The Third Degree
Dan Hames
Date posted: 1 Apr 2007
In 1919 a student called Norman Grubb began the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union in response to a theologically-weakened Student Christian Movement. Within the space of a few years, new Christian Unions sprang up around the UK and, in 1928, Grubb established Inter-Varsity Fellowship with a vision to see ‘an evangelical witnessing community on every university campus’.
79 years later, nothing has changed except the name. UCCF: The Christian Unions is still focused on making disciples of Jesus Christ in the student world and, just as Grubb had hoped, the gospel is proclaimed by witnessing communities on more than 300 university campuses across the country. This original vision is being powerfully worked out in 2007 as 92 Christian Unions (CUs) have held missions: weeks of intensive evangelism and gospel proclamation on their campuses.
Stopping slavery at source
David Rushworth-Smith
Date posted: 1 Apr 2007
It can be unmercifully hot near the coast in West Africa, and especially when humidity levels are high.
It was like this when Thomas walked down the gangplank from the deck of the sailing ship which had brought him from Gravesend, and stepped carefully into one of the rowing boats which took the passengers to the shore. He sat down next to his wife, and gazed at the exotic landscape before him.
Step of faith
Chris Gadd
Date posted: 1 May 2007
The Lord used a simple gospel tract to save me back in the early 1980s. Shortly after my conversion, my wife Linda also came to trust in Christ as her Saviour.
As time went by the Lord began to give me a real burden for the souls of people that lived around me — people who were not hearing the gospel and who needed to be saved. I remember praying, ‘Lord, if it’s your will, send me to them’. I started a prayer meeting with a brother from our church who felt the same — to seek the Lord in this matter.
Heavy-handed?
John Steley
Date posted: 1 Jun 2007
I feel sorry for parents today. So many people tell them not to smack their children. They are told that smacking only modifies behaviour in the short-term. They are told that it models violent behaviour and can therefore teach the child to be violent towards others.
If a child’s behaviour must be changed then they are told that it can be done more effectively by other non-violent means. The logic of these arguments, based as they are on the social psychology of aggression and the behaviourist theory of reinforcement, seems to be irrefutable.
The Third Degree
Dan Hames
Date posted: 1 Jun 2007
Each summer, UCCF CUs (Christian Unions) send students out around the UK and the world on Summer Teams.
This year, 16 Summer Teams are planned the world over along with four International Student Outreach Teams which will take place around the UK, reaching out to international students who come to study English. Each team and country visited is unique, but activities may include leading Bible studies for Christians and non-Christians, English lessons, running sports camps, doing practical work, carrying out surveys, or even running campus missions. A key element is meeting with local student groups and encouraging them in their evangelism. Below is a taster of this year’s trips.
Word Alive is alive!
Wallace Benn
Date posted: 1 Jun 2007
Word Alive is alive and well and planning for the New Word Alive event on April 7-11 2008 at Pwhelli in North Wales.
It was sad when Spring Harvest, for their own reasons, ended the partnership this year after 14 years, but we are so grateful to them for their fellowship and help over the years and continue to wish them well for the future.
Secular Shelf Life
Shelf life: Looking at secular books
Sarah Allen
Date posted: 1 Apr 2007
Ali writes well, her opening is striking as she describes her mother’s and grandmother’s upbringing in nomadic clans in Somalia. Life is harsh and honour-based, Islam a mere veneer on ancient animistic culture.
50 years ahead
Timothy Reynolds
Date posted: 1 May 2007
Book Review
MOUNTAIN RAIN
The biography of James O. Fraser
Read review
Too premature
Alan Black
Date posted: 1 Feb 2007
Book Review
SIZZLING FAITH
The dream that got the church on the move!
Read review
Stakes high on campus
Julia Cameron
Date posted: 1 Jan 2007
The national press has never paid much attention to Christian Unions, but things are changing.
The Times gave a front page in November to four well-regarded universities where Christian Unions face discrimination. Rightly so, for religious issues on campus are not local difficulties (November 18 and letters following).
Divide & multiply
John Benton
Date posted: 1 Mar 2007
At a time when churches are reported to be in decline, the theme of growing churches is obviously of major importance for Christians.
‘Growing churches: reach, build, send’ was the title of a conference sponsored by the South East Gospel Partnership (in affiliation with Affinity) at St. Helen’s, Bishopsgate, London, on February 3.
Secular Shelf Life
Looking at secular books
Sarah Allen
Date posted: 1 Mar 2007
For those of you who have not heard the name, then may I introduce you to the foremost children’s writer of our age? He has published over 100 works since the mid 70s, has won all the prizes available for children’s literature, been Children’s Laureate (from 2003-5) had works made into major films and presented a brilliant series, The Invention of Childhood on Radio Four. He and his wife also run a charity Farms For City Children. It is certainly difficult to be critical of the hard working fellow.
Shining like stars
Following the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe in 1989, the work of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) has blossomed remarkably in many countries.
As he comes to the end of his tenure as General Secretary of IFES, Lindsay Brown reflects on some of the marvellous stories of how God has been at work in the lives of students worldwide.
Out of darkness - light
To mark such a special anniversary, a booklet has been produced which outlines this wonderful history. Compiled by IMM’s Hon. General Secretary, David Shillitoe, this testament to God’s work among the mining community makes very encouraging and inspiring reading. The extract below selected by Alicia Felce gives an example.
Having begun in a truly miraculous way with the conversion of a 70-year-old wealthy mine owner, the Mission has moved on to working in challenging situations to bring the gospel to dark places.
The Third Degree
Durham mission - RESCUE
Pod Bhogal
Date posted: 1 Mar 2006
On debating religion, Richard Dawkins likens all religious activity to ‘medieval superstition’. He goes on to argue that, ‘The hypothesis of God offers no worthwhile explanation for anything’, and that, ‘Faith is a great excuse to evade the need to think and evaluate evidence’. In light of these comments it is interesting to observe the impact the gospel is having on the students at Durham University.
The University of Durham has a long-standing reputation for academic excellence in the fields of science, literature and engineering. Its students are sporty, clever, articulate, and can expect future success. If Dawkins’s hypothesis is correct, Durham is probably the last place in the world you would expect the gospel to be flourishing, but, by God’s grace, it is!
Music
Mission and music
Richard Simpkin
Date posted: 1 Feb 2005
Mission and music
February and March seem to be a big time of year for missions. Churches, University and School Christian Unions all over the country put on talks, events, dinners, and 'grill-a-Christians' to get their guests of wide-ranging tastes in earshot of the gospel.
Accompanying those events, or even integral to them, will be the use of music. Whether in the background during the event, or up front in a classical concert or jazz night, music can play a big part in breaking down cultural barriers so that the culturally uncomfortable message of the gospel can be heard. Many great evangelists have used music to great effect. Dwight Moody and Billy Graham are the two most famous examples.
Henry Martyn: an unwasted life
Natalie Tunbridge
Date posted: 1 Jan 2007
The missionary life of Henry Martyn is one of single-minded perseverance to obey the call of God, laborious allegiance to the Word of God, and most importantly, a passionate love for Jesus Christ the Son of God, such that constrained a life of boasting in the cross.
A Cambridge graduate who was a protege of Charles Simeon and the Clapham Sect, and later a colleague in India to the father of modern missions, William Carey — Henry Martyn — ought to be a household name.