The other half

Lately, I’ve been deep in the weeds of Cru’s HR reorganization.  This is the largest organization-wide change Cru has ever initiated. I’m leading the change management efforts (you have heard that most change efforts fail, right?).  It’s challenging and kind of fun, in a way!

A small team I’m on recently mapped every person’s job in Cru.  We found that about 50% of staff are doing direct ministry roles that win, build and send Christ centered multiplying disciples, or jobs that help others do direct ministry. 

So what do the other half do?  Take a look at how "dthe other half” makes ministry possible.

Sasha,* a young man in Central Asia, comes from a clan of warriors deeply hostile to Christians. In the region where he lives, it is dangerous even to talk about Jesus. Ministry in places like this requires more than courage—it requires wisdom, preparation, and unique approaches.

Trained workers in Sasha’s country have turned to the internet to reach everyone, everywhere. They post social media ads guiding people to short films addressing common feelings of loneliness and inadequacy. These efforts depend on intentional planning, financial stewardship, technology infrastructure, and ongoing support—areas where the “other half” plays a vital role. 

Sasha saw one of the ads and clicked. He watched segments of JESUS and had to know more. Through secure communication channels and careful coordination, he was able to connect with the believers behind the ads and eventually drove five hours to meet them in person.

As Sasha met with them and again heard the Word of God in his heart language, he understood and believed. His life was changed.

When Sasha returned home and shared what had happened, the cost was immediate. His well-known “fighting” clan treated him as a traitor and severely beat him. Yet Sasha would not renounce Jesus.

Sasha returned to the group that had introduced him to Christ. With consistent care, discipleship, and stability—made possible through “the other half” jobs, —he is growing in his faith and healing. He is now determined to see his entire family delivered from the kingdom of darkness.

Stories like Sasha’s remind us that “the other half” jobs are not separate from ministry; it is ministry—ensuring resources are stewarded well, systems function smoothly, and care is available when it’s needed most. When “the other half” is strong, the field is freer to move boldly and wisely.

When you pray and give, you are partnering in this work, Thank you for standing with us.

With gratitude,

Remember the Transformation of our headquarters I led starting in 2020?  The last part of that was finished today when we dedicated the new multipurpose gym/ministry space in what was our warehouse.  This will be used for staff recreation as well as ministry as we bring in teams from the community. It was really great seeing it finished!

40 Years with Cru!

 

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  Matthew 9:36-38

We made a stop in the DIY video studio

Legacia 2026

There have been 6 Winter Conferences with Cru in January where thousands of students gathered to grow in their faith and learn to share Christ with others.  The conference in Orlando was for Destino, Cru’s ministry with Hispanic students.  I spoke with them briefly to talk about investing their talents in helping people know Jesus, and gave them a quick tour around our HQ. 

40 Years with Cru

February 1  marked our 40th year with Cru.  When we think about what it takes to make this long in ministry, it feels like a miracle.  The idea that we set off at 23 years old saying that we want to reach students for Christ, and then make it through 40 years of the emotional, spiritual and financial challenges of ministry, raise 5 children, send them to college and somehow still stay married seems kind of unbelievable, but here we are!

What is equally amazing is that for some of our partners, this year also marks 40 years journeying with us.  Our friends started with us in Ohio, more joined from Minnesota, and even last month some newer friends we’ve met have joined our team. Thank you for being part of this miracle.  

Believe me.  We have many flaws, but we are grateful God has chosen to use us to help people come to know Jesus.

 

Thank you for standing with us. With love, 

Quick updates:

• Dayna and I had our 40th wedding anniversary on December 21, and we plan to celebrate in March with a trip, just the two of us!

• We had the whole family+ together for a weekend in January.  It was fun and packed!

• Please continue to pray for Catelin. She has some skin complications that are concerning.

Let's start a new year

"If 2025 were a drink, it would be a colonoscopy prep." 

Last year had its challenges, for sure, so we are glad to be onto a new year!

Our own candlelight Christmas Eve service!

As a quick update, Catelin's recovery is going as expected.  Today she is 4 weeks into her recovery and yesterday at her PT appointment all her concerns were answered with, "That's normal."

This Friday night Cara's family from California will join us and I've counted...we will have 13 people in our house! We are really looking forward to having everyone together.

As we step into a new year, we want to pause and reflect on some of the ways God was at work in 2025.  We have a couple of fun stories, and some graphs that illustrate how God is working through Cru's campus ministry.

Disney World, Orlando, FL

Did you know that Cru has a ministry team dedicated to reaching the thousands of college-aged young adults who work at Disney World? It’s a unique mission field—and God is at work there. Here’s one story from that team.

Jia* (name changed) moved from East Asia to the West Coast of the United States. After arriving, she connected with a Cru staff member who faithfully met with her for two years—planting and watering seeds of faith. When Jia later shared that she would be moving to Orlando to work at Disney, that same staff member connected her with Cru’s Disney ministry team.

Although Jia was open to exploring Jesus, her spiritual conversations had never gone very deep. Then one evening at a hot pot restaurant, she shared honestly, “I don’t know how to connect with God. I’m trying, but I can’t.” One of the Cru staff members present asked, “Can we share with you how?”

For two hours, crowded together on one restaurant bench, they shared how only Jesus can restore our honor and relationship with God. Jia read the prayer from Honor Restored (a version of the Four Spiritual Laws) first in her own language, and then again out loud in English. When asked if she meant it, she replied, “Yes!”—and everyone broke into tears of joy.

“I’m so emotional,” Jia said, “and I think it’s because I’m feeling God’s love.” Praise God for bringing Jia on this long journey—from Asia, to the western United States, to Orlando—where she began her relationship with Jesus.

The Gambia

The Gambia is a nation that is 97% Muslim. Last year, Cru celebrated 35 years of ministry in The Gambia. Here’s one powerful story from that work.

One day, a woman named Aisha* (name changed) walked wearily home to her village when she came across a rare public showing of the JESUS film. She stopped in surprise—the film was being shown in Jola, her mother tongue. Hearing her own language, Aisha sat down to watch and listen.

The message was revolutionary: God loved her. Jesus is the Son of God. He died for her, offering forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Aisha went home, prayed, and received Christ—becoming a new creation.

Now she faced a difficult step: telling her husband, Omar. In her culture, becoming a Christian is considered a betrayal. Omar listened quietly, then responded unexpectedly: “If you choose to be a Christian, I want to listen to what you heard.”

They found one of the Cru team members, who showed the JESUS film to Omar in private. He too was deeply moved by the truth of the gospel and placed his faith in Christ.

Aisha soon began traveling from house to house, showing the JESUS film on a video tablet she had been given. In this highly resistant context, she has planted 15 churches and continues to grow in faith and influence.

U.S. Campus Ministry

Finally, you may have heard reports that young people in the United States are more spiritually open than they have been in recent history—and those reports are true! Here are three graphs that illustrate this growing spiritual hunger.

The yellow line in the graph above shows the exponential growth in students who hear the gospel through personal evangelism and then indicate a decision to follow Jesus.

This chart shows that the percentage of students who hear the gospel and respond by choosing to follow Jesus has steadily increased over the past five years.

Another indicator of spiritual interest is retreat attendance. This fall’s weekend retreats saw the highest attendance in recent history. Registrations for our Winter Conferences—some happening right now—are also up. 

These numbers reflect lives changed and impacted by the gospel.  This four minute video highlights the long term impact that Cru has had on students' lives well after they leave college.

Thank you for your faithful partnership. We can't be here without you.  We are deeply grateful for you, and we pray the Lord’s blessing on you as we begin 2026!