The Miller Runner

A Plentiful Harvest

Posted on November 1, 2023 by Nate Miller

Students at **Towson University** learn more about Cru and fill out spiritual interest surveys.

Would you help us with a quick five question spiritual interest survey?” Cru staff members on college campuses ask this question frequently during the first few weeks of the fall semester. Surveys help them quickly find spiritually interested students.

Through a survey, Cordelia, a Baltimore Cru staff member, met Fiyinfoluwa, a first-generation immigrant from Nigeria. She grew up in a strict church where she was judged harshly. She wasn’t interested in attending church, but she wanted to know God. She tried to find Bible studies about God on TikTok.

Cordelia asked, “Do you feel like you have to have your stuff together to be in relationship with God?” “Yes,” replied Fiyinfoluwa, “I have always felt like I don’t measure up but I keep trying.”

“Jesus wants you just as you are, right now!” interjected Cordelia, “That’s why he went to the cross!” Cordelia explained the gospel, and Fiyinfoluwa prayed to receive Jesus.

Camille, a sophomore athlete in Northwest Wisconsin, attended a Cru weekly meeting with a teammate. She indicated she wanted more information about a relationship with Jesus.

After hearing the gospel, Camille was asked, “Are you ready to begin a relationship with Jesus and receive Him as your Savior and Lord?” “Yes! Let’s do it!” she exclaimed.

At South Dakota State fifteen students indicated they had begun a relationship with Jesus at the first Cru weekly meeting. Another fifteen wanted to learn more about Jesus.

Students at Texas A&M and Clemson University also began relationships with Jesus this fall. Jesus knows each of them by name.

Thank you for partnering with us as we serve behind the scenes. With you, we are grateful to be a part of what God is doing. We are thankful for you!

Posted in Campus, College Transition, Evangelism, Freshmen | Tagged Campus, evangelism, share faith, students | Leave a comment

One day at Clemson…

Posted on September 22, 2023 by Nate Miller

Cru students enjoy Spikeball^TM at Clemson. Luke is on the right.

College students are returning to campuses around the country. Cru staff members seek to meet these returning students in many ways: they play sports, host meetings, take surveys, and go to lunch with them. Matt, a staff member at Clemson University, recently had a full afternoon.

First Matt met Dawson and Henry for lunch. Dawson leads Clemson Cru’s Greek Life ministry and is the chaplain for his fraternity. Henry is a fraternity buddy who has seen Matt consistently live out his faith.

Over lunch Henry explained that he felt empty and was trying out different philosophies and spiritual practices. This past spring his twenty-four-year-old cousin died from a drug overdose. This past summer, Henry explored Christianity by reading Mere Christianity and More than a Carpenter.

As Matt explained the gospel, Henry’s eyes widened. “Oh wow!” he said multiple times. Over lunch, Henry placed his faith in Jesus. Dawson saw the fruit of months of walking with Jesus!

Matt then met another student, Luke, a junior interested in Cru.

Luke’s family occasionally attended church, and he didn’t prioritize his faith when he first arrived on campus. This fall he sensed the need for change. Luke knew about Jesus, but hadn’t committed his life to Jesus. After hearing the gospel, Luke also placed his faith in Jesus!

God worked through Matt that afternoon at Clemson. He’s working on college campuses all around the United States and the world.

Thank you for partnering with us as we serve behind the scenes. With you, we are grateful to be a part of what God is doing. We are thankful for you!

Posted in Campus, College Transition, Discipleship, Evangelism, Freshmen | Tagged Campus, conversations, evangelism, share faith, students, training | Leave a comment

Student Missions Impact World

Posted on August 23, 2023 by Nate Miller

A Cru Summer Mission team poses at the Lanyon Building at Queen’s University in Belfast, Ireland.

They traveled to Panama; Osaka, Japan; Traverse City, Michigan; North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; and hundreds of other locations around the world. They are high school and college students sharing the gospel on Cru Summer Mission trips.

Forty-four Cru college students spent the summer in North Myrtle Beach and saw 164 people trust Jesus.

Drew, a Cru student at North Myrtle Beach, approached a couple sitting at a picnic bench. It soon became clear that neither had a spiritual background. Nevertheless, they wanted to hear what Drew believed. Drew explained the gospel and they both decided to follow Jesus!

Meanwhile, in the difficult gospel soil of Japan, God worked miracles. During lunch on the team’s first day at Kansai University Yuri, a student asked, “Are you foreigners?” He was the president of the 400-member international club on campus. Through Yuri, the team met and shared the gospel with over fifty students. Yuri never expressed interest in Jesus. Nevertheless, Jesus used him. Jesus can use anyone and anything for His purposes, even among the second largest unreached people group in the world!

Cru college students on the Traverse City Summer Mission created a July 4th outreach event. This event was planned by two of the youngest believers on the mission trip. Young believers leading others to reach people for Jesus!

Fifteen high school students traveled to Panama. In one week, they shared the gospel with over 140 Panamanian students in three high schools. They also led two college students to Jesus.

Cru Summer Mission Trips changed lives around the world this past summer. You helped make this possible. We are grateful for you!