This is part of a series on Learning from the Top Sending Campuses in Cru.
See the intro for a full list of all the campuses profiled (and links to each).Â
Some quick facts on Twin Cities Cru:
- They are on several campuses across the Twin Cities
- Their hub campus is the University of Minnesota
- Avg # on staff team — 10-14
- Avg weekly meeting size = 300-350; first meeting = 450;
- Movement size = 350-400 students
- Students at U of Minnesota — 45,000 (5,000 freshmen)
- #Â in Community Groups = 350-400
- Partnership Countries — All 6 of region’s partnerships (Brazil, East Asia, and others)
- In the last few years numbers have shifted down since we’ve focused on the whole city (but overall number being reached went up — and we knew that would happen).
Sending Stats last year:
- STINT — 4
- Intern — 6
- Staff — 4
Pretty much have that many sent out, most years — 8 or so STINTers, 3-4 interns is the norm; 2-3 staff/year
- 30-40 from U of Minnesota on Summer Missions
- Typically 10-14 overseas
- 20-25 stateside
Twin Cities Cru has had a line of great leaders like Adam Go and Bob Fuhs (who now serves with Cru in Los Angeles). I talked with Adam Go on the phone this past summer and learned a lot from his wisdom:
How did you become a sending campus?
- Our first benefit is that we had is that the Fuhs led Ocean City for so many years (students went with them every year for 15 years in a row)
- We’ve really had solid longevity for staff — very significant in growing disciples and people knowing each other well.
- We were very intentional to send stateside first — to train up laborers and build movements. They’d go on stateside and come back leaders and experience being used by God.
- I think strong, healthy movements send a lot of people.
- Bob and Jill Fuhs did a great job of keeping the world as our scope – something about sending was always on our strategic plan.
- We talk about it more than most.
- We had a few go on STINT and had good experiences.
- Intern culture — our team was really attractive and healthy — people loved the Fuh’s and had a long term staff that students wanted to be with.
- It makes sense to me that healthy, stable teams will attract interns
- Our team is pretty high on recruiting:
- In the first few weekly meeting we have a Summer Missions testimony
- When I do training for freshmen leaders in August — when we’re talking about reaching freshmen
- You don’t know where this kid is, but he could be the next great missionary to China
- We don’t know who we are reaching
- We have a Fall Retreat testimony re: Summer Missions.
November is a Recruiting Month (Govember)
We’re recruiting for:
- Life Options conference
- Staff
- Winter Conference
- Summer Missions
As a Team Leader, I spent my time recruiting all November.
- It seemed to matter that the MTL was doing the recruiting (to staff and intern).
- Ultimately they’d be working for me so I wanted to be the one to invite them to join us.
How do you recruit during Govember?
- Weekly meeting themed toward sending.
- Some studies took 1 week to do a sending Bible study.
- I would train my staff on how to have sending conversations:
- I’m going to challenge you as strongly as I can
- It’s up to you and God to decide
- List values for the summer or life after college
- Write them down and numerically see what you care about
- Maybe I shouldn’t even challenge this person (if their passion/skills are elsewhere)
- Asking students about their vision and training
- Walking thru biblical principles
- Specific challenge to intern
- Understanding the SEND model (the fact that our job is to challenge people — it’s God part to call people; and their part to listen)
- Decision Making Grid
- Specific outline of conversation to have with people re: STINTing or Interning
- A discipleship priority would be to have this convo (in November) with every senior you disciple
- How to Challenge to Ministry – Leaders Guide
- Handout for student
- Have staff or students visiting Bible studies to recruit — “Come with me to East Asia!”
- One staff guy in particular recruits better than anyone else — so he specifically spends his whole month doing recruiting (so the whole team isn’t doing it).
- Making sure that we are recruiting the sophomores really well to stateside.
- Sporadic testimonies from overseas Summer Missions at weekly meeting
- Decent job of highlighting alumni overseas (videos/prayer letters)
- Adopt a STINT’er as a Community Group
- At leadership meetings skyping in the STINT team to talk with them and pray for them