ANNUAL REPORT 2016 2017
We are IFES: a movement of students sharing and living out the good news of Jesus Christ. Locally. Nationally. Globally.
We connect more than half a million students in over 160 countries
AN URGENT CALLING Growth remains a feature of higher education around the world. Student numbers are increasing at a remarkable rate. The global student population is predicted to double to 262 million over the ten years to 2025*. which we continue to work towards in four core mission areas: evangelism, pioneering student ministry in new countries and on new campuses, leadership development, and strengthening and supporting national movements. The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) is a movement of students. We have a calling from God to see students built into communities of disciples and transformed by the gospel. So it is imperative we continue to respond intentionally and boldly to this dramatic growth. We are empowering students not to be ashamed of the gospel but to share it boldly with their friends. When students are on fire for the gospel, we see the heart of IFES and the power of God at work. I celebrate the fresh ideas and creativity we see from students. Students are making greater use of the arts and digital technologies. They are thinking differently about how they can approach this calling to make Christ known. And I pray we will see many more innovative ideas in our ministry, locally, nationally and globally. We dream of seeing one million IFES students engaging the university each year, sharing and living out the good news of Jesus Christ. Our Living Stones vision captures that energy for growth 4 Of course, we don t want to look for growth for its own sake or to fill us with a sense of pride in achieving a target we have set ourselves. Instead we want to grow because, as believers, God has given us a calling and an urgent calling to take the gospel forward. So, as IFES, we are doing all we can to enable gospel proclamation to reach those growing numbers of students. I invite you to celebrate with us as you read in the following pages a snapshot of how this is being lived out across the Fellowship.
It is crucial we do all this with humility. We ourselves don t have the power to save even one student. Instead we faithfully and humbly fulfil God s calling, knowing God will honor his promise to bring people to himself. I pray we will always keep this perspective of humble obedience. God has given us prayer as an instrument of grace. Let us continue to engage, encourage and inspire this vibrant community of IFES to pray. Such dependence on God s grace in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit is a vital part of our ministry. Daniel Bourdanné IFES GENERAL SECRETARY * Geoff Maslen, University World News, 19 February 2012 5
EVANGELISM We seek to equip students for effective witness, encouraging them to initiate spiritual conversations with classmates, to hold evangelistic Bible studies and events, and to live in ways that demonstrate grace and generosity. HELPING STUDENTS TO REACH STUDENTS It is a joy to support students as they share the gospel. Each year, students take part in hundreds of programs such as mission weeks for public evangelism, small-group Bible studies, and trainings for effective personal witness. These activities help student leaders like Karl, from Eurasia, grow and mature in their outreach. When Karl joined our student movement he was shy and had few non-christian friends. Today I d like to hire him as a staff intern. He has a wonderful circle of non- Christian friends, he is confident in sharing his personal testimony and is skilful in organizing Bible studies and mission week evangelism events. And, he is a guy. We need more like him to reach out to male students. GENERAL SECRETARY OF AN IFES MOVEMENT IN EURASIA Jesus is the best shortcut in evangelism there is no more powerful witness than Jesus himself. SARAH BREUEL EVANGELISM TRAINING COORDINATOR FOR EUROPE The IFES network produces and shares evangelistic resources, such as Uncover, to help students reach their peers. This booklet has helped many students discover the person of Jesus for themselves. Since 2011, students have shared 260,000 copies of the Uncover gospels and held 115,000 Uncover seeker Bible studies in 20 languages. 6
INSPIRING EVANGELISM The Innovation: Inspiring Evangelism initiative aims to encourage collaborative learning and evangelistic outreach within our global network. We invite students to submit creative outreach ideas that demonstrate innovation and passion, looking for projects that engage contemporary student culture in relevant ways and can be replicated in other cities and countries. Over the last 12 months, 29 grants for Innovation: Inspiring Evangelism projects were awarded in 22 countries. A total of $68,222 has been distributed to make students creative ideas for evangelism a reality! CELEBRATING THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN JESUS From April 13 18 2017, more than 1,700 students from across Europe gathered in Germany for the Presence 17 conference. They came to consider how their lives testify to the goodness of Jesus on their campuses. Presence 17 was the tenth IFES European Student Evangelism Conference. These conferences have played a significant role in the lives of many students over the years, encouraging them to Presence 2017 take the call to make disciples seriously, and to see the impact of the gospel in the university, the church, and society. I didn t really know the importance of evangelism to others before but through Presence, God gave me the heart to evangelize, has equipped me with the tools, and gave me a massive and supportive family all over the world! IFES STUDENT AT PRESENCE 17 A key theme at Presence 17 was mission weeks. Students and staff shared how God had helped their mission week events in very diverse situations, from Ireland to Belarus, and everywhere in between! Presence 17 has already inspired students, and since the conference mission weeks have been held in Georgia, Austria, Romania, Belgium, and Germany. 7
PIONEERING Since our beginnings in 1947, our calling has been to establish a vibrant Christian witness in every university of the world. While we are now present in over 160 countries, there are still countries and campuses to be reached. With worldwide student numbers forecast to grow to 262 million by 2025 our mission field is rapidly expanding. We seek to continue our pioneering work, even in places where Christianity is actively opposed or illegal. Progress in our pioneering ministry is measured from the earliest development of new relationships within a country, to the formal affiliation of a national movement with IFES at our World Assembly. Today, we are pioneering student ministry in 32 countries, and at times we are surprised by unexpected progress. In one sensitive location, the leader was forced to leave the country and we thought the work would stop. However, the Lord had other plans. Student ministry continues and has even expanded to additional universities in the country! We don t want growth just because we want to grow, but because it is a calling and an urgent calling to take the gospel forward. DANIEL BOURDANNÉ IFES GENERAL SECRETARY World Student Day, Singapore 8
THE IMPACT OF CHURCH PARTNERSHIP Church partnerships have made a significant difference in pioneering new campuses and countries. In a sub-region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, a significantly expanded partnership with pastors has opened doors for pioneering in five countries. IFES leaders asked local pastors how we could serve the churches and their university students. They replied: leadership development and Bible study training. We immediately arranged for a November training conference for 45 participants from both Christian and Muslim backgrounds. This training became the starting point for discipling students with leadership potential, and will help us expand IFES ministry in universities across the sub-region. In Belarus, vision-casting with church leaders gained crucial support to train nearly 100 students for opening ministry in new cities and on new campuses. PIONEERING NEW WORK IN EAST ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA After spending a year of training as interns with FES Malaysia, two pioneering staff moved to Timor-Leste in September 2015. The group has grown to 11 people from different universities who come together to encourage each other, share and discuss ideas, and be trained as key people in their student groups. They had their first group meeting in August 2016 and meet once a week. A Timorese student is interested in being trained as staff, and we are so encouraged to see this young indigenous leader catch the vision for student ministry in Timor-Leste. The government in a sensitive country in Latin America is beginning to relax its restrictive laws against Christians. This allows us to enter a new chapter in strengthening and supporting the ministry there. Despite the tremendous economic challenges, they now have 12 volunteer staff meeting regularly. Pray with us for these church partnerships and the access they provide to larger numbers of students who can become witnesses on their campuses. 9
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IFES desires to see students and staff grow into lifelong disciples of Christ and become leaders of integrity and vision beyond the university. Each year, we encourage tens of thousands of students and staff to build on and flourish in their leadership skills, to develop character, and to foster Christian minds and global hearts. The campus is our best leadership development pipeline. By exposing people to the cutting edge of culture where they have to deal with the modern mindset that is the best way to develop pastors and lay leaders. TIMOTHY KELLER PASTOR OF REDEEMER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NEW YORK (USA) STUDENT CONFERENCES Each year, hundreds of student conferences bring together many from different backgrounds and cultures, to study scripture, to worship, and to engage in life-changing conversations. This year, 75 students from three North African countries gathered for a sub-regional student conference. It became clear that both the subtle and overt racism prevalent in the world was also at work at the conference, keeping the groups apart. Although they were forced to be in the same space, there was no unity at the beginning of the conference the first mealtimes were visibly segregated. IFES staff called on the students to truly live out the conference theme, to Be Living Stones, based on 1 Peter 2:4 5 to allow themselves to be built into a spiritual house of living stones. Within small-group Bible studies, things suddenly changed when each person shared their individual struggles. Hearing about the challenges of others broke through the barriers separating these students. One student responded, This conference allowed me to have a new way of seeing people. I also experienced true fellowship and communion like never before, met amazing people and learned to love them, and from now on they will be a part of my life, my prayers, my thoughts a part of me, really! 10
STAFF DEVELOPMENT IFES leadership development programs for staff are pivotal for growing leadership among regional and national staff for assignments all around the world. Staff training institutes that provide in-depth theological and ministry training over 2 12 week sessions include: The English-and Portuguese-speaking Africa (EPSA) Institute for Staff Development and Training, In 2016, the institutes in EPSA and Francophone Africa served cohorts of 34 staff leaders from 30 national movements, and as the 2017 sessions get underway, we expect even more to attend. A staff member from Sierra Leone commented, [The institute] has caused a change and shifted my paradigm in perspective to student ministry. I was passionate and zealous but lacked the fundamental theological knowledge [ ] to meet students needs. My prayer is that God will richly bless, reward and increase the partners who have wholeheartedly poured their resources to make [this] possible. The Francophone Africa institute (Centre Africain du Christianisme Contemporain), and The Eurasia Institute. Staff, being trained and encouraged during these weeks, return home refreshed to equip thousands of student leaders in their countries and many are also active in leadership of local churches. Staff grow and learn together at the 2016 Eurasia Institute 11
STRENGTHENING & SUPPORTING NATIONAL MOVEMENTS We want to ensure IFES national movements are well supported and provided with the resources and training needed to establish campus ministries that can be sustained by local leadership and initiative. I see our movements as trees. Some years, the leaves and fruit will fail, but when the tree is well-rooted there is always the potential for new growth, new life and an abundant display in future years. GOVERNANCE: BUILDING FIRM FOUNDATIONS The Governance Development program is an integral part of our strategy to release student initiative and accelerate IFES campus ministry worldwide by building wisely-governed, well-structured, and God-honoring ministries. An emerging culture of good governance is having a significant impact on more than 120 national movements in our network. In 2016 an international team of 34 trainers expanded beyond first-time board training, to on-going governance coaching, with plans for an e-learning program being developed. Newly pioneered movements, like one in a sensitive location in South Asia, also benefited from Governance Development. Their recently formed board is already working with staff to expand the ministry into new universities. The General Secretary of the movement there explains, God has answered our prayer for this crucial ministry. I believe that God will do still many greater things among [our] students through us all, in the near future. DANIEL BOURDANNÉ IFES GENERAL SECRETARY 12
INDIGENOUS SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT National movements have greater impact if they build partnerships locally with students, graduates, churches, and even businesses. Over the past year, the IFES Indigenous Support Development program has helped nurture local ownership in fundraising for ministries in 15 countries across five different IFES regions. This growth of local support helps ground the student movement in its national and local context through prayer and volunteer partnerships for speaking, mentoring, and serving as board members. Several national movements made great progress after attending an Indigenous Support Development consultation. The movement in Côte d Ivoire recruited a volunteer as a fund development officer. Within a week of his appointment, he mobilized 16 new partners for the movement. The movements in Benin and Burundi both saw the number of fully-funded local staff increase from 3, to 9 and 8 respectively. And in the movement in Togo, a student leader mobilized his fellow students to raise funds that exceeded the total budget for their student group! SCRIPTURE ENGAGEMENT The aim of IFES Scripture Engagement ministry is to work alongside national movements and regions to ensure that each new generation of students loves, studies, lives and shares God s Word. This mission is achieved by training individuals and encouraging each of them to multiply the impact of scripture engagement in IFES. Presented at the IFES World Assembly in 2015, The Word Among Us is a resource to help strengthen scripture engagement. This resource invites us to stop, reflect, and focus on six core aspects of our interaction with God s Word. Since the booklet was introduced, we have seen students and staff grow in their understanding of scripture. A student from ABUB Brazil wrote, I have been very edified by this little book. It has made me reconsider my commitment and love for the Bible and I want to share this with my Brazilian friends. 13
SERVING IN LEADERSHIP THE IFES BOARD CHAIR MEMBERS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES» Mr Chris Collins NEW ZEALAND TREASURER» Mrs Renee Gibson LIBERIA» Ms Val Goold NEW ZEALAND»Rev Samuel McCook JAMAICA» Dr Nishan de Mel SRI LANKA» Mr David Edmund TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO» Ms Esther Phua SINGAPORE» Mr Septi Bukula SOUTH AFRICA» Mrs Janat CENTRAL ASIA» Rev Dr Riad Kassis LEBANON» Mr Tim Rudge UNITED KINGDOM» Dr Glenn Smith CANADA» Dr Michel Kenmogne CAMEROON» Mr Vinicio Zuquino GUATEMALA» Mrs Lydia Lim SOUTH KOREA 14
GENERAL SECRETARY S DEPARTMENT REGIONAL LEADERSHIP» Augustin Ahoga»Jamil MIDDLE EAST AND» Desmond Rogers IFES GENERAL SECRETARY FRANCOPHONE AFRICA» David Bahena LATIN AMERICA NORTH AFRICA (MENA)» Tom Lin NORTH AMERICA CARIBBEAN» Savithri Sumanthiran» Daniel Bourdanné» Richard Chin SOUTH PACIFIC» Gideon Para-Mallam SOUTH ASIA ASSOCIATE GENERAL» Tor Erling Fagermoen EUROPE ENGLISH- AND PORTUGUESE- SPEAKING AFRICA (EPSA)» Sergei EURASIA» Ung-Seop Shin EAST ASIA SECRETARY FOR OPERATIONS»Tim Adams GLOBAL MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL SERVICES ASSOCIATE GENERAL SECRETARY FOR INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES» Martin Haizmann» Sabine Kalthoff SCRIPTURE ENGAGEMENT» Kehinde Ojo INDIGENOUS SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT» Mirek Pieszka GOVERNANCE DEVELOPMENT» Vinoth Ramachandra ENGAGING THE UNIVERSITY» David Acierno EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IFES/USA» Nick Addo CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER» Nick Goh CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER»Ruth Mounstephen CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER IFES/USA BOARD» Dr Charles Kelley CHAIR» Mrs Ann Van Dixhorn SECRETARY» Mrs Eleanor Ehresman TREASURER BOARD MEMBERS» Ms Sheyla Alfred» Mr Gary Ginter» Ms Caryl Weinberg 15
FINANCIAL REPORT 2016 2015 2014 INCOME $8,636,554 $9,552,463 $7,796,475 EXPENDITURE $7,135,272 $8,196,869 $6,999,221 NET ASSETS $10,372,530 $8,871,248 $7,515,655 UNRESTRICTED $4,029,453* *About $6.3 million of IFES 2016 net assets are temporarily restricted funds held on behalf of national movements and specific ministry projects. 2016 IFES INCOME BY COUNTRY 2016 MINISTRY EXPENDITURE Program 81% International & Regional Ministry 58% Grants to National Movements 23% General Administration 12% Fundraising 7% United States of America 62.0% United Kingdom 20.5% Canada 8.5% Germany 2.8% Switzerland 2.5% Norway 1.3% Other Countries 2.4% 16
THANK YOU! Our achievements to date have been made possible, under God s blessing, through donations from people like you. We commit to honoring your generosity by maintaining a high ethical code of financial accountability and responsible stewardship in concurrence with the Christian faith and practice. In 2016 many of our programs strengthened their impact, including leadership development in the Caribbean, staff training in Francophone Africa, and strategic conferences in the Middle East & North Africa. We continue to see strong momentum from our quadrennial World Assembly in 2015, which increased our income and expenditure for 2015. A significant portion of IFES income comes in at the end of our fiscal year and is set aside for the following year s projects. This Financial Report is an estimate based on a consolidation of the audited financial statements for IFES UK and IFES USA, and the independently examined financial statements for IFES Switzerland. The Ministry Expenditure analysis presented here is categorized with our international audience in mind. Our administrative services provide essential quality support to make our strategic programs and over 160 national movements as effective and efficient as possible, while investing in ministry partnerships with new and current donors enables sustained growth into the future. The consolidated data and the financial statements of each of the three IFES entities based in UK, USA and Switzerland accounting principles are available upon request. 17
National movement staff at Presence 17. Our staff work to disciple students and grow their leadership skills
We are students who share the love of Christ and invite others to follow him.
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