Different ways to Serve with Cru

Are you passionate about helping teenagers know and follow God? Hopefully, that is why you are reading this article – because you want to join us as we WIN high school students for Christ, BUILD them in their faith, and SEND them to reach others with the gospel in their schools, community, and around the world.

There are many ways to serve with Cru’s High School Ministry, with varying levels of commitment. Here is a brief overview of each way to get involved, with links to find out more.

Conference Volunteer

Hours per week: Per event
Pay: None

Helping at a Cru conference is a great way to experience student ministry, in a variety of roles. As an adult leader, you will spend time with teens and participate in many of the conference activities. You can also help behind the scenes and free up others to spend more time with their students.

You may do some combination of the above.

All adults who work directly with students are required to complete a background check before attending the conference.

How to Apply:

Talk to your leader to see if they would like you to volunteer at a conference.
APPLY HERE.
Fill out the background check form (the link will be emailed to you).
Allow about two weeks for the application process to be completed.

Volunteer

Hours per week: 5-10 +
Pay: None

We love it when people come to check out our ministry and offer occasional help. But to work with our students on a regular, ongoing basis, you will need to become an official volunteer.

You and your Cru team leader will discuss and decide in what capacity you will serve, as well as the time commitment.

Registered Cru volunteers also commit to attending regular volunteer meetings and training sessions as offered by the local team.

Because of the legal and liability issues of working with minors, each Cru volunteer must be thoroughly evaluated via our application process, some interviews, and an official background check. (The local Cru team typically covers the cost of the background check.)

How to Apply:

Discuss with your Cru leader whether you should pursue becoming an official volunteer.
APPLY HERE.
Fill out the background check form. (The link will be emailed to you.)
Allow about two weeks for the application process to be completed.

Note: Some cities offer an Apprentice program for 5-10 weeks with moderate compensation. Speak to your Cru leader to find out more.

Part-Time Field Staff

Hours per week: 10-25 hours per week
Pay: Yes (Raised by you)

A Cru Part-time Field staff (PTFS) member does many of the same things as a full-time staff person. The number of hours is less, and the PT staff person is also expected to spend most of those hours doing field ministry.

Part-time field staff are typically college students or graduates with other employment. It is not ideal as a career, since PTFS do not receive medical or other benefits. However, there is no limit on how long someone can serve as PTFS, as there is for interns.

How to Apply:

Seek guidance from your local Cru staff and other wise counsel. Get a realistic picture of the financial realities of being a part-time staff person.
Go to apply.cru.org to submit your application. You will need to create an Okta account. (This page is the entry point for all Cru missionaries who raise their financial support, including intern, part- and full-time staff.)
Fill out the forms, including the background check application, and choose the people who will complete references for you.
Allow 4-6 weeks for the entire process to be completed.

Devote your best hours to winning, building, and sending high school students, and seeing lives changed for eternity.

Intern

Hours per week: 40+ with a 1-year commitment
Pay: Yes (Raised by you)

A Cru intern is basically a full-time staff person, except with only a one-year commitment. This commitment can be renewed once, for a total service time of two years. After this, the person must join Cru staff (full- or part-time) or pursue other opportunities.

Intern candidates typically apply in winter or early spring, and if accepted, attend a Cru Orientation Weekend in March or April. This weekend includes training in Ministry Partner Development (MPD) and pairs you with a coach. Your coach guides you through the MPD process, aiming for you to report in August or September.

How to Apply:

Seek guidance from your local Cru staff and other wise counsel.
Go to apply.cru.org to submit your application. You will need to create an Okta account.
Fill out the forms, including the background check application, and choose the people who will submit references.
Allow 4-6 weeks for the entire process to be completed.

Full-Time Staff

Hours per week: 40+
Pay: Yes (Raised by you)

For those who want to make the biggest impact for Christ, it is hard to beat being a full-time Cru staff member. Instead of fitting ministry into the gaps in your schedule, you will get to devote your best hours to winning, building, and sending high school students, and seeing lives changed for eternity. You will be part of a team of like-minded leaders, sharpening each other and spurring one another on to maximum ministry impact.

Raising your financial support (which we call “Ministry Partner Development” or “MPD”) can be challenging. But Cru will train you and provide the tools you will need to see success in MPD. If God is calling you to be on Cru staff, we are confident He will enable and equip you to develop your ministry partner team.

As with any important career matter, joining Cru staff is a decision that should be made with much wise counsel, prayer, and having the best and most current information. For starters, we suggest having a cup of coffee with your local Cru staff member and asking for a candid description of what staff life is like.

Then as God enables and leads, pursue the next step(s) in the process, and trust Him to make His will clear – and to provide for you as you step out in faith.

How to Apply:

Seek guidance from your local Cru staff and other wise counsel. Get a clear understanding of the MPD process and what your life would look like on staff.
Go to apply.cru.org to submit your application. You will need to create an Okta account.
Fill out the forms, including the background check application, and choose the people who will submit references.
Allow 6-8 weeks for the entire process to be completed.

Not sure if you are qualified? THIS page describes the qualifications for Cru staff. Visit our New Staff Orientation page for training dates and application deadlines for each.

Are you wrestling with knowing God’s will for your life and career? Here’s an article you may find helpful.

There is no greater adventure than discovering God’s plan for your life and pursuing it with all your heart. If that includes helping reach teenagers with the Good News, then we are here to help you reach your goal and fulfill your dream!

Next Step

Prayerfully consider how God might be calling you to serve middle and high school students, then take a step to discover more about the ministry. Visiting a local Cru ministry or volunteering for a conference can give you a good idea of what it would be like to join us.

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!