The Big Picture of Cru

Discussion/Reflection Questions

What in this video stands out to you?
What did you learn from this video?
What action can you take this week as a result of watching this video?

Cru is Here to Help!

Our role is to pray for you, hear your vision, and coach you. Here are some ways we can help and some strategies we provide to help you make an impact on your campus.

Call the Coaching Center

Give us a call and we will assign you to a ministry coach. We want to assist you as you seek to reach your school for Christ. Having a ministry coach will help you win students to Christ, build them up in their faith, and then send them back to their campus equipped with the knowledge and training to reach others for Christ.

Learn More about the Coaching Center

Build a Team

Do not go alone. One of the primary things you need is to establish a team around you. Jesus sent His disciples out two by two. Remember, do not go alone.

Have a volunteer information meeting

Observe the Campus

After you establish your team, go to the campus and observe. Look for natural groups that are on the campus. Do you see football players, the drama club, a specific group of guys or girls?

Learn to See your Campus
Get to Know Your Campus

Meet with Students

Now that you have observed the campus, start interacting with students. You can do this casually on the campus or see if they are willing to meet with you so you can begin having spiritual conversations and ultimately explain the gospel to them.

You want to spend quality time with students. Hang out with them and get to know them. After a while, it will feel natural to explain the gospel.

It’s great to reach students one-on-one, but your coach will help you reach students in their natural group settings too.

Best Practices for Relating to Minors

Having a ministry coach will help you win students to Christ, build them up in their faith, and then send them back to their campus equipped with the knowledge and training to reach others for Christ.

Try Some Team Talks

To reach some natural groups of students, you need to approach teachers and coaches. They can help you find opportunities for you to present motivational talks to different student groups on campus.

After you get the okay to give a motivational talk, invite students who are interested in learning more about their spiritual journey to come back again.

At the next gathering, maybe the next day over pizza, you can share with students how they can have a personal relationship with Jesus. Then encourage them to come together as a small group.

Sample Team Talks

Lead a Small Group

As interest is generated among students, you will want to gather them together in small groups to study the Bible.

How to Lead a Small Group

Start Cru Meetings

After you have several small groups going or about 25 students involved in your ministry, you can launch a larger Cru meeting. At this meeting, students will have some fun together, hear from each other about what God is doing in their lives, and listen to a short message from God’s Word.

Refreshments always make for a great meeting!

Attend Cru Conferences

The High School Ministry of Cru hosts two conferences a year- one in January or February and another in June.

At these conferences, students hear from speakers and other youth who share their faith on campus. Students learn how to share their faith. As students mature, you can use conferences to encourage them to see how God can use them to reach their friends in their natural groups at school.

Learn more about our Conferences

Go Global

Lastly, you will send students to reach the world. Cru offers short term international missions for students to go and share the love of Jesus all around the globe.

Learn More about International Missions

Hopefully, this big picture has given you a bigger vision of how God could use you.

Has God laid it on your heart to reach out to your local school?

For what are you waiting? Go and reach the lost on your local campus for Christ!

Next Step

Is this your desire for your campus? Click on the Coaching Center link and get started. We have a coach ready to help!

Coaching Center

Next Step

Who are some students you work with that might make good leaders? Make a list of 5 students and begin praying that God would show you opportunities to help them step into leadership.

Start with a Global Vision

Pray with Intention: Guide students in praying for teenagers around the world using tools like Operation World.
Teach Global Themes: Use studies like Thrive: GO GLOBAL to highlight how God is moving globally.
Host a Global Experience: Invite a missionary speaker, serve international food, and bring global stories to life.

Cross-Cultural Connections Without Leaving Town

Connect Locally: Encourage students to build friendships with international students or serve in diverse neighborhoods.
Create Cross-Cultural Moments: Include speakers, stories, or worldview discussions to expand their understanding.

“Mission starts with awareness, grows through connection, and takes off through action.”

Help Students Prepare to Go

Adopt and Learn: Choose an international city to learn about, pray for, and possibly visit.
Partner for Missions: Team up with another ministry to co-lead a mission trip.
Explore Digital Options: Try virtual mission trips, Zoom calls with international students, or global prayer events.

Send Students Into the World

Join a Cru Trip: We offer global trips built for high school students to share the gospel around the world.
Support Students Who Go: Celebrate them, help them fundraise, and pray for them.
Lead a Trip Yourself: It might be one of the most transformational things you do for your students—and for you.

Want help connecting to Cru High School mission trips or figuring out what is next? We are here for you. Let’s raise up a generation of students ready to go anywhere for Jesus.

Next Step

Explore Student Mission Trips
Visit our mission page to see upcoming opportunities for you and your group.

student mission trips

Are Adults Allowed on a Public High School Campus?

Are Adults Allowed to Go on a Public High School Campus?

The short answer is yes, with this caveat: “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16).

Many high schools today have fences—both literal and figurative—to protect students from unknown adults. Still, schools often welcome safe, trusted adults who bring value through programs, mentorship, and encouragement. Every campus looks different, but if you approach with humility, respect, and a servant’s heart, you’ll often find a door that opens. Being present on campus might feel uncomfortable—but God can use that discomfort to foster authentic connections and change lives.

Here are some practical ways adults can begin engaging with high school campuses wisely and confidently.

On All Campuses, Adults Are Allowed to…

These ideas work even in the most security-conscious schools:

Walk the perimeter. Position yourself near the school before or after classes, when students are arriving or leaving.
Attend public events. Go to football games, concerts, plays, and other community gatherings.
Hang out nearby. Visit the local coffee shop or café where students gather.

Use the main entrance. If you want to go inside, walk straight to the office. Smile, explain who you’re there to meet (e.g., a teacher or administrator), and show your ID. If you’ve scheduled ahead and it’s appropriate, schools usually provide a visitor’s pass.

“The question isn’t if you can be on a high school campus, it’s how you can be there wisely and with purpose.”

On Most Campuses, Adults Are Allowed to…

Stay on campus after dismissal to engage with students or staff.
Attend or observe after-school sports practices.
Offer to share a motivational talk or lead a team-building activity.
Know that school administrators often welcome community partners—if you use formal, respectful channels.

On Some Campuses, Adults Are Allowed to…

Join approved programs that allow youth workers to share lunch time with students.
Partner with Christian teachers or staff who are eager to see students connect with caring adults.

Why This Matters

Being on campus isn’t just about proximity. It’s about presence. Many students spend much more time at school than in church—or may never step inside one. Seeing you in the hallways, cheering on the sidelines, or offering support during lunch reminds them they’re not alone. Every student deserves at least one trusted adult who sees them, listens to them, and reflects Christ’s love. Showing up in their world—not waiting for them to visit ours—allows us to serve, encourage, and build relationships that last beyond a single moment. It may take effort, perseverance, and creativity—but that presence is worth every step because it shows students, “You’re valued. You’re not overlooked.”

Next Step

Choose one simple way to show up this week—a game, a walk nearby, or a visit to the office—and take that step toward being a trusted presence at your local high school.

Finney’s Story

From Isolation to Purpose: Collin’s Story

In 2020, Collin Finney found himself in a dark place. The pandemic had upended life, and a move to a new part of San Diego left him feeling isolated and disconnected. Away from friends and unable to meet new people, he realized he was trying to fill a “God-shaped hole” in his heart with things that never satisfied. In the midst of this struggle, Collin’s wrestling teammates invited him to a long-running Bible study tied to Cru. Through their invitation, he met Jason, a leader who embodied what it meant to love God deeply. For the first time, Collin experienced faith as his own—not a family obligation, but a relationship he chose to pursue.

Cru became a place where Collin discovered a community of people walking the same path toward Christ. Through small groups and spiritual conversations, he came to understand a truth he had never grasped before: God’s love isn’t something to earn through achievement. As someone driven by success, this realization was transformational. Collin saw that God’s love is unconditional, rooted in grace, and freely given through Christ’s sacrifice. With this new understanding, his priorities shifted. Life was no longer about being “enough” in his own strength but about accepting the love and purpose God offered.

Eventually, Collin stepped into leadership within Cru, even though he doubted whether he was qualified. He learned that being a leader wasn’t about perfection but about stepping out in faith to guide others toward God. Those experiences gave him opportunities to have deep, meaningful conversations about faith and share the hope he’d found. Collin now lives with a new purpose: glorifying God in everything he does, from his athletic pursuits to everyday interactions. His story reminds us that God’s love transforms not just our hearts but the direction of our lives, giving us a reason to live that’s bigger than ourselves.