Campus Outreach
About
The Campus Outreach Birmingham region is stationed on 8 college campuses in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. We are committed to ministry within teams, spreading the gospel exponentially through evangelism and discipleship, and connecting students to the local church. Our commitment to building laborers includes establishing them with Biblical theology, intimacy with God, Christ-like character, ministry skills, and stewardship. Our desire is then to see students and staff mobilized to labor in the harvest field for the glory of God.
History
Campus Outreach was founded in 1978 in Birmingham, AL at Briarwood Presbyterian Church. The ministry began with one full-time staff person spending time at Samford University seeking to impact students’ lives with the good news of the gospel. The ministry enjoyed a great beginning, and within a couple of years began to expand to new campuses in different cities in the Alabama region. Strong connections in each community and good relationships with local churches and campus administrations provided fertile ground for continued growth. By 1988, CO had expanded to 9 campuses with full time staff around the state of Alabama and into Georgia., with Campus Outreach going to First Presbyterian Church in Augusta.
This model of multiplying campuses and then franchises, with each franchise under the authority of a local church, has continued to grow so that there are now 28 franchises and over 100 campuses being staffed worldwide.
Vision
GLORIFYING GOD
because the ultimate purpose of God and all His creation is to glorify Him forever
BY BUILDING LABORERS
because the harvest is plentiful and the laborers are few
ON THE CAMPUS
because it is one of the most strategic fields due to student population density, student availability, student openness, and student potential
FOR THE LOST WORLD
because there is a need for leaders and laborers to be mobilized to have Gospel-centered impact around the world
Distinctives
COMMITMENT TO EVANGELISM
Campus Outreach began by asking, “Where are the students whom no one else is reaching?” This focus has continually led CO to focus on students without an understanding of the gospel.
COMMITMENT TO DISCIPLESHIP
As students trust in Christ, they are engaged in life-on-life discipleship. As students are engaged in this process, we see God grow them from being spiritually lost to becoming spiritual leaders.
COMMITMENT TO LEADER DEVELOPMENT
Today’s graduates are tomorrow’s marketplace and ministry leaders. We focus on developing and deploying those leaders. Through evangelism and discipleship, we provide emerging leaders with catalytic growth opportunities and experiences, and then launch these leaders into vocational ministry and the marketplace.
CONNECTION TO THE LOCAL CHURCH
Campus Outreach Birmingham functions in partnership with Briarwood Presbyterian Church. By functioning in partnership with and under the authority of local churches, we prepare the next generation of leaders for a lifetime of service through the body of Christ.
METHOD OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Each member of our organization is responsible for assembling a financial support team, consisting of individuals, local churches, and businesses. We are very thankful for the members of these teams, who are directly involved in building laborers on the campus for the lost world.