Serving

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."”

Mark 9:35

Often when we’re faced with new situations we can approach them with the attitude, ‘what can you do for me?’ This can apply right across the board from new friends to social activities and, most notably when it comes to Christians, potential new churches. But how great would it be if we could have a radical change of direction in our attitudes and instead approach the same situations asking, ‘what can I do for you?’ How much better would we communicate the love of Jesus if we followed his command to be the servant of all?

Serving at church

The best way to get properly plugged into a church is to get involved with the running of it. Not only will you be helping your church out but you’ll also get to know people a lot better and you’ll feel more like you’re part of the family, rather than just a spectator. At the end of the day, God didn’t just give us the church as a source of entertainment on a Sunday – he commissioned us to be his “co-labourers” here on earth. So, how can you get involved in serving at your new church?

1) Find out what areas of ministry there are in your church. For example:

• Welcome
• Worship
• Prayer Ministry
• Refreshments
• Kids/Youth
• Set-up/down

2) Find out who looks after the area(s) you’re interested in serving in
3) Offer your services, get training where necessary, and go out and do it!

Serving outside of church

There’s a line at the start of one DC Talk song which goes something like, “The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny him with their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.” The best way to demonstrate your faith to your friends is not to lecture them on doctrine but to show them the love of Jesus in a practical way. Work hard at being the best house/flat/course/team-mate you can be – cultivate the same kind of love for those around you as that shown by God in sending Jesus to die for them. That could mean all sorts of things from doing the washing up to carrying your friend home if they’ve had one too many! You’ll be amazed at how much of an impact you can make simply by giving of yourself.

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Flying Solo

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”

1 Peter 5:8-9

Whether we like it or not, it is an undeniable fact that we have an enemy, the devil. One of his best strategies is to let us forget that he’s not there, that we’re not actually in a constant battle. And as surprising as it may seem, he also doesn’t like the fact that you’re a Christian and that you want to go to church. In fact, nothing would make him happier than to see you fall away from your faith and, as Peter so strikingly puts it above, devour you.

So how then do we survive? There are four things that Peter tells us we need to do in order to stop the devil getting the better of us:

1. Be self-controlled: stick with what God says is best for your life.

2. Be alert: know that you’re in a fight and there are things that could trip you up.

3. Resist the devil: be proactive. ‘Resist’ is a verb and requires us to actually do something. Get a strategy.

4. Stand firm in the faith: know who God is and who he says you are – “more than conquerors”.

But you’ll notice that Peter doesn’t leave it there. He tells us that we’re not in the struggle alone – our “brothers throughout the world” are going through the same things. You don’t have a monopoly on challenging times and you’re not expected to deal with them on your own. Your Christian family is there to support you and help you stay protected. Yes, God is our shelter, He is our protection, it’s his business; but he also gave his people the church to perform a similar function. The sheep that stays in the flock is much less likely to get picked off by the wolf.

Life as a student is absolutely littered with challenges for the Christian. Temptation is everywhere. Most of the time it’s tied up with the pressure to have “the time of your life” and the world’s warped view on how to get it - often somewhere between a Snakebite and a Vod-bull Tuesday. But God has a higher calling on our lives – he calls us to “be holy as he is holy”. We’ll never be perfect in our own strength and we’ll frequently make mistakes, but that shouldn’t stop us wanting to wholeheartedly pursue righteousness. And let us tell you, it’s a heck of a lot easier when done with the love and support of those around you

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Sharing Your Faith

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

1 Peter 3:15

We’re not so much talking about cold-contact evangelism here, but rather letting people know who you are and what you believe.

A New You?

Some people come to uni and see it as a great chance to start afresh; a clean slate after high school. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you yourself change but that often you present yourself differently – carve out a new image, if you will. While this is in a no way a bad thing - it can often be a very liberating time - it is still something which you can lose control of without really noticing. Much depends on how you go about your first term. Your new-found independence could see you stepping up and stepping out in your faith, or, on the other hand, might result in you leaving your Christianity in a box for the time being.

Start as You Mean to Go On

One of the best pieces of advice I received as a fresher was simply this: tell people you’re a Christian as soon as you can. Your new friends don’t know you yet and so in a sense you have no ‘reputation’ to live up to. For some reason it just seems to be a lot easier than doing it after a number of weeks, months, even years. If people know about your faith from the outset, not only will they not be shocked when they find out you are a Christian, they’ll learn about who you are in that context; they’ll see how you live and the beliefs and that you hold knowing that there’s a reason behind them – Jesus!

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Trendsetters

“Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”

1 Timothy 4:12

It’s true that there are a lot of opportunities to ‘follow the crowd’ at uni and, to use the old world-y term, be ‘led astray’. But it’s not all one-way traffic: you can be a leader as well as a follower. And when it comes to the Christian life you can go against the norm and set an example for those around you – whether they’re Christians or not. What’s more, there’s no age restriction on living radically for God – Timothy was probably only in his ‘teens when Paul wrote this verse to him! So don’t think you can’t stand up and be different, even within your church, just because you’re young – if you know God has a certain standard for something, go ahead and live it and just watch as the others start coming with you!

What a challenge, eh? Not only are we to have a full relationship with God and full participation in the church, but we also have the authority to set a radical example – we are God’s representatives! That means our task is to make sure we give those people around us the best possible help in getting to know Jesus. You might be the only Christian some people know. Are you happy with the messages you’re giving to them about your faith? Let’s think about the areas Paul specified in the verse above:

• Speech: What are we saying about ourselves; about others? How does it reflect on us?
• Life: Who are we living for? Does it show in our day-to-day choices?
• Love: Jesus loved us enough to die for us, and he tells us to go and do likewise.
• Faith: Where is your security? Trust in God and stand on His promises rather than on earthly things.
• Purity: What are we allowing into our lives? Are our attitudes and actions in relationships healthy?

Every day, every one of us has a choice: conform or transform. We can do it the world’s way and follow our cultural ‘norms’, or we can do it God’s way and let him completely transform us bit by bit. Not only will our thought-patterns and actions change, but so also will we see transformation in those with whom we come into contact


“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Romans 12:2

“In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

Matthew 5:16

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Making an Impact

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

- John 17:15

Too often Christians are sent to university packed in cotton wool, with all sorts of advice designed merely to stop them backsliding. However, God does not just want us to survive during our university years, but to thrive, making as big an impact for him as possible on our friends, campuses and cities. This phase of life ahead presents "three or four years of unparalleled mission opportunities" as Christian students are closely surrounded by people desperately needing God, many of whom will be the movers and shakers of tomorrow, and who are probably more open to God than at any other time of their life.

This is not a time to be afraid for our faith amid the prevailing culture but to be unashamed of the gospel with a new confidence, invading these new harvest fields with an expectation that God will use us to reach others. We must respond to the cry of our culture by discovering new ways to present the timeless gospel of Jesus Christ to this generation of 5 million students. Christian students cannot afford to sit back and wait for the culture to clarify itself, but must begin expressing the gospel in it with freshness and innovation, finding ways to "at all times preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words" (St. Francis of Assisi).

And do you know what? We have a strong and mighty God who promises to always protect us. Although it’s unlikely we’ll find ourselves in the same scenarios as a King David or a Jeremiah at an English university, how much more effective will we be for Jesus if we approach our own ‘battles’ with the same knowledge that God will give us all we need to be successful – he’s our strength and our shield, we just have to trust him:

“It is God who arms me with strength
and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle; 

my arms can bend a bow of bronze.”

- Psalm 18:32-34


“"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.”

- Jeremiah 1:17-19

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Student Culture

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
- 1 Corinthians 10:31

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
- John 10:10

The majority of the following section is taken from the notes Fusion course, Ready for Anything, which is available in full here

“The lack of Kingdom values is reflected in the selfish lifestyles of today's students where morality is determined by self and 'if it feels good - do it'. Sex is cheap, especially with someone you've never met before under the influence of alcohol. This philosophy is epitomised in one Student Union safe sex leaflet that suggests 'Enough of this moralising. Sleep with whoever you want, whenever you want, but do it carefully'."

It is impossible to prepare yourself for every situation during your time as a student, and nor would you want to, but there are definitely certain ‘pressure points’ which will crop up more often than not – especially during your first term. In these instances it’s good to know where you stand (or at least where God wants you to stand) right at the start so that you can get into good habits early on.

Have a read of some of these points and see what you think:

• Drinking: when do you stop?
Suggestions: Alternate soft and alcoholic drinks, drink slowly, learn to refuse and stick to it, don’t take out much money, let a friend know you want to watch how much you drink, prove to the friends you're with that you can have just as good a time (even better!) without needing to get drunk. And don’t be afraid to explain why you’re not getting drunk – people are often more understanding than you’d think and it’s a great way into sharing your faith.

• Morality: how to avoid flirting, randomly getting off with people, getting
into unhelpful/wrong relationships, Internet pornography.
Suggestions: Be aware of how you dress, don't drink too much, don't end up alone with someone you fancy at night but go home in a group or with a mate, leave if unhelpful magazines/videos/internet sites are looked at, end relationships that you know are not okay with God.

• Language: stopping yourself slipping into degrading or unclean com¬ments or jokes, sarcasm that crushes, gossip and slagging people off, being cynical, or swearing.
Suggestions: don't be known as someone who will join in, get God's perspective on the people who are being talked/joked about, remember some good jokes that are clean! Be positive, build people up with your speech, be an encourager.

• Finance: avoiding carelessness, and waste, dealing with debt.
Suggestions: take responsibility for your finances, budget, don't buy in (literally) to reckless student spending but ask God how to be wise, give regularly to a local church, be positive about what you have got rather than negative about what you haven't.

• Time: not wasting it, being apathetic and lazy, trying not to watch too much TV.
Suggestions: set goals for your day/week, give your TV/computer games/modem to a friend for a while if it is taking up too much time.

The key things in all of these points is ACCOUNTABILITY. It’s so much easier to live God’s way when we do it as a team, with close friends encouraging us and challenging us in areas of weakness.

The great thing is all of this stuff isn’t just God’s way of ruining your life or spoiling your fun – he knows us better than we know ourselves and Jesus promised that those who followed him would have life to its fullest. That sounds good enough for me!!


“You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
- Psalm 16:11

Lifegroups and Hallgroups

Lifegroups are what we here at Vinelife call our mid-week small groups. They meet throughout the week all over the city and are the heartbeat of our church. As such we’re really keen to see any new people get rooted in a group as soon as possible. In lifegroup you can expect to worship, pray and study the bible together, as well as having opportunities to practically serve the community in which your group meets. They also offer you the kind of close-contact pastoral support that you might not get solely through a Sunday celebration. But above all lifegroups are about family; they are about ‘doing life’ with other people and growing together and supporting each other in your walks with God. To find out more about the various groups at Vinelife grab yourself one of our Lifegroup booklets.

Hall groups are run by the Christian Unions and are a great place to meet other Christians in your halls, study the bible together, and most importantly, to evangelise the halls. They are perfectly placed in a mission field and are also a brilliant way to get to know your Christian peers.

Being a member of a lifegroup helps you to get firmly planted in your church. It’s brilliant to spend time with people of different ages and levels of experience, and it helps with developing closer friendships within your church. It’s so easy to just talk to fellow students, but lifegroups help you to branch out a bit and feel like a proper member of the church. They are the place to go for support and to look closer at the bible. You don’t have to choose between a lifegroup and a hall group, they’re both there to help you grow in your faith in different ways.

“Through getting to know people in my lifegroup, church really felt more like my family. I would definitely recommend taking the step and joining one!”

Tom, 2nd Year

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Christian Union (CU)

There’s not much too much to say here other than that we think CUs are great! If you haven’t been already you should definitely try to go along and check yours out. They exist as a mission team to their respective campuses and are focused on training and releasing students to evangelise their friends and those around them. (Although they’ll be able to explain themselves much better than we can do here.)

One thing we’re sure you’ll learn about CU is that it’s not a church and as such you won’t get all the spiritual ‘food’ you need by only attending their meetings and not bothering with a church – which is why both the CUs and the local churches are so keen to see you get rooted in a church family.

Since the dawn of time students have wrestled with the conundrum: church or CU? Where should my priorities lie? Maybe wrestling is a bit of an over-exaggeration, but it is most definitely an issue. The short and simple answer is, ‘it depends’. You should definitely be part of a local church that meets regularly: it’s here where you’ll receive pastoral support and can worship God as part of a community. Also, it would probably be in your best interests to get plugged into key areas of that church – mid-week small groups, for example.

After that it’s down to you really, there isn’t a definitive answer, nor should there be. You might want to commit more time to CU events, or you might prefer to become more involved in church-based activities. Or you might even decide to limit how much Christian “stuff” you do in order to avoid getting caught up in the proverbial Christian “bubble”. Ideally you’d like a nice balance but like we said, everyone’s different and there’s no right or wrong way to divide up your time; especially as there’s often too much you could do and you run the risk of “burn-out”. As long as you’re doing what you think God wants you to be doing with your time, then it’s all good!

In case you haven’t already located your university’s CU, here are the links their websites:

University of Manchester

Man. Met.

University of Salford

RNCM – no web address found, sorry! Maybe find someone who goes and ask them.

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

New Church Checklist

Here are 10 things we think are great for any people to do upon arriving at a new church – see how many you can tick off!

1. Introduce yourself to people already at the church. They’re probably not as old and scary as they seem (some, I must admit, are) and would love get to know you. You don’t have to wait for them to make the first move.

2. Speak to the pastor/leader or someone similar. Find out their vision for the church and their key values.

3. Maximise your ‘new-ness’. Get as many student lunches and welcome packs as you can!!

4. Go along to a mid-week small group.

5. Invite your non-Christian friends along – it’s a great habit to get into early.

6. Serve. Join welcome, worship, ministry, set-down teams – whatever’s going! Not only are you helping the church but it’s a great way to get to know people better.

7. Keep your eye out for any socials or other welcome events

8. Find out if your church does any kind of outreach ministry and get involved if you can

9. Ask lots of questions. Find out why the church does things the ways it does, especially if you’re unsure.

10. Pray for your church; for its leaders, for its members, for everything!

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)

Churches

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching"

Hebrews 10:25

“The single greatest thing about my experience at uni has been going to church. I mean that wholeheartedly. It’s been a place where I’ve grown closer to God, been challenged to press deeper into Him and made some amazing friends who constantly encourage me. It’s also the place where I’ve been trained and equipped in areas of ministry I don’t think I even knew existed!” (a recent graduate)

God loves his church; we are his bride, he delights in us. And his heart for everyone who comes to study at uni is that they get rooted in a good church as soon as possible. Fortunately in Manchester that's EASY! There are so many great churches dotted all over the city that you shouldn’t have any problem at all finding one in which you can settle and grow.

Why?

• Because the Bible tells us to! See that verse above from Hebrews for starters
• To help you survive and thrive as a Christian at uni
• We work better as a team, just like the body. You might be the world’s greatest finger but if you’re not attached to the hand you will never fulfill your potential. Check out 1 Corinthians 12.
• The church is God’s family – we are all called his son and daughters (Romans 8)
• and so we need to get know and love each other. Fellowship with other Christians of all ages and backgrounds is also a huge encouragement and support.
• To know God more, grow as a Christian and be better equipped to live a Kingdom lifestyle.
• Evangelism. What better way to introduce your friends to Jesus than bring them along to the family party!

How?

• Pray. Ask God to show you where he wants you and be prepared to follow him - you might not get the answer you were expecting!!
  
• Check out your CU’s church guide. They’ll have info about most churches and how to get there. If you’re not sure, ask older students at CU - lots of churches have reps who will be meeting people before the service so you can all go together.
• Try out a few different churches; there are many varieties here in Manchester and it’s good to look around a little to find the right one. Don’t just stick with what you’re used to, try different types of churches, something new just might surprise and challenge you.
• But…don’t ‘church date’! Pick a church as soon as you can and commit to it; otherwise you might spend the whole year touring around the city and never getting rooted in one particular church.
• Don't be put off by just one service - especially if it's not one of their ‘normal’ ones - try the church at other times too.
• Get involved. Once you’ve settle on a church throw yourself into everything you can – be an active member not a passenger. You will get infinitely more out of it.

Some Questions To Ask Of A Church:

• Is the church faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ and does it teach the Bible?
• Do the church leaders submit themselves to God's word?
• Is there genuine concern among believers to encourage one another in their faith?
• Is the church obviously a Christian community where people love one another?
• Can I imagine feeling at home here and getting involved with the life of the church?

One of the great things about uni is the independence you get, and that’s the same when it comes to being a Christian as well – your choices are completely yours to make. But to quote Spiderman, “with great power comes great responsibility.” No one’s going to force you to go to church, so if you don’t take the initiative and find one for yourself, the chances are you’ll end up not going at all. So go for it! Be proactive. We can guarantee it’ll be awesome!

One final thing: the perfect church does not exist - don't go chasing the rainbow!

(c) Vinelife/Ralph Pedley 2008 (permission required)