Should I Start a CU?

Over the years, we have had the incredible privilege of seeing Christian Unions (CUs) started in colleges and Sixth Forms all over the UK.  

Lots seemed to start with ease – doors opened up, permission quickly given, a small group of Christians expectant and ready for what God might do!  

Others were a bit more of a battle. For example, the student who came home from a summer festival with a flame in her heart. A desire (though a little scary) to see a visible witness established in her college – only to go for months and months without meeting another believer!  

Then there are those incredible students who stepped out in faith but were not allowed to book a room – or given permission to meet onsite.  

You may be in the first weeks at your college and having realized there’s no Christian Union group, be feeling a little something flicker away in the background… 

“Could I try and get one going?”

“Where would I start?”    

“What if it falls flat on it’s face…”   

Maybe you’re heading into your second year and the flicker has been there for quite some time!  

If this sounds like you - can I encourage you to start by bringing the flicker to the foreground. If you’ve not prayed about it yet, that’s a really good place to start. Bring any questions, fears or ‘but what if’s…’ to your Heavenly Father. Talk to Him about any hopes, dreams or ‘this would be amazing if ___’s too.  

Then, why don’t you chat to someone else and ask them to pray into it? That may be a Christian you know where you study, a godly older brother or sister at church, if you’re part of our student network – drop the person that prays for and emails you a line (if you’re not part of our network - check it out here.)  

Back to the students we started with… 

After months of not knowing a single believer where she was training (and the feeling that maybe she should just give up!), God plonked another Christian right across her path. He knew a few others around college who had been chatting and praying about the potential of a CU. It got started, people came – believers were encouraged and some mates who weren’t believers yet started to come along. One acquired a Bible and started to regularly attend youth group… others heard the gospel, maybe for the first time.  

The students who weren’t allowed to meet onsite thought ‘outside the box’. One group met weekly at the back of a Christian bookshop. They prayed for each other and each other’s friends and found an increased courage, boldness and desire to seek God first where they were planted and take opportunities as the Holy Spirit led. The other group started to do outreach events up the road from a local church hall!  

It all started with a flicker. And by looking to the One who can do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine. (Eph  3:20)  

• Hear how God led Jess to start a CU here.

• Why don’t you read some of these resources? “How to start a CU”, “What is a CU?” and “What makes a great CU”.