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The Third Degree

Further education

For Christian students who are a part of the 2.7 million in Further Education (FE) colleges, CU life can be a hard slog.

The group is almost always small in number, they are less well-resourced than school or university CUs, and colleges are often deeply secular environments not used to the concept of a CU. However, as we have seen in recent years the labour is producing fruit, even if progress is slow.

Case one:

Take, for example, Rachel, who was studying for her A Levels at an FE college. She was one of only two Christians in a college of 10,000. She and one other Christian student began meeting each week to pray together. 18 months later they hosted an evangelistic carol service, which saw over 100 unlikely students attend. Three years on and the CU is now a dozen strong. Rachel finished her studies at the college and went on to university where she now sits on the CU executive committee.

Case two:

How about Sam? He's aged 16 and in a college of over 2,000 students. He and three friends started a CU last November. Already they have studied an overview of the Bible, looked at the life of Christ and what a Christian is. Sam and his friends planned an evangelistic event, to which 80 students turned up, filling three classrooms, causing some to be turned away! Sam is delighted: 'I am encouraged by it all. The CU is going really well and it was amazing how the Lord opened so many doors in the lead up to the event. Some have never heard the message of Jesus before - it's great to be able to meet their re-quests for Bibles and further information.'

FE colleges up and down the country have a smattering of Christian students, many of whom are struggling in twos and threes. Most, like Sam and his mates, are just 16 years old, but already they know the importance of studying God's Word and passing on the gospel message.

Strategic work

The work with FE CUs is seen by some as UCCF's most strategic work; laying the foundations for the Christian life with young students who will soon be heading off to university and potentially leading the CU. Therefore, a new initiative called the Further Education Evangelism Team (FEET) has recently been set up, helping small CUs (those with fewer than 25 people), particularly in colleges, in their work of evangelism. The team has three UCCF Relay Workers and is led by FE Staff Worker, Martin Povey. The team works all over the country assisting with and training students in evangelism. FE missions are currently being planned in Cornwall, North Wales and the North West. Time invested into these young lives can go a long way - not just in reaching lost lives now, but in training and equipping the next generation of students and Christian leaders.

Please pray

* For the students themselves that they will be bold and faithful witnesses in the tough environment that FE colleges often are.
* For the staff at the colleges who, depending on the college, can help or hinder the CU's development.
* For the 'FEET' initiative. That it will be used to encourage and support evangelistic efforts in FE colleges.
* For UCCF as they look to appoint a national co-ordinator for this essential work in FE Colleges

Jonathan Carswell