Why 2,500 campuses?

As of 2018, InterVarsity is on 695 campuses. And we celebrate this! However, there are approximately 2,500 U.S. campuses that enroll 1,000 or more students. We know there is still much work to be done, and we believe God is calling us to renew our commitment to minister in the strategic place in our culture where he has called us: college and university campuses.  

There is no campus (community college, state university, small liberal arts college, graduate school, and others) and no aspect of a campus (people, ideas, structures) about which we do not care because the Lord cares!

We are experiencing a holy discontent with how things are and have a growing sense of God’s desire to use us and direct us in new ways. It’s humbling to say it, but we want a new season of breakthrough in word, deed, and power. Essentially, we want the Lord to bring revival. All the while, we acknowledge that revival is ultimately a work and blessing of the Trinity. We want more students and faculty to come to know Jesus as Lord. This is not business as usual—hallelujah!

Longing for revival, we catalyze movements that call every corner of every campus to follow Jesus.

When InterVarsity plants a witnessing community on a campus, we not only see students and faculty come to new faith in Jesus, we witness the very thing described by Paul in 2 Corinthians. We see them become new creations. As they begin to study God’s word for themselves, sometimes for the first time, their lives are transformed from top to bottom.

Many students who may have walked away from the church, or have not felt welcomed in a Sunday service, have found in InterVarsity chapters a place where they can come to know Jesus, and be known by him. They are discipled. They are trained in leadership in their chapter. And their understanding of God’s global mission matures as they study God’s word in a multi-ethnic community.

As students follow Jesus as Savior and Lord, they grow in love for God, God’s word, God’s people of every ethnicity and culture, and God’s purposes in the world. When they graduate, they continue growing by connecting with local churches, where many put their servant leadership training into practice, sharing the real hope they found in Jesus with their new community, developing more disciples.