🎬 Watch: God is on the move! A message from Cru’s President ↗
In 1984, while Hungary was still under communist rule, we met a Cru missionary for the first time. We could not have imagined how profoundly that encounter would change our lives—or how our story connected to a woman we had never met: Henrietta Mears.
For 75 years, God has been writing a story through Cru—a story of transformed lives, courageous faith, and a mission spanning generations and nations.
Long before Cru began, Henrietta Mears was investing in young men and women at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, where she served as director of Christian education. Through her Sunday school teaching, personal mentoring, and ministry at Forest Home, she challenged them to trust God for the impossible and give their lives to His mission.
Among those she taught, encouraged, or worked alongside were leaders whose ministries would reach around the world:
- Bill and Vonette Bright, whose faith she helped nurture, founded Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951. Today, the worldwide movement, known as Cru in the United States, has a ministry presence in 191 countries. Its work extends far beyond college campuses through ministries and initiatives including Athletes in Action, Christian Embassy, Church Movements, Jesus Film Project, FamilyLife, Cru Military, Josh McDowell Ministry, and Youth at the Threshold of Life.
- Billy Graham received crucial encouragement from Mears before his historic 1949 Los Angeles crusade. Over his lifetime, he preached the gospel to nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories.
- Dawson Trotman, founder of The Navigators, was part of her wider circle of ministry relationships. In 2025, The Navigators reported that its latest census counted ministry leaders in 123 countries.
- Jim Rayburn, founder of Young Life, was influenced by her teaching and ministry. Today, Young Life serves young people in more than 100 countries.
- Richard C. Halverson, who attended her college department at Hollywood Presbyterian, later served as chaplain of the United States Senate and as a longtime board member and board chair of World Vision.
As we celebrate 75 years of God’s faithfulness through Cru, we find ourselves thinking about Henrietta Mears—a woman who taught the Word of God and invested deeply in people. Decades later, the influence of her faithfulness reached into communist Hungary and became part of our story.
We cannot measure the full reach of a faithful life. Henrietta could not have known us, yet her investment in others helped shape our future. When we invest in one person, God may be preparing to touch countless others.
And you are part of this story, too. Through your faithful prayers and partnership, you help us make Jesus known and multiply the church. We are deeply grateful for you—and for the lives God is touching through our partnership.
P.S. Two quick updates and a prayer request:
- Global Church Multiplication: We just returned from Dallas, where we spent a week with more than 400 leaders from around the world at the Global Alliance of Church Multiplication conference. We came home encouraged by stories of God at work among Muslims and in places where Christians face persecution. God is truly on the move!
- November Staff Conference: Please pray for us as we prepare to lead our special staff conference this November in San Antonio, Texas. More than 100 staff members will gather, and we are asking God for wisdom to make our time together encouraging, unifying, and fruitful.
Advancing the Kingdom of God together,
Gábor & Edina