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Has God called me or am I just following a career path? I was coming to the end of my psychology degree and it was decision time. I’d enjoyed my studies so I could see myself pursuing a career in Psychology, but a nagging doubt stalked me. Is this obvious next step really my step of following Christ? In the midst of...

Will I be transformed or just be a nicer version of myself? God’s love overwhelmed me when I became a Christian at university. Old perceptions of God as an aloof grandfather figure vanquished in the presence of Christ. I was transformed instantly. Or so I thought. After a year or more of following Christ at university I was still struggling with unhealthy...

As I lay on the floor with my mind churning over obsessively, I felt God’s substantial loving presence replace the old heavy burdens. God’s Presence consumed the negative feeling of not being perfect before God. The yoke and burden had been exchanged, Jesus’ words were alive in me, “My burden is light and my yoke is easy.” (Matthew 11:30) For part...

I loved poker in my sixth form common room. Debts were created and tensions mounted between friends as we gambled our spare cash. I relished going “all in”. “All in” was my favourite, most exhilarating decision in a poker game. When you say “all in” you’re betting everything you have on your hand winning. It’s win big or go bust. Jesus...

Student Mission: Are we there yet? "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" Mark 1:15 “Are we there yet?” That question from my 3-year-old sent shudders through me 5 miles into an 800 mile trip to France! “We could be in for a loooong one!” I thought. I’ve asked myself that question over...

We're excited to connect with Julian Adams, a man who teaches around the world about a life led by the Holy Spirit. We thought this would be a good read as we prepare for Firebrands. It's not to late to book on if you haven't yet. We anticipate many being filled with the Spirit and sent out boldly to share Christ's...

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give...

"On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy...

In this series we’re exploring how to lead dynamic small groups for the sake of the student world. Below is adapted from a chapter in the new workbook Small Groups: Big Mission. Surely our culture’s addiction to novelty and entertainment mean that “unmissable” and “church” do not belong in the same sentence! Well, my observation is “unmissable” describes small group meetings...

In this series we’re exploring how to lead dynamic small groups for the sake of the student world. Below is adapted from a chapter in the new workbook Small Groups: Big Mission. The student church must respond to the ache in student society for real community and for authentic friendships. ‘Community’ is more than a buzzword, it is foundational to the wellbeing...

In this series we’re exploring how to lead dynamic small groups for the sake of the student world. Below is adapted from a chapter in the new workbook Small Groups: Big Mission. What makes a vision “world changing”? It’s a bold claim! Well, the vision is simple yet compelling. It’s based in Jesus’ great commands (see Mark 12:29-31) that are destined to turn...

In this series we’re exploring how to lead dynamic small groups for the sake of the student world. It’s 21 years since Fusion began in 1997 with an explosion of small groups called Fusion Cells. Students were empowered to lead and the outcome was that small groups with a passion to share Jesus began multiplying in dozens of universities. Students became Christians,...

On Tuesday 6th March, churches, students and ministries are invited to make space to pray for student mission in Europe There will be cities across Europe praying including in Oxford, where a few dozen will pray, fast, and worship for 12 hours! Do you want join in with a few friends on your campus or city? Take an hour out or an...

No one can disagree with a call to pray. Yet most find it excruciatingly difficult to prioritise. On Tuesday 6th March we’re calling the church to push a dedicated time of prayer for student mission to the front of our agendas. We need to keep reminding ourselves in an age obsessed with productivity, efficiency and results over presence, relationships and depth that...

The Sound of a Clear Call in Europe 'Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone...

3 lessons to bring home from #EscapeAndPray In June, 35 teams landed around Europe on a 48 hour missional adventure. Stories have been shared in churches and on blogs, over coffees, and in pubs since they returned. Join us for the Uprising conference in September to hear more. In the meantime, here are 3 student mission lessons we can bring home from #EscapeAndPray. 1. Hospitality is missional #EscapeAndPray provokes the church...

The Story So Far... Today's teams were in  Nice Luxembourg Leiden Dusseldorf Brussels Frankfurt Alicante Bordeaux Edinburgh Gdansk Gothenburg Hamburg Lyon Madrid Marseille Munich Oslo. ...on the penultimate day! Many teams attended church in various languages, denominations and nations in Europe reflecting the beauty of the diversity of God's Bride - the church.  There were teams excited at what lay ahead for the day   Good morning Düsseldorf! Okay God, what adventures do you have lined up for us today? . #escapeandpray #kan2man #pilgramsnottourists...

The Story So Far... Today's #escapeandpray teams landed in... Genoa, Italy  Thessaloniki, Greece Nantes, France  Budapest, Hungary Team Basel blessed their hosts with an English breakfast and some thank you notes as they prepared to return while lots of new friendships formed over food on Day 4.   Came home this afternoon to sweet little notes all over the house from @weemollie @_beckygoddard & @em_kolina #openyourhomeopenyourheart #swisslife #escapeandpray A post...

Caroline Gwilliam at BLESS shares a great story of mission and imagination in France. We're seeing God move in France. His spirit is causing hearts to break for students that don’t yet know their heavenly Father. We can see God planting seeds in people’s imagination for students and communities across France and Fusion is key in that. One story of our church members in France with a...

It's time to get your teams together for #EscapeAndPray. This exciting missional adventure happens over 48 hours in June in teams of 2-4. Remember the early bird discount ends on 31st January. For many years churches have rightly been encouraged to be more hospitable. Cooking a meal for your friends in halls or your student house is a great way to reach...

As we look ahead to #EscapeAndPray in June we're going to share some blog posts on the values driving this missional adventure in Europe. If you don't know what #EscapeAndPray is all about then have a quick read here. Here are some of Jesus' instructions to his 70 disciples on their mission  “Travel light. Comb and toothbrush and no extra luggage. Don’t loiter and make small talk with everyone...

Less is more for #EscapeAndPray 2017 as it returns for a third year with only 50 places!  If you don't know #EscapeAndPray 2016 involved 100 teams of 2-4 going to cities in Europe for 48 hours to pray for revival on campuses and bless the city. Have a read of some of the stories.  Teams had no idea where they were going on arrival to the airport....

Today Team's landed in: Budapest, Hungary Gdansk, Poland Leiden, Netherlands Vilnius, Lithuania Another day on #EscapeAndPray has led to more relationships being built over hospitality. It’s amazing to see church being experienced as family that transcends nations and cultures. Teams have described their time as “one of the best experiences of my entire life” and “amazing, powerful yet challenging adventure.” Last night we shared a meal...

People of peace are everywhere the teams go across Europe. On Day 6 teams landed in… Alicante, Spain Barcelona, Spain Bratislava, Slovenia Dublin, Ireland Limoges, France Prague, Czech Republic …anticipating good things from God. The #EscapeAndPray teams continued in their mission to pray all over Europe. The prayers are seeds offered in anticipation of growing into a harvest of students being drawn into the Father's love.  Off to #escapeandpray...

Therefore go #EscapeAndPray In the next 10 days 315 people in 100 teams fly to destinations across Europe to #EscapeAndPray. Stay blessed, stay tuned, trust God and take your best prayers with you. You're jumping into the flow of God's Spirit - hold on, it's going to be wild!   Pray:  Pray this as you go on #EscapeAndPray: Father, your love reconciling humanity is my message.  I trust you and...

Hopefully the last 11 days of reflections have prepared you for the unplanned and enabled you to improvise as the Spirit leads. Luke 10 is your textbook to study and inspire. It calls you to trust God as a team and focus on the mission at hand. The mission of #EscapeAndPray is to pray and connect with the church. You're invited to be part...

Read Luke 10: v22-24 'Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. 24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”' Luke 10 Prophets and kings longed to see the...

Read Luke 10: v17-21 '...do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”' Luke 10 What's...

Read Luke 10: v10-16 'But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say…  “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me"' Luke 10 Have you been to a place and not felt welcome? It happens. It could be you, it could be them....

Read Luke 10: v9 'Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’' Luke 10 Have you ever prayed for healing? And then followed it up by asking "are you feeling any better?" It can feel a bit scary, almost like God's reputation is on the line! We've all seen cringey claims of healing. The...

Read Luke 10: 3-8 'Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road...' Luke 10: 3-8. Time to get practical.  Travel light, a small bag and €20 will be enough - this helps you stay focused on God as provider.  Stay focused; don’t get distracted, worry, waste...

Read Luke 10: 2 'He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go!' Luke 10: 2. Don't you just hate wastage? I remember being in Zimbabwe during a time where there was a hungry population, a good crop, but not enough or skilled workers...

Read Luke 10: 2 'He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."'. Luke 10: 2. Jesus shared these words with those who knew all about harvests - it's what they lived for. Jesus was saying, just as the fields are ready to harvest, there will be people open to us and our message. For us in Europe the idea...

Read Luke 10: 1 'After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go'. Luke 10: 1. Jesus sends us out in two's because mission is a team sport. The challenge ahead for your team is to not just survive but thrive. So, how can...

Read Luke 10:1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. Your trip is short, but it can be sweet as you prepare the way for God to raise up new workers and partnerships in the city you visit. You’re part of a...

Read Luke 10: 1 'After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go'. Luke 10: 1. Your trip is short, but it can be sweet as you prepare the way for God to raise up new workers and partnerships in the city you visit....

This is a guest blog by Joey N based in Geneva, Switzerland.  The way university is set up in the UK, the communal nature of it makes it a place which allows for Christian community, activity and discourse. Move to another European country for uni and that is not often the case (though there are exceptions): no campus, no Fresher's week or fair,...

When did you get your first mobile? I lived without a mobile for the first 19 years of my life and bought my first smartphone 5 years ago. I now find it almost irresistible to avoid looking at my smartphone - it has the internet, a camera, apps galore, oh and I can chat to people on it too. Why has my smartphone...

I was 22, just married and off on a post-honeymoon trip to Zimbabwe inspired by a prophetic word and a sense of adventure. We didn't know anyone personally in Zimbabwe, friends of friends at best, kind strangers in reality. On our first night I had a vivid dream. In it I heard a loud SOS call that seemed to be summoning me,...

I remember chatting with a teenager in my church about fasting. He said "Christians don't fast, that's for other religions." Maybe that's your view? Fasting is often seen as pious and irrelevant to our gospel of grace. At worst legalism and a distraction to the mission. Lent starts this Wednesday 10th with TheFastUK initiative encouraging us to fast. My question is "Can a new generation...

Have you ever tried "triple listening"? It was a first for me the other week. I was in Lyon with the Fusion team hosting church leaders and student workers in France. It was wonderful to have 27 leaders from 16 churches (Roman Catholic and Protestant) representing 8 cities meet for the first time with the agenda to develop student mission in France. The...

France has 2.3 million students with the third largest contingent of international students worldwide; 300,000 including around 25,000 from the UK.  Fusion are connected to around 50 churches in France putting them on a global map that is aiming to connect students to churches and strengthen churches’ mission with students.  These Fusion connected churches commit to welcome and disciple students while at university. I’m really excited that Fusion in partnership...

I started an Advent calendar with my 4 year old. He was excited to eat chocolate; I was excited to share the Christmas story. The first day included a verse with the words Christ, Lord and Saviour. I thought, “Time to translate for a 4 year old.” I said we need a King to love us and lead us and rescue us. Boom!...

During Welcome Week (Fresher’s week) the Fusion team went out with Ivy Church to serve students in a busy studenty area of Manchester. Below is one story from the night...   We came to a homeless guy at a bus stop with a broken arm, a big bottle of cider and a sad story of loss. We prayed for him and offered to buy him some food. I ordered some...

Since 2002 I’ve been inspired by Fusion to see a move of God in the unis and take risks to break new ground.  My vision expanded to plant a church in Manchester (Ivy Fallowfield) to reach students where they lived. We developed from a community of students and graduates I journeyed with over years to establish a church reaching out to students...