Monthly column for youth leaders

I believe it is an important responsibility to support young people at school, although my own involvement in the local Christian Union ebbs and flows. Do you know if your teenagers or younger children have a Christian Union or club at school?

As a youth leadership team think what you can do. You can pray for them, offer to visit, provide Bible Study resources, train the leaders, and invest in outreach projects. Don't forget about your youth group when they go home on Sunday night. On Monday morning they head for their battleground and try to live for Christ in one of the toughest places they will encounter - a 21st-century school.

A Christian group in a school naturally has strengths and weaknesses. Many groups lurch from week to week without ever stepping back and asking 'what is it all for?' Christian Unions often lose their way because they try to behave like churches. Inevitably, with a mixture of backgrounds, members argue about the same things as churches and the CU ceases to function well.

So try the 'User-Friendly' CU as a starting point for working things through. As with all neat frameworks it needs to be adapted to fresh situations rather than imposed upon them. It is based on a Bible study in Ephesians 4.1-16 and puts unity in Christ and the gospel up front.

From our unity in the gospel come support, evangelism and relaxation.

Unity

It's there in the name. The CU is a demonstration of the unity of Christians within the school. As Christians we do not agree on everything. Our churches do things differently. But the things that we disagree on ought really to be the minor things (such as whether the vicar wears a tie, no tie or a funny collar). To display unity a CU needs to forget about the minor things and major on the majors. The unity of a CU comes from the gospel. It's all there in Ephesians 4 - make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

The starting point for the gathering of Christians in a CU should be unity in the gospel. It is how they recognise one another, it is their identity within the school, it is what they teach one another as they study the Bible and it is what allows the next three things to happen.

Support

Being a Christian in school is tough. So after unity comes support and this too springs from the gospel. After all it is the gospel that unites Christians in schools and that same gospel keeps us going. Paul talks about bearing with one another, building one another up and growing together. Support comes in many forms, including prayer for one another, meeting together and reading the Bible, talking through difficulties. One of the simplest forms of support is knowing who other Christians are. School then ceases to be a place of isolation, but one where there are friendly Christian faces. Think about this especially in September when one whole slice of the youth group starts a new and perhaps bewildering existence at upper school.

Evangelism

Part of being a Christian is witnessing to others. This is a daunting task for students facing ridicule and isolation at school as they stand up for the gospel. Through its unity, based on gospel truth, the CU provides the ideal means to bring others to know Christ. Evangelism can range from inviting visiting groups or organising a mission week, right down to weekly support for Christians as they talk to their friends. Churches wishing to get involved need to be cautious. Schools are sensitive places and other local churches can be too. However, new Christians will need the wider support of Church life at some point.

Relaxation

Now 'relaxation' may seem as if it's there to make the acronym 'User-friendly' look witty. It helps! But there is a deeper reason. Granted Paul doesn't say that we are to put our collective and united feet up in Ephesians 4, but there is the call to grow and hold on together. Relaxing together as a CU builds the group. It's good to meet with other Christians and it should be fun. Relaxing is a critical area for young people especially. When they relax with their friends they are in most danger of compromising their faith. CUs can provide an alternative to 'going with the flow' and avoid the awkward situations young Christians often face. There is support and unity in a collective group of Christian youngsters who desire a godly alternative to what the world offers on Friday and Saturday nights.

Visit the battleground

I hope this helps, now it's up to you. Don't just arm your young people for battle on Sunday night. Take your sword and shield and visit the battleground.

A 'user-friendly' Christian Union

Unity

Support

Evangelism

Relaxation

Visit the battleground

Roger Fawcett

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