Tools to Share your Faith

Sometimes doing ministry on campus can be nerve-wracking or difficult. Being confused about where to start, or being nervous to engage with students is nothing new. The good news is there are tools available to help you with your ministry. A tool is something tangible that allows others to get involved and allows you to effectively share the gospel.

We want to be able to start spiritual conversations and share our faith in ways that are easily understood. A good tool helps make this possible.

Here is how a tool can help…

It allows open conversation about their thoughts as you share the gospel.
It helps people remember what you say.
It helps others listen and follow along.
It is transferable so when you share it with someone, they could easily share it with someone else.

Below are some key tools that we use to reach students with the gospel. Just like anything else, using a tool to share the gospel can be awkward or difficult at first, but with practice, it may become your favorite way to share your faith!

Our Favorite Tools

Connecting With God

The Four Spiritual Laws booklet has been redesigned for students and is called “Connecting With God.” It has been proven to be an effective tool for sharing the gospel. This booklet shows them their need to CONNECT with God. The booklet is designed so that after you talk through it with your friend, they can take it home, look it over, and then share it with someone else.

Buy Connecting with God

God Tools

The GodTools app is like a Swiss army knife for evangelism. It has a number of great tools for any situation. You can choose a tool in the app to walk someone through a clear explanation of the gospel, learn how to start a spiritual conversation, or teach them about the Holy Spirit. Choose from multiple languages in a variety of tools. It is right on your phone and is easily shareable.

Learn How to use God Tools
Download the God Tools App

Soularium

Soularium provides an easy way to start conversations to help people identify where they are in their spiritual journey. They are a standard deck of cards with a different picture on each card. You ask simple questions like, “Which picture best represents how you feel about your day today?” As you listen and share your answers as well, you are able to ask more and more spiritual questions.

Once the student is drawn into the conversation and expresses spiritual interest, you can share the gospel with them. One way to do this is to share your personal story, followed by either the “Connecting With God” booklet or on your phone with the”Knowing God Personally” tab in the GodTools app.

These cards can also double as playing cards and are great icebreakers for your small group or any occasion.

Get Soularium Cards
Download the Soularium App

Just like anything else, using a tool to share the gospel can be awkward or difficult at first, but with practice it may become your favorite way to share your faith!

More Ways to Share Your Faith

THE FOUR Bracelets

These wristbands with four simple icons representing the four points of the gospel are a great way to share your faith. The four symbols are a heart (God loves you), a division symbol (sin separates you from God), a cross (Jesus rescues you), and a question mark (will you trust Jesus?). They are an easy way for students to express their faith and start conversations.

Buy the FOUR bracelets
Watch the videos at THEFOUR.COM

Falling Plates

Falling Plates is a short film about life, death, and the love of a Savior. It is a fantastic conversation starter and a great way to help a student think more deeply about what Jesus could mean to them.

Watch the Falling Plates video

Made To Thrive

Made to Thrive is a Gospel conversation tool that will help you connect with students’ anxieties and help them see how following Jesus satisfies their deepest longings for an abundant, restorative, and eternal life.

This resource was developed in partnership between Cru and the Resolution Movement of Josh McDowell Ministry.

Buy the Made to Thrive Evangelistic Booklet
Use the free Slideshow for groups (designed in Canva)

Choose a tool that is helpful for your context, and use it in faith! Check out this article about Preparing Yourself for Spiritual Conversations, which will help give you confidence as you step out in faith!

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15.

Next Step

Choose a tool that is helpful for your context, and use it with a friend this week!

Evangelism

This article is part of the Evangelism Collection. Read the rest of these articles to get an even better understanding of how to share your faith with students.

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.