IFES CORE MISSION
To all nations from all nations
At IFES, we believe it is critical for students across the world to thrive in following Jesus for life.
As part of the core mission of IFES, you are helping see generations of young people grow in their faith and boldly share the hope of Jesus Christ – to all nations, from all nations
REACHING STUDENTS HAS A MULTIPLYING IMPACT
Every year, IFES reaches an average of around 500,000 students from across 180 countries and territories. Praise God that half a million lives are being transformed – many hearing the gospel for the first time, growing in their faith, and becoming lifelong disciples of Christ.
Student ministry is constantly renewing every year with freshman coming in, and seniors graduating. We are not just reaching students, we are sending out thousands of equipped leaders into their workforce, their communities, and churches every single year.
With that in mind, IFES reaches over 100,000 new students every year – and sending out as many into the workforce. That is a truly multiplying impact as each graduate serves their workplaces, communities, and churches.
And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of disciples multiplied greatly.– Acts 6:7a
EACH YEAR
50,000+
student leaders are mentored and equipped through training programs and working with staff workers.
10,000+
student leaders graduate, equipped for Christlike leadership in their new contexts.
100,000+
students grow in Scripture Engagement and evangelism in student groups and IFES programs.
25,000+
students graduates, empowered with a with a biblically rooted faith and a deep heart to witness Christ throughout the world.
EACH STUDENT has a lifelong impact!
Through the prayers and support of partners like you, generations of students and graduates have a truly multiplying impact, reaching an incalculable number of people – using Christian principles of leadership to transform their spheres of influence, sharing the hope of the gospel wherever they are.
As we look ahead to 2026, we invite you to be part of the worldwide impact with a year-end gift. Your support will help strengthen campus ministries and equip students to live out the good news of Jesus Christ
THE CHALLENGE – AND THE OPPORTUNITY
As a student led movement, campus staff serve as mentors and coaches for student leaders while students themselves organize the ministry’s activities, including campus fellowship, Bible studies, and outreach events. This empowers students with practical leadership experience; and more importantly, it offers them a safe space to explore how their faith guides their daily lives and interactions within their communities.
We’ve witnessed a transformation in students’ lives – from a nominal understanding of the gospel to actively taking leadership in sharing kingdom values within their communities.”
– Staff worker in Sri Lanka
This model of empowering student leadership comes with challenges. Students are generally only part of their movement for the four years they are studying. This means we are sending out high numbers of faithful and equipped leaders into the world, but from a ministry perspective, it means there is an inevitable high turnover rate of leaders.
To ensure a sustainable, stable framework for student leaders to flourish, it is critical to nurture and empower the staff who mentor them. This is why the global fellowship of IFES supports staff workers and provide opportunities for training, fellowship, and spiritual growth that they would not have access to otherwise.
By supporting the core mission of IFES, you are supporting training, fellowship, and spiritual growth for students and leaders.
MEETING THE NEEDS IN 2026
IFES General Secretary Tim Adams has worked alongside national movement leaders to identify the top priorities for the fellowship to support the needs of their ministries, which is a focus on staff support and development – in areas from theological growth to organizational health and staff training.
To meet these needs over the next few years, IFES is shifting its focus from planting new movements to helping existing ones grow into strong, sustainable ministries.
We will emphasize the role of IFES as a partner for national movements to support their ministry and invest in the current and next generation of leaders across IFES.
In 2026, we will:
- Foster collaboration among leaders – This will be achieved through international conferences as well as programs such as Scripture Engagement Multipliers and the Muslim Ministry Network that bring leaders from around the world together to develop strategies and resources in that ministry area.
- Grow opportunities to provide quality training – Through regional and global events and program, like the Fuller Diplomate program in Latin America, our national staff will acquire training in leadership skills and organizational development. This will also help address concerns unique to their specific contexts.
- Provide opportunities for robust theological reflection – This includes interacting with students of other majority religions, navigating faith in the context of war and conflict, addressing corruption on campus, and responding to injustices that affect students in different parts of the world.
Your support will help us meet these needs and build up leaders who can guide students to thrive as campus lights.
JOIN US IN SENDING OUT A NEW GENERATION OF STUDENTS
In the Great Commission, Jesus calls his disciples to go out to all the nations. Today we are blessed to not only be sending people to all nations, but also from all nations. As students graduate, they become ambassadors for Christ sent to all walks of life: to the communities and churches they call home, to the workplaces they lead in, to the friends and family they witness Christ to.
We invite you to join us to empower the thousands of students to live a life on mission for Christ on campus and beyond.
Only eternity will reveal the extraordinary ripple effects of IFES ministry, as countless students are impacted by the gospel, discipled by the truth of God’s word, taught to think Christianly, and sent out to serve God’s purposes in a needy world.
– Jonathan Lamb, Author, Vice-President of IFES, and former Director of Langham Preaching
Will you prayerfully consider giving a year-end gift to the core mission of IFES and help send out the next generation of students – to all nations, from all nations?
Together, we will ensure students have a loving space to encounter Jesus, grow in faith, and be sent out to serve His purposes in a needy world.
