Crystal Martin has spent 25 years ministering to college students through Chi Alpha. But her real passion quickly came to the surface shortly after her wedding.

“We had been married six months when I found myself planning a missions trip to Morocco,” Martin says.

And from that first trip came a passion to open a pipeline from Chi Alpha to the nations.

“The Lord spoke to me and put a call on my life to lead this generation to the nations,” she says. “He started opening a door to the world through our work with colleges and universities. I truly felt a bigness. It felt like a birthing for me.”

It’s not always been so clear for Martin.

Twenty-one years ago, her husband, Scott, was called to take a position with the Chi Alpha national office, and she began to question her place and role. Using her teaching degree, Martin took a job in a public school. But she soon felt a pull back into ministry.

“I heard God tell me to make a peaceful home for my family, and He would give me the desires of my heart,” she recalls.

“The Lord spoke to me and put a call on my life to lead this generation to the nations.”             — Crystal Martin

Alongside her husband, she launched Chi Alpha Expeditions, a strategic plan to bring missionaries to college campuses in the U.S. and send college students overseas to study and work while sharing the gospel message. That led to the first World Missions Summit.

“We need the kindling for a calling to world missions,” Martin says. “But how do we get that? By exposing college students to missionaries to hear the challenge to go, pray and give.”

Recently, Martin was appointed to lead the Network of Women Ministers. This was a genuine fit for her.

“Beth Grant, the first director of the NWM, personally mentored me and saw my position as a way to open a gateway not just to the nations but for women,” she says.

One aspect of ministry Martin has always been focused on is diversity. Over the years, college campuses have seen a huge increase in the number of international students, and Martin took note. She realized Chi Alpha leadership should reflect that same diversity, and so should churches.

“First of all, you have to embrace the growing pains,” she says. “You have to be willing to give up some comfort to get some impact in return — things like worship preference or power.”

She also says you must paint a picture of what diversity can mean for your congregation or ministry, then raise up diverse leaders to be positive voices.

“Research in the business world has shown that a diverse team is more creative, flexible and beneficial to the bottom line,” Martin says.

And the bottom line for churches is the Great Commission, which Martin has been passionate about her whole life.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2018 edition of Influence magazine.