7 Reasons to Get to Know Your Campus

God has called YOU to influence a campus for His kingdom! How will you start? Maybe you already know a few students or a teacher on campus, or maybe you know no one. Either way, learning the basics of your campus up front will be worth the time you spend.

All high schools have things in common, but each is different and needs an introduction. Just as a relationship grows as you get to know someone, your relationship with the school will grow as you get to know it.

Getting a thorough introduction to your school will help you…

Begin to Understand Students

When you step onto the grounds of a school, you not only cross a physical boundary, you also cross into a different culture. Your school’s culture is a product of family demographics, community values, school goals, extracurricular activities, and social media, to name a few. As you learn the culture, you will better understand students. That knowledge coupled with listening, love, and time, will make you a relevant minister of the gospel.

Learn How to Serve the School

At Cru, our heart is to be a resource to the school. As you talk with teachers, parents, and students, you will hear about needs and opportunities for involvement. Most schools need mentors, substitute teachers, assistant coaches, and chaperones. Additionally, some schools have special programs in which you can serve, such as Be the Change Day, Freshmen Day of Service, or Small Houses for Veterans. Your school likely has a unique program with which you can help. Your effort to learn these details will open the door to serve.

Build a Network

One person will lead you to three more, then those three will lead you to nine more, and so on. As you research and initiate with those in and around the school, you will end up with a team of people who can partner with you to reach the school. Parents can become prayer partners; teachers can become campus sponsors; a local church can provide a convenient off-campus meeting place. If you are not sure where to begin, the Get to Know your Campus Questionnaire will help.

Getting a solid introduction to your school will yield ample benefits as you get started.

Know your Boundaries

As a campus minister, you will need to know the boundaries the school has set for spiritual influence. Every district has its policies, but each school’s administration decides how to implement those policies. So you may feel very unwelcome or restricted at one school, while another in the same district gives you full access. So a big part of your introduction to a school will be finding out where you as a Cru staff member fall on that spectrum and then serving according to those guidelines.

See the Whole School

When you first start to look at your school, you will see the main attractions – the most valued sports team, the most popular students, and the unique values of the school. But as you dig deeper, you will find the groups that are quieter and smaller. Besides formal student groups, every campus has informal groups. You may also discover where God is already working through a current Christian club or through Christian students involved in other groups. Check out How you can Get to Know Your Campus for more ideas in discovering your campus.

Be Comfortable on Campus

With your network in place and knowledge of the campus culture, you will feel at home in the hallways of the campus. Knowing the campus rules for visitors and volunteers will free you to initiate and respond appropriately as you engage students and adults. Over time, as trust builds and the relationship matures, you might even be considered an “insider.” That hard-earned access will be a great asset as you work to reach the campus.

Get Started

How will you start? After getting properly introduced to your school, you will become confident. God knows the school and loves the students more than you can comprehend. As you seek Him and get to know your campus through research and initiation, God will lead you. Through the people you meet, the knowledge you gain, and the heart you develop, you will see a clear direction.

Next Step

The campus is the best place to start your introduction. Look up the school’s website. Investigate with a yearbook. Interview students, teachers, parents and youth pastors. Go to a campus event. All of these will introduce you to your campus and set you up for a fruitful campus ministry.

Getting To Know Your Campus Questionnaire

From Grief to Purpose: Finding God in the Storm

Growing up in a Christian home, she always knew about Jesus, but her relationship with Him didn’t feel personal until tragedy struck in eighth grade. Transitioning from homeschooling to public school had already pushed her out of her comfort zone, and anxiety loomed as she struggled to find her place. Then, during the fall of 2020, both her parents contracted COVID. While her mom recovered, her dad’s condition worsened, leading to months of uncertainty. She vividly remembers the day he left for the hospital and the long, heartbreaking journey that followed. Despite moments of hope, her dad passed away on February 20th, 2021. At just 13 years old, she faced the devastating reality of losing her father—a loss that shook her world and her faith.

In the midst of that grief, she began to see God’s hand at work. During sleepless nights and moments of overwhelming sorrow, God surrounded her with people who cared—friends, family, and a community that embodied His love. Though the pain of loss didn’t disappear, she found comfort in the truth that this life is not the end. Inspired by Paul’s words about eternity, she started to see her father’s passing as a reminder of the hope we have in Christ. That hope spurred her to action. On a family mission trip to Thailand, she met students leading Cru groups at their schools, and the seed was planted to start something similar back home. Despite initial uncertainty, God provided resources, opened doors, and brought others alongside her to launch Cru at her school—a ministry that has been thriving for nearly a year now.

"Anxiety loomed as she struggled to find her place."

Her story is one of resilience, faith, and transformation. Through unimaginable grief, she discovered the depth of God’s love and the strength found in trusting Him. The loss of her dad deepened her desire to share Jesus with others, knowing firsthand how essential His presence is in life’s hardest moments. Cru has given her a platform to do just that—to tell others about the God who redeems brokenness and uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Her journey reminds us that while pain is inevitable, God is sovereign, faithful, and able to bring beauty from ashes.

Next Step

Check out Christina's Story and consider how God might use an international mission in your or another student's life.

christina's story

The Six Milestones Every Student Needs to Grow in Faith

Why These Milestones Matter

If we are not careful, students can float through our ministry without ever taking real steps forward. They might show up every week, but never really grow or take ownership of their faith. Milestones give us a simple, clear map for helping them keep moving. They help us answer the question, “What’s next for this student?” and give students the courage to take that step.

When we guide students from milestone to milestone, we are not just helping them stay involved. We are helping them grow into strong, confident followers of Jesus who are ready to lead and influence others.

Share Christ with a Student Who Doesn’t Know Jesus

Before anything else, a student needs the chance to hear the good news of Jesus in a clear and personal way. This is where it all begins. Many teenagers have never heard the gospel explained in full, even if they have been around church. Take the time to share about God’s love, our need for forgiveness, and the hope we have in Christ. The first step in their journey is not about them sharing their faith — it is about them hearing it for the first time.

Helpful Resources:

Lead a Student Through Their First Follow-Up

When a student says yes to Jesus, it is just the start of something new and exciting. The first follow-up meeting is where you can help them understand what it means to walk with God daily. It is also a chance to build trust and start a discipleship relationship. This step anchors their new faith and helps them grow instead of drifting away.

Helpful Resources:

Help a Student Understand the ministry of the Holy Spirit

Helping students understand the Holy Spirit is a game-changer. Too often, new believers try to live the Christian life in their own strength, and it leaves them frustrated. Teaching them about the Spirit-filled life shows them how to depend on God’s power for both living and sharing their faith. This is when students start to realize that God is not just calling them to do hard things — He is empowering them to actually do them.

Helpful Resources:

GodTools App (go through the Satisfied tool with them)
Holy Spirit Booklet

Holy Spirit Study in Thrive Studies

First Evangelism Experience

Many students have never had the chance to talk about their faith with someone who doesn’t know Jesus. Taking them out to share, whether on campus, at an event, or in the community, changes that. At first, they might feel nervous, but once they see God working through them, it can be life-changing. That moment when a student realizes, “God just used me to help someone understand the gospel” — that is the spark that often leads to a lifetime of ministry.

Helpful Resources:

Challenge to a Cru Training Event

There is something powerful about getting students away from their normal routine and into an environment filled with worship, biblical teaching, and friends who are chasing after Jesus. Conferences give them the space to grow, hear from God, and take big steps of faith. The bus ride there might be full of nerves, but the ride home is usually buzzing with stories of what God did. Over and over again, we have seen students return from these events ready to lead and make a difference.

Helpful Resources:

Conferences Page

Challenge to Spiritual Leadership on Campus

Teenagers are capable of more than they realize. The world constantly challenges them to step up in sports, academics, and clubs, but sometimes the church forgets to ask them to lead in ministry. Giving students real leadership opportunities — leading a Bible study, speaking at a meeting, planning an outreach — unlocks their potential and sets an example for younger students. Over time, this creates a culture where leadership is expected and contagious.

Helpful Resources:

Student Leader Section – GoToTheCampus.com

Wrapping It Up

These milestones are not a checklist to rush through. They are a pathway to help students grow, one step at a time. Every student you know is somewhere on this journey. Your role is to encourage them, challenge them, and walk alongside them as they take the next step. The goal is not just to build a ministry — it is to build students who live on mission for Jesus for the rest of their lives.

Want to dig deeper? Check out our full conversations about the Six Milestones in these YouTube videos.

Next Step

Write down the names of every student in your ministry. Identify their current milestone and decide how you can help them reach the next one.

The Priceless Project: Impacting Girls in Public Schools

The Priceless Project: Impacting Girls in Public Schools

The Priceless Project is a powerful small-group resource designed especially for girls, offering a safe, encouraging space to talk about identity, value, and purpose. It’s already making a difference in public schools, giving students a chance to connect, grow, and be reminded of their worth.

One of its greatest strengths is flexibility. The Priceless Project comes in two versions:

A Bible study version for church, youth group, or Christian school settings
A public school version with the same strong themes but without Scripture references — making it ideal for campuses that might not allow explicitly faith-based content

The public school version can be a great way to get in the door on a campus that’s difficult to access. It allows you to mentor a group of girls who need it, build relationships with them, and meet real emotional and social needs in a way that schools welcome.

Priceless Project

from Emily French

Why use The Priceless Project?

Creates a safe, respectful space for girls to share and be heard
Meets real emotional and social needs in public schools
Builds leadership and peer-to-peer mentoring skills
Easy to use, with free resources and an app for facilitators
Proven track record in schools through partnerships with teachers and administrators

All digital resources are free for Cru. Use the discount code PricelessCru at checkout. All physical books are available for purchase at iampriceless.me.

A free Priceless Project App is also available for Apple and Android — with digital curriculum, playlists, blog posts, and a safe space for facilitators to connect with the girls they lead.

You can learn more, explore the curriculum, and order resources at iampriceless.me.