Christian Unions: 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 10,000 students involved in over 200 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.

2006: A Radically Different Student World: The Same Radical Vision for Mission

Almost everything has changed since 1919, but the vision of UCCF: The Christian Unions in Britain is the same today – to obey God’s commission to GO and reach students of all nations who show no sign of spiritual life with the life-transforming gospel of Christ. And it’s as radical and sacrificial today as it was in 1919. The message of hope in Christ is still contemporary, necessary and urgent.

©2011 UCCF: The Christian Unions, Registered Charity number 306137
Source: UCCF