Why Should I Volunteer with Cru?

I was just out of college and looking for a place to serve. I found myself at a ministry fair where different ministries were sharing about their missions. I stumbled across a table that was for a Cru ministry reaching high school students and I asked, “Can high school students really become multiplying disciples?”

Their answer was a resounding, “Yes!” And in front of me stood living proof, a young lady named Beth. She had just graduated from high school in Phoenix, AZ, and was enrolled in some ministry training classes. As we talked, her spiritual maturity and love for Jesus were evident.

I came away from that encounter wondering what would have happened if someone had discipled me in high school? I surely would have avoided a lot of sin and heartache and maybe made an impact for Christ on my friends.

So, I joined Cru in reaching teenagers. It has been an exciting and inspiring journey to work with high school students. It did not take me long to learn these three things about high school students: they are HUNGRY, NEEDY, and INFLUENTIAL.

Teenagers Are HUNGRY

Whether working with students in the suburbs of Orange County or the inner city of Long Beach, I have observed teenagers really want to know God. They may not know that they want to know God, as they search for meaning in relationships, achievement, sports, and other activities. But when they hear a clear gospel presentation, many are eager to say “Yes” to Jesus.

Sadly, this hunger does not last their whole life. The Barna Association continues to report that 75% of all people who choose to follow Jesus, do so before age 18. As youth leaders have been saying for years, “Teenagers are like wet cement, waiting for someone to come and make an impression on them.” For many, the cement hardens soon after their high school years, adding great urgency to our calling. Teenagers need trusted adults and caring peers to enter into their lives while they are still hungry for what the gospel offers. Who will tell them about Jesus?

Teenagers Are NEEDY

Teenagers were searching for love and acceptance when Cru was founded in 1951, and they are still doing so today. They are entering an age when they are beginning to be influenced less by their parents and more by their peers and the world around them. They are looking for a place to belong and are trying to figure out who they are in a world that is more than happy to answer that question for them.

Teens desperately seek acceptance through social media, and they despair when their peers do not affirm them — or worse, mock and bully them. Fewer and fewer young people grow up in stable homes or have healthy adults in their lives who will guide them and encourage them. This generation is experiencing a mental health crisis with no end in sight.

On top of all that, teenagers know less and less about Jesus and the Bible than any generation in American history. The very person they most need (Jesus) is the One they know the least about. They are dying of thirst while the Source of living water is right next to them. They need someone to tell them the good news. Who will tell them?

Teenagers need trusted adults and caring peers to enter into their lives while they are still hungry for what the gospel offers. Who will tell them about Jesus?

Teenagers Are INFLUENTIAL

Although the world is still largely run by adults, we see teens and young adults in places of surprising influence:

Greta Thunberg
Swedish environmental activist who appeared on the cover of “Time Magazine” as its “Person of the Year” — at age 16
Billie Eilish
Singer who has sold 41.5 million digital singles and 5 million albums, according to RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America)
Amanda Gordon
National Youth Poet Laureate, who spoke so eloquently at the inauguration of President Biden, has become a social justice advocate ,and has already announced her plans to run for president in 2036 (the first year she’ll be eligible)

Chances are, the young men and women we meet will not become as famous as these young superstars. But when we reach them and disciple them to “do all that (Jesus) has commanded,” they can reach others and have an influence that echoes throughout eternity.

Students today are sharing the gospel with their friends in person and on social media. They are leading, teaching, and serving in ways that draw anyone watching to take a second look at Jesus and His claims. They are leading small group Bible studies, doing outreaches with their friends, and going on international mission trips to tell others about Jesus. But they need guidance and encouragement. Who will come alongside them to help them direct their influence toward Christ?

So teenagers are hungry, needy, and influential. They need caring adults and peers to step into their lives, love them, and show them the hope that Jesus offers. On the public high school campus, we have an amazing opportunity to see almost all (92%) of the teenagers in any community in the same place for four years of their lives. There is no other place in society where every person in a community of a certain age group is in the same place. And it happens to be when they are also the most spiritually open in their lives. This is a sweet spot of opportunity that we cannot ignore. Who will enter their world?

One of America’s greatest evangelists, named Dwight L. Moody, recognized the importance of investing in the younger generation. He once said, “If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!” It is too late for him to do that, but we invite you to join us and invest your time in reaching teenagers near you. It is an investment you will never regret and it will pay dividends throughout eternity.

“If I could relive my life, I would devote my entire ministry to reaching children for God!”

-Dwight L. Moody

If God has placed America’s 15 million high school students on your heart, I urge you to pursue that interest and experience for yourself the great joy and eternal reward of winning, building, and sending teenagers for Christ.

Learn about working with Cru

Next Step

Want to learn more? Check out the article Different Ways to Serve with Cru or our website to explore how you can join us in reaching middle and high school students with the gospel.

Different Ways to Serve with Cru our website

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.