All posts tagged UCCF

Keller, Google, GBC and UCCF

by Hugh on March 13, 2008 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

So anyway, a few updates on Tim Keller’s new book, ‘The Reason for God’…

Firstly, TK is on a book tour and he got to speak at Google… they run an event called Authors@Google where authors come in and plug their books… this was supposed to be the best attended ever, with around 150 Google employees coming to listen to TK and do a Q&A. A guy called Justin Buzzard was also there and blogged about it…

Secondly, you can now buy the book in the UK, possibly this is the only, or at least one of the few places that you can get it… and that is from the Good Book Company. It’s the bargain price of �12, or if you have a UCCF Student Card, that’ll be �9! I’m going to get a copy, although I’m secretly hoping this plug along with a little business proposition will persuade GBC to send me a free copy – hey if you don’t ask you don’t get, right?

UPDATE

…also, Tim Challies, ‘The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment‘ is available, same price.

…and Bish thinks I should get a free copy of the book, review copies for bloggers – a good idea!

Acts 17

by Hugh on October 27, 2007 in Faith with No comments

Went to a UCCF training day today, subtitled “Sharing the Love on the South coast”. Was really good to meet other CU leaders, praise God, pray together, plan, analyse what a CU is and what our CU is like, hear from God’s word about what our purpose is…

I can’t remember when it was, probably at a UCCF new leaders conference when it was said… “A CU is a mission team”, now it wasn’t actually till I went to Bulgaria as part of a UCCF mission team that I realised how radical that was. ‘A Mission Team’, that just changes the whole raison d’etre (yeh that’s French!), it changes why we meet, it changes the way in which we meet, it changes us from just another society or club to a team with an eternal, life-changing focus.

A mission team; meets to pray, to encourage one another, to share testimony, to plan, to get trained and equipped, to be encouraged by God’s word, to seek God and his ways, to help each other… when Driscoll talks about Reformission, he makes the point that just as you need to prepare for overseas mission, to study the culture we are entering, so we need to do the same for mission at home… CUs need to be prepared for the culture they enter, we need to know what people are into, where the average student places their hopes, what their ambitions are, why they believe what they do… CUs need to engage with the student culture, be part of it, befriend and build relationships, yet be distinctive and holy within that culture… CU isn’t about withdrawing into a ‘holy huddle’, a bubble, a safe place from the rest of campus… nor is CU another compartment in student life – do CU one night, go out and get wasted with my mates the next…

Ultimately CUs belong to Jesus, he’s in charge, they are his tools to win students for Christ through the proclamation of the gospel through many and varied means, but never less than simply speaking who Jesus is and what he did at the cross for us.

Anyway… we looked at Acts 17 this morning… I love this passage for a few reasons…

1) Paul contextualizes (Acts 17:16-28) - Paul goes to the Areopagus, he sees their culture, he speaks into that culture, he takes the things that they know, things that interest them and explains how the true God is actually what they are really seeking

2) God is Sovereign (Acts 17:26-25) - God chose exactly where everyone would live and when they’d be there, and his whole purpose in doing that is to give people an opportunity to hear the gospel

3) Proved by the resurrection (Acts 17:31) - Jesus is coming back to judge the world, we know he is because God raised him from the dead… only man who beat death, must be special

4) People respond (Acts 17:32-34) - when you tell people about Jesus, some sneer, they called Paul a babbler, others wanted to know more, and some believed and followed

The Cambridge Seven

by Hugh on October 11, 2007 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

Uncle Stevo, who was running the CB3 book stall this year was trying to get rid of his last few books… of course I snapped up a copy of Desiring God for �7 – bargain… and was also intrigued by the History Makers biography series; Luther, Calvin and The Cambridge Seven, there’s lots more too.

The main reason I got this book was because I wanted to read some more about C.T. Studd – one of the Cambridge Seven, missionary to China, Congo, maybe some other places, the founder WEC, and source of the quote “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.” But if I’m honest, I was always more interested by the fact that he was the best all-round cricketer of his day, and gave up a promising international cricket career to serve God in an overseas mission field.

Anyway…the book was quite hard to read at first, loads of different names and random diary entries. But I love the background details, about the mothers and missionaries who were praying, about how the Seven came to faith – largely through the ministry of D.L. Moody, and of Hudson Taylor, his vision and prayer for workers to come to China. The book doesn’t talk about their work in China but is focused on the Seven, their conversions and their call to overseas gospel work.

What did the Seven achieve? Clearly they were called and used mightily by God, and their legacy can be seen today… despite oppression the church in China stands, around 70 million strong! China has the potential to become the largest missionary sending country with the ‘Back to Jerusalem‘ march. And their influence extends beyond China, the work and example of these 7 has led to the sending of may more missionaries, establishment of worldwide missionary organisations as well as the founding of student Christian movements… Norman Grubb, son-in-law of C.T. Studd started UCCF… so in fact the influence of C.T. Studd has contributed to the fact that I’m part of a Christian Union at Sussex University today!

I always thought that China is a closed country, the church is underground and no one really knows anything about it… that’s not true… John Piper recommended this website China Soul – under the heading “The Cross – Jesus in China” there’s 4 videos about the history and the present of the Chinese church. Hearing some Chinese Christians talking about their faith and the persecution they face is both a great encouragement and truly humbling.

“God does not deal with you until you are wholly given up to Him, and then He will tell you what He would have you do.”

Forum 07 and Desiring God 07

by Hugh on October 4, 2007 in Faith with No comments

Two conferences happened recently, I would have loved to have been at both… sadly on was several thousand miles away, and the other, well I had to resit some exams instead

Anyway the audio and video is now available…

Forum 2007 Talks – I’m told Kath Arnold is worth listening to…

Desiring God 2007 – my sister is a Dr. Helen groupie

Does God forgive sin?

by Hugh on August 14, 2007 in Faith with 1 Comment

At Word Alive this year, in his talk on Atonement (from Hebrews 9), Richard Cunningham (Director of UCCF) said: “God does not forgive sin, he only punishes it”. He also went on to concur with my thoughts on sin and sinners. This is a bold statement to make, but if true, I believe it cuts to the heart of lots of issues I’ve been blogging on recently; PSA, hell, depravity etc. This post has been sitting uncompleted in the WordPress system since coming back from Word Alive, unfortunately delayed due to more pressing things. In that time it’s been discussed elsewhere; by Cat and by a less supportive “Speaker of Truth” who accuses RC of heresy (now retracted).

Now the obvious thing to say is that this statement is clearly false, after all the Bible and creeds clearly state that God forgives sin. But is it that simple? What does Joshua 24:19 mean “..he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins”? What about those who advocate a PS (thoroughly Biblical) view of atonement – have we got it wrong? So what is forgiveness? I think part of the problem is that we may have a wrong view of what forgiveness actually is… generally the view seems to be of God ‘forgetting’ sin or simply saying it ‘doesn’t matter’ anymore. These are nice ideas, they make God sound like a big dad in the sky who really wants us to come and say sorry so he can simply ‘forgive’. Biblical forgiveness is not some kind of ‘cosmic insomnia’ but is administered through sacrifice, through blood. Not very popular, makes us sound ‘pre-Christian’! Whatever we think, the Bible states two truths – God forgives sin (1John 1:9) and God punishes sin (Gen 3).

Firstly (in response to Joshua 24), we know that God does punish the sin of the non-Christian, “the wages of sin is death…” Rom 6:23, sin has to be paid for, if all sin is forgiven then there is no punishment to face, no penalty to be paid - no hell – sounds nice, but that belief leads to Universalism, a heresy, the Bible teaches against that belief. But how is the sin of the believer dealt with? Yes, it’s forgiven, but what does that mean??

Biblical forgiveness is the diversion of God’s wrath, propitiation – it’s what we see at the Passover, the temple sacrifices and at the cross. Not diversion into some spiritual void, or diversion that just eventually fizzles out, but diversion in the full force of God’s wrath, his holy anger against sin being placed upon a substitute – a perfect lamb (Exodus 12). The overviews of the passages in ‘Pierced for our transgressions’ (Ex 12, Lev 16 and Isa 53) superbly present the case for God’s wrath being taken on the lamb (not hard as it’s a simple reading of the text) – Jesus our substitute.

And what about Hebrews 9, the text for this talk in question, what does this text have to say?

v.1-10 There’s a problem, despite all the ritual of the OT temple sacrifices, they “…were not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper.” , these ceremonies were a picture, waiting for the “new order”, for Jesus and his cross.

v.11-28 The blood of the goats is a picture of the blood of Christ, but Christ achieved far more than animal sacrifices ever could. He cleanses believers from sins and secures the eternal inheritance.

There are two key verse which help to answer our questions:

“In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Heb 9:22

“so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people..” Heb 9:28 – it is the sacrifice that takes away (forgives) sin

So what?

How can sinful people come into relationship with a holy God? – our sins need to be dealt with, by God

How are our sins dealt with? – at the cross

What happened at the cross? – Jesus, the Lamb, took up the sins of his people and bore the punishment for them, he was our sacrifice and our substitute

Why did it have to happen like this? – God’s holiness and justice demands that sin is punished, Jesus was fulfilling the OT law, God did it so it was the best way

What does this mean for me?

Sin is serious, it invokes a death sentence
God is big, sometimes we misunderstand him when we try to fit him into our mould of what and who we want him to be
Forgiving sin isn’t an easy thing, it required the blood of Christ – be overflowing with thankfulness to God for his gift of forgiveness and eternal life in Christ

Shining Like Stars

by Hugh on April 14, 2007 in Books, Faith with No comments

“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life�in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” – Philippians 2

Just read �Shining Like Stars�, a book all about students around the world holding out �the word of life� in their universities and beyond. The book is published by IVP and written by Lindsay Brown, former General Secretary of IFES. The book takes us through the history of IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students), from the first Intervarsity Christian groups in the 1920�s, to the formation of IFES, as 10 national groups in 1947, and the continued growth to the present day with IFES groups in over 145 countries.The book is easy reading and combines lots of two main things� biblical examples of courageous men and women, and a faithful God – particularly focusing on Daniel, and looking practically (and biblically) at the motivation and techniques used for mission. These two areas are consistently supported by examples of people all around the world involved in student ministry.The book has helpful things to say on; trusting God�s sovereignty and faithfulness, taking risks for the gospel, perseverance through trials, methods for reaching students with the gospel, honouring God in our work – and our whole lives. One really encouraging thing to come out from this book was stories of reconciliation, particularly from Rwanda and Yugoslavia, where the bond between Christians was stronger than racial differences and is an awesome witness to whole nations of the peace that comes from being in Christ.

One of my favourite stories from the book is that of a Georgian student – a Muslim, in a Muslim family. At an IFES conference he was so compelled by the love he saw that he gave his life to Christ. Soon after returning, his grandfather died, and many mourners came to his funeral. The student stood up to a community of Muslims and said:�My grandfather was a Muslim, my father is a Muslim and I have been a Muslim. I have searched the Koran, but I couldn�t find salvation in it. Now at my grandfather�s graveside I want to tell you that I have found salvation in Christ. How I wish that you could all believe in Jesus.�

There are loads of encouraging stories like this, not to mention the timelessly chalenging quotes dotted around from the likes of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Howard Guinness, John Wesley, and William Carey not to mention all the lesser known students and staff working to bring the gospel to students all around the world.