What are our Strategic Objectives?
Our group activities reflect six strategic objectives, or priorities, by which we implement our vision:
- Witness: Make the Gospel message known on campus, both individually and as a group.
- Training: Encourage spiritual growth through: Bible study, prayer, fellowship, witness, development of biblical thinking and involvement in the local church.
- Love for others: Express God’s love for others on campus in service to others individually and as a group.
- Christian Thinking: Make our thinking coherent with the Christian faith by discovering how it relates to all areas of life.
- World Mission: Contribute to the advancement of God’s Kingdom throughout the world by encouraging the concrete offering of oneself (time, talents, money), in the present and future, near and far.
- Resources: Work toward the development of resources for the advancement of the vision on campus and elsewhere.
What are our Main Activities?
Regular group meetings to study the Bible and discover Jesus: Leaders are trained to make the approach dynamic and include everyone.
Fall and Winter Retreats: Members of all groups and their friends get together to encourage one another and grapple with important biblical subjects. A retreat is a fun place to discover the GBUC.
IMAGINE: At the beginning of the school year, a special conference is planned to equip group leaders and help them to develop a program for the year.
Summer Mission Projects: Opportunities to experience cross-cultural adventures with a group and share the Gospel outside of one’s comfort zone. Programs include: Été Québec, a mission in an urban or remote region of Quebec or elsewhere in Canada and Découverte, a mission in another country. Is there a better way to make one’s faith grow?
International conferences like Urbana and IFES World Assemblies: Participants get a taste of the international dimension of student work.
GBUC annual meeting: GBUC is a Canadian corporation made up of student members and friends. In the spring, members have the opportunity to voice their opinions on the future of the movement in a context of fellowship. The corporation elects a Board of Directors that gives direction to the staff. The Annual meeting is governed by internal by-laws.
Fellowship of Friends of GBUC: Activities are organized to bring former GBUC members and graduates together to encourage and learn from one another and support existing campus groups.
What are our Values and Work Methods?
Every effort is made to reflect the following values in all aspects of our ministry:
- Priority of the Scriptures: We believe in the authority of the Scriptures and value their study and knowledge as a must in becoming disciples. We help participants to develop a responsible, creative and passionate approach to the texts.
- As a Community, we:
- Develop witness to Christ by building student communities on campus.
- Promote respect for the individual, dialogue, teamwork and models of biblical leadership.
- Work inter-denominationally, inter-racially and inter-culturally, men and women together.
- Belonging: We encourage everyone to participate in their campus groups and inter-campus activities (such as retreats) to develop a spirit of unity and caring for one another. We invite our graduates to join our Friends of GBUC fellowship.
- Student Initiative: We insist on the importance of student leadership in campus groups.
- Accompaniment: We value our campus staff (paid and volunteer) and their role in training and giving direction to students in their responsibilities.
- Partnerships: We value the role of the local church in the lives of our students. We seek fruitful partnerships with churches, other Christian organizations and academic institutions. We respect the distinctiveness of denominations and churches.
What is our relationship with local churches?
Each group member represents and is accountable to their own church. Because the mission of campus groups is spiritual and demanding, they need their church’s encouragement, even to be “set apart”, to be an effective witness on campus. Group leaders help new Christians to join a church.
The GBUC helps students to grow as disciples during a period of their life when their faith is tested. The group not only contributes to their preparation for professional life, but also to a more effective service in the local church. Even if they move away after their studies, students are encouraged to remain faithful to a church.
A local church can contribute to the life of a GBUC group by praying, giving of resources, or by delegating a resource person for the group. This co-operation may contribute to the integration of new believers in the local church.
The GBUC seeks to be in partnership with the local church and to serve God’s Church in every way possible.
We Value Higher Education
Institutions of higher education play an important role in our society and the lives of tomorrow’s leaders. Here, students learn their future trade or profession and to think critically. They are confronted by the worldviews of today and tomorrow. We believe that God loves tegeps and universities. He values their place in society. God desires to redeem them through the witness and work of believers within them.