Thank you for letting your son or daughter consider joining the staff of Cru. Here is some additional information just for you.
We offer a world of opportunities for people to use their education in areas from finance to media, from the performing arts to management. In all of our ministries those specific skills are directly or indirectly applied to ministry positions.
Many aspects of ministry require drawing upon one’s educational background. For example, a person who majored in psychology may be an excellent counselor, whereas someone with a degree in education would be well equipped to lead Bible studies and train disciples. College graduates with engineering or technical backgrounds often manifest leadership ability, particularly in analyzing problems, establishing objectives, and determining strategies.
Staff members working with students on college and high school campuses have also found their college educations provide a source of identification and credibility. Staff members have a deeper understanding of campus pressures and needs, and can effectively present Jesus as the solution.
All Cru training centers on helping people develop personally and strengthen their ministry skills. We place a high priority on equipping our staff members for a lifetime of ministry in whatever context God leads them.
As a part of this training, we require our staff members to have a thorough working knowledge of the Bible. Therefore, your child will attend graduate level courses offered through the Institute of Biblical Studies. These courses, taught by highly respected professors from leading seminaries, are similar in content to a first-year seminary education. Credits may be applied toward a master’s degree.
When your child reports to their first assignment, they will receive ongoing training in the context of a Cru ministry. For campus ministry staff, this program lasts two years. This training period strengthens staff members and lays a solid foundation for their future personal ministry and leadership roles.
Through special training opportunities and the day-to-day work environment, staff members receive practical instruction in managing time, finances and developing people. Most staff members will have the opportunity to be trained in public speaking, leadership skills, counseling, and teaching.
We desire for people to have a positive ministry experience. Therefore, applicants are evaluated by professional guidelines in five areas of maturity:
Staff are selected through a process that includes a written application, references, and interviews.
The final evaluation of each applicant is made from the information collected in the interview process, references, and questionnaires. We then notify each applicant of our decision.
In determining staff placement, we consider:
An effort is made to give each person responsibility and teammates who can best help them use their strengths and develop them to their fullest potential emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.
About 85% of our new staff members are assigned to the ministry within Cru that they request.
Cru is a non-profit organization supported by donations from individuals, businesses, churches, and foundations.
We are a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). This organization establishes high standards for promoting sound financial practices and accountability. Ministries that are members of the ECFA must abide by those standards, and the ECFA monitors its members.
We are audited annually by the independent accounting firm, Arthur Young and Company, Orlando. An annual report is published and available upon request.
Each staff member is responsible for securing contributions to cover their salary, training, benefits, ministry, and fundraising expenses. Each dollar given has 12% deducted from it for services assisting staff members, administrative costs, and international expansion.
Contributions a staff member receives go into an account designated to them. Their salary is paid out of this account, as well as reimbursable ministry expenses and benefits. Staff members must raise all of these funds in order to receive them because they are not paid from a central account.
People want to be involved with people. This type of giving encourages strong relationships to develop between staff members and contributors, allowing these ministry partners a great deal of personal involvement with the ministry of a staff member. Each staff member is accountable to those who choose to invest in his ministry, and they become a representative of these ministry partners.
We believe we are on solid biblical ground in calling our staff members to trust God for their every need (I Timothy 6:7, 18; Philippians 4:19). For more information on Cru’s view of a biblical basis for support raising, please write or call our human resources department.
Our salary structure is designed to meet the needs of our staff members by providing a moderate income. We have selected the intermediate level of the Consumer Price Index as a guideline for our compensation structure. Each staff member, including our president Steve Douglass, is entitled to the same base salary.
Adjustments to the base salary for each staff member are made according to their marital status, number of children, geographic location and housing costs. The base salary is evaluated annually and adjusted to the rising cost of living.
Although salaries appear to be moderate, a number of other expenses may be covered through reimbursements. For example, insurance, and ministry expenses are reimbursable from a staff member’s ministry account.
Cru’s group healthcare plan provides staff members with comprehensive medical and dental coverage to treat sickness and injuries. The basic life insurance and long-term disability plans are designed to help care for staff and their families when these difficult events arise, and are supplemented by an optional voluntary life insurance plan.
To encourage personal saving for the future, each staff member also has a 403(b) retirement plan which they may chose to contribute to beyond Cru's employer contributions.
New staff commit to serve with us for two years, starting when they begin staff training in January or July. This includes the time they spend raising their initial support.
Staff may take on any number of leadership roles – with more than 30 ministries incorporated under Cru, some staff with our campus ministries shift to other roles that are more suited for their stage of life or interests. However, many staff continue working effectively with our student ministries into their 40s and 50s.
Staff leave our ministry for a variety of reasons. In a recent survey, more than 30% left to pursue opportunities with other ministries or in secular work. About 20% go back to school for seminary, law, business, etc. Another 10% marry someone who is not on staff with Cru, and 10% leave because of financial support problems.
The remaining 30% leave for personal, retirement, health, and other reasons. Experience gained through working with us proves valuable in years to come. The average staff member stays seven years.
We consider ourselves as an arm of the traditional Christian church with expertise in particular areas like evangelism and discipleship.
Cru works closely with pastors and churches throughout the United States and in every country where we have ministry activities. Our staff members come from many church backgrounds and are expected to affiliate with a church of their choice within 90 days of reporting to their ministry assignment.
Our Statement of Faith clearly maintains our belief in the deity of Jesus and in the authority and reliability of the Bible. We encourage allegiance to Jesus Himself, not to the organization or its leaders at any level.
If you have any further concerns, please contact our Human Resources department or meet with a Cru staff member in your area. They are equipped to answer additional questions you may have. If you desire, you may obtain a copy of our annual report, Statement of Faith, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability’s seven standards of responsible stewardship, or more information on our personnel and financial procedures, by writing us at:
Cru, Human Resources, Dept. 2700,
100 Lake Hart Dr,
Orlando, FL 32832.
You may also call our Human Resources department at (407) 826-2700.
Finally, you can find further information about Cru for parents on our campus ministry website.
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