Pod asked Canon Michael Green to write his column this month
It proved to be a remarkable mission which will not soon be forgotten.
The Bristol mission might easily not have happened at all this year. CU morale was low at the end of the autumn term, following a previous mission week which seems not to have been effective. The mission committee was downhearted, and there were tensions.
Dr Lindsay Brown (Evangelist at Large, IFES and fellow mission speaker) and I were due to lead the enterprise; Lindsay had an important day with them which proved decisive. The leaders of the mission committee no longer toyed with resignation, but worked closely with the impressive CU president, Sam Wood.
Impact
The mission itself proved to be immaculately organised in every regard. CU guests (experienced church workers) were recruited locally, from London, and overseas visitors from the Czech Republic, Greece and Belgium (a consistent strategy of Lindsay’s, to equip nationals to encourage the growth of university missions in Europe).
The impact totally surprised us. A local church, central in the university area, kindly allowed the CU to use their upstairs which generally accommodated up to 120 for lunchbars (lunchtime dialogue meals). Soon we were drawing 220–250, the biggest meetings the CU could remember. We had to relocate to the church’s main sanctuary. A similar growth was experienced in the evenings. They feared that evening meetings would not work, but we encouraged them to attempt it, and a big room in another church was soon packed.
On the last night the CU, in faith, cooked a two-course supper for 200 and about 190 turned up! It was clear that the whole CU membership really got behind Events Week. They announced it in lectures, came in their scores to the daily prayer breakfasts, wore distinctive blue hoodies all week, and invited their friends enthusiastically because they had confidence in the quality of the presentations. The hard work cooking, flyering, PA, putting the talks on YouTube, arranging rooms and furniture was utterly amazing. I was full of admiration.
A real buzz
There was a real buzz about the university, and many came along who had no links at all with the CU. We were privileged to see professions of conversion every single day! Some came to Christ at the end of several years of searching, some on their first visit to a meeting – amazing. Most needed not only the proclamation but also personal conversations before they could commit themselves. Christian students were much encouraged and many are determined to carry on discussions with their friends. Large numbers signed up for the course for enquirers and for the follow-up course for those who had come to faith.
Innovation
At the end of each meeting in the second half of the week we got the leaders of the two courses to stand up and say a bit about each course, and then we challenged people to sign up. This showed people that preparations for follow-up were in place.
The evenings were very fresh. Cakes and puddings were provided, many from the local churches, and the evening had a relaxed air, with a mix of preaching, drama, testimony, PowerPoint, music and film clips. Copies of Uncover (Luke’s Gospel) and my book Jesus for Sceptics were available to take away both at midday and the evening. Individual conversations lasted late. On the last night the dinner for almost 200 was an ideal context for the presentation.
Flats and halls of residence
We have not got it quite right yet for CU guests. It is hard for them to come into an alien community, especially if they come from abroad. If they are not extrovert and highly motivated they can feel isolated and get discouraged, as there is little organised on the programme for them. But those who, like Wycliffe student Rob Fowler, have both passion and gifting, can do untold good in their Hall, sleeping on a Christian’s floor, playing football, sessions in the bar etc. Rob’s impact on one house of students left all of them either Christians or signed up for the enquirers’ course.
In short, this is one of the most effective missions I have been involved with in recent years and, I thank God for the privilege of taking part in it, ancient as I am!
