Work with your CU committee and your LNP (or the Theology Network Co-ordinator) to decide when to hand over the group to new leaders – ideally around the same time as other CU nominations (near the end of the Spring term). Try and identify people in advance and draw them into the vision of the group so that they get a taste for what leading it is like early on.
Look for theology students who fit the characteristics of servant-leaders outlined below. When you ask them to lead next year, give them a copy of that list of characteristics along with the TN Hub Leaders Guide and highlight the commitments outlined in that document (especially the requirement to sign the DB).
Give them enough time to consider (a week is usually plenty) with a definite deadline by which to let you know. When they say yes, get them to sign a copy of the DB and give this to your ASW or the Theology Network Co-ordinator.
Regional and national Forum are key training opportunities for new leaders. Regional Forum is an opportunity to learn about leading in the CU and getting to know the other CU leaders. There will also be specific training for Theology Network at national Forum in the summer. Encourage the new leaders of the hub to book on to these early.
If you have any questions or concerns about handover, don't hesistate to contact the Theology Network Coordinator.
Characteristics of servant-leaders
If you lead or are considering leading a Theology Network hub, ask yourself if you are growing in the areas of character, conviction, capacity, and commitment as they are outlined in the following pages. Seek someone else’s advice too, such as a church leader or trusted friend who can give an honest perspective on how you are doing in these areas.
Character: developing a consistent Christ-honouring character.
Are you seeking to live all your life – including your studies – for Jesus, in obedience to Him? Theology Network leadership involves helping others to live and speak for Jesus as they study theology. You can only do that effectively if you are growing in your own relationship with Jesus, seeking to live and speak for Him as you study theology.
Are you looking to share your faith with your friends and coursemates? A growing relationship with Jesus leads to a concern for the people and things that Jesus is concerned with. Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Are you concerned with Jesus’ mission to seek and save the lost?
Christians who are suitable leaders certainly know that they are imperfect and struggle with sin, but they are also increasingly amazed by God’s grace and are growing in their passion to serve Him and make Him known. Are you heading in the right direction?
Conviction: committed to the truth of the gospel, outlined in UCCF’s Doctrinal Basis (DB).
We understand that studying theology is a time of disruption, deconstruction and (re-)formation of core beliefs, and that the very points of the DB may be the subject of discussion and critical scrutiny. These discussions are important to have, but we want to approach them with confidence in the truth of the gospel.
This good news that we offer the university is articulated by the DB and forms the basis of our unity in the CU. We love these truths – they are life-giving! They are also an anchor for Christian theology that seeks to be faithful to the Bible.
Be sure to read the DB and reflect on it. If you have questions about any of the statements, don’t hesitate to talk to your Staff Worker, ASW or the Theology Network Co-ordinator.
Capacity: having the capacity to organise talks and gatherings and having the time to commit to the group.
You don’t have to be able to answer every theological challenge to lead a hub. You are not on your own, and there are plenty of resources to help you. However, you should be sure that you have the time and are willing to put in the effort to organise the group’s programme.
Leading a hub will take time – up to four hours a week – and it is essential to consider this as honestly as you can. Think about how you currently use your time. Could you rearrange some things or be a bit more disciplined and structured in your use of time in order to serve God in this way? Perhaps you will need to give something up to lead a Theology Network hub effectively. It’s important to consider this carefully.
Commitment: committed members of a local church where you are at university.
The local church is the place of lifelong Christian discipleship. While the CU engages in a specific mission of the universal Church, no amount of involvement in this replaces membership in a local church.
It is in our local church that we receive the teaching ministry of qualified leaders. We express love for one another across our differences in age, culture, and background. We celebrate the fulness of Christian faith through the celebration of the sacraments. And we receive pastoral support and counsel from those of greater maturity, experience, and wisdom.
We know that engagement with your local church can be hard during the years of a theology degree as your thoughts about faith and Church are being challenged and reshaped. It is so important for your spiritual well-being to continue to commit to your church even through these challenges. You will need the support and prayer of your local church for you and your Theology Network hub. You will also need to model this commitment to others in the hub.
