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The Third Degree

Evangelising fellow students

With over 2,000,000 students in this country, Christians with a passion for evangelism have to be a good thing. The Life Gospel Project last year fuelled a new enthusiasm among students for sharing the good news of Jesus with their peers - and the momentum is growing.

During the last term, three major regional student events have focused on the importance of evangelism. Each aimed to encourage students to live out their university and college years for Christ, sharing him with others with relevance, creativity and faithfulness to the gospel message. In Exeter, students from across the South West soaked up a day of evangelism training. This was followed by a practical session doing questionnaires in the city centre.

In London, around 800 students descended on All Souls, Langham Place, for Only One Life: the event of the year for Christian students in the capital. Then to the North East, where students from as far as Bradford, Sheffield, Newcastle, and York travelled to Durham for the GO - live for God, speak for Christ event. The hosts, Durham University CU, report: 'As universities and colleges across the North East are in the midst of evangelistic opportunities, and have mission weeks planned for next term, GO was a great launch pad in the calling Christ has for each of his followers.'

With training under their belt, CUs are preparing for a big evangelism drive through Carol Services, Valentines events and mission weeks. For some these are regular events, such as Exeter University CU's Carol Service in the Exeter City FC ground, this year with Roger Carswell speaking on 'Away in a manger, or here with us now?'. For others, they are stepping out with a new venture, like Leeds University CU who are planning their first mission in five years, with main speaker Ken Cowen. Big or small, experienced or inexperience in evangelism, college or university based, CUs across the country would value prayer as they commit once again to witnessing to their fellow students.

Tim Brown from Leeds University CU said: 'No spies, no guns, no crazy car chases, and no Tom Cruise, but Leeds University is the setting for some serious mission! With around 30,000 students, there's work to be done if our friends, course mates, tutors and lecturers are going to hear the gospel. Please pray that God will use the mission to help the CU grow together, and that we will see people give their lives to Jesus.'

For smaller CUs, the prospect of running a mission week may be too daunting. The CU may consist of one or two Christians in a college with thousands of students. To encourage and support these small CUs, UCCF has started a new venture: the Further Education Evangelism Team (FEET). Consisting of three Relay Workers and FE Staff Worker, Martin Povey, FEET is available for evangelism training, talks and to be part of mission weeks and events.

If you are part of, or know an FE/6th Form College CU or a CU with fewer than 25 students, email mpovey@uccf.org.uk to see if FEET can help.

As I close down my UCCF computer for the last time, and prepare to return to student life myself, I take with me the example of hundreds of Christian students I have met over the last three years, who have challenged and encouraged me through their testimony of enthusiastic commitment to evangelism.
Please pray that in the coming term, many students in this country will be confronted with the good news of Jesus, and that the witness of Christian students will continue to grow and spur us all on to 'shine like stars in the universe, as we hold out the word of life'.

Emma Balch