CRU @ UK
Campus Crusade for Christ was started by Bill and Vonette Bright on the campus of UCLA in 1951. They met students on campus in every type of setting to simply engage those students with the message of the Gospel. Others joined them on staff and the ministry expanded to other campuses. In 1967, the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ was launched at the University of Kentucky. Since then, staff and students have been praying for the campus, seeking out opportunities to share His story, and give every student of the "Big Blue Nation" the chance to hear and respond to the Gospel. We exist to live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in word and deed, on our campus, in our city, and in the world.
On Our Campus
Students gathering on a Friday night to spend 3 hours praying for the campus. Our staff team gathering at 1 on Monday afternoon to do evangelistic outreach on campus. Our students doing the same on Friday afternoons. We have a weekly meeting at 7:30 on Thursday nights and small groups that gather on other nights. These are some of the means by which we aim to challenge and change the spiritual climate at UK.
In Our Community
It's very easy to remain busy and focused on the task at hand on the campus. However, we are beginning to seek out how we can engage in the larger community. We know there are many needs in the city which our students can help meet, but we are just now finding ways to partner with churches and other campus organizations to meet those needs. The last two years many of us have been involved with FUSION - "For Unity and Service In Our Neighborhoods - a UK sponsored event. This vision segment speaks to our desire to help meet the physical needs of people in such a way that we are afforded the opportunity to meet spiritual needs as well.
In The World
This has alway's been the design of Campus Crusade for Christ as students accepted Christ, matured in their faith, and then encouraged to be sent out. Charles Malik, past president of the United Nations assembly said it this way: "The university is a clear-cut fulcrum with which to move the world. More potently than by any other means, change the university and you change the world." In the last 15 years, students from the University of Kentucky have proclaimed the Gospel in Russia, Belarus, New Zealand, East Asia, and our current partnership, Central Asia. Staff and students have gone on 1 week vision trips, 6 week short-term trips, year long STINT trips and even made commitments to stay long-term in some locations. We desire that our movement raise up Christ-centered laborers with Great Commission mindsets.
We fulfill the vision statement while holding dear five core values.
BOLDNESS: God calls us to sacrifice our comfort, reputation, and selfish ambition for the sake of the Gospel
AUTHENTICITY: Experiencing the Gospel in a way that we develop genuine relationships with God and others
DEPENDENCE: Strengthened from the truth of Scripture, the power of the Holy Spirit and fellowship with others.
GROWTH: An ever growing and deepening intimacy with Christ that transforms the culture of campus
EXPECTANCY: Attitudes and actions which reflect God's desire and ability to change lives
