Bryan Knedgen, MDiv

Theological Development Team

Ministry Partner Development Coach

I grew up viewing God as someone to be honored and respected not known in a personal way. In highschool, that religious foundation was challenged by the readings required in my European History class. These works questioned the authenticity of the church in a way that led me to reject the Christian faith and pursue a “might makes right” view of the world. After high school, I decided to pursue a career in politics. In an effort to build my resume and establish myself within my political party, I joined the army and started to go to church. 

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 During my junior year, while visiting a local church, a college group member gave me a recorded sermon to listen to and discuss with him later. For the first time I came face to face with my sin and guilt before God in a definitive way. It was also the first time I heard a just provision  for the reality of my rebellion against God in the sacrifice of Jesus death on the cross. From that day forward I’ve pursued God with all of my heart. I got involved with Cru after talking with that college group member and met Angela during that time as I was apart of the community she helped build at Eastern Michigan University. I decided to become a chaplain and attended Covenant Theological Seminary. The solid theological training and spiritual formation I received in seminary brought me to the realization that it would have been a significant aid to my faith to have known many of these things during my time as a Christian in college. As seminary came to a close, Angela and I were faced with the question, “What’s next?” Although I continue to serve as a Chaplain in the US Army Reserves, we still needed to choose a day-to-day career that could dovetail with our calling to vocational ministry. Through our time in St. Louis working part-time with Cru and the counsel of friends and mentors we decided to pursue full-time work with the ministry of Cru for years to come.

Education and Ministry Experience

  • Graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 2008
  • Commissioned as an officer to the US Army and accepted as Chaplain Candidate in 2008
  • Graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary in 2014
  • Volunteered and served as Part-time staff with Cru 2012-14
  • Accepted as Cru Campus Staff Summer of 2014
  • Ordained by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church May 2015
  • Promoted to Captain as United States Army Chaplain

Angela Knedgen

Chief of Staff, Mission Expansion

The summer of before starting my freshman year at the University of Michigan (U-M) I didn’t know anyone I would be attending school with that fall. I decided to call my older brother to get some advice about my first year of college. “What one piece of advice to do you have for me?” His answer, “Go to office hours…and get involved with a good Christian group, I’m in Cru, check it out.” After I hung up, I got on my computer and emailed the bible study leader for my dorm.

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As I drove myself to school for the first time, with a rental car packed full of my stuff, I looked forward to the many people I’d meet the next day. My bible study leader introduced me to many people that are my friends to this day. Cru became the community I needed to stay grounded in my faith among my 32,000 classmates. I found friends to laugh with, cry with, pray with and take steps of faith with to honor the Lord in our everyday lives. I learned how to teach others to study the Bible and engage in spiritual conversations with friends and people on campus. As my senior year drew to a close, I had emergency surgery and my plans for grad school got derailed.

Following graduation in 2005, with an extra year before applying to grad school, my mentor from Cru at U-M asked me to consider working as an intern with Cru at Eastern Michigan University. Their campus had no staff to continue the ministry in 2006. At first I told her no, because I had plans to go to graduate school and be part of the “leaders and best” in my field. However, the thought that students would not have access to the same kind of community and support that I received in my faith through Cru in college was heart breaking to me.

The Lord used Matt 9:38, ” When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd,” to compel me to serve with Cru the next school year. Students on the college campus are harassed by pressures to find meaning and satisfaction in many wrong places. I decided to intern and helped to cultivate the community Bryan became a part of the fall of 2006. The Lord used that year to call me into college ministry for years to come.

Education and Ministry Experience

  • Graduated from the University of Michigan in 2005
  • Intern with Cru Campus Ministry at Eastern Michigan University 2006-08
  • Part-time Campus Staff with Cru in St. Louis, MO 2009-14
  • Accepted as Cru Campus Staff Summer of 2014
  • Eleven years in direct ministry with students on the campuses of Eastern Michigan University, Webster University, St Louis Community College- Meramec, Harris Stowe University, University of Washington in St. Louis and the University of Michigan