'The Goal Is Zero:' Cru and InterVarsity Team to Reach 1,800 Unreached Campuses with the Gospel

Two of the biggest Christian campus ministry organizations in the U.S. have launched a new partnership to reach the more than 1,800 campuses they say are unreached.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) are inviting other campus ministries and churches to join them in the campaign they're calling #everycampus.

Jason Thomas, executive vice president for field ministry at InterVarsity told CBN News, "We would love to see a gospel movement planted in every campus in the country, particularly in every campus that has at least 1,000 students." 

The unreached campuses include smaller state schools, liberal arts colleges, community colleges, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and tribal colleges.

"These traditionally underserved communities are why it's not surprising that there's no ministry there," said Thomas. "You need a different kind of effort to contextualize the Gospel in those places."

Cru and InterVarsity have partnered to launch the website everycampus.us that they hope will spark a prayer movement as an initial step. They're asking students, professors and churches to take responsibility for a campus, prayer walk it, and post a picture with the hashtag #everycampus.

They're also planning a platform with campus ministry resources and a coaching center where those with a vision can get practical help. 

Mark Gauthier, executive director of Cru's U.S. campus ministry, says he's encouraged that the two ministries are collaborating and believes that all campuses will be reached with the Gospel.  

"The goal is zero," he told CBN News. "Zero campuses without an expression of a student ministry by 2025."

"It's not about Cru, InterVarsity. It's not about who gets to take credit for it," he added. "It's about reaching the students and professors of this country."

Thomas says he sees today's students more interested in movements than particular organizations, noting the energy around the #metoo campaign and Black Lives Matter. "There's a general disposition to movements and what God may be doing more than what organizations are doing," he said.  

The two organizations are also working to develop a database for those involved in campus ministries to communicate what's happening at their school.