our vision

IFES vision is to see students built into communities of disciples, transformed by the gospel impacting the university, the church and society for the glory of Christ.

IFES vision to 2020 is called Living Stones, based on a passage in 1 Peter.

We want to nurture and train students as living stones, equipped to creatively engage the university and to take their place in that 'spiritual house'. We want to double the number of students actively involved in IFES movements by 2020.

living stones

Students built into communities of disciples, transformed by the gospel and impacting the university, the church and society for the glory of Christ.

releasing student initiative

Students are at the centre of our vision:

• students reaching students with the good news of Jesus Christ
• students growing into life-long disciples of Christ
• students serving and strengthening the Church

We will nurture, train and equip our students in order to release their creative energy and initiative.

The IFES community has student movements in 157 countries and there are about 500,000 students involved in IFES worldwide.

Through student initiative our goal is to double the number of students involved as active, committed members of IFES groups, influencing their societies for Christ.

IFES strategic priorities

To meet our vision of growth and depth of impact, we will focus on six key areas with student initiative at the heart of the strategic priorities

1. Communicating the good news of Jesus Christ - creatively and clearly to campuses throughout the world, in word, in action and through relationships, within and across cultures.
2. Strengthening leadership and formación - through leaders of integrity, impacting the church, the university, all of society.
3. Promoting student-graduate integration - nurturing life-long disciples, committed to student ministry and to being witnesses in the workplace and society.
4. Building sustainable support - through a growing wave of indigenous generosity and involvement.
5. Addressing current global issues - as students, united with the global body of Christ, responding to contemporary challenges from with a Christian perspective.
6. Engaging the university - constructively and boldly, with carefully-developed biblical worldviews, demonstrating the integration of faith, life and academic disciplines.

firm foundations

Recognising that strong growth needs firm foundations, we will invest in identifying and initiating excellence and best practice in the following areas.

1. Governance - well-structured, wisely-governed, God-honouring ministry
2. Organisational development - people and structures, united to achieve common goals
3. Global partnerships - an expression of our unity in Christ, within and across cultures
4. Human resources and pastoral care - people valued and supported to serve God effectively
5. Research and innovation - continuous and creative innovation, informed by strong research

core commitments

As we work to achieve our vision, every aspect of IFES life will be surrounded and supported by three core commitments.

• scripture engagement

  As you come to him, the living Stone...

  We grow in our relationship with God through personal Bible study and deep theological reflection.

  We become believers who wisely apply biblical truths in our lives.

• community

  ...you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house

  We are called to work and grow together with all believers to achieve our vision.

  We model the unity that Christ has made possible between people from a variety of church backgrounds and nations.

• prayer

  ...offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

  We are absolutely dependent on God's help and direction in all our plans.

  We must regularly and corporately seek God's will for the Fellowship.