UCCF
Who are UCCF?
UCCF, short for Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, is a nationwide movement of Christian Unions. UCCF aids Christian Unions in what they do, whether it be by supplying them with Gospel Projects such as FREE or with staff and relay workers, such as Tim Dennis and Carrie Marlow, who are there to aid the CU in what it does and provide a wealth of experience and knowledge that CU's might not have had otherwise.
Born out of one student’s Vision for Mission
In 1919 Norman Grubb was a young student at Cambridge University. He writes, “I had one overwhelming urge - to get around to all the rooms of the men in my College, Trinity, and witness to them and ask them to join our small group of the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union. I did this, though often it cost me a lot to do it, for they were mainly men who had held good ranks in the army and were pretty sophisticated, being older than the average undergraduates.
"If the CU movement didn’t exist we would just have to invent it because it’s such a brilliant idea."
Vaughan Roberts, St Ebbes, Oxford
Before I left university, the Spirit distinctly came on me to go and speak in no uncertain terms to all I knew personally who had not accepted Christ, or who at least showed no sign of spiritual life. There had been this definite "commission" that I had to give myself to witness in the university. I went and pulled no punches, and a number came out for Christ, about sixteen of them. This caused a stir like a touch of revival.As I shared these experiences with others in the Christian Union, it came like a vision to me that every university and college in Britain and the world should have its evangelical and witnessing Christian Union, as we had. Little did I then realize that this was the start of what has since grown to become the world-wide ‘Christian Union’ Fellowship, now in hundreds and probably thousands of colleges in all nations.”
In 1947 UCCF became a founding member of IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) and continue to play a role globally. Today there are approximately 20,000 students involved in over 350 CUs across the UK. For over 75 years UCCF: The Christian Unions has sought to be a faithful witness to Christ in the student world.
Living for Jesus Speaking for Jesus
UCCF Christian Unions are committed to proclaiming the gospel in a way that is meaningful, relevant and persuasive.
"It is difficult to think of many UK Christian leaders who were not shaped, in part, by the ministries of UCCF."
Don Carson
Apologetics lunch bars, special events and missions provide a focus for personal evangelism. Small group follow up courses help students investigate further. CU Carol Services are among the biggest events on campus, some drawing over a thousand students. Over 1 million gospels have been given by students to students since 1990.
Student evangelism is working on campus and is bearing fruit.
There are literally hundreds coming to faith each year and who are then joining a local church because of CU mission activity. We have been excited, encouraged and overwhelmed with a sense of God’s goodness to us as he has blessed us in our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ in the student world.
Find out more about UCCF by clicking here.
Be Thinking
bethinking.org aims to bring together the best possible resources for thinking about and communicating the Christian faith. Its goal is to help to prepare all Christians to provide an answer to those who deny the truth of Christianity. Whether that’s answering the attacks of Richard Dawkins, discussing our faith with a Muslim colleague or chatting about the latest episode of Dr Who with a neighbour, bethinking.org aims to provide you with talks and articles that stimulate you to think about your faith and its relation to the world and culture around us, and then to show how Christianity is not only true, but provides the answers to life’s biggest questions.
The technical term for all this is ‘apologetics’. Whether you are a student, at home or at work, we want bethinking.org to help you to talk about your Christian faith in a way that is relevant, attractive, true and culturally aware.
Find out more at Be Thinking
Free Gospel Project
Free is a Gospel project by UCCF. It is a free copy of Mark's gospel for non-beliers who wish to find out more about what Christianity is. Mark's gospel tells the story of Jesus's life, death and resurection, about how God became man and added to his divinity, humanity and then took on him all our wrong doing and died the most painful death as punishment for our wrong doing so that we can come to God clothed in Jesus's perfect righteousness.
You can find out more about the Free Gospel project, or obtain a free copy of Mark's gospel from the Free Gospel project website.
