Why Go To The Campus?

If you want to reach students, go where students are.

It’s simple, but strategic. And it’s how Jesus operated—meeting people where they lived, worked, and gathered. He didn’t build a building and wait. He walked into their world. If we want to introduce teenagers to Jesus, we should do the same.

That’s why we go to the campus.

The Campus Is Where Students Are

Roughly 95% of teenagers in your city show up at a public middle or high school every day. That’s more than any youth group, church, or community program will ever reach.
Students spend a huge chunk of their lives at school, six to eight hours a day. It’s where they learn, stress, scroll, dream, and figure out who they’re becoming. It’s where their friendships are formed and their decisions are shaped. If we’re serious about reaching the next generation, we need to show up in the place that defines most of their daily life.

Students Are Spiritually Open

The teenage years are one of the most spiritually open windows in a person’s life. According to research, about 75% of people who follow Jesus make that decision before the age of 18.

High school and middle school students are already wrestling with big questions: Who am I? What do I believe? What matters? These questions don’t wait for a church service. They show up in the cafeteria, in DMs, during study hall, and on the walk home. What if we were present when those questions hit?

“If you want to reach students, go where students are.”

We Don’t Wait for Students to Come to Us

The truth is, most spiritually curious students aren’t waking up on Sunday morning and walking into your church. They’re not checking your event calendar or signing up for your retreat. If we want to reach students who don’t yet know Jesus, we have to go to them.

Some schools allow caring, vetted adults to volunteer on campus. Others might open doors through tutoring, mentoring, or leading a club. If the school is closed, the parking lot may not be. The football bleachers might be full. The coffee shop down the street might be where students land after school. We don’t force a method—we follow the mission.

The Campus Multiplies Your Impact

Reaching a student often leads to reaching their circle. Teenagers are highly social. They travel in packs. Influence one, and you’re often opening a door to five more. And because students still live at home, reaching one student may also introduce Jesus to an entire family.

The school is more than just a mission field, it’s a network. As students grow in their faith, they invite others into it. They bring friends. They start groups. They reach back into their world in a way no adult ever could. That’s how movements start. Not from the outside in, but from the inside out.

The Campus Is the Heart of the Community

When you serve a school, you serve the community. Teachers notice. Administrators talk. Families take note. The ripple effect of a consistent, caring presence on campus can change the tone of a whole school—and even the neighborhoods around it.

So Why Go to the Campus?

Because it’s where they are.

Because they’re open.

Because they matter.

Because Jesus went first.

Let’s not build a ministry and hope they show up. Let’s go where God is already at work—right in the middle of their everyday lives.

Next Step

Go to your local high school's website. Learn about the campus and what kinds of groups are available for students. Find the school calendar and decide on a public event to go to - like a football game or school play. Getting your feet on the campus will help you begin to connect to and care for the students there.

Starting Spiritual Conversations

Bringing up spiritual topics can be hard, but it’s one of the most important steps in reaching your friends. If no one starts the conversation, most students will never talk about their faith.

Solarium: A deck of picture cards to help you start conversations about life and God.

Sharing Your Testimony

Your story matters. Sharing what God has done in your life can open hearts and help others realize that faith is personal and real.

How to Share Your Story (article): A step-by-step guide to help you talk about how Jesus has changed your life.

Sharing Your Faith

The gospel is powerful and your friends need to hear it. Learning how to clearly explain the message of Jesus is a huge step in making your faith your own and helping others follow Him.

How to Share the Gospel (article): a step-by-step guide to help you share the gospel with a friend.
Connecting with God Booklet: A short, simple booklet you can read through with a friend to explain how they can know Christ.
The Four Wristband: A wearable tool with four simple symbols to help you talk about God’s love and how to receive Christ.
GodTools App: A free app with interactive ways to share your faith in different languages and styles.

“You don’t have to be perfect to start reaching your school.”

Following Up a New Believer

When someone accepts Christ, they need help knowing what to do next. Helping a new believer grow in their faith is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

Thrive Studies App: Includes the START series—four Bible studies for new believers.

Leading a Small Group

Small groups are a powerful way to build community and help students grow. If you can lead a good conversation, you can lead a small group.

Thrive Studies App: Includes dozens of studies on real-life topics and built-in leader training.

Campus Ministry Training

Reaching students on your campus is one of the most strategic ways to share your faith. Learning a few simple principles can help you start conversations, gather students, and take steps toward building a movement at your school.

Campus Training Videos – Short, practical videos to help you learn how to reach students on your high school campus. These eight trainings cover key topics like meeting students, starting conversations, sharing your faith, and taking simple steps to build a movement.

Other helpful tools

Everystudent.com: articles to help students learn about faith
Gotothecampus.com: ministry training and tools to help you grow your ministry

Next Step

Pick one tool and take a step this week to start a conversation or gather a few friends.

Ask a Coach – Tips from an Expert

Starting a ministry on your campus is an exciting step, but it can also raise a lot of questions. What should you do first? How do you find students who are interested? What if your group is small or things do not go the way you expected?

This is where a coach can help. A campus ministry coach is someone who has experience helping students and leaders start and grow ministries on high school campuses. They listen to what you are facing, help you think through wise next steps, and connect you with helpful tools and resources along the way.

Throughout the Reach Your School Playbook, you will see short insights from coaches who have spent years helping students reach their campuses. This page gathers more of those tips in one place so you can learn from their experience and keep moving forward.

Below are practical coaching tips from leaders who have walked this road before. As you read, look for what applies to your situation right now and take your next step. You can get your own coach by emailing us at coachingcenter@cru.org. We’d love to help.

Starting a ministry on your campus can feel overwhelming, but you do not have to figure it out alone.

Coaching Tips

Ask a few non-Christian friends how they would respond to your ideas, then process those same questions with Christian friends to sharpen your thinking.

Evangelism is the engine of your ministry, and helping students influence others is how you build future leaders.

You don’t have to figure this out alone, there are people with experience who would love to help you gather students and get the word out.

You have rights on campus, learn them, then live them out with confidence.

Many people are looking for something bigger than themselves, so give them a vision worth joining.

You may be walking past someone God is preparing, start a conversation and see what He does.

Pray Scripture, if God says it, you can pray it, and keep prayers short so more people can participate.

Invite a coach to join your team early, it will help you move faster and avoid common mistakes.

Use the tools available to you, there are helpful resources for sponsors, leaders, and teams if you ask.

When meeting with school leaders, bring others with you so it’s clear you’re building something together.

Be curious, kind, helpful, and bold, those four traits open doors.

Work with your school, not against it, staff can often help you more than you expect.

Teams help you reach more people, save time, and build momentum.

If your school allows non-curricular clubs, they must allow a Christian club too.

Use tools and visuals that help people remember and apply what they learn.

Create environments people actually want to be part of, whether on campus or off.

Use social media, simple graphics, and personal invites, everyone plays a role in getting the word out.

Have a clear process for identifying and developing student leaders.

Work within school expectations for roles, but organize your team in a way that actually helps you function.

Start outreach where you already have relationships, teams, clubs, and shared interests.

Use response cards or forms to follow up, gather feedback, and invite people into next steps.

If God is nudging you to take a step, go for it, but bring others with you.

Parents can be powerful allies, don’t be afraid to involve them.

Always have a next step ready so you can invite people while they’re still engaged.

Next Step

Do you have any questions for our coaches? If so, ask your question here, or request a coach for your ministry by emailing us at coachingcenter@cru.org!