You are looking for a different event to attract friends and one of your CU leaders thinks it would be a great idea to book U2 in order that many people can come to an event.

Why? 

Why should you use a music event as part of a mission week or as a one off event?

If our main reason is to just attract a crowd then we might as well not bother.

For years Churches, and CUs have thought the answer to increasing numbers in a youth group or student group is get a band in. The kids will think we are cool and numbers will increase from 3 people and a dog to 1,000 people.

We can use music as an apologetic.

We can reach people much further back. The people who are not waking up asking, “why did Jesus die on the cross?” but maybe “why am I here?” or ‘what is love?”

We can reach people who enjoy going to gigs or who enjoy listening to music it and talking about it.

Some of the problems that arise when using music is people either putting on an event with a band with no message in any format or people advertising a gig but then having 20 mins of music and a 30min preach. There is a crunch of gears that occurs and it often puts people off using music in evangelism.

Here are three different ways we can use music as part of a mission week that seem to work better.

1. Advertise the event as a Talk (for example – what is love? Is God Love?) With acoustic night
2. Have the event as a magazine format – Music, interview with band/artist on a couch on stage. The interview can enable people to be testimonial. Then some more music/poetry/videos
3. Have a singer/songwriter who can play but share the gospel in between songs with the guitar round his/her neck

How will you do your event?

Who will you get to play?

In order to carry out one of the above it makes sense to use a band or artist who are Christians. It is hard to get your flatmates third cousin’s bands that are all atheists to endorse the above methods.

If you are looking to put on a lower cost event 2 people from CU along with a more established artist will work well. (For more ideas of bands/singer songwriters contact cparnell@uccf.org.uk)

Venue

Where is the best place to do this? Try to hire somewhere that people already know. Often bigger universities/Colleges have a good student union with a PA system and engineer as part of the deal.

PA

One of the key problems that can occur is the PA (sound system).

Either CUs don’t get one, or the one that is booked is not always adequate.

You can have a great band and amazing publicity but if the PA is poor you are going to have a bad event.

If you or your CU do not know much about PA’s seek advice from somebody who does, somebody at church or another CU in your region.

Costs?

Please be realistic in your costs. Getting a big name band will cost you a lot of money.

Consider:

• Venue
• Band/artist
• Publicity
• Flyers/posters
• PA system and lights if needed

Be aware of getting a free church hall that might cost you more the time you have hired a PA system in.

Before the night

• Publicise event through flyers and posters.
• Website – if you don’t have one set up a myspace page for the event for free and publicise it through that example www.myspace.com/CUgig
• Encourage people in CU to pray for friends to invite
• Invite friends along!

On the night

• Welcome people
• Make the most of chatting with people before and after the event
• Put out gospels/flyers on a table
• Hand out flyers advertising talks for the rest of the week on the way out