Decoding the campus involves doing research to find out what your campus is like, who the like-minded people are and what in-roads you might have to the campus. You will always be a student of your campus, but take some focused time during this preparation season to learn all you can so you can start strong. Decoding the campus is a two-part process.

1. Gather Information

Gathering important data about the school, students, and community.

For instance:

• Ask students to show you their yearbook.
• Interview teachers about the school
• Making an appointment with the principal to learn how groups like Cru are received.
• Attending events after school, and observing students.
• Host an adult informational meeting at a parent’s home.
• Prayer walking the campus
• Getting to know students through Soularium Cards
• Check our our other tools here
  • Decoding your Campus Ideas
  • How to Scout your Campus

2. Decide How To Launch

With the help of this diagnostic tool, use that data to decide how you will launch. Collecting data can take from one to four months, depending on who God has on the campus, and how long it takes for you to meet them. Determining how you will launch will be a team exercise. Begin in prayer, continue to ask God’s favor, and direction. Go to school activities, interview people, and find out what you need to know.

Choose One of Three Plans: Based on the freedom you have to navigate the campus, you will choose one of these.

• OPEN: You will either begin to gather students in groups, such as football team, dance team,, or band
• CLOSED: you have found where students hang out, and will consistently show up there in order to build relationships around the gospel message.
• EXISTING GROUP OF STUDENTS: This could be a handful of students from a local youth group, or a network of friends.