The Third Degree

‘My desire is for students to renew their confidence in the gospel and their commitment to passing it on’, enthused Hugh Palmer, one of the keynote speakers at UCCF’s national CU leaders’ training conference, Forum, in early September at the Quinta Centre in Shropshire.

Engaging with God’s Word, so that CU leaders return to their universities better equipped to speak the gospel out, has always been the objective of Forum. This year’s conference, entitled Trans-mission, pursued that vision in a number of ways.

Switch on

The call this year, to the record numbers of staff, relay staff and students at the conference, was to be serious-minded about the gospel. ‘This has been the best Forum yet’ was often heard as brilliant Bible teaching, engaging worship and relevant seminars all carried the same invitation.

The brightly-coloured marquees housing chill-out areas for chatting and slurping Tearfund’s hot chocolate, afternoon acoustic music sets for reflecting, and an art gallery displaying students’ work also helped things along!

Tune in

‘It is fantastic to see so many leaders from so many CUs enthusiastic and hungry to learn — what that can do for the cause of the gospel is great’, Hugh Palmer reflected on his experience of speaking in the BigTop on Romans. For all those attending it was impossible to walk away from Forum without feeling deeply encouraged by God’s grace ex-pressed in the gospel, as well as challenged by the need to offer one’s body as a living sacrifice. Brother Andrew from Open Doors also spoke of the need to have sacrificial love for other people by telling story after story of his ‘risky’ endeavours, such as meetings with Taliban, all fuelled by a passion for the gospel.

‘Digging Deeper’ seminars offered a chance to wrestle with big Bible truths that stretched minds and warmed hearts. Sara Yohannes, a student at Goldsmiths, commented on the track about the doctrine of God: ‘I was challenged to think more biblically about who I was worshipping and who I was living for.’

Topics as diverse as they were culturally relevant were covered in afternoon workshops. From ‘Unity in Diversity’ to ‘Media and politics’, from ‘Arts track’ to ‘Islam’, and ‘Engaging with Student Unions’ to ‘Short Term Missions’, these sessions provided practical training in handling many of the issues facing students.

Speak out

From the word go the agenda of Forum was clear — a commitment to training students so that the gospel is spoken and lived out creatively and passionately throughout the academic year. ‘By supporting, encouraging and praying for one another we hope we will become better equipped to serve Christ and the gospel on campus and beyond’ (Linda Marshall, UCCF Midlands Team Leader and Forum organiser).

As well as student evangelism in the UK, Christian Unions have always been committed to student mission abroad, demonstrated by the World Prayer night. Brother Andrew spoke challengingly of the need to deny one’s plans, possessions, wishes, dreams and ambitions and to say ‘Yes, Lord’ to the command to follow Christ.

This challenge to pray and go, along with reports from student mission organisations fueled the night of heart-felt intercession for the world. Prayer for the body of Christ raised expectations of a global God, broadened horizons and melted cold hearts.

Forum 2007 certainly displayed UCCF’s vision of uniting evangelical students from every denomination and giving them the chance to tune in to the glorious melody of the gospel. And becoming confident in the message, they are utterly persuaded by the need to speak it out to those at university and round the world.

Becci Brown,
UCCF

© Evangelicals Now - October 2007
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