In celebration: How the Lord used Cru to impact our lives.

Cru turns 75 years old this Fall.  We thought it would be an appropriate opportunity to share how Cru impacted us in our early stages.

As a student at Butler University, I (Leslie) attended Cru’s weekly meetings and went on a spring break trip where I shared my faith for the first time. Discipled by staff, I co-led a freshman Bible study. Cru was key in laying a spiritual foundation, though after college I pursued my dream of elementary teaching.

Four years later, three major events led me to a yearlong internship with Cru. God had so much in store (1 Cor. 2:9). I loved equipping and discipling women, which led to calling me into full-time vocational ministry with Cru.

As a freshman at Bradley University, a Cru staff member asked me (Mike) when I last shared my faith. When I said I was too shy, he shared 2 Timothy 1:7 ("God has not given us a spirit of timidity..."). That moment showed me how Scripture practically applies to daily life.

By my sophomore year, I stopped striving in my own effort. On a spring break trip in Daytona Beach, my roommate and I spoke with a student who decided to accept Christ. Despite feeling inadequate, God used me—sparking a lifelong desire to share His message.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for the weighty load Mike is carrying in this intense season. The Lord’s wisdom as he trains and equips staff in their new roles.
• For the Lord to grow and transform new staff’s hearts during the Faith & Finance 6-week class Leslie is co-leading.
• The Lord’s wisdom as we face one of our son’s need for a serious surgery in the near future.

The World Cup is Here – An Eternal Opportunity in Your Living Room!

Last September, we wrote to you about an unprecedented opportunity to share the light and life of Jesus. Today, we are thrilled to say: the world is officially standing still, and the tournament has begun! Over the course of June and July, an estimated 5 billion people will engage with this global soccer event hosted right here in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

This year feels especially significant as we celebrate 75 years of Cru faithfully helping people take their next step toward Jesus. Since 1951, Cru has been part of reaching people across the globe, and is now impacting lives in over 190 countries. We are stepping into a historic opportunity through a global initiative called Victory Beyond the Cup. Our bold, shared vision is to mobilize 100,000 believers and 10,000 churches to utilize this moment and share the hope of Christ in simple, relational ways.

In our previous letter, we encouraged you to ask the Lord for five people He was putting on your heart. Now is the time to invite those neighbors, co-workers, classmates, and friends into your living room to watch a game. This is not about complex programs; it is about gathering neighbors, building trust, and creating space for conversations that matter for eternity. Your living room is a powerful mission field!

As we launch into this exciting five-week season, would you join us in praying for a few key areas?

• Pray for open doors: With so many gathering around the World Cup, ask that God would create natural opportunities for connection and conversation. Pray that homes would become places of welcome.
• Pray for boldness and clarity: Pray that believers would feel equipped and confident to step into these moments with love and authenticity, and have the ability to clearly share the hope they have in Christ.
• Pray for unity across the Church: Pray that this initiative brings together churches and believers across cities and nations, reflecting the true heart of God.
• Pray for lasting impact: Our hope is not just for conversations during a tournament, but for transformed lives—individuals, families, and communities changed by encountering Jesus.

Let’s trust the Lord to see what He will do through this incredible outreach, as we all play a part in His global mission! To stay informed and access resources for your own micro-outreach, visit: http://www.victorybeyondthecup.com/.

Highlight of the Year

March 31st was a highlight in Leslie’s ministry career.  Five months of planning, praying, and preparing, she and a team crafted a full-day MPD (Ministry Partner Development) workshop for U.S. Capacity.  It is the department Leslie and Mike have served since they moved to Orlando.  U.S. Capacity consists of behind-the-scenes roles that give foundation (think Human resources, technology, communications, operations) to Cru so that staff can share the Gospel.  This full-day workshop wove Leslie’s MPD coaching/coordinator role and wisdom, production (AV, Technology) experience, and event planning.  There were about 150 people from Central Florida who met at Cru Headquarters and 40 who joined remotely from across three time zones (6:30 am for our West Coast staff).  

The morning session began with a leader in Cru who gave a pastoral devotional.  We then dove into table discussions revolving around lies and truths we believe about: Ourselves, Others, MPD, and God.  That was a monumental moment for some of our staff to verbalize deep-seated thoughts.  The afternoon session included times of sharing the latest tools and resources in MPD (ie, how to communicate your ministry) as well as coming up with personal next steps.  The feedback from this full-day workshop was INCREDIBLE!  Staff felt seen in their behind-the-scenes roles, equipped with new tools after being reminded of truths and their calling to serve the Lord.  

• 
  I… equip, mobilize, and send missionaries, who are fully funded and financially faithful, so that lives are changed because of the Gospel.
• I get to be a part of the mission in sending laborers into the harvest for the Gospel.
• I get to be a part of building disciples in their faith and propel them in their trust in the Lord.
• I get to point staff to their identity in Christ.
• I get to remind staff of the importance of their behind-the-scenes roles in the Kingdom.  
• I get to remind staff of their calling from God.

Finding Jesus at Disney World

We hope the story below encourages you. The Disney Team story is one example of how Cru teams are reaching the world. Your support is helping to change lives globally as people encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and are mobilized to share His good news.

Cru has a unique and powerful ministry team dedicated to reaching thousands of college-aged young adults from around the world who work at Disney World. Here is one recent story:

Jia* (name changed) moved from East Asia to the US and was connected with a Cru staff member for two years. When she relocated to Orlando for a job at Disney, she was connected to Cru’s Disney ministry team (picture of the team to the right). 

Though open to Jesus, Jia had not yet made a decision to follow Him. One evening, frustrated, she confessed, “I don’t know how to connect with God. I’m trying, but I can’t.”  

A staff member shared how Jesus alone restores our relationship with God. Jia read the prayer from Honor Restored (a version of Knowing God Personally). When asked if she meant it, her emphatic reply was, “Yes!” Tearfully, she added, “I’m so emotional, and I think it’s because I’m feeling God’s love.”

It is a joy to see the world reached through Cru, right here in Orlando.

Prayer Requests:

• For the Lord to move mountains in two coaching situations Leslie is overseeing.
• Continued wisdom and the Lord's strength as Lelsie is planning an all-day MPD workshop (March 31st) for staff in behind-the-scenes roles. Pray God would be glorified and the staff encouraged. She'd continue to see that God is bigger than her planning and human efforts.
  

Our work impacts a believer in Central Asia

 

Thank you for your continued prayers and partnership. As you know, we serve in the Capacity Ministries of Cru. While "Capacity" sounds technical, it simply means we provide the systems, structures, and healthy leadership that make ministry possible in complex environments. But systems don’t run themselves—people do. And that is where our specific roles come in. The End Result:  Sasha’s Story: To understand our work, look at the impact on the field. Sasha (name changed), a young man in Central Asia, lives in a region where sharing the gospel is dangerous. After seeing an online ad and watching segments of the JESUS film, he drove five hours to meet a team of believers. There, he heard the Word of God in his heart language and believed. Despite being beaten by his clan for his new faith, Sasha refused to renounce Jesus. He returned to the believers who led him to Christ, finding discipleship and care. Our Role:  Sasha met a missionary because that missionary was sent and sustained. That is the work you enable us to do every day within Capacity. Sending (Leslie):  Before a missionary can reach someone like Sasha, they must get to the field. I (Leslie) am responsible for the Ministry Partner Development (MPD) function for missionary staff in Capacity. I coach, train, and equip these staff members to be fully funded and financially faithful. My goal is to ensure they are mobilized quickly and effectively so that financial lack never hinders the gospel. Sustaining (Mike):  Once on the field, staff need resilience and healthy leadership to survive difficult environments. I (Mike) serve to lead care initiatives for U.S. staff. By developing training for supervisors and creating systems for staff care, I help ensure that the missionaries supported by our infrastructure are resilient, cared for, and spiritually healthy. The Connection  We may not meet Sasha face-to-face, but our fingerprints are on his story. Leslie ensures the staff member is funded to be there; Mike ensures the team is healthy enough to stay. When you partner with us, you are not just supporting "operations." You are fueling the engine that sends and sustains laborers for the harvest. Prayer Requests Leslie and a group of leaders are planning a MPD training day for all of US Capacity (200 staff).  Pray for wisdom as there are many facets (virtual-technology- and in person), Content would be well received and applicable to our staff.  Praise & Praise:  February Leslie will be going from a marriage retreat with Mike to a MPD Coaches week long training.  Pray for Mike as he single parents as Leslie is away.   Praise: In December a staff woman of 50 years has reported back to her assignment after a season of raising support being coached by Leslie.

December 2025 Greeting

Amidst the rush of Christmas, I’ve been meditating on one simple, powerful word found in our carols: Come.

From the deep longing of O Come, O come Emmanuel to the joy of O Come, All Ye Faithful, this word is a profound invitation—an expectant, personal welcoming of our Sovereign Savior.

God’s coming to earth as a baby, Jesus, changed the trajectory of humanity forever. His arrival was the fulfillment of ancient prophecies, offering us freedom, deliverance, and rescue. This miracle of Christ coming down to us is the center of our hope and the driving force of our ministry.

May you experience the full joy and expectant peace of Jesus this Christmas season.

Thank you for your faithful partnership.

The World Cup – An Eternal Opportunity for YOU!

The world is about to stand still, and it's not just for a game – it's for an unprecedented opportunity to share the light and life of Jesus! The World Cup is coming in June and July of 2026, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. With an estimated 5 billion people engaging with this global soccer tournament, it's a moment we, as followers of Christ, simply cannot miss. This is a chance to tap into a global conversation and introduce countless individuals to the hope we have in Him.

You might be thinking, "Soccer? Sports? That's not for me!" But this is bigger than sports; it's a strategic moment for global evangelism. Consider the Super Bowl, which draws 125 million viewers. Now, multiply that by 12 – that's how many people will watch just the final game of the World Cup: 1.6 billion! Over five weeks, 5 billion people will be engaged. This is where the world is, and you, our dear partners, have a unique chance to meet them with the love of Jesus, extending the reach of the Gospel far beyond what we can imagine.

Your Living Room: Your Mission Space – A Micro-Outreach with Global Impact!
We believe that your home can be a powerful mission field, a local hub for global outreach. Imagine inviting your neighbors, co-workers, classmates, and friends into your living room to watch a game and, in doing so, creating natural, accessible opportunities to introduce them to the love of Jesus. How easy is that? Ministry in your living room! This is an accessible and natural way for you to engage with those around you, making a tangible difference right where you are.

How YOU Can Prepare to Get Involved:
Cru is actively creating a special digital and physical kit to equip and empower you to have spiritual conversations and share your faith during this incredible moment. Our goal, in alignment with Cru's global vision, is to mobilize 100,000 believers and 10,000 churches to utilize this opportunity, and that includes you and your church family.

While the kits are still being finalized, we want to encourage you to begin preparing your heart and home.

A Vision for Hearts: Cultivating a Heart for God and Others
This initiative is not just about the World Cup; it's about cultivating a lifestyle of sharing your faith for the rest of your life. We encourage you to take a few minutes to ask the Lord who the five people are that He is putting on your heart – those individuals you can intentionally pray for Him to move in their lives over the course of this year and through the World Cup.

Let's trust the Lord to see what He will do through this incredible outreach, as we all play a part in His global mission! To sign up to stay informed, go to: http://www.victorybeyondthecup.com/.