I’m going to start this blog with a confession. Ready?

I often cheat at reading.

At this point you may be thinking, ‘how on earth could you cheat at reading?’. Well, hear me out.

I am one of those troubled people who skip to the end of a book before I’ve read the rest of it.

I don’t know why I do it. There are no benefits of doing this. I don’t know all the characters and I miss out on a lot of the author’s creation. I’m always left with unanswered questions that can only be resolved by going back through the book and reading as the author intended. I miss out on so much of the narrative that the author wants to include me in just because I’m focused on getting to the finish line.

I’m telling you, don’t do it. It’s not worth it.

When I moved to Sheffield last summer and joined a new church, I felt a similar feeling to how I feel when I skip to the end of a book. Because I wasn’t there throughout the 11 chapters or years before, I’ve missed out on some of the narrative. There is a story behind my church that is full of boldness, sacrificial faith and a body of people passionately in love with Jesus that I was unaware of. 

It wasn’t that I wasn’t interested in the history, it was simply that no one had told me all the wonderful things that had happened before I arrived. That’s why, unlike my terrible reading habit, I love to turn back the pages by sitting with those who have been there longer than I have. It is only this way that I can fully understand the narrative that I am a part of, and add more pages to the book.

It’s the same with student mission. Perhaps you’re new to this. Perhaps you’re a student with a heart to share Jesus but unaware of the narrative you’re a part of. Perhaps you’re joining halfway through chapter 20 and need to flick through the pages before.

Let’s get up to date.

Rich Wilson shared the history of Fusion in a post earlier this year, and I challenge you to learn a little more of the narrative you can be a part of by clicking here.

You may be new to this, but there is good news. You are not alone. The definition of movement is ‘a group of people working together to advance their shared idea’. There are groups before you and groups still to come, committed to seeing the Holy Spirit spark a fire within our university campuses. You are part of a movement, you play a part in creating history.

 

Where to start?

Book onto the Firebrands Conference. Firebrands is a time to be ignited and join in the new chapters of student revival. If there is ever a time to grasp the narrative you are a part of, it is now. It is standing with 700 others in unity, signing up to play our part in the chapters still to come. You can book on here. Don’t miss out.