CRU, formally known as Campus Crusade for Christ, serves around 300 regular attenders each week at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

CRU is a Christian organization that is alive on campuses all over the world and is not based off of any Christian denomination. It is simply Christian with teachings based off the Bible. Their mission statement is for every person on campus to know at least one dedicated Christian.

Emily Glinski, a sophomore majoring in business administration and communication, is a dedicated and active member of CRU.

“I personally co-lead the women’s May Roach Hall Bible study, which is a lot of fun, and you can find me at CRU every Thursday,” Glinski said. “I help out wherever CRU may need me. I have been to all the big events such as TCX, the Fall Getaway, the Volleyball Blast in September, the outdoor Packer game and the corn roast.”

CRU’s Women’s Month is the whole month of March. Women’s weekly Bible studies meet together in Lower Debot. Men’s month then follows in April.

CRU is also currently planning a big event and trip to Panama City Beach over Spring Break.

“Students will attend a conference, do outreach and hang out with their friends all week,” Glinski said.

Trevor Haug, a fourth-year student majoring in accounting, business administration and political science, likes that CRU offers the opportunity to share faith with other students on campus and get people involved in many opportunities to get to know other students.

“Our partner organization, International Justice Mission, is holding a 27-hour event in March where we will volunteer students who will physically stand for 27 hours to raise awareness for the 27 million victims of human trafficking around the world,” Haug said.

Besides all these upcoming events, CRU also holds Bible studies each week in every hall including major-related Bible studies, sport Bible studies, a “Men’s Morning” at Debot every Saturday, CRU sports at 5:30 p.m. every Friday in the Health Enhancement Center and events with the Epic Asian CRU Ministry.

CRU also has an ongoing mentorship program called Discipleship, an individualized Bible study each week between two students.

CRU meets every Thursday in the Dreyfus University Center at 9 p.m. Anyone, regardless of their faith, can meet, hang out with friends, hear speakers and worship to a student-led band. CRU has full-time staff, interns and students who all work to make everything happen.

“Our meetings are about an hour and a half long and start off with a game. After that, we will usually sing contemporary Christian songs along with a student-led band. We will then hear a student’s testimony, which is essentially their faith story about what God has been doing in their life and teaching them,” Glinski said. “These testimonies talk about what a student’s life was like without God and how it has changed with God in it. After that, we hear the main talk, usually given by a CRU staff member, followed by a bit more of singing worship songs.”

Bethany Bauer, a senior majoring in communicative disorders, thinks that CRU is a great place to get connected with people who are exploring or have found what they were looking for.

“College is the time when many students explore and solidify what they believe in,” Bauer said. “I love the community and the genuine relationships I’ve formed as a part of being in CRU. It’s a welcoming atmosphere where people really support each other and are invested in helping them grow closer to God.”

CRU is a place where students can go to grow in their faith in a safe and fun environment.

“My favorite part about being involved with CRU is being able to build lifetime relationships and be able to work with my closest friends to be able to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the rest of my campus,” Haug said.

Glinski agrees.

“CRU has helped me in so many areas of my life, and I am so thankful that I started going to CRU as a freshman because I have made dozens of close friends,” Glinski said. “The people at CRU are genuine people who deeply care about everyone. They are friends who I know I will have for a lifetime and are people that I can trust and confide in.”