that God could choose to proclaim through Isaiah, he starts with good news. Of all that Jesus could choose to quote as he declares what his...

Matthew 2 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and...

Here’s a word you can take to heart and depend on: Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. I’m proof—Public Sinner Number One—of someone who could never have made it apart from sheer mercy. And now he shows me off—evidence of his endless patience—to those who are right on the edge of trusting him forever. 1 Timothy 1:15-...

This is one of four articles reflecting on my early experiences and discoveries of the US church when it comes to reaching and discipling young adults. I have no assumption that all of these learnings are true for everyone, everywhere, all the time. However, I do hope you find this perspective a helpful challenge. So here’s a bit of insight...

This is one of four short articles reflecting on my early experiences and discoveries of the US church when it comes to reaching and discipling young adults. I have no assumption that all of these learnings are true for everyone, everywhere, all the time. However, I do hope you find this perspective a helpful challenge. So here’s a bit of...

This is one of four articles reflecting on my early experiences and discoveries of the US church when it comes to reaching and discipling young adults. I have no assumption that all of these learnings are true for everyone, everywhere, all the time. However, I do hope you find this perspective a helpful challenge. So here’s a bit of insight...

This is one of four articles reflecting on my early experiences and discoveries of the US church when it comes to reaching and discipling young adults. I have no assumption that all of these learnings are true for everyone, everywhere, all the time. However, I do hope you find this perspective a helpful challenge. So here’s a bit of insight...

Welcome to a four-part series offering insights and reflections from me (Miriam) a British local church leader and university student worker, now living and learning here in the United States of America.  After months of listening to and sharing stories and struggles with church leaders and students here in the US, I decided to bottle some of what keeps on cropping...

The river of God is still flowing. There is far more life, activity, growth and depth to the river than we could have ever known had we not come close. Had we not chosen to get our feet wet. But we are in it now. And we are up to our waist. Back in Ezekiel 47 again, the man leading the...

This is a short story. It is an imagined experience of a first year student called Timothy, and his first few hours on campus as a university starter this September 2020. Sometimes our imagination for this year's students can fuel our prayers and dreams, especially in previously unimagined circumstances. This story isn't exaggerated or unrealistic. This story could be true. We...

The river of God is still flowing. The further it runs out from the place of worship designated to encounter God, the more life and growth is springing up way beyond any temple walls. And so we press deeper into God’s love and life, knowing it may take us further out and into yet more life and activity as we...

The river of God is still flowing. His life and hope and justice and healing have not stopped running across the changed landscapes of our world and circumstances. Just as Ezekial was first led ankle deep into the river of God, so we have got our feet wet in prayer and hope for the new academic year and all that...

It can be hard to stop and think about the future in a time of weekly, if not daily disruption. In all the change and breaking news we wonder what’s the point in making plans or pursuing dreams? After all, so much of this year’s hopes and expectations have been drowned out by this great global shaking. And the world...

When the call went out on the BBC news that people were to “clap for carers” and show support for the frontline workers of the UK on Thursday nights, my friends were amongst the thousands to respond.   Adam and Alyson live in the gorgeous middle of nowhere in Herefordshire. Lockdown hasn’t looked so different for their little family. Working from home,...

Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth;                         for the LORD has spoken:             I reared children and brought them up... Isaiah 1:2a I was packing bags, dashing up and down the steps with boxes, and busily loading up my dad’s car. This was the moment I had been waiting for: I was leaving for university. My dad was standing by the door, car keys in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

In a time when families are broken down, blended up and statistically you are more likely to be missing a solid father figure in your life, we decided to ask some of our friends who we think make great dads, spiritually, biologically, to the church, and to the student generation, to write to you. So just in case your dad never got to speak into your life in...

Here's another student we want to celebrate for how they're using their time at uni following Jesus. We hope Munya's story and perspective encourages your student journey too... Where are you a student and what are you studying? Nottingham Trent University – Masters in Law LPC student How did you get your passion for mission and evangelism?  My passion for mission and evangelism stems from my own personal...

IF OUR GENERATION HAD A SOUNDTRACK, WHAT WOULD IT SOUND LIKE?  Recently, I've spent a lot of time walking around cities, encapsulated by the sounds of familiar songs sung on the street. Buskers with guitars in hand and a microphone stood in front of them sing songs of praise in the middle of a high street. 'You're a good good Father'...

Jenni from Fusion Scotland heard about our 'redefining students' series and straight away thought of Stephen as an exceptional student worth celebrating. So here's the interview, we hope he inspires you as you work out how to make the most of being at uni right now too... Where are you a student and what are you studying? I'm a student at The Glasgow School...

Have you ever been to a funeral? Have you ever seen a dead body? I know those questions sound intense, but the conversation is an important one, as much as our culture might try and keep it as a taboo. We post memorial messages on the social media profiles of loved ones who have died, but I do wonder how many...

I met Helene in Copenhagen a year or so ago and was blown away by her passion and vision to see student work in local church begin in Denmark. I can't really believe she's still at uni and pioneering so much but I hope this interview inspires you to dream bigger for how you can see change in your context too...    Where are you...

Welcome to one of the most transformative chapters of your life. This isn't a generic life-stage and you're not just a stat in a nameless generation. Walking onto campus as a student is not an insignificant plot twist in the story of your life. Your time at university today is not a means to an end, and your life does not only...

We've been a big fan of Abi and the way she lives Jesus and justice at uni for a while now, so we've decided its only right to share who she is so that you can get inspired too. Here's the interview we did with her, enjoy... Where are you a student and what are you studying? I study Speech and Language Therapy in Manchester. How did you get...

I ended up being classmates with Mim whilst I was popping into Durham to do a Masters and she was a fresher with a raw gift to preach, a brilliant sense of humour and a college-famed habit of baking and sharing unbelievable treats. Mim is also redefining what it means to be a student and I just wanted to share her with you all, so I...

We know Joe through the way he's living his student life with Jesus and in the context of the local church. We love who he is and how he is redefining what it means to be a student. He's the kind of guy we think you should meet too, so we've asked him some questions... Where are you a student and...

I met Abii in a field last year as we gathered for Wildfires festival and she got my attention. She is bold, creative, humble and adventurous. She is also a student and the kind that reminds me why we believe students can lead and set culture for the kingdom on campus today. I wanted you to meet her too, so I asked her some questions... Where...

I 'met' Iggie Clark on Skype recently and just knew I had to capture more of who she is and what she's living as a student so that more people could see and hear what is possible whilst at university. Here's a short interview with this extraordinary second year student disciple who's leading in mission at home, online & abroad! Where are...

Guest blog from Nick, a student from Teesside Uni who's been experimenting with using the online space to bravely share Jesus. As I post my blog on a sunny Friday afternoon, a billion thoughts play havoc with my mind, but they're not the thoughts I used to have. When I began posting, these thoughts were a mixture of panic and anxiety; What...

“How did you get into speaking and what do I do if I feel called to speak/ preach too? Where should I start?”  This question is probably the most common thing I get asked by young people both face to face but most often via social media. It’s hard to reply to every individual message when they come in, but I...

““I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭1:38‬ ‭ You don’t learn to take big public leaps of faith and obedience without first learning to take hundreds of private steps of faith and obedience.  A marathon runner has to turn a walk into a jog into a run. There’s training behind the gifting. A student doesn’t...

Over the last couple of months I have released twelve blogs* unpacking the key factors that contribute to students coming to faith in Jesus whilst at university in England today. If you've missed them, where have you been? They're all live and out there on this site so do make sure you've read them for a more in-depth look at...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is the impact of Sunday preaching.* This final key factor in students coming to faith was one I hadn't expected. Turns out, our Sunday preaching matters! It’s not the most important thing in a student coming to faith, but it actually makes a real difference and three quarters of the students I...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is through mentoring. Mentors! You don’t need to label them as that, but there is still a consistent pattern of an older person of faith, whether in years or maturity, being vital in a student coming to faith and learning how to be a disciple.  This could have been...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is out of the context of hurt and broken relationships.*  This one might feel a bit strange to have on the list, but I think it reveals something important for us to remember. Every student who came to faith at university, came to Jesus in the midst of also carrying...

The following words are the notes from the talk I gave last night at Just Love Durham's launch event for the new academic year. At the event were many local North East charities looking for volunteers. The students on the night were asking for a copy of my words after I had spoken and the leaders were keen that more Christian...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is the impact of the authenticity and integrity of Christians.* One of my absolute favourites… integrity!! I was so proud of Jesus’ people when I heard story after story of students living it not just saying it. In fact the most impactful things about Christians that the students I interviewed...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is their experience of the Holy Spirit and the supernatural.* Ok ok, the disclaimer here is that of course the Holy Spirit is at work in every factor that influences a student in coming to faith. God is drawing students to himself and inviting encounter, and that happens in...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is how they are welcomed by the local church.* These were some of my favourite stories. The ones where first impressions of church utterly blew the students away and completely changed their perception of God and his followers. Descriptions of the church being a welcoming, accepting and non-judgemental community made...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is reading the bible.* Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so... and it still introduces students to the love of Jesus today. This isn't just any book. It's an encouraging revelation from my research to discover that the Bible really is an incredibly transformative and...

One of the key influences on a student coming to faith in Jesus today is the impact of a key Christian friend who shared their faith with them.* The students who had at least one Christian friend, found that friend to be a vital part of their journey to faith. Even though this might seem obvious, it's good hear about! You and I are...

The difficult thing about being a university student is that you’re never quite fully working and never quite fully resting. When you are having a night off from writing essays, there is definitely a book you could be reading. When the library is open 24-7, the pressure to stay because technically you can, makes it difficult to walk away guilt...

In my job as a student worker, when I talk to students about life at university, I describe the campus as “the green house of growing up”. There’s enough research out to confirm that these days young adults don’t fully develop our values, opinions and perspectives until much later in life. Our teenaged development gets stretched, we are still forming...

One of the top influences on a student coming to faith today is in the space they are given to ask questions.* In a time of life as a university student when you are being positively trained to investigate, debate, research and question all that you are learning, it is no surprise to discover that finding space to ask questions around...

After I left home for university, the first thing my mum said was that the house was much quieter. I couldn’t tell if she thought that was a positive or a negative thing. I think perhaps it was both. September brings season change, our knitted jumpers are coming back out and the heating is being turned on. For thousands of parents...

Today could be the day for a new opportunity. You might meet somebody for the first time, hear something that changes your mind, you might start a new book, finally get around to signing up to that online course, or join that gym class you’ve been putting off. There are plenty of opportunities to be found in our ordinary, if...

Do you remember the last time you were consciously trying to make a good first impression? Maybe at an interview or starting in a new job? Perhaps it was meeting the parents or moving into a new neighbourhood?  For thousands of university students, right now every day is a day of first impressions. They are meeting hundreds of people at the...

One of the top influences on a student coming to faith today is their experience of the power of prayer.* As Christians, we believe prayer is powerful and actually makes a difference. Turns out this is not just theory, but is experienced as true in practice, and contributes powerfully to how students are coming to faith. People exploring whether God is real and Jesus...

You might have seen a few more cars on our motorways this weekend, loaded to the roof with duvets and saucepans. Or maybe you’ve helped struggling teens navigate the underground with suitcases twice their size. There’s a serious amount of young adult migration going on right now. Universities are starting up for the year and school leavers are being transformed...

The second most influential factor on a student coming to faith today is being invited to and attending a local church mid-week small group.* Our Sunday church expressions are important but not enough. The big and the gathered are key, but the small and the more personal are indispensable to students coming to faith in Jesus as well.  Maybe this seems obvious, but I know...

The number one factor that influences how students are coming to faith in Jesus today is being invited to and experiencing Sunday church.* Well who would have thought it? The place of the Sunday church service remains front and centre in a student's journey of coming to know Jesus. There's a fair bit of chat around whether the gathered church service, at a set...

We know this month might have the labels “holiday” or “break” attached to it, as most of you have been out of classes for a few weeks, but we also know it’s hard to switch off right now. As your university years travel forwards day by day, we know there’s always a “should-be-reading” list, alongside the “really-need-to-hang-out-with-them” list never far...

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...

I spent 8 months last year in Hong Kong living with the St Stephen’s Society, a Christian charity known mainly for providing rehabilitation homes for drug addicts, prostitutes and the poor. It was an incredibly special time where I learnt a huge amount about how Jesus can change the lives of those in need and also found Him changing my life...

Last night I pictured anxiety like a needle and thread.  Like a thought that crosses the mind; a fear, a worry, a creeping feeling of being overwhelmed and the walls closing in. Left un-captured, the anxious thought, like a needle, pierces into the mind, and weaves a thread, a strong invisible chord through your peace. Take every thought captive and make it obedience to...

With deadlines and exams on the horizon, the temptation to go into lock down - emotionally, physically, spiritually - can feel the only way to stay alive. Chained to the desk, head down, eyes fixed on the library commute, hands glued to coffee mugs, no day light in the diary, no chance of flexibility or freedom until this thing is done... Hold...

“I in them and you in me--so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” - John 17:23 Last year, a couple of students from church set up a student-led worship event called Union. The vision was to combat any disunity that...

Students are coming to life all over the place... I dare to say that this is one of the most exciting times to be living in the student mission field ever! Last weekend the Belfrey Church in York baptised some students and during the celebration there were more spontaneous baptisms including a student's visiting parent!   SURPRISE BAPTISM!!! God is so Good!!! A post shared...

IF YOU COULD WRITE A LETTER TO YOURSELF AS YOU STARTED UNI, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY? Dear Sam, Finally. Freedom. Yes, you’ve come this far, but I’m writing to you now to prepare you for the best years of your life. Interestingly, no matter what our life-stage, we always believe we have finally become our true selves but I can say that University’s...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Hannah,  You have absolutely no idea how your life is about to change. Right now, you've just turned 18, you don't have a lot of confidence, you don't have loads of friends, and you're fed up of living in a small rural town where nothing...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Jules, You’ve made it, well sort of. What has been the best part of a 14-year quest to achieve top grades at A level in order to attend Oxbridge, or another hallowed red brick institution of higher education (Bristol will have to do for now)...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear me, five years ago. You are about to enter a completely new environment, which will feel both liberating at times and de-mobilising in others. You get to be who you want to be, and make powerful choices about your life. You're quite used to the...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Pre-University Caleb, You are about to start one of the most significant periods of your life. I write this letter to you now so that you don't waste a moment. I write this to you now so that you make good decisions and avoid making...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Pip, You've made it to Uni so that's a great start! Allow yourself to SETTLE now. Take a deep breath, God is WITH YOU. He's not brought you this far to leave you. Home's not going anywhere and now is the time to embrace something...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Miriam, Well done for boiling the kettle first and bringing that massive box of biscuits to share on move-in day. Start as you mean to go on, decide to culture-set family. Wearing that bobble hat inside all the time did make your housemates think you...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Keith, God is far more faithful than you can ever imagine so don’t worry too much. His care and love for you is beyond your wildest dreams and even the hard things you are facing [ and in my case it was usually relationships –...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Harry, Get caught up. Embodied or without. I do not know, God knows.   Fail emphatically - wade out. Better to feel strong than be strong. Come alive again.   His grace is sufficient, power perfected in weakness. Harry.

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Olli, Of course this is easier to say this all with the benefit of hindsight, but take it from someone who’s been where you are, done what you’re doing, and fully experienced both sides. You know the truth, you know life apart from Him will never satisfy,...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Jose, Enjoy every second because it will pass so quickly and nothing else you do in life will be quite the same as those Uni years. Invest in lifelong friendships, don't bother with falling in love and spend more time in the library! Love Jose.

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Billy, As you stand on the threshold of arguably the most important 4 years of your life, where friendships will be formed, directions chosen and mistakes made, there are a few things that I’d like to leave with you for your consideration and perhaps even...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Joy, So, my friend, learn to be a no compromise follower of Jesus.   Ask Him outright if He is able to find friends for you. Don't just assume He will only give you loser, frumpy friends. Check out the Christian groups, don't just assume there won't...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Andy, Just as you embark on this new season at university, here are a few pearls of wisdom to help you. Hindsight is a wonderful thing of course, and after going through myself it’s great to look back and see more of God’s hand in...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear K-Mo, That's right...you have a nickname which has actually stuck and seems, for reasons unknown to you, to work in your favour! That's just one of the great things uni has done for you. There will be many, many formative moments across your 3 years...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Alfie, God is doing something. He’s on the move. He has this plan, the same plan He always had, to make a good world and fill it with His kids. When I say ‘good’ I mean actually good; no injustice or illness or greed or...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear Andrew, Well here you are – you’ve arrived at university. I know you’re not entirely sure how you got here, or what you’re hoping to get out of it, but you’re here. You’ll have a lot of mixed emotions in the first month or two, mainly...

If you could write a letter to yourself as you started uni, what would you say? Dear little Gemma, How are you doing today? Did you leave your room yet, or are you avoiding that shared kitchen again?  I know. The bed is warm and this room is safe; even if someone knocks on the door, you can just pretend you’re asleep, or that you’ve...

I've never given birth. However, you don't need much imagination to get the idea of the pain a human body would feel trying to carry and the push out into the world what essentially feels like a block of flats with balconies. Birth is often associated with the miracle of new life, it's a celebration. The memories of the pain gradually...

It's early days in this new academic year but I'm wondering if you're noticing the signs of life we're coming across and hearing about in the student church scene? The freshers are on fire. They might be a minority, the ones who are actively following Jesus at uni, the ones who are looking to make a local church their family, but reports...

September is known for its Indian summers. Just as the schools go back, the sun comes out for one last lazy lap of the land before autumn leaves wrap it up and cool it down. We were sat in the garden, two faded deck chairs, paving stones for coasters, taking a deep breath in, as Friday shouted its way into...

Something intriguing happened last year. We (Fusion) created a survey to try and find out how the Christian student population spends its time. Partly, we were interested in seeing what options and priorities students have today and how they express their faith in their choices. Partly, we were responding to countless stories and plenty of feedback from students and leaders...

I’m not sure many people know the full story of what happened to me on results day. My school friends and A-level teachers might remember. But since thousands of school leavers just got their exam results and the gravity of whatever those UCAS points might mean is sinking in, I thought I’d share a bit of my story, in case...

Welcome to your summer and all the part-time jobs, internships, old friend catch-ups and adjusting to being back with the parents, that come with it! I say 'summer'... it's pouring with rain as I write this and I'm slightly concerned I don't have wellies, a festival season faux pas.  I don't know about you but when I think of taking a...

“Sometimes, even to live is an act of courage.” Seneca I wonder if you’ve ever felt like that? Those days when it takes all your energy simply to make it through the day. Those days when tears come faster than smiles. Those days when the joy of the Lord that’s proclaimed proves elusive. Recent figures from a study conducted at the University of York showed...

Here we are, the final frontier, with our two remaining teams in Turin and Hannover. Another team returned from Amsterdam. The final courageous students to tread the soil of Europe's cities and finish this epic fortnight of adventure, prayer and blessing.  Our Amsterdam team did a late night prayer walk around the Red Light District and also ended up in a neighbouring city......

You can’t get through to them. You keep telling them that things will change. That there is hope waiting for them. But your pleas fall on deaf ears. You're frightened and you’re frustrated. They feel completely lost to you. Having a friend struggling with thoughts of suicide can be a very dark path to walk and it can feel like a huge responsibility. But hear this: You are...

In the book of Hebrews we read “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Heb 12:1, 2) Sometimes as...

For a few years now I’ve had a secret thought, theory, suspicion perhaps, that revival won’t be what we might expect. I’m not sure it'll look like stadiums full of crowds all focused on a stage and being led from the front. I’m not sure it'll be loud voices and polished messages and christian celebrities. I’m not sure revival will come in the shape of the summer conferences we...

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7: 7-8. It's a worrying moment when you ask for something in the name of Jesus, taking his words as...

I guess when it comes to the Christian calendar, our defining moments, our stake-in-the-ground, remember-and-celebrate-this events can lose some of their impact and power because we visit them annually. We can be at risk of actually being less creative, less inspired and less passionate about sharing our story, the story of God, in our most crucial moments. Think Christmas services...

I’m a little bit worried we might throw the baby out with the bath water. Well, not the baby, more the fully grown parent-aged adult out with the bath water… An equally disturbing image. Weird phrase all round come to think about it. But that’s beside the point. As a 26 year old female in church leadership I am smack bang...

"The gift of the gab"; not everyone posseses it, but for those upon whom this shiny, slightly cockney-sounding ability has been bestowed, we must just accept they are likely to get stuff for cheap or for free...a bonus this, an extra that.  Blagging things can feel a bit like a sport. She who dares, wins, so why not just push the...

My summer looks like a sea of a thousand faces. Faces of young people I mainly I never get a chance to know the names of, hear their stories, find out where they’re hoping to go to uni.  But with every face I see, my whispered prayer is that they would thrive in their walk with Jesus through the wildness...

I hadn't expected to be sipping herbal tea with an Iraqi, an Iranian and an Eritrean (a country bordering Sudan, Ethiopia… basically it’s a troubled area) on a Thursday night in Sunderland. I’d gone to the Northern city, where over 17,000 students spend their university years, to serve and encourage the local churches in the area in their crucial role of...

“Heya girls, come and find a seat… no don’t stay at the back, look this front row has your name on it, come and join me down here!”  As the student girls snuck in during the start of my talk, I felt it was an informal enough scenario get them joining the rest of the group rather than staying anonymous on the...

Torn between spending time with housemates or course mates or church mates? Do you prioritise your sports team, or small group, or the library? As a Christian student, the demands on your time are potentially even more varied and pressurised than your average UK student.  But we don’t just want to hypothesise about this. We want the cold hard stats that...

There's no way to blog this neatly. The account below, sent to me by Emmanuel Church Durham, trips and flows from story to story of prayer, prophecy, breakthrough and rejection, courage and faith. It's kind of like journeying through the start of Acts when the disciples start rocking around in the power of the Holy Spirit seeing stuff happen as...

“I went into June Project a bit apprehensive about what I was getting myself into, I didn't know the rest of my team on the first day and there seemed to be a lot of chatter about the dreaded first contact! But you know what, God was incredible to me that week, blessing me with a team who loved me...

Thursday morning, in the middle of the Scottish leg of the #fusionroadtrip my phone buzzed as a dream of a text arrived into the palm of my hand. It was from my mate Dan, a student worker from Destiny Church Edinburgh who I’d hung out with only a couple of days earlier, and this is what he said: ‘Miriam, cool story,...

We can get so worried about our future post-Uni. When I was finishing my degree it was like everyone else knew what they wanted to do or where they were going to go and I was last to find a job to go onto. The truth is we don't want any job, we want the best job for us, the job...

The traditional student mentality is one of preparing for the future. Getting ready for life after your degree, preparing and gaining the skills needed to have a bright successful career. But what about now? God has placed people, skills and passions into your life right now for a reason, not to simply put them on the back burner for a...

"Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up.” Those are the words of Aung San Suu Kyi, a political activist in Burma who was imprisoned. Her crime? Simply wanting a system where she could have her say in the running of her country. This crazy thing called democracy is something that we take for granted. Many of us hear the...

I think I actually thought the sky got bluer on the day I realised I was “in love” for the first time. I remember walking down my road into town one morning a few months into being sixteen and I was almost skipping.  It was like I was so much more aware of the world around me and how beautiful it...

I think it sounds a bit like a computer game or an Indiana Jones film, but in actual fact ‘Temples and Towers’ is an exercise I made up when thinking through the culture we live in and the universities we are placed in as the people of God. I’ve ended up using this exercise on the road with bunches of...

When I came to university, I hadn’t been to church in seven years. Being from Northern Ireland, I’d grown up in church but even though it was familiar to me, I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus, nor did I really know what that meant. I suppose logically I could understand Christianity, but it didn’t have any impact on my...

Amazing student mission story from our guest blogger Tom Christmas (what a name) and how a movement has started... Just over 2 years ago I was by the side of a railway in Durban, South Africa, talking to a man barely older than me. He didn’t think he had very long left to live - his insides were being destroyed by a...

“That is disgusting. Look at the state of that.” The two student boys stared out the window as the man dressed in a short skirt and a blonde wig walked past the coffee shop windows on the other side of the road. “That shouldn’t be allowed… get out of my city!” Now they were sniggering as their mouths gushed waterfalls of cruel and...

I had my first suicidal thought when I was 5. I remember it with startling clarity, nearly twenty years later. I felt left out of a game, sad and a little unwanted. And then this thought flashed through my mind: “I want to die... But hang on, it’s nearly half term, so I think I’ll do it after that.”" It only struck me...

The phrase "maybe it's the way we walk" had been circling round in the back of my mind for months. I wasn't quite sure what it was for, but a while later a friend of mine called Billy asked me if I would write a spoken word piece imagining what it might look like if a move of God happened in...

We all struggle to take every opportunity to mention Jesus that we could. ’The awkward Jesus moment’ as I call it, creeps up on us all. Whether it’s being asked “what are you up to today?” and it’s a Sunday and you know the truth is you’re off to Church, or whilst getting your haircut, your hairdresser starts moaning about...

Here is a quick run down of a few places I have visited on the Loveyouruni Road Trip this year. I've picked up some random bits of information they won't tell you in the prospectuses. Hope it's useful, or amusing.  Bath may be 20 minutes from another awesome student city, Bristol, but you won’t catch any mingling between the two. Bath...

Of all the reactions to have, I didn’t expect the feeling of injustice that crept up on me as I watched the first episode. I knew Channel 4’s new observational documentary The Secret Life Of Students was going to be explicit and deliberately edited to highlight drama and ramp-up the shock-factor. We all know the kind of programme we are...

There was the sound of wood creaking as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat in the old coffee shop. The student friend sitting opposite me held the silence that had stepped into the conversation the moment she had asked the question. Now it hung in the air, the biggest question-mark of her life. We both took another sip of coffee,...

This week in the news a report has come out about university students using prescription drugs to try and improve their capacity to study. Nick-named “smart drugs” the kind of pills some students are popping are legitimately used to treat brain disorders. As you can imagine, health officials are not impressed. The side effects are scary and you can induce mental...

“What do you want to do with your life?” This dreaded question is causing a lot of sleepless nights for my student and recent grad friends. So many of us don’t know what happens after the degree and irritatingly, the answers don’t come in neon signs even if we know Jesus. I try to help but after all my questions of “what...

I just spoke to over one thousand two hundred women and I told them about you. I thought I better let you all know what I said on our behalf, on behalf of our generation of teens, students and twenty-somethings, since I'm not going to talk behind your back about you! On Saturday March 1st, I got to do the final talk...

The #fusionroadtrip spent two days in Durham, equipping the local church to love their uni. About twenty of us had a go at listening to God and stepping out in boldness with what we heard... the results were so exciting, here’s just one of the stories, as told by Bekah: 'As we were praying for God’s heart for Durham and what...

It’s a funny balance this one. When does a strong social group, a bunch of brilliant friends, a solid core of students in a church community, become a clique? When do the get-togethers become exclusive, inward-focused, uninviting? And what do you do if the balance tips too far? Student mission is a lot about living in real, honest, accepting community with...

My friends and I have decided not to let 2014 happen to us. Rather than living in reaction to the ups and downs life throws at us, we are heading into the new year on the front foot. We are putting stakes in the ground now, for what we want to see happen in 2014, regardless of what might be...

Keep your trees, stockings, fat bearded men and turkeys... parties are the way forward my friends, and also one of the most appropriate responses to Christmas we can have. I went to a Great Gatsby themed Christmas party thrown by the students in a local church in Bath last week, to end the term in style for their community and their...

Dear son, dear daughter, I wanted to drop you a line because we haven’t had that much time to talk recently. I know you’re so so busy with the final year of your degree,  and I know it counts so you’re making it count, as the book pile mounts around your head. And you sit at that desk all day in the library and...

I’ve only gone and read a book haven’t I?!  When people write books about their lives, their faith, what they’ve learnt about God and his world, we expect a book of “best practice”. Excellent people writing excellent words about the excellent things they’ve done for Jesus. And then sometimes you come across authors who have not put excellence in a book... they...

The sun sets much earlier in winter. You’re walking home from campus in the dark. As you head out into the gloom the drip, drip, drip of dread gradually fills up the pit of your stomach.  Part of you doesn’t want to go home. Because behind the door is another night out, another evening of drinking, freezing pilgrimages around town, lights on...

“Isn’t that wrong though? I mean, a party in church? Sex and drugs and all that in a church building is just wrong.” The Fresher scratched his head and shook it at the thought of a welcome party being hosted by and in a church.  “I think perhaps we have a slightly different take on what a party is mate. Last party I...

“I was so scared. I could have died and so would my baby. There must be a God who has a plan for me, because it’s a miracle I’m still here.” The Palestinian girl put her hands on her stomach and began to quietly cry, tears rolling down her pale cheeks from her big dark eyes, now brimming with the emotion...

I am writing this blog on the morning of my 25th birthday, sat on a train heading for home after my first three days on The Road Trip. I’ve opened a bunch of cards, most of which have baby animals on the front, a highlight being the micro-pig in red wellies courtesy of my sister.   A minute ago I sent a text...

Breaking news! Brace yourself... the production of Volkswagen camper vans are coming to an end, just as Fusion take this iconic artefact on the road all for the sake of student mission. Timing.  The national press are mourning the announcement that, due to the fact these vans are oozing will cool-points but severely lacking in modern comforts, safety features and efficiency,...

So how does this sound: One van. Two years. Every uni location in the UK... all in the name of loving your uni like Jesus does. Up for it? Today is the first day of The Road Trip, an epic two year adventure to reach the heights and depths of the UK student mission scene. Today, we are hitting London. Tomorrow......

Fresher’s week (or fortnight). The most exciting time of your life. Meeting tons of new friends, dancing ‘til dawn, freebies at Freshers fair. What could be better? Now, I went to Bible College, so my Fresher’s Week was far from typical, but I’m pretty sure that how I felt during Freshers Week is pretty common. To put it plainly - I felt...

Our friends at Momentum have got a shout out on our blog this week for their  long weekend festival for students... most of the Fusion team will be there, will you? Busy making plans for the summer? How about setting aside five days over a long-weekend to gather a group of mates, to take a camping trip and to meet with...

We never got round to giving her any training before she went to work in the Congo for three years.  We Figured she'd cope Obviously, it’s a war-zone, so we weren’t expecting her time out there to be plain sailing, but we figured she’d cope. There had been a lot going on in church during the months before she left us, what...

Let’s all have a Harry Potter day, where we dress in capes around town. We can wear fluffy hoods and drink champagne, all safety-pinned in gowns. We won’t mind smiling for pictures, we’ll even hold a scroll, Because this powerful piece of paper is worth its weight in gold. Let’s all have a Harry Potter day, when we’re actually commanded to wear fancy dress,  We’ll...

My uni days are something of a blur. Not in a too-much-glory, can’t-stop-praying kinda way. Not quite. A platinum member of the local off-licence, I embraced every social opportunity with abandon. Six nights a week anyway. On the seventh night, I rested. Not to be God-like but rather to avoid the only Sunday club night in town: a ropey bungalow with...

I think it's safe to say, the 90 Challenge to raise money for Student Linkup went a tad bigger and more mental than we first expected. Does the fact that sixteen people dressed in animal onesies for a week suggest that the cause is important enough to do something uncomfortable for? Has the need to support young people as they leave...

My friend Dan asked an interesting question this week. I wonder what you’ll make of it. There were ten of us sat around eating lunch in Leeds, talking about mission and discipleship and how we can make sure the two remain inextricably linked in our local church contexts. As the student workers from various churches chatted through the victories and struggles...

As she opened the kitchen door, a little wave of water flowed out and onto the hallway carpet. Stepping over the gathering puddle at her feet, Jean caught a glimpse of a large shopping trolley in the downstairs toilet and shook her head. “Looks like you had fun last night!” were her first words, calling out to me in her cheerful northern...

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.  Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have...

I haven’t met a student who would describe themselves as feeling in a strong position, a place of being secure and sorted, when it comes to exam season and the end of term degree slog.  Most people are quite openly admitting to being weak right now: weak at disciplining themselves to get up and work, physically weak from not enough sleep...

She was young, but she held eye contact like she had been walking this earth for centuries and knew that though dust might mar her vision, eyes wide open was the only way to face the world. Her sister sat, resting elbows on the polished wooden table, hair swept back off her face and a silk scarf resting lightly over her...

It seems at this point in term, with an insurmountable pile of revision, deadlines on their third extension, and everyone comparing last year’s marks to work out exactly what percentage they need to scrape the grade, that people are terrified. You walk around TESCOS and students are in a perpetual state of nervousness; comparing the hours they have been working with...

I don't think we always know what to say when someone asks us about what we believe and why. Is that fair to say? I know trying to explain the huge story of God and the part we get to play in this story can feel really daunting. I've struggled to find the words. When I go around the UK meeting students and encourage...

Have you ever behaved a certain way one day, only to be a completely different person on another? From Sunday to Sunday, who are you? Sunday: gone home to visit the family. Proud parents, missing you, doing the cooking and washing for you, loving having you home. With remarks of “aren’t you maturing” and “really making the most of university” and...

It’s actually all about you Jesus, Not me. It’s actually all about your glory, Not mine. It’s actually got nothing to do with me. It’s how good you are.   I live me-centred, People-centred, World-centred. When it’s actually God-centred.   God-wrapped, God all encompassing, God surpassing understanding, God folded, remoulded, Carved by the living Creator.   Since when did we get over God and get into “us”? Since when were we called into “me, me, me” rather than “You, you,...

We all want to change the world. Whether it’s large or small, in some form or fashion, we want to be a part of change. We are a generation that wants to make a difference. We want to leave our mark on someone, someplace, or something.  We want to feel as if our years on this planet actually did something productive. That we left our...

Why do so many students commit suicide? was the title of an online article for The Independent last week. For us lot who have been students recently or are currently, most of the stats and information about ‘the crisis going on in undergraduate pastoral care’ mentioned in said article will come as no surprise.  We have been in the fresher’s term binges,...

I did it. It had been a long time coming, but I actually managed to read the Bible in a year. 365 days of paper-rustling, page-highlighting, margin-annotating activity that frankly put my dissertation efforts to shame. And at the end of it all, 1 word. 66 books into 3 syllables. 882 pages into 10 letters. Redemption.  For the God of the universe,...

I’m a fan of the principle ‘belong before you believe’. In my church community, I want anyone to be able to turn up on a Sunday and feel in the loop and part of the family. During the week, the hope is that our community is naturally hanging out with and inviting in, more and more people yet to know...

Shouting down the corridor. A bang on the door. The sound of someone being sick. A rude awakening. Especially at 4am.  Imagine though being woken up on campus by a lot worse.  Back in October, Nigerian student Elkanah Sardauna woke up to see an angry mob, waving machetes and guns, storm into his room. They dragged him out of bed, and shouted:...

I think there might actually be too many good things you can be involved with at uni. One of my biggest struggles and greatest areas of learning whilst I was a student, was how to manage my time effectively. And by effectively, I don’t mean see how many things I could cram in to every day in order to do the...

He tells me I am invisible Unnoticeable  That in the grand scheme of things I’ll never be anything More than negligible, neglectable But God says, baby I see you, Dancing to Taylor Swift, alone in your room And my child, what’s more, Even before you were born I saw you He tells me I am voiceless That no-one hears this voice that Screams and rants and raves And no-one would listen anyway Even if...

A Guest blog from our mate Andy at SPEAK, loving our tax collectors... Did Jesus pick on Zacchaeus because he was wealthy? Or did he pick on him because he wasn’t saved? Or was it simply because he was short? (This is a joke. I promise. I am 5 foot 6). At the beginning of Luke 19:1-10, we read that Zacchaeus was...

Because on Valentine's day, I need to say this publicly. Maybe it’s just for the benefit of my own heart. Maybe you will join me in the declaration too. On the day my boss, mentor, friend, brother, got cancer, I stood on a beach in the dark in tears, looked up at the stars and declared: “Jesus I still love you.” On the...

“Need to get home to mum: Junction 15” This blog is for a man named James who sat outside the entrance to a service station on the M1 holding a torn piece of cardboard with the above words scribbled on it. When I read James’ sign I didn’t know what to do. I have these crisis moments now and again where basically...

Today's guest blog is from legendary second year student Chloe, who is studying in Chichester. Seems Chloe has a number of resolutions to share, and some adjusting in focus she invites us all to join... New Years Resolutions 2013: 1. Join a gym 2. Eat healthily 3. Stay on top of work 4. Attend all lectures 5. Pray and read the bible every single day 6. Tell...

Is God bothered about essays, exams and seminar prep, or is he just interested in how well we connect with our course mates, so that we can tell them about Jesus? If uni is just about meeting people who we can tell about how God loves them and wants a friendship with them, then let’s all quit the degrees now and...

“You have to get this guy to pray for you.” I glanced at my phone screen as it buzzed in my pocket, displaying the text my friend Freya had been quick to challenge me with.  We were sat listening to a talk by a guy in his sixties called Gary who has a huge heart for our generation. He spoke with...

I’ve got a new pass-time. I call it throwing spanners.  To ‘throw a spanner in the works’ means ‘to do something that prevents a plan or activity from succeeding’, which doesn’t sound a very nice thing to do, granted. What I mean however, is that I want to be more bold at asking questions that cause us to stop for a...

‘First it's Jesus Sir, then its Dubstep’, commented one of the lads I work with.  This flippant yet quite profound quote got me thinking. What are the priorities in my life? What is it about my life with Jesus that gets people talking? Is it the sort of music I listen to, the choice of language I use when I am...

Students, your new year's eve plans just got better... here's our Shift Team mates to let you in on the party, and Miriam will see you there! So last year we thought let’s throw a New Year’s Eve party and hope a few of our friends would show – 500 people did. This year we are doing it again but bigger &...

‘There was a time I used to look into my father's eyes In a happy home I was a king I had a golden throne Those days are gone, now the memories are on the wall I hear the songs from the places where I was born’ Students across the nation are heading home for Christmas, back to the family and friends they’ve just...

Today's Guest Blog is from our friend Sam Butterfield, the Participant President for Teach First. He's got some honest thoughts about actually acting like we believe we have the power of God in us, and how he's struggled to see this displayed in church... can we tell a different story? “I back myself” became a tongue in cheek catchphrase for me...

Father God, Can I be really honest? Sometimes I find it hard to pray. Sometimes my head is so full of stuff that I don’t know what to say. But I figured, since we’re sat here, reading this blog in the run-up to Christmas, since this is about you God, coming to earth, perhaps we should start with silence, and allow...

University is terrifying. University is exhilarating. University is having the comforting normalcy of our previous 18 years of life ripped from us, as we’re thrust naked before the spotlight of our peers and all of a sudden, we are our own person; living cheek by jowl with people whom we would never normally come into such close contact with. As students who...

“Why’s my name on your wall?” Fair enough she should ask. It was definitely her name, and it was definitely written on a piece of paper pinned to my bedroom notice board. When you walked into my room you couldn’t miss it. “It’s to remind me to pray for you. Any prayer requests? Anything you want me to talk to God about...

The responses just kept on coming. Message after message of people around the city and the UK who put their dairies down to do something for the free Banquet we threw on Friday night for the people of York. (You can read the story and watch the video here.) “I can be there straight after my lecture, I’ll text to gather...

It was dark at the back of the room. Row upon row of heads were in front of me, faces turned towards the light, the sound, the colour. No one noticed me slip into a seat at the end of a row on the balcony, and sink down, pulling my hoodie up over my chin.  Breathe.  I had that sick-excited feeling, as...

She was walking so close to the flames you couldn’t watch without holding your breath. Every step she took, embers sparked under her feet as they stumbled across the hot charred wood around the fringes of the fire. She was carrying too much, that was clear. A pile of heavy books stacked in her boney arms, an elbow jutting awkwardly with...

“Did you Facebook-stalk when you found out?”  Her big brown eyes now seemed sharp, her focus trained as she stared me down across our steaming mugs of tea.  “No. No, I actually didn’t. But good question, definitely right to ask, thanks.” Welcome to this thing me and my mate Freya do, this thing Christians call “accountability”.  According to my trusty degree-helper, Mr. Dictionary.com, to...

Here's a challenging guest blog from our friend Sarah-Jane, who questions our theology and thoughts on our subjects... Jesus has something to say about our academic life too right? When I was at uni my friends and I were more confident in our theology of sex than in the theology of our academic subjects. Yet what had we paid to go...

I have never heard a preach on divorce in church. I have never heard a preach on flirting. I have never heard a preach on Islam in church. I have never heard a preach on predestination. I have never heard a preach on gluttony in church, I have never heard a preach on disability. I have never preached on these topics either......

"To be perfectly honest guys, I don’t really have anything to say today. Stuff is just hard.” This was me, teary-eyed, with my church student team. We sat in some old throne-like chairs at the back of York Minster and any agenda went out the window. We didn’t say much. We prayed more. Sometimes the right thing to do is to tell...

"In Norway we dress for the weather" remarked a some what perplexed third year, as she chatted with her housemates about British student attire on nights out. In Britain, it appears we refuse to dress for the weather. And let's face it, when has "the weather" ever done us any favours? We can't live our lives in water-proof onesies can we... As...

I still can't walk properly and it's all Tasha's fault. I think this is what getting your legs chewed by bears must feel like. My room is on the third floor of my house, so you can imagine my disappointment to discover upon my arrival home, that every step caused an involuntary groan to leave my mouth. We've just joined the gym....

If the first time you met me, I vomited on your shoes, I wonder if you’d be inclined to meet me again? If the first time you met me, I made an ill-placed joke about women football players, only to discover you are one, I wonder if you’d give me the time of day? If the first time I met you, I...

Did you know you can set the tone for your freshers experience? Did you know you don’t have to just turn up and play along to the tune of whoever is loudest in your new group of housemates? We are all nervous when we start Uni. That first evening can particularly make you squirm as everyone is trying to judge what to do,...

 Our wonderful guest blogger Rev. Richard Pennystan, vicar at St Chad's in Romiley, has had some brilliant thoughts this summer for starting the new Uni year. We reckon this is very apt for this moment in time... After some great dad & daughter time on the journey to Uni, Naomi’s dad takes her out for a fantastic lunch, helps carry her...

In the middle of my old notebook, I rediscovered the words I had written about hundreds of students who I had never met, only seen, in a captured image.  The faces I saw were of the young people who had used studentlinkup in the summer of 2011. As they connected with Fusion we had snapped a Polaroid of them, and months later, our...

Can you describe your year in one sentence?  At the end of another academic season, how would you summarise this past year at uni in just one phrase? As a words-person, I find it hard to be concise sometimes. Mum always used to tell me my essays said the same thing in four different ways, as she sliced through my paragraphs before...

This is why we do what we do... when we hear the testimonies of lives changed for the better. This summer, scores of students and student workers are giving their time to work with Fusion at the big festivals across the country, to find and connect with students and school leavers for the cause of Studentlinkup.  Without any prompting, people have been...

When you go home for summer from Uni, do your family, your home church, your mates, know you? As in, the uni-you? Personally, I found that by turning up to a new church at uni where people didn’t have a clue who I was or what I could “do”, actually meant that my new leaders were able to spot characteristics and...

So here’s a question: if you led a church, what would you do to make it the best place possible for students? What three things would happen, what three principles would be most important, how would you design your church community for students? Whether you’re part of a church community or not, whether you've ever stepped inside a church building or not, if you...

My mate Esther is my brilliant guest blogger this week. I asked her to reflect back on life since graduating and how our faith stands the test of time the other side of Uni. Here's what she wrote, from the heart, a call to choose to follow... Faith in God is a decision; it is a daily decision.  We choose to believe because the...

‘You are not your job. You are not the clothes on your back. You are the words that come out of your mouth, so speak up and speak of love’. An arresting glimpse of truth amid a sea of beer, sweat and skinny jeans. The tattooed words were scrawled across the right shoulder blade of the topless shaven-headed guy in front...

I have the right to do anything. But perhaps not everything is beneficial? I have the right to do anything. But perhaps not everything is constructive, not everything builds you up, does it? As a student, away from the life we had at home, we can “do anything”, with new levels of freedom than ever before perhaps. When it comes to sex, I’d say the “right to...

Guest blogger Rachel is a student about to graduate, who had an interesting chat with a friend that is worth sharing and debating... what do you think about this? “If Jesus was here today, he’d want a cup of tea with me; I don’t doubt that. Be more like Jesus dudes”. This is what my gay non-Christian friend from uni, a pastor’s daughter, says...

It actually makes me feel a bit emotional when I look down the list of over ninety names and comments from those who sponsored me last week. I can’t quite believe it. Nearly one hundred people gave over one thousand pounds to support school leavers in the massive and crucial life-shift from home to university through Student Linkup. That’s a whole...

I’m not sure Paul had this in mind when he talked about being “fools for Christ”… I am now half-way through my 90 hours of being dressed as an elephant in order to raise sponsorship money for Student Linkup- that’s the vital work Fusion do to find and connect thousands of Christian school leavers to new churches when they go to...

Prices rise, applicants fall... so is your degree worth it? According to the latest figures from UCAS, there has been a 10% drop in the number of university applicants from England planning to start University this September, as the higher fees kick in. Right now, 46,413 fewer students have applied to continue their higher education than this time last year. Many of...

“Hello, I’m Miriam, I just wondered whether you’d ever seen anything like this before?” That was my opening question as I shook the hand of the forty-something year old lady on the door of the auditorium. I was at a conference for church leaders and an extended time of worship and prayer ministry was going on at the front of the...

Who’s loan is it anyway? Your student loan is borrowed money so it’s not really yours, right? Student= skint? You can’t go setting up standing orders to your church, you can’t sponsor a child, you can’t be outrageously generous with the money in your account... because it’s not really yours to spend. Is that true? I certainly held that view until my second...

Guest blogger Andy Cope is campaigns officer for the SPEAK Network. He inspires us to be activists in the church, and we think this is well worth a read... “I just wish there was something beautiful we could believe in, that would give us hope and wouldn’t let us down” she sighed, verbalising the mood shared by some of the other students slouched...

“Only those who are prepared to go too far can possibly know how far they can go” is a great quote from a chap called Ernest Hemingway (google him). I don’t think he was talking about drinking when he said it, but weirdly, I’ve heard almost that exact phrase said about “knowing your limit” with alcohol. I was with a bunch of...

Anyone else notice that massive elephant in the room? You know the one. That thing that you’d prefer not to talk about, that issue you’re doing your best to ignore… We’re in May which means it’s exam time, dissertation hand-ins and the final push towards the summer. Perhaps it’s the elephant of work you are doing your best to pretend doesn’t exist? Perhaps the elephant in the room...

Guest blogger Kate has written this breath-taking account of what's happening in Bristol... be inspired, could this be your city too? Last night four of us students saw one of our dreams realised. We united 100+ Bristol students from a medley of churches at the second event of its kind, called ‘Celebrate’. Calling it an event doesn’t seem to quite do...

A book review that gives you the chance to have the book for free… nice touch. “Despite decades of legislation, women are still straight-jacketed into subservient roles. Girls still “dumb down” in order to catch a good-looking guy. From Barbies to burqas to Botox, women are offered models which stifle their development. The Church needs to stand against such practices. Danielle Strickland...

This week's Guest Blogger is Sarah Young, the student worker from Community Church Edinburgh and recent graduate. Who we live with has a huge impact on our time at uni so we asked Sarah to tell us her story... In my first night of University I overheard one of my new flatmates telling a friend that ‘her worst nightmare was to...

I must have missed witnessing the moment of collision by about three seconds. Suddenly the flash of red break lights were everywhere as I screeched my little car down from 70mph to stand-still as fast as I could without skidding. My heart was already pounding from the adrenaline of having to slam on the breaks in the M25 traffic, but it was...

That awkward moment when you dare to ask God for an opportunity to share your faith with someone, and he immediately answers it in the form of two metal-heads on a train. I literally sat down at a table on the train back to York from Northampton, and no sooner had I thought “God, please give me a chance to talk...

I guarantee you have a story to tell that you have probably written-off as not worth sharing. A little thing that happened, a moment that occurred, that you think only you would find significant. After all, there’s always someone more excited about what God’s doing in their lives than you. Always someone more confident, more passionate, more impressive at sharing their...

Guest Blogger Laura Nicklin is a student who is stepping out in faith and we think it's worth sharing... Something brilliant happened on a train to Lancaster on Friday, which I want to share with you all. The cheapest train is literally a bus on tracks stopping at every station possible. Understandably the train was pretty empty, but there was group of guys in suits and...

I didn’t think I could be offended very easily. I laugh a lot more than I cry. I don’t take myself seriously (not always helpful) and it takes something pretty major to see me angry. If you think you might have done or said something to me that could have caused offence, I can almost guarantee you that it won’t have...

I’m stumbling across some of our cities’ best kept secrets. Trouble is, they are secrets that want to be discovered. In many University locations I visit, leaders of churches and student work tell me the same story. There’s always a couple of “big churches that seem to attract the students” and the others end up saying something along the lines of...

I think you're pretty dangerous. So am I. I think together, we might cause some serious damage. I'm talking about the kind of damage that breaks through the status quo we live in as students. We shine a brilliant light through the attitudes and actions that say "anything goes", "there is no absolute truth" and "being free is living for yourself". We...

This week's Guest Blogger, student worker Lydia Corbett, offers practical hope and help for soon-to-be-graduates, that we think is WAY too good to just keep to London students! Read this and be there... Rewind 7 years to the windy city of York, and I’m coming to the final hooray of three epic years with friends, Jesus, chips & gravy, attempts at...

“Do as I say, not as I do”. We’ve all heard that statement before, but its familiarity doesn’t make it ok. In fact, in our generation it actually won’t be accepted at all. It shouts of something bigger than just a mixed message. It shouts hypocrisy, a lack of authenticity. So therefore, us twenty-somethings have no respect for it, not time...

Leaving home for Uni is just as big a deal for your parents as it is for you. Truth. What must it feel like to watch your kids “fly the nest”, leaving to make their own way in the world? I can’t imagine how mum felt the day she dropped my little sister in Durham… the last of the three Swaffield children to...

This week's Guest Blog is from Rachel Bevan, who works for Church For Students in Sheffield. Rachel emailed us to let us know what they've felt prompted to do, and wanted to know whether others from across the nation have been doing the same? On the 30th November 2011 we grasped hold of a vision: a vision to see revival spread...

Unique, cool, quirky, individual.  Four words to describe yourself? In Brighton, where I was on Tuesday, the streets are laced with the alternative. Student culture in that artistic, creative city is all about the “cool”, and being different is the aim not the fear. Little boutiques and one-off businesses thrive as 30,000 students pass through the lanes in search of hidden...

Our Guest-blogger this week, recent graduate Hollin, is speaking up against ignorance in favor of grace, in our Uni societies and beyond... At university I was never a member of any societies, I remember signing up for a kid's theatre company at Fresher's Fair, never going & still receiving emails in my third year. However, one of the beauties of university is how...

This blog is not for Christians. If that fits you, then read on… This is a blog for anyone who has met someone who calls themselves a Christian, but is not one themselves. This is a blog for students, your story of being a student, and the experience of Christians, Jesus-followers, you may have had at University. This isn't a blog really. This is...

"That's the best night out I've had in ages!" quote Polly, in the car on our way back from a night out in Leeds... at church. Yup, you heard, church. Myself and three students from York hopped in my tiny car of dreams  and road-tripped to the neighboring city of Leeds, where I was speaking to the students of St. George's Church about...

Recent graduate and this week's guest blogger Naomi had a realisation today... what are your thoughts on her thoughts?  Maybe God is more human than we thought? Or to put it another way, maybe to be human is to be like God? I’m not trying to take away from God’s divinity or perfection, but it’s just that I realised today that we...

I was standing in front of about 25 students at Surrey University, when one lad raised a cautious hand… I’d just finished a talk on how the church and the faith of Christianity figures with all the suffering in the world. I threw it open to the tables of students munching sandwiches during this lunchtime session, asking if there were any...

I think we’ve found the allegedly “missing generation”. For those of you who don’t know, the 18s-30s age group are known as “the missing generation” of the UK’s churches. Across this country, the student-age are very thin on the ground when you check out demographics on a Sunday or membership lists. After the days of youth groups end, exams dominate, Uni...

Our Guest Blogger this week is Student Worker Matt Lewis, who reflects on what the local churches in Guildford did at the start of this term to connect students into church. Steal their ideas...get off to a flying start...  I don't know about you, but Freshers often looms in the void of summer (at least in student work it feels...

This New Year’s Eve we will no longer be off our faces, but on our faces, for Jesus, because of Jesus. How many New Year’s Eve gatherings have you been to that have started the next year as you meant it to go on? Were you really hoping that 2011 would be charaterised by emotional drunk friends in a mess? Was...

“The old way doesn’t cut it anymore. One-off events are not enough. We are living in the age of the overflow effect...” I was sat at the front of the room about to get up to open the Fusion Equipping Day with a talk on how sharing Jesus (“evangelism”) is an overflow effect. That is, those who know Jesus are so...

Check out how our mate Judith Agbo started her new role as student worker for Tees Valley Communtiy Church.. this Guest Blogger hit the ground running!   Being the first full time student worker at TVC church, I felt a little apprehensive about my role, not knowing what to expect. However, after attending the Student Work Conference I felt energised, equipped and...

When I peeled opened the envelope and witnessed what was inside, I choked-up. I’m not a “crier” as my friends will tell you, but this single piece of post left me a little bit lost for words with tears in my eyes. It was a message of support for Fusion, with a cheque for a small sum of money, wrapped around...

The government are putting students “at the heart” of their plans, but where exactly do students want that to be?  I’ve been keeping track of reports on the latest student protest march to grace the streets of the capital and it’s made for quite interesting reading. Some of you won’t have even heard another protest took place; if you don’t have...

A powerful and challenging guest blog from Nick Welford, Youth Worker extraordinaire in Scarborough.  It was my first free weekend in over a month and I was, on the motorway. Why? To see one of my former young people who had now become a fresher. This lad had traversed the pit falls of secondary school and still come out with a...

When the band put their song lyrics on a projection screen for everyone in the room to read, Lizzie was quite rightly, a little confused. Last week I was visiting Birmingham, encouraging church leaders and student workers to keep engaging with the thousands of students that move into their city (only rivalled by London in size), every year. In the evening,...

Some wise (and amusing) words from our guest blogger Jo, the legendary student worker from St. Saviour's, Guildford! So... Uni! “The best days of your life” – according to your parents, your friends, the government and various ancient people like Luther (who must have loved it because he kept going back for more)! And I agree it was great, but...

I don’t know about you but I don’t believe in “coincidences”. We, the Club Mission team, had been praying before the Halloween Club Night kicked-off, and one of the team had got the specific, prophetic picture of two guys, one dressed as a French man and one as a “Cheeky Convict” who God wanted us to encounter that evening. So when...

Apparently, this is the normal question to be asked in a nursing seminar. There were twenty students sat in a circle watching each other intently as the question was passed around the room. “If you were stranded on a desert island and you were only allowed one book with you, which book would you take?” My friend Rosie was last to be...

Twelve students, two student workers, one living room, and a Miriam. As I sat on a large sofa cushion, fingers wrapped around a cup of tea, I listened to the chatter of a group of mates catching up after a day of lectures, and smiled. One guy was wearing shades indoors in October, and pulling it off. One girl was explaining...

It was the obvious song choice to enter church to, right? On Sunday we had loads of students walking through the doors of our church, many of them returning from the summer break, but most of them freshers, in search of a new home. It’s not often you hear the number one in the current UK charts, blasting out from the front...

“Funny that you just texted, my flat mates have decided to get so drunk they are dancing on the cooker and smashing glasses” That was the response I got from a fresher who I’d text to see if she had made it to church on Sunday. I’d chatted to her a few days previously, as she was struggling to settle in...

I wonder if I will find a kebab in my wheelie bin in the morning? It’s Freshers week for thousands of people up and down the country right now, and it is also the first week at Uni for crowds of students up and down my street it would seem. Last week, I was sleeping peacefully, this week it’s like I’m...