Although our partnership with the CCO is still relatively young, we have already seen great benefits in it. The CCO has worked with us in placing two staff people in our church and has helped fund those positions. I appreciate the resources that the CCO provides for these staff people: initial and ongoing training, interaction and collaboration with others in campus ministry, networking and support. The CCO’s Area Director meets monthly with the staff in our church to offer support and evaluation. He and I communicate regularly to ensure that we are “on the same page” in our supervision of staff and the direction of the ministry. We are enthusiastic about this arrangement.
The Rev. Troy Jackson
Pastor, University Christian Church
Cincinnati, Ohio
With Elmira College right across the street, our church knew that the campus should be a part of the mission. But our people were frustrated with not knowing how to begin to do campus ministry. They wanted relationships with students and opportunities to follow up. There was no time for me to do it and no time to train the congregation how because of more pressing needs. The CCO helped us develop a relationship with the college. What our CCO staff worker did would have taken us years, because he was trained and coached and he had the time. He became the concrete embodiment of our vague vision.
Gary Chorpenning
Pastor, North Presbyterian Church
Elmira, New York
We’ve seen our church begin to turn itself over from predominantly aging Baby Boomers to more young families and singles. Having a CCO staff worker here in leadership I think has helped that. It’s been a big help to me.
Mike Hollenbach
Associate Pastor, New Life Church
Dresher, Pennsylvania
Vienna Presbyterian Church does a good job of reaching middle and high school students. When our high school students graduate and move on to college, they tend to fall away from the church until they reach adulthood and find their way back to the church. Kayla Gray is the first college minister we have hired at VPC, and she is doing a great job of reaching a lost age.
There are 28,000 students at George Mason University, literally on our doorstep, who need the good news of Jesus Christ. Studies indicate that most people make meaningful commitments during their teen years and early twenties. We want to reach students during these critical years. Kayla is doing a superb job ministering to college students.
I don’t understand why more churches don’t utilize the CCO. It’s a vital way to partner with a ministry that is more effective than we are in the church at reaching college students for Jesus Christ. The CCO’s specialty is college students—why wouldn’t we partner with them? Not only is the CCO equipped to reach out to college students, but joining them in ministry doesn’t require the expense of full-time staff. The spiritual dividends far outweigh the cost.
Rev. Peter James
Pastor, Vienna Presbyterian Church
Vienna, Virginia