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I am filled with hope for this academic year. Last Sunday two young people visited our church. One is a student in Loughborough who became a Christian last year and is about to go into his second year at uni. The other is about begin her degree in York. These two friends were visiting churches to help her to decide...

The purpose of a great question is not information, it is transformation.  It’s well known that Jesus was a man who loved asking questions. In the four gospels, he is recorded as asking 307 questions. He is asked 184 and he only answers 3 directly. So he clearly values question asking over answer giving! Questions are powerful. God loves questions. The Bible is...

Relaunching student work in person hasn’t been easy. Most churches are starting this year with far fewer students than before the first lockdown. Two year groups have graduated and it’s been hard to connect with new freshers. During this time, so much has happened to how students engage with church. Do they watch online? Are they connecting with their home...

If someone has never given to church, how will they start? For previous generations, it was normal to give to your church. It was commonly accepted that you tithe part of your income to the church. Probably 10%. If you had Christian parents of grandparents, they probably taught you to do this. However, the vast majority of students today don’t have parents...

Are you excluding students of increased blessing? Acts 20: 35 says, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” This is a well known verse in the Bible. It is Luke writing in the book...

“We don’t ask students to give in our church. They don’t have much money as it is and it’s a debt isn’t it? So we just ask them to come and receive.” This is an exact quote from a church leader I spoke to a few years ago and I’ve heard something similar on many other occasions. It’s untrue, unhelpful, unbiblical...

Everything is about to double up. This academic year has been so strange for so many students. Many feel robbed on their freshers' year. They haven't had a chance to get out, socialise and meet people. They haven't even been at uni physically for much of the year. They are going to be making up for it this autumn and joining the new...

"Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion..." (Isaiah 61:7) When you have an ice cream, do you have one scoop or two? I’m definitely a two-scoop guy and would probably mix up the flavours too. I used to think that this is what was meant by “double portion” in the Bible. Not ice cream! But the idea of receiving...

"...and restore the places long devastated;" (Isaiah 61:4) In the 1960’s, there was a youth revival in California. Through the ministry of Chuck Smith, the Holy Spirit led thousands of young people to give their lives to Jesus on the beaches. It eventually grew into Calvary Chapel, a network of churches that has spread across the world.  Someone once asked Chuck Smith why...

Dear Church Leader, Wow! What a lot has changed! Thank you for being a church leader that is still keen to think creatively about student mission. How we love and disciple them has been and will be so different to the past. What it means to be a student member of a church is different. Who is watching online? Who checks in...

When you can't go out, you have to get creative. All of us need a little fun and adventure and students are the best at this. I've crowd-sourced the best games to play in a house. Whether you are locked down with other students or with family, these ideas are sure to liven things up a bit! I've avoided any of the...

“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:13-14  I was once in a Psychology lecture with 300 other students. Often I would lose concentration and start daydreaming, but on this particular day, I...

“That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified.” Luke 2:8-9  In the dark night, thousands of anonymous people waited. Everything went quiet. Then came the words, “Andy, can you turn on the lights so...

There are lots of things that we can't do anymore due to the latest lockdown restrictions. However, there are still loads of things that we CAN DO! It means being creative and flexible, the same old solutions won't work anymore. That is what God is always doing. He is the creator who is always doing a new thing. His Kingdom...

Churches are full of amazing people who lead our PA, welcome, cafe, kids work and worship teams. Without them, our Sunday services wouldn’t have happened in the way that they have for so long.  However, now these gatherings have stopped. Due to the #COVID19 crisis we are not able to meet in gathered groups. What if we released all those leaders...

In most churches that I’ve encountered, usually about half of the people are in mid-week small groups and the other half are not. This is due to a whole range of reasons of course. Perhaps life was so busy that it felt too difficult to fit it into the diary.  Maybe the ones they used to be in were rubbish, so...

For years people in our culture have been lulled into a spiritual stupor by too much comfort, apathy and post-modernity. But they are waking up!  #COVID19 has come like bucket of cold water in the face to someone having an afternoon nap! Even in the last few days we have heard of lots of students who are not Christians yet asking to join...

Whether it is through persecution or another circumstance, if the church is prevented from having big gatherings, the church grows rapidly.  There are many places in the world where it is not possible to have corporate or public worship. When this happens, the church is forced to meet in secret small groups of believers. In order to continue meeting in the...

The current circumstances brought about by #COVID19 presents the church with the biggest missional opportunity in many years. The question is, will we respond to it? In such a small amount of time, our world has been turned upside down and reordered. Whether it is kids being home-schooled, studying / working from home or panic-buyers out in full force - the world is a...

“Most people are pretty bad question askers aren’t they? Are people even worse at listening? People just talk about themselves the whole time without listening to others.” This was said by a friend of mine in an older generation. While there is a little sprinkling of grump in there, there is also lashings of truth! Have you ever mentored a young person? Have...

Every student should have an opportunity to find hope in Jesus and home in the local church. Sadly this is far from the current reality. The average percentage of undergraduate students in a university town/city is 1.08%. In some university towns and cities, it is a long way off. As Fusion, we work with local churches in every university location to reach...

An amazing thing has happened. Ben Stokes has given his life to Jesus and decided to forget his cricket and he is going to be a missionary. Having received salvation and fullness of life, he has decided that the most valuable thing he can do is share that with others. Cricket fans all over England who have been wowed and...

It is 20 years since I started university. I've lived for longer since starting uni than before it.  In my freshers' week I was excited, nervous and full of anticipation. I was a cocky mixture of brashness and over confidence. I had ginger curtains, massive sideburns and thick black glasses (as you can see!) During my first night’s sleep, I was awakened by the noise...

We are delighted to be announcing two full-time roles in the south of England. These are each partnerships with local churches. While the employment is full-time, the role is split between Fusion Student Mission Developer and local church student worker.  The churches we are partnering with are: St Mary's Southampton LOVECHURCH Bournemouth Both of these roles are in partnership with the Diocese of Winchester. We...

Working for Fusion isn't a job, it's a call!  We are looking for networkers, missionaries, strategists, evangelists, administrators, vision casters, film makers, clear thinkers, communicators, hope-speakers, cheerleaders, peace makers and light bringers. Could it be you?  The Fusion Team is in a dynamic place. We are growing and need quality people to join in with what God is doing through Fusion.  There are...

Have you ever been to New Wine in the summer? Consider this your invitation! Come with a group from your church. Get together with a bunch of students and book on.  This summer, those of us at Fusion are teaming up with New Wine to bring great content for students and people in their 20's throughout the two weeks. Here are the...

I have a friend from Northern Ireland who works for BBC 5Live. He is well versed in most sports but had to learn a new language when it came to cricket. He didn't know a googly from a doosra and he was perplexed as to why a grown man was referred to as a duck when he was bowled a beamer and...

Have you ever asked the students in your church how they first discovered your church? Or even church in general?  Maybe a friend invited them, perhaps they attended a marriage or baptism, they might have joined an alpha course or they could have just wondered in one day. It's worth asking this question because it helps to identify how many possible...

Small Groups are an indispensable context for firing up the student generation. History testifies of the lasting fruit of student mission when small groups become a leading vehicle for learning and living out the gospel. In this paper we’ll explore why small groups are an effective space to join God’s big mission with students. Though not exhaustive, the points expanded below aim...

Brogan Hume is the Student Worker at The Belfrey in York. He and the team there made this video for social media. They haven't put any branding on it so it can be used anywhere. Feel free to share it! 

The Vision To invite ALL students to #TryChurch and to equip churches to welcome ALL students. The story so far For many years, churches have been keen to connect with Christian students through Student Linkup. This is sensible and important. More recently, it has become apparent that there are thousands of students who would be very interested in trying a church, if they...

Over the last couple of years there has been an increasing openness within Students' Unions (SUs) to work with local churches. Here is an outline of what we have learned so far and a suggestion of a way forward. What is a Students' Union? - Every university will have one, although it may be called something slightly different (e.g. Student Association). It...

"No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light." Luke 11:33 So what do you do when a generation of students don’t come to church? You take the church to them and let your...

When was the last time you fasted? Is it part of your regular rhythm of discipleship? Until last year, it was something I just did occasionally. It is now something I really value because of the following things: 1. It's a great way to process frustration. When we are out of control, confused, disappointed, exasperated or even devastated, fasting is a great way...

Jesus told us to be liberal...with how widely we sow the word!  In Mark 4, Jesus tells the parable of the sower when the farmer scatters the seed and it falls on different types of surface with various results. Then explains it's meaning. Jesus doesn't explain many of the parables so it's worth taking note when he does.  "The farmer sows the word....

There are many great reasons for us to pray if we want to reach all students with the good news of Jesus. But here are my top 3! 1. If God is God, then he can do whatever he likes. He could draw the heart of every student towards himself. He could move a generation and change the minds of the...

I'm going to tell you a lie. Students have absolutely no money and can't afford to give to church or charity.  This is a nonsense. It's balderdash, claptrap and poppycock.  This might have been true in the 60's, and it's true that students have increasingly considerable loans at university. Much of that is for tuition fees and rent. However, a good principle to share...

We are delighted to announce that our 2000th church just registered with Fusion and we are about to be 20 years old!   Sign up to be a connection church This is a significant milestone in the life of Fusion and wonderful indicator of what God is doing in His church with students.  In the early days of Fusion there were a few churches...

We reckon we are on the edge of something. A move of God, revival, call it what you like - we think something extraordinary is going to happen with students and the church. We want to be as spiritually alert as possible.  For the last few years as a Fusion team, we have been urging each other to go deeper in our...

I often get up at 6am to read my Bible. I choose that time because there is no one else around and no distractions apart from the allure of sleep. The other morning, I was reading the story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane as he cries out to his Father. It's just before one of his followers betrays him to the...

Normally, I’m not available. I walk with my eyes down.  But then other day, I walked out of the station barrier in Kings Cross and waded through the melee of people walking in all directions. I stood still for a moment, took a breath and prayed, “OK Lord. I’m ready. I'm awake. Who do you want me to meet. What do you...

As I travel to each university location I am always amazed at the huge numbers of students who are not part of a church. It is usually about 99% of the student population who are disconnected from church, with 1% in regular attendance.  Most churches spend the majority of their time, resources and energy thinking about how to look after the...

I recently visited Jonny Hughes and Will Foulger who have planted Trinity Church Nottingham. This is part of the Church of England’s strategy to plant resource churches into the 100 biggest populaces in the UK. Lots of these locations have one or more universities near by.  The fascinating thing about the former Auction House building that Jonny and Will have been...

Thousands of humans are about to arrive on your doorstep…but will your church welcome them?  Hundreds of churches are registered with Student Linkup as it is a map that lots of students look at before going to uni. They want to help Christian students find a church when they get to university. This is fantastic.  However, I believe we need to broaden...

In September 2015, Aidan Grills and Andy Parsons spoke at the Fusion Student Work Conference. Aidan is the Chief Exec of Leeds Uni SU and Andy is the Chief Exec of Loughborough SU. These are two of the largest Students’ Unions in the UK.  They spoke about how local churches can work really well with the Students’ Union. They offered the...

One of the greatest joys of my life is to look back on all the students that my wife and I have mentored, discipled, encouraged and released into all that God had created them to be. Hannah and I worked out that we have mentored 42 students over the last 15 years and invested in a hundreds more.  If you are a...

Our house is pretty tidy. Every Friday, we do a “Factory Reset”. Everything is put back in its right place and the house is cleaned. This may have something to do with my wife’s perfectionism!  The reason why it needs this is because living, particularly with two kids, is messy. Having friends over is messy. Having fun is messy. Life is...

It's good to have role models. I have many. CB Fry is one of my favourites. Fry's was a great sportsman, representing England at both cricket and football. He played in an FA Cup Final and equalled the world record for the long jump. He also reputedly turned down the throne of Albania. Even well into his seventies he claimed he was still able to perform his party...

I had my shoes mended the other day. The soles were wearing thin so I visited the Sole Man. (If it's not punny, it's not funny!) He is an odd little fellow who seems genuinely miffed that I actually wear my shoes and develop problems with them. He sighs slowly, tuts and shakes his head at me. Then he fixes them...

My next-door neighbour is always pottering around his garden. Clipping, hoeing, digging, watering, pruning and planting. Recently I met someone who has known him for 40 years who was amazed to discover this. He said, “I didn't know he was a grower, I always had him down as a consumer!” The phrase stuck with me and I wondered which one people would...

"After you, Sir! Come on in”, said the doorman as he welcomed me to a nice hotel in London. I was going for coffee with a church leader and already felt more than a little out of place.  The doorman was a smartly dressed, tall and broad-shouldered man who bowed slightly as his reached for the door handle. He had a...

This year at the Student Work Conference we had exclusive content from Prof. N.T Wright. He spoke about history, scripture and God's story as a single sweeping narrative. This consistent story is one in which we are invited to play our part, but in order to do this we need to be soaked in scripture. Here are the three videos...

Over the last few years Matt Ward, a chaplain at Leeds University, has been doing research looking at how students who had been part of churches while they were at university found new churches after they graduated. Here are his top five tips for finding a new church to belong to when you graduate.  1. Make finding a church part of...

Men tend to like looking at people’s private parts. Women tend to like looking at people’s private lives. In fact lots of us find both quite interesting! And both are types of porn. A gawping at what we shouldn’t really have our eyes on. A voyeurism of one kind or another. But social porn is not talked about much so here...

Well this is awkward!  I love a good awkward moment. I hope you like my awkward face on this blog! I'm the one who laughs at embarrassing wedding speeches or when my kid says "Daddy, look at that massive fat man!". I'm also a fan of pointing out the elephant in the room and commenting that the Emperor isn't wearing much. Whilst...

If you find it awkward to talk about money, you are going to love this! Students aren’t usually big givers to their church. Many church leaders assume students don’t have much disposable income, so don’t ask them to give. In my home church we recently bucked this trend and went from 17% to 78% of students giving by standing order. Families typically...

Last summer Fusion conducted a survey on how Christian students spend their time. We expected a moderate response but in the end we had 1400 completed surveys.  One of the most revealing discoveries was the impact of local church discipleship. Students who are being discipled in the local church are: twice as likely to be known as a Christian by their mates. twice...

In order to see the gospel of Jesus Christ transform the lives in our universities and many students come to faith in Christ, we need to encourage the students in our churches to immerse themselves in student culture.  It is so easy for Christians to gather in cliques and holy huddles where they feel like they are on fire for God, but...

Are we looking to welcome all the students to our towns or just hoping a few Christian ones join our church? In the autumn, over 100,000 students will descend on Manchester for freshers week. In Portsmouth, it will be 21,000 and in Swansea it will be 14,000. How many students will arrive in your town?  About a third of these students will...

Every year, students look younger don't they? I know, it's crazy! But guess what, they're not younger, but we are older! As we get older it becomes harder to release students into leadership because they increasingly seem too young. So we end up only giving opportunities to mid-twenties, then thirties and forties. How old were you when someone trusted you with some...

If a couple of students came to me with a great vision of doing a banquet for the homeless, I would say "Go for it!" That's not what James Brown from St Thomas Crookes, Sheffield said to Ian Shepherd and Rebecca Emerson when they came to see him. They had a dream to go beyond the regular food on the streets...

During Students' Union elections any university campus is crammed with people, placards and posters. Megaphones holler out across atriums shouting things like "Vote Big Pete for Rag Chair", "A vote for Melanie is a vote for FREEDOM" and "The most important thing you will do today is vote for Greasy Jim as Vice President for Ethics and Environment." Some slogans are catchier than...

A few weeks ago I visited New Community Church in Southampton. It's a great church in the centre of town with a vibrant student work. Year on year student numbers fluctuate. Adam Clewer, one of the church leaders said, "sometimes we are the popular church, sometimes it's another church." But recently, things have begun to change. They have been thinking about the students...

Here is one of the very best cliches.  “We are human beings, not human doings.” In a culture obsessed by activity, who we are counts for less than what we do. What course we do, what job we want to do and what hobbies we do.  God is more interested in who we are and who we are becoming than what we do....

Students ask God about their calling in this order: 1. What career should I do? 2. Who should I do it with? 3. How will I do it? 4. Where shall I do it? We have got things a little mixed up. Throughout the bible, God works with locations. He calls people to specific cities. He tasks them to build the local church there. He...

We have some exciting news!! Fusion is partnering with Broadcast to run some online Student Work Training. We want to see students ready to live for Jesus in their time at University and see themselves as missionaries. To that end we are going to run a programme of training to help student teams and church leaders engage, release and send students. How will...

Any athlete knows they need to consume good food if they want to perform well. Does the same apply for the media content we consume with our eyes? We have the opportunity to consume more media than ever before.  Let’s not fool ourselves, we are not successful gate keepers to unhelpful content. What goes in through the eyes, floods the heart and...

I saw this late night status on a friend’s Facebook a few years ago. It broke my heart. I took a screenshot of it and it’s reminded me to pray for her and countless students like her.  Why is everything acceptable when drunk? Is it acceptable? There is a tiny cry for help in this status.  This student is a wonderful child of...

If you’re about to start university, then you won’t remember Billy Joel’s classic “We didn’t start the fire”. But 80’s is so retro right now so watch it!  The lyrics contain headlines from 1949-1989 and the chorus is: We didn't start the fire It was always burning Since the world's been turning For me it captures the following simple truths that students need grasp about...

I recently visited a FiveGuys restaurant. One of the novelties is a machine that mixes your soft drinks. I have no idea why! At the front of the increasingly irritated queue was a teenaged girl creating a concoction of about 53 soft drinks. I'm sure it was delicious to the trained pallet. It struck me that this is reflective of student culture....

I play golf every week. It’s my way of disconnecting from stress and connecting with God’s green earth.  I recently read golf psychologist Bob Rotella’s book “The Golfer’s Mind”. A section on dealing with mistakes jumped out to me that I have transferred into my general life.  I believe that if you adopt this response to making mistakes, it will help you...

I am an immigrant. I’m not from here. I’m visiting.  I am a Citizen of Heaven with a life passport for Earth. (1 Peter 2:11) If you know Jesus Christ as your King then you are an immigrant too. It means the following: We eat different food. (John 4: 31-34) We drink different water. (John 4:13-14) We follow different rules. (Romans 12:2) We treat this Earth well...

Benjamin Franklin said “by failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” If someone is being baptised, we prepare them.  If a couple are getting married, we prepare them. If a group are going on mission, we prepare them. If a young person is going to uni, we prepare them. If we fail to prepare people for any significant life stage or experience, it has...

Would you like to join the Fusion team? It is a fantastic time to do so.  Over the last 7 years, the number of churches that are connected to Fusion has grown enormously. It has increased by 633% to 950 churches. We receive a few new connection churches most weeks and we have found that phoning, emailing and writing to all...

12 things that the bible says are worth it: 1. Trusting 2. Talking to God 3. Living life to the full 4. Looking after the poor 5. Going large at parties 6. Being kind and generous 7. Having patience for people 8. Resting well 9. Being honest 10. Suffering 11. Making peace 12. Mourning   9 things the Bible says aren’t worth it: 1. Being jealous 2. Worrying about or fearing stuff 3. Loving money 4. Working all...

Our church has lost it. Young adults preach even though they know nothing. It’s the blind leading the blind. They can’t teach me anything with their naive enthusiasm. This church will fail. Then The Lord put his hands on my eyes. Two scales of cynicism fell to the ground. Our church has got it. Young adults have a voice and preach the...

Students often tell me they are asking God to tell them what they should do with their life.  But it’s not scriptural. Even Jeremiah’s hugely quoted verse is vague rather than specific.  The truth is, God has a dream for our lives. But we would prefer a map. If a student asked their father, “Dad, what job do you want me to do...

The story of David & Goliath is well known. A small boy slings a stone and kills a giant. He took what skills he had and used them for God.  My friend David Skivington was a student in York and went to India on mission. While there, he was offered little girls for sex. He was outraged and asked God what he...

The text below is a poem written by J.R.R. Tolkien. It is penned by Bilbo Baggins and quoted by Gandalf.  It is also my prayer for all those who once had faith in Jesus Christ, but have drifted away from him and his church. There are many students in our universities who once knew a closeness to God that has gone....

Everyone needs encouragement to persevere. When walking with my lads I say, “keep going, it’s just round the corner”. God always says this to his people. We become accustomed to our surroundings and settle for what we can see. We focus on the people in our church and forget about those in our wider community.  Jesus said that with God all things...

Health Warning: Reading the Bible will kill you. The central character says you need to lose your life to gain it. He and many major people in the book are killed, die in prison or surrender their old life. Thousands of people have been killed as a result of living what the book teaches.  If you want comfort, read self-help books instead.  The...

I like to pray out loud. It helps me to concentrate and formulate my thoughts. Some of my friends tell me they chat to God in their heads as they walk around town. We are all different. Recently, on a walk to the bank I needed to talk to God about something and was finding it hard. I noticed that lots...

A friend recently asked me, “How do you work with young adults and stay sane? They know nothing and they think they know everything - annoying!” I shared Richard Rohr’s quote with him. “Without the old man, the young man can’t do anything. Without the young man, the old man won’t do anything.  It is so important for established church leaders to...

"What's the plan when you graduate?" A student's answer to this question usually involves jobs and money.  Their answer hardly ever includes location or church community. Not on the radar. When I ask more directly people say, "I could go anywhere, wherever the job is. I guess I'll find a church there too."  The Bible is full of people who are committed to...

Don’t tell anyone, but I know a division of undercover missionaries. You won’t notice them. They just look like regular people. They are incognito. Hidden. Disguised as students. Living amongst the masses in the university realm. Hardly anyone knows that they are agents of a different Kingdom. Their primary occupation is to care about and gradually guide the people around them to...

If the stuff that is in the Bible isn't true, if it doesn't work today and if Jesus didn't really mean what he said - I'm not interested in any of it. Thanks, but you can keep your rituals and your moral teaching. However, I believe what's in the Bible is true, it does work today and Jesus really meant what...

When my Uncle Kevin was at university in 1968 he was in the London Bach Choir. One November evening at choir practice, the conductor said, “If you are interested in doing something fun come back here on Tuesday at 11pm. You’ll find out what it is when you get here!” Always up for a laugh, the 19 year old Kevin arrived...

"I want really good teaching in the church I go to because I want to know more about God." Students have expressed this sentiment to me over many years in lots of locations. It’s great that these students are actively looking for a church. It’s also excellent that they are looking for a place that will help their faith rather than...

We are not as radical as Jesus intended. I am sure of that.  As Christians, we get caught up in the importance of our own systems and we fear losing any progress that we have made with the authorities. We want to maintain our reputation and be respected in the community. I understand that, but I think it stops us from...

Don’t wait for someone to offer. Don’t wait to be noticed. Ask someone. For the last 13 years, I have done something every fortnight that has been such an encouraging, inspiring and challenging part of my journey with Jesus that I am amazed people survive without it. I call this discipleship, some people call it mentoring and others call it spiritual...

Last week saw the completion of the political party conference season and I was struck by a similarity between these conferences and the church in the UK. In the 1950s, political parties were boasting over 4 million members between them and their conferences were very well attended, exciting events. Today membership of political parties isn’t even an eighth of what it use...

Mark Powley, Associate Rector of St George's Leeds has written a great update on what they are doing to reach students in their church.  ‘If God throws a party who gets to come?’ This is the question we put on 1,000 flyers launching our new evening services specifically aimed at calling a lost generation back to God. Here at St George’s...

It stopped me in my tracks. Cycling into the Fusion office at 8am through the road spray, I suddenly pulled over as the words hit me, stirred me and reverberated deep in my soul. I know that Coldplay isn't everybody's cup of herbal tea but I like them! What's more, I find that God uses their music and lyrics to get...

Over his goldfish bowl of a wineglass and down his nose he proclaimed, “This earth has been spinning merrily on it’s axis for billions of years so I see no reason why it should suddenly stop!” I have reflected on the gentleman’s comment. It is a fascinating insight into a paradox that challenges all of us. Our default is often to...

If you are obedient to God today, you may never know the impact it will have on tomorrow. Back in the late seventies, a youth group from Manchester came to York to hear David Watson preach. He was the vicar of St Michael le Belfrey church, he had a powerful ministry of renewal in the Holy Spirit and many people were...

Today's blog is written by Ben Welby, who was involved in the early days of Fusion when he was a student. Now he has a job he is still passionate about graduating well.  Last month Luke Smith tweeted about his recent blog post by asking the question ‘does God call people into ‘normal’ jobs?’ The answer’s obvious, right? Or perhaps our experience tells...

I absolutely love this video from Matt Woodcock. He is the curate at Holy Trinity Hull. It is very funny and is a good example of a church leader just saying it how it is. He says what the church can offer and what it can't. Take a minute to watch it and be inspired. As individuals or churches, it's...

How much does the church support people in their workplace? Is church just a Sunday thing, then we get on with business in the 9-5? Does God call people into 'normal' jobs? As a Christian, how should I conduct myself at work?  These are all excellent questions that need addressing. Whilst hundreds of thousands of students prepare to start university this autumn,...

Anna Mason is the student worker at Exeter Network Church (ENC) and she has blogged for us on why she takes Student Linkup seriously.  Reality Sucks Sometimes! The statistic, 73% of Christians who go off to university never make it to a church, is shocking! I used to try to lessen the blow in my mind by assuming most those 73% probably...

Sarah Crane is a Pastor for Youth and Children in Shoeburyness & Thorpe Bay Baptist Church, near Southend. She has blogged for us on her experience in preparing young people for uni. When I arrived in Southend to work for my church in July 2010, I very hurriedly met those who were leaving for university or to start gap years that September. As...

I dare you to take a risk on God.  A fantastic student worker contacted me recently to let me know that he wasn't able to continue his call to students as his church had decided to cut the funding for his role. He explained how he was now looking for an office job to pay the bills. I asked him if...

This is my plan to transform the nation.  I am a local church leader and I have worked with students over the past seven years. In that time our student work has gone from 3 to 70. But students are a transient people group so we have seen over 150 students come through our church community, be part of our small...

Students today are splitting their souls and leaving horcruxes strewn through their lives. The Harry Potter Franchise has now brought in a total of $25bn, so I will assume that if you are reading this you have a basic understanding of fictional wizardry. In the stories, the evil Voldemort has split his soul into seven parts and left them in various...

I recently went for a walk through a woodland area near my house. The sun was punching its way though the leaves, there was a cacophony of birdsong and I could smell the woodchip under my feet.  All of a sudden, a nearby fence sparked as if it had been electrocuted and the sky roared a deafening crack of thunder. It...

The view from the 5th floor restaurant at Waterstone's on Piccadilly is breathtaking. I used to frequent the the place when I worked in London as it served delicious little quiches, which posh people call 'tarts'.  On one occasion, a friend and I were having a coffee whilst we used the free wi-fi. The mood was serene and we could hear...

Today's blog is written by Rev. Richard Pennystan, vicar at St Chad's in Romiley.  Very soon, churches with universities nearby will be thinking about how to connect with freshers and in our desire to connect with students, many churches put on a free meal & invite them to it. That’s all fine, the Holy Spirit might lead us to do just that,...

A friend said to me recently “I’m so angry about all the injustice in the world. It’s making me question whether God really cares, if he is there at all.” When I asked him what he was doing to tackle the situations that grieved him so much, he looked surprised. “Nothing. What can I do?” This sort of response is not...

People do stupid things. In 1964, Randy Gardner stayed awake, without using stimulants, for 264 hours (eleven days). In 2010, a Swiss freediver called Peter Colat held his breath underwater for 19 minutes and 21 seconds. In 2004, Ilker Yilmaz squirted milk from his eye at a record-breaking distance of 9 feet, 2 inches. People do stupid things and we love it! When asked why they decided to do such...

I resent people. That is a fact. In fact, I make lists of all the people who I resent. I try not to forget anyone so it’s quite a long list.  Last Tuesday I did something that I do every month; I spent a day escaping from the busyness of everyday life and spent time with The Creator instead. I arrogantly...

Soul Survivor have been a Key Partner of fusion for many years. They are amazing and wondered if there are any students out there who could help with the summer festivals. They ask... "Can you…offer great customer service, help people to pray, give First Aid, talk to people, entertain kids, skate, BMX, set stuff up, pack stuff down, use fancy sound...

Every week someone asks me, "Why do 73% of Christian students not go to church*?". It does seem ridiculously high doesn't it? Many factors contribute to this statistic. But I believe it is helpful to look at this as relationship breakdown. At the core of relationship breakdown there is often a difference in expectations and assumptions between the two parties...

This summer we have an opportunity to set everything alight, to start a fire that will burn beyond human control. Let’s torch the place! On the first of December 2011, I joined with thousands of people across 55 cities to pray and worship God in public. This happened under the banner of 7:14 Prayer. It was fascinating to see such a grassroots...

Three times a year, we gather student workers from all over the UK for some amazing free training. On 7th March 2012 we looked at discipleship culture. Watch this short video to hear what the student workers had to say...

Hazel Creaghan is a student at York University and goes to G2, part of St Michael le Belfrey. She writes here about her visit to the Fusion Equipping Day.  On Wednesday 7th March I was extremely privileged to be invited along to the Student Equipping Day that was held in Loughborough for student workers and student leaders. From the very start of...

Are there too many people in your church? You may have heard the incredible story of Gideon in Judges 6-8. An unlikely leader, he rallies the Israelite troops to fight the huge Midianite army. 32,000 of them gather and God tells Gideon there are too many of them. He tells the people who are scared to go home and 22,000 do...

Sheep are incredibly stupid and predictable and Jesus says we are like sheep. How very offensive, I hear you cry! Rude, Jesus. Here is what he actually says in John 10:14-15, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father - and I lay down my...

Many people would rather have a picnic in a Victorian sewer than go to a church prayer meeting. Historically, the church has been phenomenal at turning a dynamic encounter with our omnipotent, relational deity into a snore-fest! This is a travesty because prayer transforms and changes us. It nourishes and sustains us. When we pray, our minds move in line with...

How big is yours? Mine is huge! You may be relieved to discover that I’m talking about vision. I say this without boasting.  My personal vision is to inspire and equip a generation of young adults to be change agents and bringers of God’s Kingdom on this earth, fuelled by a white-hot faith in King Jesus. What is your vision? My vision...

On the most famous street in York, The Shambles, there is a Bread Shop. The bloke who owns it opens at 9am, sells his bread and closes when he runs out, which is usually 11am. He makes enough, to earn enough then he goes home. Aghast, I asked my baker friend why he doesn't make more, so that he would earn...

I dragged myself through the nettles, propped my frame against a tree trunk, took aim and fired. Then in a calculated but ignorant fashion, I shot my own team mate right up his gluteus maximus. I am a counter-productive paint-baller. It is better for everyone if I don't paint-ball. Everyone else wins if I remain at home instead of paint-balling. I forgot...

Kat Thomas is a student in Bristol and goes to church at Pip N Jay. She writes here about their recent student weekend away. "If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same...

I am no good at small talk; I prefer to get straight to the interesting part of a conversation. Consequently, taxi journeys can be pretty agonising.  Sometimes, I am tempted to get in and say, "Let's be honest, neither of us really want to talk about the weather, where I have been and what it was for. Nor do we want...

When I was sixteen, before I committed my life to Jesus, I used to drink a lot of alcohol. On one occasion after returning from a particularly massive session, where I had consumed fifteen pints of beer, I made a very strange decision.  I returned at 3am without any house keys or a grasp of reality. I looked like a scratchy...

I was horrified to discover that students in the UK are being given a death sentence. I thought this didn't happen anymore, so to find out that it happens every day was even more terrible. You may be relieved to hear that I am not referring to literal execution. In the gospels we see Jairus approach Jesus and ask him to raise...

I received an email today from a friend studying philosophy at University. She was finding it difficult to marry being a Christian and studying in depth theories and worldviews that were opposed to her own. As a philosophy graduate myself, I can identify with this struggle. At times being a Christian and an academic is deeply difficult. But it’s so important...

“It is a while since a belly-laughed like that!” A good mate of mine came round for dinner the other night. We talked about old times, when I had curtains and he had a penchant for corduroy. By the end of the evening, I was exhausted with a serious case of laughing-fatigue. And whilst it was tiring on the stomach and...

We speak out when we reach the edge of our toleration. We stay silent when we are within the realm of comfort. Every now and then, it is worth checking where that boundary is and if it’s moved, asking why. Simply put, how much do you tolerate? A friend of mine recently told me that they had “friends with benefits”. These are...

I was inspired and encouraged to see Adam Roseblade's recent stunt. It is a great story and he has written up for us to read here. Adam is student worker at Kings Church in Portsmouth. “Love makes fools of us all” – This was the challenging idea that seemed to become lodged in my mind as the Holy Spirit began to...

Here is a great student mission story from Ralph Pedley, student worker at Vinelife in Manchester. He wins £25 of Starbucks vouchers and a FireBible.  Have you got a great student mission story? To be in with a chance of winning, email your story to me on luke@fusion.uk.com. One of our favourite things to do as a church on campus is to...

In Ikea, I heard a man say to his son, "have you heard the good news about Santa?" Everyone is pedalling good news. Merchants of invented false gospels are hawking their wares to the young people of your church. They are subtle about it though. They don't go for traditional techniques. They don't talk about eternal life, salvation, sin or God. In...

I recently spent a Saturday in a smoky warehouse. joined hundreds of young people in praying for this nation. PrayerStorm in Manchester. It was humbling to be part of something so simple. A girl at the front shared, "We hold a small but powerful key. The key is prayer. Prayer to the Lord God Almighty in our lives. And it unlocks...

"There is an 80% chance you will die if you do this." That is what the Student Volunteer Movement said to the students who were interested in becoming missionaries. Despite this, between 1850 and 1950, nearly 10,000 young people took them up on the offer to share the amazing good news of Jesus all over the world and those mortality...

Something is brewing. Whispers about it are going round the gossip networks. The smell of hope rather than cynicism is in the air. With words of love rather than hate on their lips, the Jesus followers are rising up.  On the 1st December, thousands of students will gather, in flashmob style, at a specific point in their cities for an hour...

When was the last time you had a 'God conversation' with a person with an axe in their head? When was the last time you chatted about Jesus to a 6ft bloke in a gimp suit? For me, it was last Friday night. I joined the Club Mission team at Loughborough University Students' Union in what the local church does there...

We are pleased to announce that the Fusion team are holding our first annual Golf Day on the 23rd May 2012. It will be at Fulford Golf Course, York. So if you and anyone from your church would like to enter a team of 4, please save the date in your diary. We will announce more information shortly on how to...

And the winner is....Alan Taylor from Ivy Manchester.  His fantastic student mission story is below. He has won the FireBible and £15 Starbucks vouchers. But he decided to add £10 to the card and pay it forward so the competition rolls on. So I now want more great student mission stories and you will win a FireBible and £25 Starbucks voucher!...

Can you touch your nose with your tongue? I once knew a boy who could actually pick his nose with his tongue. He was an idiot and a very good friend. I like people who can do stupid things.  The bible has a lot to say about the tongue and what you can do with it. Admittedly, it says nothing about...

When was the last time you were properly bricking it? Leaving home? When you found out a family member was ill? When your boyfriend/girlfriend broke up with you? Think about that time and how you felt in the moment.  I remember driving to university for the first time. As the car crested a hill the tall, grey frame of Towers' Hall...

Everyone loves a good story. Stories make us laugh, help us understand concepts and raise our hope.  I am hearing great stories about student mission from around the UK at the moment. Whether it is churches making pancakes for students in freshers week, students helping their drunk mates get home safely or deep and meaningful God chats at 3am - I...

Before I went to university, I made a decision that I was going to tell people I was a Christian. "This won't be easy", I thought to myself, "some Christians are idiots and I am very intelligent." I was a bit arrogant back then. But I made my decision anyway and moved into my hall of residence. After I had heaved...

Watching people get beaten up is awful. I have done that regularly over the last week on the news coverage of the riots. I always wince when I see someone struck in the head, especially when they don’t fight back. It ignites within me emotions of sadness, injustice, anger and a desire to protect them.   Many people were moved by...

With many students becoming more certain of where they are going to University, and more students going this year than ever (thanks to tuition fees), I thought it would be good to do an exegesis of Daniel 1, which has so much to say to people travelling to University for the first time. Israel has been taken into Exile by the...

Human cannonball acts are well known for being dangerous, but are not widely regarded as a safe method of transport. If your Aunty Edith needed to go shopping you wouldn’t suggest cannoning her down the high street. But now you are thinking about it, which is bad. Imagine being a human cannonball. The anticipation when you are inside the cannon, looking...

The Fusion bedroom stand is setup and working well at New Wine. It will be there for 5 weeks now through Soul Survivor and Momentum.  On the stand, we are chatting to all sorts of people about student mission. Students, school leavers, graduates, parents, youth workers, student workers and church leaders. Across the board, people are waking up to student mission...

The cheesy quotes that are spurted out on The Apprentice just keep getting better. The recently fired Melody said, “Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon”. The moon is in the sky Melody. And also…what?! These sorts of comments about being a star, a hero or a legend are really common on TV. So...

As I stumbled into the office at 7am, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, Leo said to me, “Morning Luke. There’s a pot of tea ready. I’m 79 today! How are you? Tired?” I wished Leo happy birthday and commented on how joyful he was. In fact, Leo and his wife Pam are two of the most joyful people you could...

The motorways of this country are heaving today with cars that have been filled to the sunroof with pots, duvets, books and laptops. In the front of each car sits a relieved parent and a bleary-eyed student. The process of emptying your university room and transporting the contents to another location is an illuminating one. Some items that were used a...

Last week I asked someone, “Please can you give me an iPod dock and a flat screen TV?” Their answer was “Yes. I would love to give you those things. They will be delivered tomorrow.” This was for the Fusion stand at the summer festivals. If you don’t ask, you don’t receive. In a recent blog, “Are you ready to order?”...

Two groups of athletes in Massey University, New Zealand were asked to cycle for 45 minutes on exercise bikes. The first group were watching an accurate clock and when they got to 40 minutes, they started to tail-off and their energy decreased. The second group had an inaccurate, slow clock that took 55 minutes for the clock to register at...

Names are important. They identify exactly who is being spoken to or about. Without names we would just be making general remarks into the void. The other day I was having a coffee with a student that I mentor. He was telling me about how he was struggling to lead his friend to Jesus. They had interesting God conversations fairly regularly...

In the Spring of 1912, Julian Huxley took two weeks holiday from his studies at Cambridge University. He spent them at Tring Reservoirs in Hertfordshire, observing, recording and describing the behaviour of Great Crested Grebes. No one had ever recorded the behaviour of wildlife before, previously natural science was located solely in the laboratory. Huxley published his findings and single...

“I’m sorry, but you have a problem.” In my life this sentence is usually followed by “this ticket was only valid yesterday” or “this PC has crashed again, buy a mac” or even “there is a duck dying noisily in your garden”. These are all things that have been said to me. It is often annoying when someone tells you that...

Jonny Middleton, a student worker at Bethshan church in Durham, has set up a company working to promote great music and change the whole industry by operating with God's Kingdom values. He says... "Picture a music industry that is built on the person of Jesus.  Picture an environment that reflects the diversity of God's character and out of which flows music that...

In the summer of 2000, Kate Middleton was preparing to leave home for St Andrew's University. The autumn of 1995 saw Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay, packing his bags for University College London. A nerdy looking Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, was gulping at the thought of his first day at Harvard College in the September 2002.  The guys starting university...

Every now and then, a song captures the essence of a generation. Whether it is music from Guthrie, Dylan, The Sex Pistols, The Smiths or Oasis - every age has had it's soundtrack. Whilst listening to John Mayer's song "Waiting on the world to change" this morning, it occurred to me how accurately it describes the half-apathy I see in...

Click here to book for New Wine Summer Conferences. Encounter God in heartfelt worship. Learn through his Word and from his Spirit. Be renewed to know him better. Be healed and transformed in body, mind and spirit. Get equipped to serve him in new ways. Gain fresh vision from what he is doing elsewhere in the world. Be part of something that’s bigger than any local church.

Two new jobs in Christian Research For both, the posts are based in Swindon and the closing date is 17 April 2011. If you have the expertise for one of these challenging full-time roles, visit www.biblesociety.org.uk/jobs for a job description and application form. If you have a heart for and understand the way the church works and the language it uses, you could be just...

Watch Miriam Swaffield's video about why she will be working full time for Fusion on Student Mission from September. Can you support her financially? She needs to raise £7,500 per year. [video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osJdhHcIbhA 300x300]    

Watch Pippa Winterburn's video about why she is going to be working full-time for Fusion on Student Linkup. Could you support her to do this? She has to raise £7,500 per year to do this. [video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFREUNOG1Es 300x300]  

“It’s not all about numbers!” said the exhausted student leader. “It’s about faithfulness and whilst there are hardly any of us, we are all really faithful.” The church leader looked understandingly through kind eyes and explained, “Your right, it’s not all about numbers. But it is a bit about numbers! There are 8 of you and 10,000 students in your...

Amidst the controversy of tuition fees, half a million young people will start university this autumn. If you are one of those people, you are entering the best time of your life. If you are one of those people and you know Jesus, you are entering the best time of your life and you have a chance to affect the lives...

I am very good at judging people. I am an expert. Simply by looking at someone, I can discern that they are arrogant, up themselves, fat, a no hoper, a no brainer or just a nobody. Perhaps you are good at judging in this way too.  But it is fake isn’t it? It is not real judgement. True judgement involves true...

Chesterfield is the town with the wonky church spire. Until recently that is all I could have told you about the place. But I visited its bustling centre last week to chat to the church leaders about Student Linkup and my eyes were opened. It’s a great town with a thriving community. People who are called to a place, love it...

I took my girlfriend to her first ever football game this weekend. It was dire. Sheffield Wednesday vs Notts County- Wednesday lost 1-0 to a penalty. The rest of the game was just lobbing the ball from one end of the field to the other, with barely a chance on goal. I grew up a Wednesday fan, I remember watching...

On Saturday I moved a mountain. More specifically, four students from my church helped me move a 12 tonne mountain of top soil from the street into my next-door neighbour's back garden. Tim, Jack, James and Charlie turned up at 10am, bleary-eyed, and grafted for two hours. James dug up a spike (pictured) which he thinks is a Viking prong. It...

The high-pitched grinding of metal on stone goes right through me every morning on my way to work. I walk past the stone masons yard for York Minster. If you have ever been to York, you will have seen the Minster; a huge construction that was built 800 years ago. One of the frustrations with the Minster is that it is...

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Eph:5v14   This is my prayer for the churches of the UK and it is already being answered as we speak. For too long local churches have been dormant in student mission, like sleeping giants. But morning is coming and there are new signs of life every day. Kings Christian Centre in Birmingham...

An ever increasing number of students are converging on Parliament with all sorts of protests at the moment. In response to the current climate, a group of guys who love Jesus and love students are organising a flashmob prayer event that will meet in Parliament Square on 15th March, between 7:14pm-8:14pm. MORE INFORMATION Students from all over the UK are travelling to...

We have received reports of students showing their Fusion loveyouruni cards and getting student discount at various local kebab vending establishments. Whilst Fusion clearly has no authority to guarantee cheaper fast food for students of the UK, we think its funny that other people do. We look forward to the stories of kebab conversions and burger baptisms.

Did you know that Taste + Aroma = Flavour? Taste happens in your mouth; we taste salt, sweet, sour and bitter.  But aroma happens in your nose.  If you eat some chocolate while holding your nose, you will just taste sweet and maybe a bit of salt. Then let go of your nose and you will get the real flavour of chocolate.  You need...

Last night I got into the bath at about 1am with a nice glass of The Balvenie 12 year old single malt after a long day. The combination of hot water, strong alcohol and reading really helps me switch off. I decided to peruse my bookshelf for an interesting read for the bath. I'm pretty good at starting Christian books...

On the way home from work, I ate a rubbish apple. I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that I had built up some level of anticipation about how nice the apple would be. I couldn’t wait. I love a good apple like the next man. But what I got was a flowery, tasteless, dry, disappointing excuse of a fruit. It should...

Obituaries usually pass me by without a flicker. But I stopped when I saw that John Barry had died. He was the composer of the well-known James Bond theme tune, among lots of other film themes.  Why had his death grabbed me more than all the others? It was not because he wrote great film scores. Not because he was a...

I am not in control. I am currently on a train to York. When I arrive, which hasn't happened yet, I will be over three hours late. My train broke, I was put on a coach with no air conditioning, was travel sick and missed a connection. I am not in control. Whilst on my nightmare journey I had a text from a...

I'm Tony Irving, the youth pastor* at Christian Life Centre in Selly Oak. In recent months we have as a church, and more specifically a youth department, signed up to partner with Fusion in their mission of reaching students with power of the Gospel of Jesus and connecting & supporting Christians in Uni through the local church.  The sign up process was...

In the last week I've spoken to three third years who've all said the same thing to me. Why didn't I get this plugged into church in my first year?" Uni is a time to discover new things, establish your identity and to push the boundaries. Jesus said 'I have come to bring life, and life in all it's fullness'....

Yawning, with the fourth cup of coffee of the night in my hand, I had to smile as England broke record after record against Australia. Hundred after double hundred. I love the ashes with passion as wide as Gooch’s moustache and high as the mountainous Tremlett. It’s not all about numbers but they are helpful indicators of growth.  Fusion is now...

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...

Never before have I been happier to have a hand-me-down from my brother. He just gave me his old iphone. Years of gaining worn t-shirts and scratched CDs finally paid off. I couldn’t quite believe it when I first started using it; it changed my life. Gone were the days of carrying a phone, ipod and camera in my pocket, of...

New to student mission as a church. Taking risks and breaking new ground. Students already becoming Christians.  This is the story of Aberdeen Vineyard since they connected to Fusion 4 months ago. It is so encouraging to hear and is a great example of what God is doing all over the UK.  I chatted to the church leader, Peter Sturrock, this morning. They...

I spent some time in the armpit of another man today. I had the pleasure of traveling on the London Underground. To distract myself from his fragrance I found myself studying the tube map. I was struck by how many places there are that I have never been to. Each place has a church. Each place has young people - lots...

UCAS, clearing, university, places available, stress, hopes, uncertainty, fear. These are all words that are being used a lot in homes around the UK. There is a great deal of confusion about university places. More young people attain the required grades than the number of places. By some margin in fact. Click here for more info... Let's stand and pray with the individuals...