Made for More

Students worship during the Orlando FastBreak Conference.

Nearly 200 students attended the Florida FastBreak – Cru’s weekend winter conference for teens. Middle and high school students from Atlanta, Orlando, and Tampa represented 16 schools and joined 40+ volunteers (including one of our sons!) to be reminded that they are “Made for More”.

High School students are bombarded with voices promising fulfillment – voices that instead kill, steal, and destroy. But there is One Voice which provides an abundant life. 

One student now experiencing this abundant life is a high school senior named Jacob*. When he was younger, Jacob knew there was a God but didn’t know or understand him. He couldn’t “connect with scripture in a way that led me to God or could truly fill my heart.”

In early high school, Jacob thought football would fill the hole in his heart. I poured everything into football – hoping the effort, the wins, and the recognition would be enough.” But the empty feeling remained. Eventually, Jacob let his teammates lead him away from God and he started experimenting with drugs.

Persistent friends invited Jacob to last year’s FastBreak. He finally agreed to attend and met Jesus. Transformed, Jacob told his parents about his addiction. He knew this would cost him freedom at home, but would also lead to real freedom. “I realized I had been trying to fill a God-sized hole with things that would never fill it.”

Jacob isn’t perfect, but he knows that Jesus didn’t wait for him to be perfect before loving him. Jacob realized God gave him this story to encourage others. Jacob shared his story at this year’s FastBreak. He was made to tell others about the hero of his story!

Thank you for partnering with us as we enable evangelism and discipleship around the world. We are grateful to be a part of what God is doing.

* Name changed for privacy.

Posted in Conference, Evangelism, high school | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pocket-sized Gospel Tools

Women in Kenya practice sharing the gospel using the GodTools app.

Omari* in Tanzania loved sharing the gospel face-to-face. But time and travel costs often stood in his way. He longed for a better way to share the gospel with more people.

This past September, Omari attended a digital outreach training with 14 others to learn how to reach others online. He learned simple, practical ways to share the gospel and discovered a digital tool called “GodTools” (a collection of gospel presentations and helps found at godtoolsapp.com).

During a day of outreach, Omari shared the gospel with nearly 50 people and five began to follow Jesus. Among them was Zaydun*, a young man of Muslim background whose hunger for God encouraged Omari as he helped these new believers grow.

Three weeks later, Omari organized a training at his church, mobilizing 22 people to share their faith. Over the next three days, 17 people chose to follow Jesus. Through Omari and the GodTools app, doors are opening where the gospel felt out of reach.

A ministry leader in Kenya who is also using GodTools says, “We were sharing the gospel in a remote area of Kenya. Network coverage was low, spiritual resources were limited, and many people had never received clear teaching about salvation. Using GodTools, I shared the Gospel in a simple, visual, and powerful way. The clarity of the tool made the message accessible to everyone present—young and old. I was reminded how technology can become a bridge for the Holy Spirit’s work. GodTools has strengthened our mission, empowered new digital missionaries, and opened doors to conversations that would not have happened otherwise.”

Thank you for partnering with us as we enable evangelism and discipleship around the world. We are grateful to be a part of what God is doing.

Posted in Discipleship, Evangelism, international | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Campus Full Circle

Students use Perspective Banners to discuss how they view foundational questions about the world.

Meet Emma*. Emma is an atheist student at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. She recently stumbled upon a Cru display of Perspective Banners set up to engage students about their worldviews. On this cool November day she walked from one banner to the next, warming to the idea of believing in God.

The last banner read: Who is Jesus? Emma said she had no idea. “Have you ever learned about him?” a Cru staff member asked. She hadn’t. “Read the Gospel of John. As you read, ask the question What is Jesus like? At the end you’ll have met him,” suggested the staff member. Emma’s eyes lit up. “My friend has a Bible! I’ll borrow hers!” she said. 

Emma hurried into the student union to her friend Sophia*, who happened to be reading her Bible. “Give me your Bible!” Emma demanded. “I need it!” 

Meet Sophia*. Sophia is a sophomore who recently gave her life to Christ after growing up with a Muslim dad and Christian mom. She had prayed God would give her Christian friends at college. Befuddled by Emma’s interruption, Sophia wandered outside and spied big, colorful banners. She rushed over when she saw the last one: “Who is Jesus?”

Meet Olivia*. Olivia is a young Cru student leader new to sharing about her faith in Jesus. When Sophia asked about all the banners, Olivia gathered her courage and told her about Cru and the importance of having a relationship with God. Sophia almost leaped. “You’re who I need!” Sophia said. She talked with Olivia for 30 minutes, not wanting to leave.

God was at work that day, drawing Emma to himself and caring for both Sophia and Olivia. Sophia has connected with Cru and continues to share her faith with her roommate Emma. Olivia points to the day with banners as a turning point in her walk with Jesus.

Thank you for partnering with us as we enable evangelism and discipleship around the world. We are grateful to be a part of what God is doing.

Posted in Campus, College Transition, Discipleship, Evangelism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment