The Music Network exists to support music students or indeed any student hoping to pursue a musical career upon graduation, equipping them to live as ambassadors for Christ - to live and speak for Him - in the world of music, both whilst studying and beyond.
The Music Network is comprised of:
- students who love Jesus and desire to serve Him in the world of music
- staff who support, pray for, and equip students to apply the gospel to their music-making
- supporters who give and pray for the work to enable it to happen and flourish under God
Our foundations and aims
The Music Network's foundations rest on the core doctrines of the Christian faith as outlined in UCCF's Doctrinal Basis. The theology of the Music Network flows out of all of these points, not least the second, which states that 'God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.' To put it another way, Christ is Lord over all things, and that must include music. As one theologian said:
There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’
So whether its analysis essays or harmony exercises, lone practice time or live performances, musicological dissertations or composition portfolios, the Music Network seeks to help students subject all of their music-making to the Lordship of Christ, such that He gets the glory that He alone is due.
We're convinced that as Christian students do this more and more, the potency of their witness to Christ should increase, as their peers see them living in line with the grain of creation as God has ordered it, and so we train Christian students in how best to reach their peers with the gospel and to be ready to give an answer for the reason for the hope that they have.
This, then, is what UCCF's Mission, Vision, and Values look like in the Music Network.
Our approach
We aim to achieve these aims in four main ways:
- Local Music Network groups - where Christian music students can gather together on a regular basis to share fellowship, discuss relevant topics, and generally build each other up and point each other towards Jesus. At music colleges, this group will be the Christian Union itself. At universities, there may well be a separate network group. Check out this page to find your nearest local MN group.
- Events - where Christian music students from around the country can gather together to share fellowship and receive teaching on a subject pertinent to the interface between Christianity and music. Check out this page to find out more about upcoming events.
- Website resources - where Christian music students can grow in their understanding of how the gospel applies to their music making by reading articles, listening to podcasts and watching videos.
- Mentoring - where Christian music students can be paired up with a Christian professional musician in their field who can give advice and be an encouraging older sister or brother. Use the contact page to get in touch if you'd like to be paired up.