What are CU Guests for?
Their aim should be to work alongside the CU during the Events Week. Not only can they encourage and mentor CU members, but they can help seekers to explore faith and get embedded into the CU community. Where the CU is small in number, a team of CUGs can be especially encouraging and helpful.
How do they help?
- If the university is split into colleges, or the CU into small groups, it is good if they are assigned to the same group for the whole week, forming deeper relationships.
- They can help more timid members of the CU get started in first-contact evangelism.
- They are on hand to help with practical duties during the day.
- They can initiate conversations with those who come to the events.
- They can join CU members and their friends for meals, where they can, for example, share their testimony / answer questions and be catalysts for conversation.
Where to find them?
Look for…
- People who work with your IFES movement — staff and apprentices
- Students from other CUs
- Staff and students from other IFES movements
- Local church student workers / apprentices
- Graduates
- Students training for Christian ministry
- Your speaker may also have able contacts and wish to bring them as team-members.
- Look for those who are particularly gifted in evangelism — they will encourage the CU by their example.
It is helpful to have a mixture of local and non-local CU Guests:
- Local CUGs know the context and may also be known to the CU. They are able to continue to help with follow-up after the week has finished. It’s best if they free up their week, and don’t just try to fit the Events Week around their usual activities.
- Non-local CUGs bring their own experiences from their different contexts. It can be really encouraging to the locals to have such a team coming in to help for the week. They can also learn from you and take what they learn to use in planning Events Weeks back home!
When it comes to inviting people to be CUGs you will need to explain the vision, share the plan for the week and outline what you would like them to do. It will need to feel worth their while to come. If you are expecting them to cover their own travel expenses then make sure that this is clear, but let them know that accommodation and food will be provided.
Things to do
- Team. Decide approximately how many CU Guests you would like. Experience shows 10-20 guests can work well, unless your group is very large, (200+) in which case you may want more.
- Invitations. Get invitations out early — CUGs will need to make plans to come, and possibly take time off from work.
- CU. Explain to the CU the purpose of the CU Guests and get them to think of ways of utilising them e.g. inviting them for a meal along with their unbelieving friends.