Bradford CU Events week - Final Reflections

I guess you could say I'm beginning to recover from what was an exciting, encouraging and exhausting week with Bradford CU, and as I recover I'm beginning to think about things I've learnt from the week.

One of the things which has struck me from the week was the reality of the spiritual battle on campus at Bradford Uni.  There are just so many other active religious societies on campus that in many ways it was like Paul in Athens when he was distressed to see a city full of idols and wrong worship.  The biggest challenge to preach was the lunch bar on 'Why follow Jesus given there are so many other religions?'  But God is good and we saw lots of people begin to engage with the claims of Jesus, and there were a number of good questions which were asked by those genuinely seeking.  Another factor which ramped up the sense of spiritual battle was the claim of some belonging to sects, which have hived off from historical Christianity, that they were Christians despite not believing in the divinity of Jesus.  But as promised God's Spirit enabled us to answer truthfully and hopefully lovingly.

In fact over the whole mission week a lot of question and discussion seemed to centre around the nature of God as Trinity.  I had deliberately focused in some talks on how the Trinity makes the God of the Bible, Father, Son and Spirit distinctive and attractive and true.  But I was a bit surprised by the way this seemed to become the focus in every lunch bar, in particularly with those from sects.  Please be praying that the word of God which we shared would be a seed that grows in their hearts, and that God would lead them from darkness to the light of salvation in and through God the Son.

The CU went all out during the week and they are a brilliant, bubbly, loving, gospel-centred bunch.  It was a real reminder to me of the wonder of Revelation 7 as so many different nationalities engaged in mission together, prayed together, praised our great God together, and simply loved and encouraged one another.  The CU worked so hard to provide excellent food, flyer, set up rooms, bring friends, love, proclaim and glorify God that it was a real privilege to be asked to work with them.  Partnering with these guys in the gospel was humbling and a joy and they and Bradford will be a regular feature in my prayers from now on.

There are a number of students who are planning on reading Uncover with friends after the mission, please be praying that happens and leads to gospel fruit.  There were others for whom the week introduced them to the CU and who seemed to really value the community they found that would accept them and love them for who they were.  Others came along engaged, asked questions and went away with lots to think about.  Please be praying for the CU as they look at how to follow all these different people at different stages up.

Above all give glory to God for his word, his work and his people there labouring for him, planting seeds, watering them, and let's pray reaping them in the coming months on campus.