Campus Outreach is a network of interdenominational Christian organizations, focusing on evangelizing and discipling college students worldwide under the mission statement "Glorifying God by Building Laborers on the Campus for the Lost World."
Contents
Campus Outreach is distinguished from similar organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ in both philosophy (read below) and focus, that the ministry focuses on small to mid-sized campuses where another ministry does not have a presence. However, the ministry has expanded in recent years to such large universities as Indiana University, University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, the University of Georgia, the University of Kentucky, the University of Minnesota, Georgia Tech, and the University of Houston, among others. Also, the ministry takes very seriously the charge from Matthew 9:35-38 to raise up laborers, and not simply believers, by discipling new believers to share their faith with others, as stressed by Dawson Trotman and others.
History
Major events in the history of Campus Outreach are:
1978
- Campus Outreach Birmingham founded under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
1981
- First campus ministry outside Birmingham begins
- First Collegiate Christmas Conference
1982
- First Summer Training Project
1983
- First Summer Cross Cultural Training Project
1985
- Formation of Campus Outreach Board
1989
- Campus Outreach Augusta franchised to First Presbyterian Church, Augusta, GA
1990
- Campus Outreach Thailand formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
1992
- Campus Outreach Montgomery formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
1993
- Campus Outreach Miami formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
1995
- Campus Outreach Charlotte franchised to Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC
- Campus Outreach Memphis franchised to 2nd Presbyterian Church in Memphis, TN
1996
- Campus Outreach Brazil formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
1998
- Campus Outreach Greenville franchised to Mitchell Road Presbyterian Church, Greenville, SC
- Campus Outreach Gulf Coast franchised to Eastern Shore Presbyterian Church, Fairhope, AL
- Campus Outreach Central Asia formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
1999
- Campus Outreach Atlanta franchised to Perimeter Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, GA
- Campus Outreach Australia formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
2000
- Campus Outreach Florida formed under Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, AL
2001
- Combined Franchises Global Christmas Conference in Atlanta, GA
- Campus Outreach Charleston franchised to East Cooper Baptist Church, Charleston, SC
2002
- Campus Outreach Indianapolis formed under CO Memphis and 2nd Presbyterian Church and then franchised to Christ Community Church in 2006.
- Campus Outreach Louisiana formed under CO Gulf Coast and Eastern Shore Presbyterian Church
- Campus Outreach Johannesburg formed under CO Charlotte and Christ Covenant Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC
2003
- Campus Outreach Lexington formed under CO Birmingham and Briarwood Presbyterian Church
- Campus Outreach Minneapolis formed under Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, MN
2007
-Campus Outreach Raleigh launched at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University, later partnered with The Summit Church
2008
- Campus Outreach Lynchburg formed under Rivermont Presbyterian Church, Lynchburg, VA.
- Campus Outreach Peoria formed under Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, IL.
2009
-Campus Outreach Raleigh expands to Campbell University
-Campus Outreach DC formed under Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC.
2011
-Campus Outreach Raleigh expands to Duke University
2012
-Campus Outreach Raleigh expands to East Carolina University
-Campus Outreach Memphis expands to Middle Tennessee State University
2014
-Campus Outreach Minneapolis expands to St Cloud State University
Franchise
Campus Outreach is not a single cohesive organization: Rather, it is a network of organizations that are franchised to local churches in the target area. The organization then effectively becomes the college ministry of that church, with the staff answering both to the Campus Outreach board and the leadership of that church. Campus Outreach is a Non-profit organization in which all the staff members are supported on a monthly contribution from independent financial backers.
The Australian franchise of Campus Outreach, at the University of Queensland, was renamed University Impact or rather Uni Impact in 1999, a year after its initial launch.