If you were asked how a Christian Union runs an evangelistic event, you might guess it would look something like this: a short talk, time for a Q&A, and perhaps some food.
You’d be right. CUs have long operated within this structure and seen encouraging fruit come from it. This year, however, the CUs in Leeds pioneered a different approach.
During their city-wide mission in February, they ran events that were more interactive in style – adapting a method developed over a number of years by former UCCF Staff Worker Luke Cawley. Instead of kicking back and listening for an hour, students gathered in small groups, shared food and heard a talk that was broken up into five sections. Between each section, they either discussed their thoughts, listened to a testimony or enjoyed an artistic performance.
The driving factor behind this change was recognising that students today are increasingly used to this kind of interactive learning in the universities – and that interactivity has an important place in sharing the gospel.
UCCF Director of Creative Evangelism, and speaker during the week, Pete Dray said: ‘People usually begin following Jesus in community, and it takes time to present Him to people who don’t know much about Him. Discussion times catalyse a sense of community and belonging and show guests that, even during and beyond events, their questions and experiences will be valued and welcomed.’
Certainly for the students in Leeds, the ‘stop, start’ nature of the events seemed to help them take ownership of the topic being discussed and share their opinions. The CUs saw conversations stretch long into the evening, a higher proportion returning each night than in previous years, and a handful profess faith at the final event. One said: ‘This week I’ve prayed the prayer I wish I’d prayed years ago’, while another commented: ‘It’s really spoken into my life, and was such a good place to chat and release.’ Praise the Lord!
Similarly, Christian students and staff were notably positive about the change. Many felt more equipped to have conversations about faith. One staff member reported: ‘The Leeds model provided the easiest conversations I’ve ever had at a mission week!’
We’re so excited to see how this new model might enable others to respond to the gospel in future.
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