And Fusion's response...

Dear Sir,

We were disappointed to read the attack on Fusion published in this magazine. We are just thankful that it’s the first one since March 2003! From our perspective it shows an unhealthy bias, twists the source material for its own ends and fails to fairly represent our history, theology and activities.

Fusion has been running for over 10 years now. In this period we have seen many students come to faith in Christ and new student work catalysed and developed across this nation and also in other nations.

This student work is built from a growing base of over 180 local Churches and under their oversight. Freshers arriving at university are free to choose where to connect upon arrival and in reality things run very smoothly in most places. Many of the Christian students who initially join Fusion-related student work are coming from Fusion-connected Churches and ministries and joining a local Fusion-connected Church. Others find their way into those Churches as they choose which local Church they will join whilst at University. 

They have never had any connection to a Christian Union so we fail to see how they can be dividing away from something that they will most likely have never heard of until their arrival at University!

Many choose to connect with Churches, others Christian Unions and still others connect with other groups which are also growing like Agape, Navigators and the Chaplaincies. We rejoice in this diversity and believe it to be healthy and constructive as in many situations Christian witness had long since ceased to be truly reflective of the diversity of evangelical practice. Further-more, the current mission challenge requires the encouragement of more outreach on campus rather than the suppression of new initiatives.

Just a couple of other comments:

• Fusion remains totally committed to proclamation evangelism.

• Fusion is not in competition as our record of partnering with other groups shows.

• Fusion would love to explore partnership with Christian Unions but their policy forbids this even if students would like to see it.

• Fusion rejoices in the work for the gospel undertaken by other organisations that are committed to reach students, including the Christian Unions.

We could dredge up the past and re interpret it for our own means but believe that the time has come to attempt to work positively together for the future.

Yours in Christ

The Fusion Team