“I absolutely love going to CU!”
No, this isn’t a quote from an enthusiastic Christian student, but from this middle-aged OMF Area Representative! Having never been to a Christian Union (CU) before I moved to Yorkshire, I’ve been blown away by the work UCCF* does to support CUs on campuses across the UK.
Every week, groups of Christian university students gather to be equipped and inspired for mission on campus. These CUs range in size from a handful up to several hundred students. Every spring term, each CU runs an ‘events week’ – a period of focused evangelism on campus. This is an incredible opportunity for Christian students to share the hope and community that belonging to Jesus brings, speaking into the issues their peers are facing.
There’s also increasing scope for cross-cultural mission on campus. Our universities are diverse communities, reflecting the UK’s ethnic and religious diversity, as well as hosting a growing number of international students. The expectation is that international students will soon form 25-30 per cent of the student body – and so the opportunity for cross-cultural mission on campus grows.
As Area Reps in the North of England, my wife Sarah and I are privileged to work in partnership with UCCF to help CUs make the most of these opportunities for cross-cultural mission. Over the last couple of years, we’ve been running training for UCCF staff, volunteers and CU members to help them think through sharing the gospel cross-culturally. We also speak at CU meetings and join students in their events weeks, serving in mission alongside them. Since one of UCCF’s goals is to be generous in world mission, it’s a natural opening for us to encourage students to be effective cross-cultural workers on campus, raising up a new generation of mission-minded, globally aware Christians. What a joy to be serving with a community offering life, truth and connection on campus for people of all backgrounds!
Gerard Charles OMF (UK) North of England Area Representative
*The Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship
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