Create a Ministry Plan

You want to start a ministry on a local campus. You’ve done your homework and gotten to know your campus, and now want to put that information to good use and see what God will do through a campus ministry.

Whether you’re a teacher sponsor for a campus club, a student leader with a heart for your school, or a youth pastor desiring to impact a local campus, you’ll need to define your vision, consider your ministry resources, and put a plan in place.

What is your Vision?

When you think about your future ministry, what do you see? What do you imagine that excites you? Do you see students coming to faith in Christ? growing in their faith? sharing their faith with other students? impacting the campus for their good and God’s glory? forming strong relationships with one another and supporting one another in the faith?

If you are just starting, you may want to consider one thing you want to see this first semester. For example, you’d love to see a group of student leaders coming together to pray for their campus weekly or encourage one another as a small group Bible study. Vision is helpful because it gives us the place we want to end up, but it also informs our first steps. And sometimes God gives a broader vision as we move forward.

What Resources do you have?

As you’ve investigated the campus, God has shown you that He has been at work even before you were, calling others to join you and providing resources to make the vision a reality.

What student leaders and adult volunteers are ready to come alongside you to impact the campus? Is the campus open to a club or is a local church ready to host your campus ministry? Lay out God’s provisions and move on to the next step – formulate a plan.

Let's make a Plan

A starting plan needs to have two elements.

Who will you plan with and when will you meet to have regular planning times?
For example, will you meet once a semester with a few student leaders to plan out the semester? Or once a month with a leadership team comprised of students and adults to plan a month at a time? It’s up to you how you do it, but planning and giving students leadership is the first step in leading a ministry.
What will be the centerpiece or main element of your ministry?
Will a student Bible Study be your main emphasis to start or a campus club meeting, will it be a weekly meeting to gather new students? In your plan, you’ll want to put in the basics such as when you’ll meet and where. And you’ll also want to decide what you’ll do when you meet, and who will lead the time together. Remember the vision! What main element will help you reach your vision?

"When you think about your future ministry, what do you see? What do you imagine that excites you?"

After you get these primary elements in motion, you might consider these options as your ministry grows:

Prayer can involve adults such as Moms In Prayer as well as student prayer. Ideally, your ministry will be undergirded in personal and corporate prayer from the beginning, but you can add opportunities for students to grow in prayer. Several options are:
- Concerts of Prayer
- Prayer Triplets
- Prayer experiences
Outreach once a semester or once a month, provide an opportunity for students to hear the gospel and make a decision for Christ. It also shows our students the importance of sharing their faith and gives them the opportunity to lead others to Christ. Check out our articles on putting on a Large Group Outreach for more on this.
Bible Study offered regularly gives students the spiritual food they need to grow in their faith. Cru has developed the Thrive Studies that provide students and volunteers with all they need to teach God’s Word.
Community-builders are important to help students connect relationally and form solid friendships that will help them live out their faith in everyday life. Service projects and socials are great ways to build community.
Conferences/Retreats offer time away from everyday pressures to invest in getting to know God. God often works mightily in students’ lives in camp environments. Even a day-long retreat can be useful if you don’t have the resources for an overnight retreat. Cru has conferences twice a year that might work for your students.

Planning Tools

The difficult thing about planning is taking your big vision, and making it practical with decisions about when to meet, what you’ll do, and who is responsible for what. We’ve created some tools to help you turn your vision into reality.

Ministry Planning Sheet [PDF] [Google Doc]
This is your starting point. It will help you lay out your vision and resources and plan by semester with an evaluation between semesters.

Semester Schedules [PDF] [Google Doc]
We’ve created a form you can use to plan your own semester schedule. This is a great place to write down your plans for the semester and share it with your team. We’ve even filled a few in to help you get started and to give you an idea of what’s possible (one for a weekly meeting schedule, another for a small group schedule with monthly outreach meetings). These forms are just starting points for you. You will need to adjust the dates, change the column names and make whatever changes will best serve you and your ministry. Each tab has a different schedule.

Mapping Your Campus Worksheet [PDF]
This form will help you brainstorm the different groups on campus and consider how to reach out to them. Doing this at the beginning of the year with your leaders will help you know what your next best outreach steps are.

Planning your ministry well won’t solve all of your problems but it will help you get everyone on the same page, help you feel less stressed about the year, and give you great next steps to move your movement forward.

Helpful Principles

As you plan your ministry, consider these ministry principles:

Sow broadly

It can be easy to focus on a few students that you gather at the beginning, but continue to consider other groups you can reach into. The biblical principle of sowing broadly will result in greater visibility, more students involved, and greater campus impact.

Share your faith

As with sowing broadly, sharing your faith will infuse energy and faith into your movement. Students will be challenged to step out in faith and encouraged as they see God use them to have significant conversations with others. Not only will your students grow in faith, but you will see students respond to the gospel and get involved in your movement!

Empower students to lead

We repeatedly hear students say they are thankful to hear from their peers rather than adults. As well, a diversity of student leadership provides for a well-rounded ministry and prevents one or two students from carrying the load. Student ownership results in a more dynamic ministry as students diligently promote and invest in projects they own.

Partner with the community

Involving the community gives visibility to your ministry, provides resources such as prayer, manpower and finances, and helps you network with other believers. Some ideas for community involvement include speakers, meeting refreshments, volunteers, and event partnerships.

Go to the campus

You may start small, but as you grow and have the resources, a diversified ministry offers students a multitude of benefits. Small groups provide for community, accountability and growth. Large group events provide visibility and momentum. Prayer undergirds your whole ministry and teaches students that God is the builder and we are his helpers.

Next Step

Gather student leaders, define your vision, and make a plan to get there using the tools provided in this article.

Sample Outreach Schedule

Mingling and refreshments
Welcome (3 minutes)
Campus ministry overview from the emcee (3 minutes)
Icebreaker: Famous Couples game (10 minutes)
Dating Game (20 to 30 minutes)
Student testimony with a relationship theme (4 minutes)
Relationship talk and gospel presentation (15 to 20 minutes max)
Comment cards (7 minutes)
Announcements (2 minutes)
Refreshments and hanging out (no set time)

The key is intentional planning with a relaxed atmosphere.

Game 1: Famous Couples

Choose an even number of participants and prepare a list of famous couples ahead of time, such as Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia or Romeo and Juliet. Write each name on a 3×5 card and as students enter, tape the name of one character on their back without letting them see it.

Each student may ask up to three yes or no questions per person to figure out who they are. They must also take turns answering questions when asked. The goal is to discover their identity and find their matching partner as quickly as possible. Continue until everyone is matched.

Game 2: The Dating Game

If you don’t have a lot of couples for this game, you could call it the “Best Friend Test” and have them do best friends instead. However, considering this party is about romantic relationships it is obviously better to have romantic couples playing.

This game is similar to the Best Friend Test you’ve probably seen on TikTok or shows like The Circle, or the old Newlywed game. (If you haven’t seen them, check them out). One person answers questions first, then their partner tries to guess what they said.

One partner leaves the room while the questions are asked. The partners in the room write the answers down. Then they come back, hear the same questions, and try to match their partner’s answers. Each correct match earns a point. The pair with the most points wins a prize.

The questions are light, funny, and all about how well you actually know the other person.

Dating Game Questions

For the girls (guys leave the room):

Which ice cream flavor best describes your relationship right now: Vanilla, Rocky Road, Peaches and Cream, or Tutti Frutti?
On your first date, which animal was he most like: Turtle, Kitten, Tiger, or Octopus?
How long have you been going out?
What is the most sentimental gift he has given you?

For the guys (girls leave the room):

Which Disney character would she say best describes you: Mickey Mouse, The Beast, Goofy, or Winnie the Pooh?
What song is “your song”?
What did you do on your first date?
What is her favorite perfume?
Which Valentine’s gift would she most like: candy, flowers, or a kiss?
What outfit is she wearing right now?

Optional non-gender questions

What is their go-to fast food order?
What song would they put on if they needed a hype boost?
What stresses them out faster than it should?
If they had a free day, how would they spend it?

What is something they are secretly really good at?

While relationships matter deeply to us, they also expose one of our biggest fears, the fear of not being truly loved.

Relationship Talk

Overview

The relationship talk should be short, clear, and serve as a natural bridge to the gospel. Valentine’s Day provides an easy entry point into the idea that everyone is searching for love and meaningful relationships, yet few of us have good models of what lasting love looks like.

This talk introduces the idea that there is a kind of love that lasts, a love that does not depend on performance or appearance, and that love is found in God.

Introduction

Begin with a funny or embarrassing dating story to lower defenses and help students relate.

The Talk

Relationships take a lot of time and energy, whether with parents, friends, coworkers, or romantic partners. While relationships matter deeply to us, they also expose one of our biggest fears, the fear of not being truly loved.

Psychologists often describe our greatest need as the need to love and be loved. At the same time, our greatest fear is that if people really knew us, they would reject us. Because of this, many of us wear masks and show only what we think others want to see.

Even people who care about us deeply can disappoint or reject us when we do not meet their expectations. That pain leaves us asking what real love actually looks like.

There are three common types of love people experience:

“I love you if…” love, which is conditional on behavior.
“I love you because…” love, which is based on appearance, popularity, or performance.
“I love you, period.” love, which is unconditional and unchanging.

What we truly long for is the third kind of love.

One Who Loves No Matter What

That kind of love exists, and it comes from God. God loves people for who they are, not for how they perform or what they offer. He invites us into a real relationship with Him where His love is constant and secure.

From here, transition clearly into the gospel and explain how students can have a relationship with God and experience His unconditional love.

If you’re not sure how to share the gospel, learn how to HERE

Comment Cards

Use a comment card to collect name, address, phone number, school, and grade. Include simple response options for students who received Christ, want more information, or want to get involved with your campus ministry.

Next Step

Plan your Valentine’s Day outreach early and involve student leaders in every step so more students can experience authentic relationships and hear the gospel in a welcoming environment.

Partnering with Other Ministries to Reach Your Campus

Groups like Cru, Young Life, and FCA each have their own strengths and strategies. Students connect with them for different reasons—it’s not “one size fits all.” We love and respect every group that’s helping students know Jesus. We’re on the same team, not in competition.

Here are a few ministries we often serve alongside:

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) – Students gather in “huddles” led by coaches, giving athletes a chance to live out their faith through the sports they love.
Young Life – Leaders invest deeply in relationships, earning the right to be heard before sharing the gospel.
Church Youth Groups – Churches are a vital part of every community. Many youth leaders volunteer at schools or visit during lunch to connect with students. Cru isn’t a church—we partner with local churches to help students get plugged in.
Christian Clubs – Many campuses have Christian Clubs focused on prayer, fellowship, and Bible study. They’re often inward-facing rather than outreach-focused.

Cru’s Approach

We share Christ as soon as we have the chance, then build a network of small group Bible studies. We train students to share their faith—through group outreaches, personal conversations, and larger gatherings.

Why This Matters on Your Campus

When you are starting or growing a ministry, ask, “Who is already here?” Sometimes a group has been serving for years. Sometimes no one is reaching that school yet. Often there is room for more than one group to thrive because no single ministry connects with every student.

If another group is already present, the best move is to connect. Grab coffee with their leader, ask questions, learn what has been working, and listen for their challenges. Your posture matters. Come in as an ally, not a rival.

“We’re not in competition; we’re on the same team.”

Stepping Onto a Campus With Other Ministries

If you launch Cru where another ministry exists, remember these things:

Speak well of them in front of students.
Avoid scheduling conflicts when possible.
Focus on students they are not already reaching.
Be willing to partner for events or outreaches.

The goal is not to win students to your ministry. The goal is to help them grow in Jesus.

How to Start the Conversation

Approaching another leader can feel awkward. Keep it simple:

Ask how their group is doing at that school.
Learn which students they connect with best.
Share your heart for students and where Cru could help.
Look for ways to collaborate rather than compete.

You may be surprised how often these conversations lead to friendship and partnership.

A Simple Way to Explain Cru

When someone asks what Cru is about, you can say:

Cru is a network of student disciples who see their school as a mission field. We help students grow in their faith through small groups, training conferences, and mission opportunities locally and around the world.

When it comes down to it, no single ministry can reach every student—but together, we can make a much greater impact. Each group brings unique strengths, connections, and opportunities to the table. By cheering each other on, looking for ways to partner, and sharing a heart for teenagers to know and follow Jesus, we multiply our effectiveness. When ministries work side by side instead of in separate lanes, schools see more of Christ’s love, more students hear the gospel, and more lives are transformed for eternity.

Next Step

Reach out to a local campus ministry leader this week and start a conversation about partnering together.

Sydney’s Story

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.