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.
A responsibility to welcome
During the early summer months, many churches see an increase in attendance from families hoping to secure a place at …