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.

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.

Made for Students, Helpful for Adults

This Playbook is designed first for students. It helps you take ownership, lead your friends, and build something that actually reaches your school.

At the same time, if you’re an adult, youth leader, parent, or volunteer, this gives you a clear way to come alongside students without taking over.

Students lead
Adults support
Everyone moves forward together

Why Most People Don’t Start

A lot of students never take the first step. Not because they don’t care, but because they feel stuck.

“Where do I even begin?”
“What if no one shows up?”
“How do I get others involved?”

Uncertainty can keep people from moving. This Playbook breaks that barrier. It gives you a clear path so you can stop overthinking and start doing.

What This Helps You Do

This isn’t just ideas sitting on a page. It’s a practical guide you can actually use right now.

With the Playbook, you can:

Start something meaningful, even if you’re on your own
Gather a few friends and build momentum
Share your faith in natural, real ways
Lead with confidence, even if you’ve never led before
Build something that lasts beyond you

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You just need a place to start.

“Start where you are, use what you have, take the first step.”

A Simple Path to Follow

The Playbook walks you through five clear steps. Each one is simple, practical, and designed to help you take action.

DREAM: Start with a vision for your school and what God could do there
PRAY: Learn how 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
SEND: Help others step out and reach their friends too

You don’t have to guess what to do next. It’s right there in front of you.

Built to Be Used, Not Just Read

This isn’t a long manual you’ll never finish. It’s short. It’s simple. It’s designed to move you forward.

Easy to read
Clear next steps
Real examples
Space to think and act

You can go through it on your own, or walk through it with a couple of friends. Adults can use it to guide conversations and help students take ownership.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Starting something can feel intimidating. But you’re not on your own. The Playbook connects you to tools, coaching, and a bigger movement of people who are doing the same thing. Take one step, and you’ll find support along the way.

Start Today

You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need a first step.

Next Step

Download the Playbook with the button above and walk through the first section this week with a friend!

Comment Cards 101: Capture Interest, Build Relationships

Why Comment Cards Matter

The most important thing you do in ministry isn’t running events, it’s building relationships. Big gatherings are great, but they aren’t personal. Comment cards help you bridge that gap. They give students a simple way to raise their hand and say:

“I’m interested”
“I want to get involved”
“I want to talk”
“I made a decision”

A comment card is more than a form. It’s a filter. The event gathers the crowd, but the comment cards reveal the ones who are ready. Instead of guessing who’s interested, students tell you. And that’s what allows you to follow up personally and meaningfully.

Download Comment Cards

Tip: Start simple. You can always customize later.

Physical vs. Digital Comment Cards

You can collect information digitally, but physical cards still win.

Physical Cards

Higher response rate
Easier to complete in the moment
No distractions
Feels more intentional

Digital Options

Students are less likely to fill them out
Distractions
Technical glitches

Digital can work, but many ministries find they get about half the responses compared to physical cards. Even in a digital world, physical cards often get better results. If you want the most responses, go physical first.

“The card isn’t the win, the conversation is.”

How to Use Comment Cards

1. Pass Them Out at the Right Moment
Usually at the end of a meeting or outreach, when interest is highest.

2. Give Everyone a Pen or Pencil
Don’t assume students have one. They won’t.

3. Walk Through the Card Together
This is huge. Once everyone has a card, read each section out loud and guide them:

“Write your name here”
“Check this if you want to get involved”
“Check this if you prayed to receive Christ”

If you don’t do this, students rush through and check random boxes.

4. Give Them Time to Complete It
Pause. Let them actually fill it out.

5. Collect Them Immediately
Don’t leave it optional or vague.

Use Incentives to Increase Response

Want more cards turned in? Use prizes.

Gift cards
Snacks
Fast food coupons
Free merch

Tell them:
“Turn in your card, we’ll draw for prizes.”

It works. A simple prize can double your response rate.

Best Practices That Make a Big Difference

Use cardstock
Regular paper tears or gets ruined. Cardstock holds up better.

Keep it simple
Too many options overwhelm students.

Look through cards immediately
Scan for:

Students who want to get involved
Spiritual decisions
Urgent needs

If possible, connect with them before they leave the meeting. The best practice is to follow up within 24–48 hours. After that, interest fades fast. So if. you can talk with them before they leave and set up a time to connect again in the next day or so, you will get your best results.

Turning Cards Into Conversations

A comment card is just the beginning. The goal isn’t collecting information. The goal is connection. Use what they checked to guide your follow-up:

Grab lunch
Meet after school
Start a Bible study
Have a gospel conversation

Final Thought

Comment cards can feel like a small detail, but they might be one of the most important things you do at an event. They help you move from a crowd, to a conversation, to a changed life.

Next Step

Download a comment card and use it at your next meeting.

Student Leader Application and Covenant

Strong student leadership doesn’t happen by accident.

Whether you’re a student leading your peers or an adult supporting a movement, clarity around leadership can make a huge difference. These simple documents are designed to help you communicate expectations, invite the right students in, and build a healthy leadership culture.

They’re optional tools for any campus movement, not requirements, but many teams find them incredibly helpful.

Student Leadership Application

This application is a simple way for students to express interest in leadership and for you to get to know them better. It creates space for students to share their story, their faith, and why they want to lead. It also helps ensure they understand the purpose and message of your ministry before stepping into a leadership role.

Leaders often use this as a starting point for conversations, discernment, and development, not just as a form to collect.

Student Leadership (Editable Document)
Student Leadership Application (PDF)

“Great leadership starts with clarity, not assumptions.”

Model Student Covenant

This covenant helps define what it means to be a student leader in your group. It clearly communicates expectations, both in character and commitment, and gives students a chance to step in with understanding and ownership. Because it’s customizable, you can adapt it to fit your local context, adding practical expectations that make sense for your team.

Many leaders use this as part of training or onboarding, helping students not just say “yes” to leadership, but understand what they’re saying yes to.

Model Student Covenant (Editable Document)

Next Step

Review these documents and choose one to use with your leadership team this semester: