Finding Opportunities to Share the Gospel: 3 Effective Strategies

In our lives, it can be easy to see only the superficial things going on around us. People around us may seem happy and fine going through life without Jesus. In reality, everyone is hurting and broken, desperate for a drink of water from the fountain of living water (see John 7:37-39). God puts us in relationships with others so we can help them come to know Jesus. How can we find more opportunities to share the gospel with others in our everyday lives? Here are three steps to help.

Make a "Top 5" List

Prayer often can be reserved for before meals and on Sundays at church. But prayer is so much more than that! God longs to be in a relationship with the lost people around you, and your prayer on their behalf is absolutely vital for them to begin a relationship with God. Take some time right now to make a note on your phone or your calendar listing the people around you who are not in a relationship with God, or who have drifted in their faith. Start with your “Top 5” people who you wish would encounter Jesus in a real way.

Example “Top 5”

Jack Smith – a friend from school
Adrian Rogers – cousin on mom’s side
Julie Fredrickson – friend’s mom
Jaylen Hodges – friend on your football team
Drew Johnson – the guy you sit by in math

Pray for all 5 of them by name, daily, and wait for God to open up an opportunity to talk with them! If God brings a specific person to mind, do not dismiss that as your own mind playing tricks on you. Reach out to them to see how they are doing, and set up a time to meet up. You do not have to keep your list at just 5 people–some people have made a list of everyone in their class, or their whole dorm floor at college, or everyone in their family who does not know Jesus. The main thing is to lift real people up in prayer, and then listen.

Listen and Be Prepared to Act

People all around you are hurting, lonely, and desperate for connection. It is a difficult reality that depression, anxiety, and suicide rates are way up. You do not have to hang out with people for too long to see that real things are going on in people’s lives, and they have no idea what to do with their hurt and confusion.

Here is a quick reminder that in order to hear what is going on in others’ lives, you actually have to be around them, with headphones off, willing to talk! Simply showing care and empathy by listening to what is going on in your friends’ lives is an amazing way to open the door to the hope of Jesus.

As we talked about in How to Turn a Conversation to Christ, the gospel is the one antidote to a million ailments. Often, people will share something that is weighing on their hearts with you, and after you empathize with them, you can share how Jesus helped you with a similar situation in your own life. Check out this article for help on how to share your story. If someone shares a need that they have (food, a friend, a warm coat, help on an assignment, a good counselor), step in and help them find what they need. This is a huge way we can help people on their faith journey.

In order to hear what is going on in others’ lives, you actually have to be around them, with headphones off, willing to talk!

Ask Great Questions

Jesus shared the good news in a lot of ways, but one of the main ways he did it was by asking great questions! One thing that almost all humans share is they love to talk about themselves. Another thing most people share is that people rarely ask them questions beyond “What’s up?” or “How are you?” People really want to be listened to without being judged, but likely those around you have never experienced this from a Christian.

We have an amazing chance to help change this sad reality. Get curious about the image bearers of God around you. Become students of them. Ask God to open up your eyes to how interesting the people around you are, and then once you notice things, ask questions! If someone has mentioned something hard that is going on, ask them about it the next time you see them.

Here are some questions to easily start a spiritual conversation:

“Do you consider yourself a truth seeker?”
“Have you ever gone to church?”
“What is your spiritual (or church) background?”
“Have your views on faith and religion changed since you started high school?”
“On what is your philosophy of life-based?”
“What are you living for? What do you value most?”
“Do you think Jesus is relevant to your life?”
“Have you ever read the Bible?”

Check out 99 More Questions here!

Asking the right questions is more art than science. If there is someone in your life who seems to have a knack for asking great questions, spend time with them and pick their brain about it! Cru also has some amazing tools to help you ask the right questions and get to your heart level with people.

Stay Motivated

In the last days, Jesus says that wickedness will increase, and “the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:12-14 NIV). We have a difficult task ahead of us, but we can take hope in the promise of Jesus–that before the end, the gospel will go forth to all nations. Let us work together to hasten the return of Jesus!

Next Step

Create a "top 5" list and begin to pray for them.

1. Do Your Own Thing

If you’d like to gather some friends, share your faith, and build something without any formal ties, just start with the playbook. The Reach Your School Playbook gives you everything you need to get started today.

2. Call Yourself Cru

If you’d like to use the Cru name and logos, and be part of a wider movement beyond just your campus, here’s what that looks like:

	Doing Your Own Thing	Being Called Cru
Use the Cru name and logos	No	Yes
Need a coach to get started	No	Yes
Part of the wider Cru movement	No	Yes
Get ongoing support from Cru staff	No	Yes
Can start today, no waiting	Yes	Still fast — just a call first

"Whichever path you choose, you don’t have to figure it out alone."

How to Get Started

If you want to call yourself Cru, the way to get started is to connect with a coach, that’s how you register your movement. This is separate from anything your own school requires; if your campus has its own club registration process, you’ll still want to check with your school on that too.

A coach is a Cru staff member whose job is to walk alongside you as you get started. Here’s what working with a coach actually looks like from there:

It’s free. No cost involved, no catch.
No pressure. You reach out, someone gets back to you with information and answers your questions, and there’s no commitment required just to ask.
Go at your own pace. You and your coach agree on a rhythm together, whether that’s weekly, every other week, or monthly, usually in calls of about 20 to 30 minutes.
The calls are practical. Your coach checks in on how things are going, helps you work through whatever challenges you’re facing, brainstorms ideas with you, and prays for you.
Real experience backs it up. Coaches have spent years working directly with students, teachers, and other volunteers on campuses like yours.
You get resources. Training and tools to help you lead with confidence, even if this is your first time.
It fits around your life. Coaches build their availability around your schedule.

Through it all, you’re helping students hear about Jesus, grow in their faith, and go on to reach others too. And whether you’re the student or the adult in this story, you stay the one leading it. Your coach walks alongside you; the coach doesn’t take it over.

Check Out the Playbook

Whichever path you choose, the Reach Your School Playbook is worth having in hand. It walks you through four simple steps — DREAM, PRAY, GO, GROW — for building something that reaches your school.

Download the Reach Your School Playbook

Whichever path you choose, don’t wait until everything feels figured out. Gather a few friends, open the Playbook, or send that first email to a coach. The important thing is that you start. Somewhere out there, a student at your school is waiting for someone to notice them, and that someone could be you.

Next Step

Ready to call yourself Cru? Reach out to the Coaching Center today: Email coachingcenter@cru.org and say, “I’d like to have a coach please!” Or call 1-877-GO-CAMPUS

Campus Ministry Toolkit: Skills and Tools to Reach your School

As you learn to reach your school, there are some key ministry skills that will make a big difference. These are things every Christian student can grow in and you don’t have to be perfect to get started. We also have some great tools to help you take your next step. With a little courage and the right resources, you’ll be amazed how God can use you in your school.

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.

Preparing Yourself for Spiritual Conversations (article): A short guide to help you get ready to talk about your faith with friends.
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.

“Your story could be the reason someone takes a step toward Jesus.”

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.

How to Follow up a New Christian (article): Simple steps to help you know what to say and do after someone decides to follow Jesus.
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

Comment Cards
- PDF
- Editable Version
Meeting Schedule Planner
- PDF
- Editable Version
Who’s In Your World?
- PDF
- Editable Version
Outreach Resources
- Team Outreach Sample Schedule
- Other Outreach tools
Cru Logos, fonts, and Colors

Some Great Websites You Don't Want To Miss

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.

The Reach Your School Playbook

You can reach your school. We can help.

You’ve probably looked around your campus and thought, someone should do something. What if that someone is you?

The Reach Your School Playbook is a simple, practical guide that helps you make the first move. It’s short, clear, and built to move you forward, not a long manual you’ll never finish. Whether you’re a student ready to lead or an adult wanting to come alongside one, this is your starting point.

Download the Playbook PDF for free
Playbook Appendix Content (our toolkit)

You can actually do this

Most people never start, not because they don’t care, but because they feel stuck. Where do I even begin? What if no one shows up?

The Playbook clears that away. It gives you a path so you can stop overthinking and start doing. You don’t need a perfect plan or all the answers. You don’t have to be the popular kid or have it all together. You just need a first step, and a little courage.

And the friends you’re thinking about right now matter. You might be the one who helps them find Jesus.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Take the first step.

A simple path to follow

The Playbook walks you through four clear steps, each one designed to help you take action:

Dream — Start with a vision for your school and what God could do there.
Pray — Learn to pray for your campus in real, meaningful ways.
Go — Take action, gather a team, and begin reaching people.
Grow — Build a group that develops leaders and multiplies.

It might start with a single conversation at lunch, or a few friends praying before class. You don’t have to guess what comes next. It’s right there in front of you.

Made for students, helpful for adults

The Playbook is written first for students, because we believe teenagers can lead and make a real impact at their school. But if you’re a parent, teacher, youth leader, or volunteer, you’re not on the sidelines. There’s a whole section just for you, whether you’re supporting a student who’s leading or stepping out to start something yourself.

Students lead. Adults support. Everyone moves forward together.

"Students lead. Adults support. Everyone moves forward together."

You’re not on your own

Starting something can feel intimidating. But you don’t have to figure it out alone. The Playbook connects you to tools, coaching, and a bigger movement of people doing the same thing. Take one step, and you’ll find support along the way.