Student Christian umbrella group UCCF is launching new resources to enable students to engage with the gospel and keep making Jesus known.
The Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) has planned resources for Christian Unions (CUs) which cover all eventualities in the current pandemic. ‘More than ever we will need to encourage our CUs to maintain and sharpen the tools used for the kind of evangelism that has been bearing fruit, albeit with a somewhat different expression from what has gone before,’ says Peter Dray, UCCF Head of Creative Evangelism.
‘The CUs are already adapting to the challenges of our uncertain times and it is a huge pleasure to work alongside these teams of young people doing some of the most cutting-edge ministry around,’ says Elliot Hyliger, UCCF Staff Worker in Nottingham.
Welcoming new students
With summer camps and festivals cancelled, many of the routes by which new students might first contact their CU were closed. Investment in a high-profile awareness campaign, urging new students to connect with their CU’s social media channels has taken place. CUs were encouraged to run online welcome events, offering instant community to new students. Finally, freshly designed New Student Welcome Packs (available from 10ofthose) allow churches, youth workers and parents to send new students off with biblical wisdom for the transition period, a means of connecting with their CU and practical resources for building friendships.
Impact Groups
Social-distancing rules may prohibit some physical CU gatherings this autumn. There will also be challenges for local churches wanting to welcome new students to their cities. UCCF is resourcing CUs to run Impact Groups: gatherings of around six students that can run online – or in person, if restrictions allow. CU Impact Groups will include Bible time in Philippians and material from Don Carson and Becky Pippert to give students deep convictions in Scripture and in evangelism. It is hoped these groups will offer local peer relationships that will smooth the path into a local church and allow students to get going in evangelism upon arrival at university.
The shift online makes ministry in smaller groups more viable and appealing. A number of churches reported a high interest in seeker courses during lockdown. Moving to university has been shown to draw out spiritual curiosity in some, especially when a Christian friend is present. UCCF is resourcing every CU in the country – whatever its size – to be able to offer an Explore track for seekers, enabling many to engage with Christ for themselves.
New digital resources
Before the pandemic and all its implications for campus life, work had begun on a new website that truly belongs in 2020. With a fully mobile-friendly design using UCCF’s new visual identity – and a complete refresh of the content – the website was always going to open exciting new doors for resourcing students. Covid-19 has only accelerated the need for digital platforms and it’s been pleasing to fill the new site with excellent content preparing students for a term of mission.
Underpinning all of this has been prayer that the Lord would continue to call students to himself this year. CUs are working hard to welcome what must not become a lost generation of freshers and all pray that, in the Lord’s grace, new opportunities for gospel proclamation to students will emerge.
Despite all the changes in 2020, Elliot Hyliger said: ‘Thankfully, our God has not changed. The good news of the reign of Jesus is ancient and is “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes”(Rom. 1:16). In the coming months there will be lots to learn, many ways to serve and much for which we will have to depend on our enthroned King.’
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