60 years!

We're still in Fort Collins, CO participating in our U.S. national staff conference.  2011 marks Campus Crusade's 60th anniversary and last night we had the privilege of taking a look back at how it all got started. One of the first people to come to Christ through Campus Crusade was a special guest at our main session. She shared about how Vonette Bright (co-founder of CCC) had met with her after an outreach event at her sorority at UCLA and shared the gospel with her.  She remembered precisely the day in December 1952 that she had come to know Christ.  She went on to spend 20+ years working with her husband as a medical missionary in Brazil with the Presbyterian church.  I had tears in my eyes as I thought of the legacy Vonette had begun in Nancy's life...and that each of us can begin in a life when we trust the Spirit to speak the good news of the gospel through us.

They also introduced the new staff who joined with Campus Crusade this summer and last summer.  It was incredible to see them streaming onto the stage and down the aisles of Moby Arena at Colorado State.  Such a joy to welcome the 'new' generation of staff into the ministry and to think on all that God has in store for them as they trust Him.

Finally, I just wanted to share a bit more about the name change.  Check out this link to see short video clips sharing the heart behind our name change from our president, Steve Douglass; Vonette Bright, co-founder of CCC; Steve Sellers, VP of the ministry in North America & Oceania; and Mark Gauthier, executive director of the U.S. campus ministry.

Matt and I are excited about the doors that will be opened due to changing our name to Cru.  Every campus we've worked on in the U.S. has been using Cru as a name for years due to the connotations associated with the word 'crusade'. We're also hopeful that the name Cru will open doors to spiritual conversations as we get to define its meaning through how we live our lives and share about Christ and our ministry.  Know that nothing about our mission or doctrinal statement has changed.  As a campus ministry we are as committed as ever to reaching students with the good news of Christ and seeking to do our part to fulfill the Great Commission that Christ set before us in Matthew 28.

We're grateful for your partnership as we take this important step forward!