Elijah’s Cru Newsletter #2 - What I Do as a Cru Campus Ministry Staff

Dear friends and supporters,

It's been five months since I joined Cru as a full-time staff member with the campus ministry team, focusing on NUS. In this newsletter, I want to share some updates from the past few months, delve into what a campus ministry staff does at Cru, and explain why our mission is vital.

Cru's campus ministry exists to help fulfil the Great Commission by winning, building, and sending Christ-centered campus disciples who are empowered by the Holy Spirit into the world. In simpler terms: Win, Build, Send!

Here's a glimpse of what's been happening over the past year during my time as a campus ministry staff:

Winning

One of the most significant areas of growth for me at Cru has been developing a heart for evangelism. As someone who is typically reserved and quiet, especially around strangers, initiating spiritual conversations has always been intimidating. Although I have my reservations about traditional "street evangelism," particularly at NUS, my heart towards evangelism has been softened. I am inspired by the passion of some NUS Cru students who boldly share their faith by genuinely engaging with those around them.

In mid-February, NUS Cru collaborated with Varsity Christian Fellowship (VCF) for NUS MOSAic, a cultural showcase organised by the NUS Office of Student Affairs. While NUS restricts proselytising on campus, this event allowed us to share aspects of the Christian faith. NUS Cru and VCF students created "Choose Your Adventure" stories, such as journeying through the life of Ruth. An "Ask Me Anything" board was also available for students to pose questions about the faith.

The response was positive! Interested non-Christian students engaged in conversations about Christianity, with questions ranging from theological to relational. During this event, I witnessed my team supervisor, Qingwen, lead a student to invite Christ into his life—a student who had just started attending church with a Christian friend but had not yet committed to following Christ.

Experiences like these reaffirm the importance of Christian fellowship groups like Cru on campus. Many students who are curious about Christianity may never have had the opportunity to engage with the faith before. But being in university provides a unique time for such exploration.

Building

People often ask what my week-to-week schedule looks like as part of Cru's campus ministry. A key aspect of discipleship-making is weekly Discipleship Groups (DGs)—gatherings of 3–6 students from the same academic year, to nurture them to become disciple-makers themselves.

Additionally, we encourage Cru students to be movement builders on campus. In response to a student's desire for intentional prayer, a bi-weekly Prayer & Intercession Gathering (P&IG) was established in NUS Cru to pray over pertinent topics, such as mental health, student salvation, and rest.

This year, we've seen nearly double the number of NUS students attending P&IGs. It's been inspiring to watch their faith grow through prayer, as shared visions and testimonies uplift the community.

Throughout the semester, we also organise gatherings, events, and lessons to build community, equip students, and win others to the faith. Here are some highlights from the past academic year:

Sending

What sets Cru's campus ministry apart is the opportunity for students to engage in cross-cultural mission trips during their breaks, known as "Beyond Borders" (BB) trips. These trips allow students to partner with our overseas Cru counterparts to reach students in local universities.

This summer, two NUS Cru students are embarking on BB trips to Taiwan (May 14-28) and Japan (June 5-14) during their summer break!

Having participated in a BB trip to Korea during my internship last year, I know firsthand how transformative these experiences can be. Students return with greater confidence in sharing their faith, a deeper understanding of reaching people where they are, and renewed leadership and service skills.

Cru also aims to empower students to win, build, and send as they transition to the workforce. We have events such as SENT to help students navigate the intersection of faith and work after graduation.

Support

I am incredibly grateful for the generous donors who have supported me, allowing me to serve full-time with Cru these past five months. Thank you to everyone who has partnered with me in this ministry.

My current support level is sufficient to cover my full salary for one more month. I am currently facing a 48% deficit in my monthly required support and need to raise an additional $2000 per month. I'm seeking 40 ministry partners to contribute $50 each per month, or 20 partners at $100 each.

Every contribution, whether one-time or ongoing, greatly aids the work I'm doing with Cru and the campus ministry at NUS to reach and disciple students for Christ. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions—support-raising was new to me too, and I'm happy to share my insights and experiences.

What's Next!

There's much more in store for NUS Cru campus ministry in the upcoming academic year. Expect to hear more about our renewed vision, plans, and how you can get involved in the next newsletter! Feel free to join my Telegram Channel where I’ll be posting regular updates: https://t.me/+FIoPJBMaJ1BkNzZl.

Please continue to keep me in your prayers. If you have any questions or prayer requests, don't hesitate to reach out via my number (+65 92470981) or email (elijahgan@cru.org.sg).

Thank you for reading and being a part of this ministry!