Campus Crusade for Christ
History
Campus Crusade for Christ was founded in 1951 by a young Fuller Theological Seminary student named Bill Bright to reach the University of Callifornia, Los Angeles (UCLA) campus. What began as a small outreach by Mr. Bright and his wife Vonette of the Hollywood Presbyterian Church, has since grown into one of the largest Evangelical Christian ministries in the world with approximately 24,000 full time staff globally and with a ministry presence in 171 countries (representing 98% of the world's population). Campus Crusade has grown beyond their ministry scope of the college campus into over 50 distinct specialized ministries.
Organizational Purpose
Campus Crusade for Christ's self stated purpose is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations. This is accomplished through a strategy known as "Win, Build, Send"- Winning disciples to Jesus Christ, Building them in the faith, and Sending them into the world to make more disciples. The concept of Spiritual Multiplication is commonly stressed as a part of the organization's ministry philosophy.
Theological Distinctives
The theological distinctives of Campus Crusade for Christ could be best described as 'broadly evangelical' with a variety of views being represented amongst the organization's staff ranging from Dispensationalism, Reformed, Wesleyan, and Charismatic/Pentecostal. However, even with such diversity of views, all Campus Crusade Staff are required to subscribe to the organization's Statement of Faith, which stresses "areas of doctrinal teaching on which, historically, there has been general agreement among all true Christians". These areas include justification by faith alone, the divinity and virgin birth of Christ, the Godhead as Triune, and inerrancy of scripture.
Justification
Campus Crusade publishes and utilizes a tract known as "Have You Heard of the Four Spiritual Laws?" to explain their particular view of justification by faith and as an evangelical tool. This tool has been modified over the years and is published a variety of forms such as "Would You Like to Know God Personally?" and "Good News" which has been written for children in comic book form.
The Ministry of Holy Spirit
Until the mid 1990s, Campus Crusade held to a modified Keswick view of sanctification as evidenced in their tract "Have You Made the Wonderful Discovery of the Spirit-Filled Life?". However, this booklet was replaced in the late 1990s, by "Satisfied?", which intentionally allows for the same concept (believers need to walk by faith by the power of the Holy Spirit), but allowing for interpretation from a Keswick or non-Keswick theological stance by shifting the focus of the document from man's status (natural, spiritual, or carnal) to man's placement of faith (in himself, or in God).
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