How does Cru help students?

We’ve all been there. You’re walking into a new setting and experiencing something for the first time. It could be a new church, a new job, or a new social environment. Your mind is working overtime, taking everything in, and asking some very fundamental questions: Who’s here? What is this place all about? What exactly do they do here? And how can I participate?

If you’re new to the High School Ministry of Cru, you may be asking yourself these same questions. Hopefully, this article will begin to provide some answers and paint a rough picture of who we are, what we do, and how you, or others, can be involved.

The High School Ministry of Cru is just one part of the larger international ministry of Cru. Founded in 1951, Cru has thousands of staff and volunteers serving a variety of audiences in nearly 200 nations worldwide. It is our desire that everyone would know someone who truly follows Jesus, so we lovingly share Jesus with people all around the globe and equip them to share Jesus with others in their lives.

Cru is passionate about helping high school and middle school students know and follow Jesus. We want to see every student on every campus have the opportunity to hear the good news of God’s love available to them through Jesus, and we believe that fellow students are the best people to share that good news with their peers! Our hope is to see transformed students taking Jesus to every teenager, anywhere, by all means!

Cru local teams serve high school and middle school campuses in their community. Each movement may vary slightly as local teams seek to creatively and effectively serve and reach their campus. But there are a few things that will be true of our movements, wherever you go. So, what can you expect?

Campus Communities

Students live, learn, play, and relate in their campus ecosystem. It is within this space that they are forming their ideas, values, relationships, and identities. We seek to bring Jesus into their world by creating small communities of students on or near their school campus where students can be themselves, develop genuine relationships, and grow socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Every student is looking for a place to belong, to be known and loved, and we seek to provide students with a community to do just that. These are safe spaces for teens to interact with their peers, as well as with caring adult staff and volunteers.

Conferences

Something special happens when students step away from their day-to-day lives, beyond their comfort zones, and are challenged in their faith. Cru provides a variety of weekend or week-long conferences for students. At these events, students can participate in worship, Biblical teaching, team-building, leadership development, and personal challenges to help them grow in their faith and as leaders on their campuses. These conferences typically provide personalized “tracks” for students that are geared specifically to their needs and goals. Our conferences are great places for students to create lifelong memories, connect with the Lord in unique ways, and experience a major boost in their spiritual growth.

Mission Trips

Each spring and summer, we send several short term mission teams to join in Jesus’ work of taking the gospel to the world. We offer a variety of domestic and international mission opportunities that last from 1-4 weeks. These trips challenge and equip students to share their faith while experiencing rich community, trusting the Lord, and in many cases exploring a new culture. These mission opportunities often provide profound and lasting benefits in the lives of students who participate.

For students nearing high school graduation, Cru also provides a nine month Gap Year program. Students who participate receive high level evangelism and leadership training and are able to practically apply it in a variety of international mission settings. The gap year can be a great opportunity for those students who have not entirely decided about their college path, those who are considering full-time vocational ministry, as well as those who simply want to gain some unique and rewarding life experience before proceeding to the next season of their lives.

Our hope is to see transformed students taking Jesus to every teenager, anywhere, by all means!

Tools

With decades of experience, we have developed some great tools that can help a student or volunteer begin to share Jesus more effectively with teens, and help them grow in their faith. These tools include a series of simple and relevant Bible studies called Thrive studies, great outreach tools like Soularium, and resources such as the Launch Box for starting a new movement on a campus.

Hopefully, you are beginning to develop a basic understanding of the High School Ministry of Cru, what we do, and how students can participate. Each of the opportunities mentioned above is designed to provide students with an environment in which to grow socially, spiritually, and as leaders in their communities. With hundreds of staff serving teens across the nation and around the world, there may be a Cru movement near you.

More Info for Adults Interested in Joining the Mission of Cru

Are you interested in serving with a local Cru movement? Curious about what opportunities exist for you? We strive for local movements to be student-led and adult supported. As teens develop the skills, experience, and confidence necessary to lead, the presence of consistent, caring adults can be especially critical. These adults can be Cru staff, volunteers, teachers, coaches, administrators, or parents. Our ministry thrives when adult leaders are committed to ensuring teens hear about and experience the love of Jesus.

If you are interested in supporting an existing high school movement of Cru, or perhaps even launching a new movement where none currently exists, we would love to hear from you. There are millions of teenagers around the world primed to respond to the gospel and ready to grow in their faith. Perhaps God is calling you to help see that happen. Click here to learn more about how you can join with us in seeing that every teenager knows someone who truly follows Jesus.

Next Step

What is your greatest ministry need? Follow the links in the article above to explore how a Cru resource or tool can meet that need.

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.