In September 2015, Aidan Grills and Andy Parsons spoke at the Fusion Student Work Conference. Aidan is the Chief Exec of Leeds Uni SU and Andy is the Chief Exec of Loughborough SU. These are two of the largest Students’ Unions in the UK.
They spoke about how local churches can work really well with the Students’ Union. They offered the following tips:
- Make contact with the Chief Exec, which is a permanent role, who may pass you on to someone else.
- Be direct in your offer and intention of help.
- Think long-term and look to build trusted relationships over time. You can build on this foundation.
Since they spoke at the Student Work Conference, lots of churches have taken this advice and begun to work really well with the Students’ Union. The SU exists to care for the welfare and well-being of its students. It wants students to thrive and have a great university experience. Churches want this too, so let’s see where there is synergy and start there. If we want to reach all the students of the UK we need to be prepared to work well with the institutions and organisations of the student world.
Finally, could your church offer to pray for the university and the Students’ Union? Why not ask what they would like you to pray for?
Other ways the church can reach all students include:
1. Plant Churches near newer universities
I hope this encourages you and the church. My intention is not to criticise or deconstruct but to offer practical suggestions that may lead to growth. I also want to recognise that my list of 5 is by no means exhaustive and I want to encourage lots more creativity in this area.
