MINORITY LEADERSHIP FUND
THE OPPORTUNITY
reach and build minority leadership on the college campus and send them back into the community and the world
THE NEED
for minority leadership to be raised up for the Church and the community
THE IMPACT
a growing movement of Christian leaders is developing through the regional impact of Campus Outreach
THE STRATEGY
hire minority leaders to staff strategic campuses
“Being on staff with Campus Outreach has helped me understand the grassroots of one-on-one discipleship and the importance of relationships as we minister the Word of God to others. I am now pastoring a church that we planted four years ago in Jakarta, Indonesia, called Covenant City Church. Our hope is to build up CCC to become a resource church that will then plant other churches in Jakarta. We hope that through this, God's Word will go forth widely into the city and deeply into people's hearts.”
Tezar Putra, Church Planter in Indonesia
Campus Outreach helped strengthen my faith throughout my collegiate career. During my time I learned how to have a more intimate relationship with God, discipleship, and how to put my faith into action. One of the ways I am expressing Christ’s love is through providing and fighting for every child in Memphis to receive an excellent education.
Trey Willis, Dean of Community Engagement at Believe Memphis Academy
GET TO KNOW THE STAFF
TERENCE & CARLY ALLEN
I grew up in a Christian family and believed I was saved at an early age but I truly wasn’t. I grew up believing good works granted us salvation which negated what Christ did on the cross for us and I believed that grace was not needed because our works saved us. In college I began going to Campus Outreach and Word Baptist Church and the veil began to be removed. Scriptures like Romans 6:23, Matthew 7:21-23, and Isaiah 64:6 proved that it is only because of Christ that we are saved. He has given us a free gift undeserved, and there is nothing we have done to deserve it. After believing the Gospel, seeing my need for a savior my heart changed, I craved God and his word and sin didn’t feel the same weight it once carried. Shame was replaced with grace and love. Through Christ’s spirit in me, I wanted to follow him as a disciple and make disciples. Before I claimed Christianity, but now I live it because He lives in me.
DENNY & MICHELLE CATALANO
My wife, Michelle, and I both started following Christ while in college at the University of Memphis. We both came into college with a belief that God exists and through the ministry of Campus Outreach we started to learn there was a way to know Him intimately and personally through the person and work of Jesus Christ. After graduation, we came on staff with CO with a vision to see a diverse multitude of students reached on the campus and trained to be laborers in God's harvest across the globe. We have 4 children, Luke, Eli, Ruthie, and Audrey and currently serve as the regional director of Campus Outreach Memphis.
TONY & JENNY DENTMAN
Over the years I have seen God change my life through the ministry of Campus Outreach. My prayer is that God will use me to impact thousands of college student lives in the same way He used CO to help me know Him and make Him known.
ELIZABETH FIGUEROA
Growing up I was taught things about the Christian faith and was no stranger to knowing who God was and the things he could do. I, however, did not fully understand what it meant to have a personal relationship with God. My freshman year, I felt very insecure about who I was and inadequate in every area of my life. During college I got invited to a conference with Campus Outreach where I learned and finally began to truly understand the power of Jesus and his death and resurrection. I learned there that God is constantly pursuing us and is willing to adopt us as his children, no matter who we are. Because he made the ultimate sacrifice, and sent his son to die on the cross, I am able to find healing in areas that once had power over me. My life is constantly being redeemed, and I now firmly believe that the only way to true healing is Jesus. Although my life today is not perfect, I know and understand that I am made free, and that I am loved by God. I no longer have to be held back with the things that used to control my life.
ELENA LOPEZ
In the spring of 2014, I trusted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Everyday since then, He has given me a deep desire to know Him and a strong conviction to make Him known. I am more compelled and convinced in 2021 than ever to "therefore go and make disciples of all nations." My prayer is that in the next 10 years I will be equipping a multi-ethnic generation of college leaders to know God, become like Christ, and make Him known.
ANDREW MARTINEZ
Born and raised in Chicago, I grew up in a Catholic household. I believed in God and went to church, but didn't know who God was or desire to be with him. It wasn't until after an identity crisis I had graduating from high school that I began seeking Jesus. I went into college asking myself who I was and what my worth was. That first semester I got involved with Campus Outreach and found out that you could have a relationship with Jesus. After a few months I surrendered my life to Christ. My desire now is to see all people come to know the Lord. As diverse as Chicago is, it is evident that all people need the life Jesus brings. I pray that as I labor on UIC's campus, that thousands of more laborers would be built up and transform the world.
GREG MCCALL
I grew up in Prattville, Alabama, and even though I attended church, sports were the god of my life. I had the opportunity to go play college football at Arkansas State. God placed people in my life to share the gospel with me. I begin to attend bible study, but I felt a sense of conviction because I loved my sin. I would attend bible study and then go and live for myself. I was playing college athletics, but it wasn’t fulfilling even though I was playing as a freshman. Since I was spiritual I decided to go to a conference with our team chaplain, Chuck McElroy. It was there were God begin to show me that I lacked love for him and I didn’t enjoy him truly. I came to Christ that conference. My vision is to see college athletes be reconciled to God and trust him with their lives. I want to see Greeks and dorm students also be raised up as leaders and have a fiery passion for Christ. I want to equip the next generation of leaders to follow Christ with resolve and zeal.
VERONICA PARKER
I was invited to Campus Outreach's Spring Retreat in 2018 by one of my closest friends. In one of the sessions, Denny Catalano was speaking about the lady who bled for 12 years (Luke 8:43-48). In that season of my life, I was trying to clean and fix myself up by correcting my actions and trying to do the "right" things, and I continued to fall short. The lady who bled for 12 years meets Jesus in the midst of the crowd because she heard he would be passing through. She touched Jesus' garment and was healed. God revealed to me after hearing that story that I needed Christ as my savior. I could not clean myself up or do anything to be a better person. Jesus revealed himself to me at this moment, and my heart longed for a relationship with him.
GRACE UFOT
I was born and raised in a christian household in which having a relationship with God was important. Unfortunately, I did not really understand what that meant until years later. When I got to college, the Lord opened up doors for me to join a student lead bible study on campus. It was there that I heard and understood the Gospel and surrendered my life to Christ. Ever since then it has been my passion and honor to reach college students for Christ. Now, almost a decade later, my prayer is that God would use me to reach students at The University of Illinois at Chicago, where i have the privilege of sharing the love of Christ with students from all backgrounds and walks of life!
