Mission Report
Tuesday:
The mission kicked off in true style with an appearance by the much acclaimed mime artist Geoffrey Stevenson. The evening was a buffet cabaret and the C.U. certainly excelled themselves with the food. Whilst eating our quiche and salad we were serenaded by the University Jazz Band.
Geoffrey Stevenson’s mime was immaculate, bringing in the problems and joys of parenthood and relating them to God’s love for us in creating and nuturing us through life.
All in all the evening was a huge success (not an empty seat in the house) and the best possible start to a week of mission.
Saturday:
By the final day, the mission had already suceeded in its aim to present the Christian Gospel. The mission was never intended solely to ‘convert’, but primarily to inform.
The flavour of the last night, however, was very much one of tying up the loose ends and promoting people to make the decision. The musician John Featherstone played some more songs and spoke of his commitment to God. The C.U. performed a sketch and a member of the mission gave his testimony.
This paved the way for Dave Rowe to deliver his message in the right atmosphere. He spoke with no emotional blackmail or pushiness and managed to cover the area of `How to Respond to God’ without sounding like an American T.V. Evangelist.
The evening suceeded in telling people how to respond without being a blatant ‘convert puller’.
If the mission’s aims were to convert many people to Christianity then its success was limited. If, however, it was to make Christianity a talking point on campus and to present the Gospel, then the mission certainly achieved what it set out to do.