Our Staff Team
Brian Langford
Hometown: Utica, MI
College: University of Michigan
I think it is obvious our world is broken. Every day we hear more stories about violence, hatred, racism, hunger, disease, greed, loneliness, and so on. Our world does not need a minor repair, it needs to be made new. Jesus is the creator who came to make His creation new. Not only does He promise to make us new as we follow Him, but He promises that one day He will make all things new. One day, Jesus will eradicate all sin and create the new heavens and new earth where there is no pain, no racism, no disease and no sin. I believe many are hungry to follow Jesus because he loves not just with words, but by laying down his life for us.
Robin Langford
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
College: Indiana University
I began my relationship with Jesus when I was a freshman in college. Though I had known God my whole life, I didn’t know Him for real, personally, until someone took the time to explain to me what it meant to be in a life-giving and life-saving relationship with Him. Ultimately I came to Him because He invited me to, in His deep love and kindness. I continue to walk with Him for this same reason: His deep love and kindness. As his friend Peter said, “Where else would we go? You alone have the words of life!”
Nathan Reynolds
Hometown: Loves Park, IL
College: Illinois State University
I have always been excited to work with students during this specific time and place in their lives. My love for God grew throughout my own time in college. Upon graduating, I decided Jesus was the best thing I could offer students so I desired to keep my focus on Him. Regardless of what each person believes, I think it's vital to offer resources and opportunities to every college student making spiritual decisions that will impact the rest of their lives.
Courtney Reynolds
Hometown: Mahomet, IL
College: Illinois State University
It is never boring to work on campus and build relationships with students! I learn so much right alongside students and am continually stretched and challenged in my faith. I love being a part of a team pursuing Jesus and his mission on campus. It is meaningful and often a ton of fun!
Becca MacLennan
Hometown: Troy, MI
College: Michigan State University
It doesn’t take much, especially now, to feel the heaviness and chaos along with the rest of the world. There are messages that call us to “be better” or “do better next time”, and fight for a better version of us. While this shows a desire for change, I don’t think we can give it to ourselves; our track record isn’t that great (i.e. our country’s 400-year long history of racism, or the same repetitive nature over generations in the ancient Israelites thousands of years earlier). What is rooted or innate in us, regardless of culture or time in history, hasn’t changed despite the desire, willpower, or belief that we can do better. The reality is no matter the length of time given we don’t really do better because on the inside, we can’t be better. Jesus is the only One that can enable us to “be” any different. The 21st century has enabled us to live more comfortably and advanced, but it hasn’t changed our hearts. Jesus though? He is light and life in a pain-filled, dark, confusing world, and He is the One, who by knowing Him, transforms us to be more and more like Him. He alone can make us whole- individually and collectively.
Brett Bodine
Hometown: Troy, MI
College: University of Michigan
I honestly believe that following Jesus provides more hope and joy in our culture today than any other way of life. In following Jesus we are to collectively take up our cross and to sacrificially love others. It means that we must die to ourselves so that we might live for others (even our enemies, according to Jesus). If this doesn't fit the picture of Christianity that you have, I would understand, because unfortunately many Christians today don't live this way. And if this doesn't sound very joyful and hopeful to you...it was also confusing to those who heard it 2000 years ago. I'd invite you to come learn more about who this Jesus is, and why he invites us to live this way.
Lauren Bodine
Hometown: Grosse Ile, MI
College: Michigan State University
Years ago, I decided to try out a one-year internship with Cru for two reasons. First, I wanted to see if it would be a good place to combine two things that were meaningful to me: teaching (I majored in Special Education at MSU), and having conversations with others about Jesus. Second, I needed a bit of extra practice (ok, more like a “kick in the butt!”) to actually talk to others about Jesus! I had a desire to, but I lacked the experience and skill in doing so. Pretty quickly into my first year as an intern with Cru, I realized it truly was the intersection of my two passions – the place where I could live out the aspects of teaching I loved the most, while helping others know Jesus...and I have been on staff ever since!
Bryan Morrison
Hometown: Merrill, MI
College: Michigan State University
Jesus continues to matter because His life, death, and resurrection isn't a symbol or a kind gesture. His goal wasn't to be a good teacher, a model to emulate, or our "homeboy" (sorry, I'm dating myself). Jesus Christ matters, because He is God, His life, death, and resurrection gives real hope and solutions to our mess (individually & globally), and His love is authentic and transformative.
Kelli Morrison
Hometown: Grand Ledge, MI
College: Michigan State University
I joined staff because a campus ministry was critical in my own story. I was having serious doubts about my faith, and if I hadn’t found a community of believers on campus, I might have walked away from the Lord during my college years. I want to help students like me, and also share about Jesus with the many others who don’t know He loves them.
Rob Eberly
Hometown: Flushing, MI
College: Michigan State University
My favorite thing about being on Cru staff has to be getting to connect with students! I love getting to meet a Freshman during the first couple weeks on campus and then get to walk through the next two to four (sometimes five) years of life with them to be able to see how they mature and grow! Being able to live life with the students (having them into our home, having late night conversations, playing video games and sports, and so on) really makes doing my job not feel like a job! I love being able to take students on different trips, either stateside or overseas, to be able to experience the world and get a glimpse of what God is doing all over is so awesome!
Deirdre Eberly
Hometown: Istanbul, Turkey
College: Michigan State University
In the book of John chapter 6, Peter tells Jesus “Where else would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” I really believe that true life is found in him and nowhere else. I continue to follow Christ because it’s where I find life, my purpose, joy, peace, and more. It’s a relationship I want to continue to seek out and build in my life and into eternity.
Becca Abatie
Hometown: Cape Coral, Florida
College: Michigan State University
Stephen Colbert, comedian and Christian, sums up my experience of grief while walking with Jesus beautifully: “I love the thing that I most wish had not happened.” My mother died when I was in high school. In the years between that earth-shattering moment one May and a summer day in college, I passed through stages of denial, depression, and settled into a quiet anger at God. That summer day, while reading some scripture, I finally saw how clearly, gently, and devotedly God had pursued my heart through those years—through the friends he had placed in my life, the people who cared for me because of their love for him. I finally saw how he had used my experience of loss to love other people who were lost and grieving. He made my heart more kind, more joyful, more grateful. I finally saw how Jesus, in his kindness, in his goodness, in his knowledge and power, made something beautiful out of the thing I most wish had not happened. He made me love even that loss, because he loved me. That love and transformative power compels me to follow him each day.
John Kaufmann
Hometown: Hemlock, MI
College: Michigan State University
Jesus matters in the 21st century because He has mattered before time even began! He is the Creator and Sustainer of literally everything, and it is all for His glory. Included in this creation are humans. Jesus created each of us, and He created us for a specific purpose. This purpose is to know Him and live a life of willful obedience to His ways. Matching Him step for step and working hand in hand to bring forth His Kingdom on this earth. We are born with a nature that is bent against this, however, and the result is that we are destined for an eternity in Hell and we have no way to become good on our own. We need Jesus to restore our relationship with Him and remake us in His image so that we can be with Him forever in heaven and serve Him here on this earth until then as a faithful witness and ambassador of His Kingdom.
Laura Smith
Hometown: North Bloomfield, Ohio
College: The University of Toledo
When I first heard the gospel, I remember that it made sense to me. I had a general belief that there was a God and I knew I wasn't perfect and made a lot of mistakes. When I learned that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to take the punishment for my mistakes so that He could be with me, I was amazed! If He loved me that much, I wanted to have a relationship with Him! Over the years I've had times of doubt and questions in my relationship with God. I always seem to come back to two things: First, I believe that the world and everything in it has a creator. And second, I have seen the way God has worked in my life and the lives of so many others. I don't have all my questions answered, but I continue to follow God because I've seen and experienced His realness.
Kerry Fahy
Hometown: Holland, MI
College: Ferris State University
When I first heard the gospel, I remember that it made sense to me. I had a general belief that there was a God and I knew I wasn't perfect and made a lot of mistakes. When I learned that God loved me so much that He sent Jesus to take the punishment for my mistakes so that He could be with me, I was amazed! If He loved me that much, I wanted to have a relationship with Him! Over the years I've had times of doubt and questions in my relationship with God. I always seem to come back to two things: First, I believe that the world and everything in it has a creator. And second, I have seen the way God has worked in my life and the lives of so many others. I don't have all my questions answered, but I continue to follow God because I've seen and experienced His realness.