We are a ministry of Cru, an international evangelical mission organization. Each of those descriptors likely means something to you, for better or for worse.
All of our staff personally hold to theological commitments in line with our organization. Those personal commitments bind us as an organization. Traditional, orthodox Christian beliefs are at the core of the Cru movement. We hold to the essential claims of the Christian heritage including the birth, life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have no ties to any one particular denomination, but work instead in cooperation with many local churches to aid the spiritual development of young men and women.
Each of the staff ultimately chose Cru as a vehicle for living out our core commitment to do what Jesus instructed us to do: “to make disciples of all nations… teaching them to observe all I have commanded…” (Matthew 28:18-20)
We have intentionally chosen here and in our communities a posture of conversation, listening, journeying together, and being able to disagree amicably. Jesus wins people to himself. We winsomely bear witness. We desire that our leadership will foster in others both our belief and our posture.
This isn’t meant to be a ploy, or a “strategy,” or a cover to avoid saying hard things. It is meant to live in the tension of belief and followership with other human beings, and to love others, even our enemies. We think this gives us even greater freedom to say what we believe to be “true” things, without coercion or power.
We hope you will experience what we have found to be the very best of Cru -- both the same in some ways, and very different. We hope our communities will serve as a front porch to Jesus’ Kingdom, without walls, where people of all backgrounds and persuasions are welcomed to taste and see that the Lord is good.
We serve the Church at large -- the multidenominational, multinational, multilingual, diverse Body of Christ. In that service, we teach from our own beliefs and convictions, honest about the limits of our own knowing and grateful for and dependent on other voices.
Over time, we expect that students will narrow and hone their own beliefs and convictions and will associate with others in local churches with mutual commitments. Each of our staff belong to local churches and we encourage student engagement. Our communities are about bridge-building across those boundaries on the campus, with a heart for those who find themselves outside, but wanting to love Jesus.