Movements Launched to Reverse College Faith Dropout Rate
Campus Renewal announced recently that its Campus Ministry Link is spreading nationally as a way to connect students with campus ministries and churches on college campuses around the country.
“Campus Ministry Link seeks to ensure that no student is lost in the transition to college. Now city leaders are starting to use Campus Renewal’s ‘No Student Left Behind’ approach to ensure that all college-bound Christian students in their city are prepared and connected long before they arrive on campus.” said John Decker, partnership director for Campus Renewal.
Twelve of the largest college ministries, including Cru, Intervarsity, Navigators, Chi Alpha, RUF, Young Life College, and more, have joined together for this project plus a growing number of denominations and high school ministries are committed to make this normal in America.
Studies show that around 70% of college students leave the church. One major reason is that churches had no way of connecting students to Christian communities before beginning college, leaving hundreds of thousands of students’ faith up in the air during the most important transition of their lives. The Navigators found that the bonds students make during the first 72 hours on campus often determines the outcome.
Campus Ministry Link aims to at least double the yearly average of students who continue to pursue their faith in their freshman year. Furthermore, Campus Ministry Link will help Christian freshmen to be immediately involved in reaching out to non-Christian students at the start of the school year when they are most open to the Gospel.
“The Christian business community wants to see cultural change in our cities, and substantially increasing the number of world-changing Christian college grads is the best way to do that’ according to Bill Keith, President of Business Men’s Fellowship who is helping launch the San Diego No Student Left Behind movement.”
Daryl Nuss, CEO of the National Network of Youth Ministries, also in San Diego says: “It is critical that we help our precious Christian high school seniors transition well toward meaningful relationships, discipleship and outreach opportunities when they arrive on campus. Working together in this effort is a vital investment in the future of our future leaders, churches, and our society.”
The parent organization behind Campus Ministry Link is Campus Renewal, founded in 1997 with a mission to create and catalyze united movements that transform universities. “The commitment and enthusiasm of national college ministries has been exciting and humbling,” says President and Founder of Campus Renewal, Jeremy Story. “Sending out more college graduates throughout society as influencers for Christ is critical. Campus Ministry Link will be a significant part of this.”
Josh McDowell, of Josh McDowell Ministry noted: “When Christian college freshmen are alone, their faith rarely survives in today’s college environment. The good news is that when they’re connected in advance to campus ministries, churches, and Christian friends, they not only survive, but thrive and impact their classmates. Campus Ministry Link will help parents, churches, and ministries to turn the tide so this generation can now become the leaders of tomorrow.”
Local ministries and churches who serve universities can list their information on the site. “The harvest is plentiful at universities, but the laborers have been too few,” added Decker. “Closing the college transition gap and enabling students to lead other freshmen to Christ will eventually supply every church and ministry with more believers to transform our nation. We can show you how to launch a city-wide movement.”
See information about City Movements at bit.ly/cmlcitymovementsk.
To learn more about Campus Ministry Link, or discuss your city, visit www.CampusMinistryLink.org or email. [email protected].
(Source: Christian Newswire)
