Mission can just be doing life with people. Here is a story of mission that involves a fierce football rivalry, playing lots of PES, making meat pies, drinking whisky, some laddish banter, praying for my housemates, having my haircut by an atheist, asking questions, the best chocolate brownies I’ve ever tasted, dunking my mate into a pool of water, a 4-0 thrashing and a great friendship.

I am a Sheffield Wednesday fan. So, clearly I was disgusted to find the room next to me was littered with Sheffield United flags. I thought it was going to be a pretty difficult year. But quickly, myself the owner of the flags put our differences behind us after a few games of PES and a shared love of making beef and ale pie. He found out that I went to Church and was a Christian. He told me that he believed in God but I wasn’t sure how much a part of his life it was - so I decided I’d pray for him.

Around Christmas time there was a strange evening in our halls involving whisky, and quite a long debate with a girl named Lola who I’d never met before. She cut my hair for free whilst arguing about the existence of God with me. The debate soon involved most of the rest of my housemates; it was interesting to see what everyone believed. I just tried to stick up for what I believed. At about two o’clock in the morning I asked my next-door neighbour if he fancied coming to Church with me. He said: “yeah, alright”. 

He started coming to Church with me and really enjoyed it. He particularly enjoyed free lunches with the best chocolate brownies you’ve ever tasted. He kept coming along with me for a while.  When they said at the front that they were going to be doing baptisms I wondered if he’d be up for it. I was a bit scared to ask him. But he decided to do it anyway. He asked me if I’d stand in the pool and baptise him. I said: “yeah, alright”. Secretly, it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

At the end of last term, whilst I was getting a 4-0 thrashing on a game of FIFA I asked my housemate whether he would be up for leading a cell group. I was a bit nervous about asking him. He said: “yeah, alright”. He now leads a group of about 10 other Christians every Thursday night. He’s a brilliant leader.

I haven’t done anything brave or radical; I never wanted to force my beliefs on my friends. I was just honest about what I believed and enjoyed being his mate. It is really not worth getting worked up about mission. Let’s just get busy doing life with people.