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 PrintableVersion The Third DegreeCaptivating students' heartsBlaise Pascal argued that ‘good men should wish Christianity were true’, and be persuaded of the same. Imagine a generation of students living among their peers day in day out who were thoroughly convinced how amazing it is to be a Christian, how lovely their Saviour is and how mind-blowingly and heart-singingly wonderful the gospel is. Would they not make a noticeable difference in their halls and sports teams and lectures and tutorials? Something a bit specialNo real point doing something that can easily be done locally; it would need to be something a bit different and a bit special. Time is precious and people wouldn’t travel for nothing. Tom came from Bristol and said: ‘Brilliant to stand with friends old and new, and not just plan for mission, but hear gospel, gospel, gospel as a beautiful picture of Christ’s love for his church was revealed...’ Our desire as a UCCF team three years ago was to lay a banquet of the finest food to equip them for their mission. Doing that with actual physical food isn’t easy when you set the budget for the day at zero but, with the generosity of a church letting you have their building and an in-house speaker who likens the word of God to good food rather than something just for ‘theologians’, things become possible. The conviction of UCCF is simple when it comes to equipping CU members for mission. Skills are helpful but nothing compares to a heart captivated with the glorious gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being accurate and persuasive is vital but we know it is possible to be accurate and bore the pants off everyone if your heart isn’t enflamed with the gospel. Students in Christian Unions are all members of local churches and so they get well fed with their church family, when we get people together we want to set them on course for mission together. We aim to gather students from diverse backgrounds and mobilise them to be witnessing communities on their campuses. What can gather them? What can move them? TransformissionWe call the answer Transformission. Our basis for this is 2 Corinthians 3.18-4.6, where we find that those who have turned to the Lord are transformed by the Holy Spirit as they gaze upon the glory of God in the Scriptures. That glory is, of course, most clearly manifest in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Richard Sibbes speaks of faith as the ‘apprehension of the love of God in Christ’ and that is our goal. To have our hearts lifted to faith in Christ again, to apply his gospel to our lives, knowing that those who are transformed by the gospel will, by the mercy of God, proclaim that gospel. Depth and maturity don’t come from moving on from the gospel but from diving deeper into it, we aim for progress and joy in the faith. We aim to be delighted in Christ. Over the last four years we’ve turned to the glory of the cross, then the word of God, then union with Christ and, in 2010, we considered the love of God. Each year, UCCF’s Theology Advisor Mike Reeves has partnered with us preach Christ to the hearts of students. Ten CUsThe ten Christian Unions in the South West gathered in Exeter for Transformission on October 23. Some think you have to be clever and cool when working with students, but not so. You need the gospel and then you can be as simple as you like — three sessions, three talks, time to pray and worship together, and the opportunity for students to mix, share ideas and the encouragement of seeing that you’re not standing alone but as part of a bigger movement. Harriet from Exeter reflected: ‘Mike’s teaching expanded our understanding of what being “in Christ” means, as well as captivating our hearts to be more amazed by Jesus, in who he is, and what he’s done.’ PartnershipChristian Unions exist as a partnership between local churches and so we’ve been keen to share our best with our partners. The invite to Transformission is extended to any ‘CU friends’ who want to join with us, stand with us as we feed on Christ together and pray for the progress of the gospel on campus in the South West. It’s been great to see church leaders and members, recent graduates and others join with us. I recall a couple in their early 60s from our church home group who joined us and were still speaking of what they’d heard weeks later. Our great desire is to see a generation of students on campus in the South West, and nationally, whose hearts have been captivated and changed by the gospel of the Lord Jesus. Not just people who can give intellectual assent to the truth of the gospel but who bubble over, even gush over, with unspeakable joy as they consider the beauty and majesty and love of the Lord Jesus Christ. A people, who live such attractive and distinctive lives, whose words come with a savour of life to those around them, that by the grace of God we might see many won to Christ. Dave Bish,
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