Mission and Goals
A student’s time at university is an unique period of self-reflection and questioning who they are and what they believe. It is also a critical time when students are making important life decisions.
One of SFC’s primary goals is to encourage Christian students in a challenging environment, while at the same time helping them to reach out to their fellow students who are searching for answers to many of life’s questions.
We do this through meetings on or near campus, in all sorts of settings and sizes. These gatherings are informal, charged with music, given to humor and deal with everything from relationships to the nature of truth. The focus of these gatherings is to meet with God, meet among friends and meet real needs.
Another important goal of SFC is to partner with local churches in reaching the mission field of the university. This is accomplished through training and equipping young people, youth leaders, and others to reach students. At the same time, the local church benefits as students are trained to be lay leaders in their own congregations.
We believe that reconciling students to Christ and equipping them through Spirit-filled communities will change the university, the marketplace, and ultimately, the world.
“Having known some of the SFC executive leaders and observed the ministry of SFC in various parts of Europe, I am convinced that SFC-Europe is a God-given tool for today’s harvest in European university campuses. I want to encourage you to partner with SFC as local churches, ministry organizations and denominations.”
Daniel Costanza | Pentecostal European Fellowship, Coordinator
Our Leadership Team
SFC Europe represents a network of university ministry leaders from many nations who come together at least twice a year for prayer, vision-casting, training and mutual encouragement.
Blair and Dina Bonin have served as SFC-Europe coordinators since August 2010. The current administrative council includes representatives of Belgium, Germany, Ireland, and Italy.
Students for Christ-Europe is an International non-profit (AiSBL) organization and is an auxiliary ministry of the Pentecostal European Fellowship.
History
1974
University Action is founded in the university city of Leuven, Belgium by Jerry and Pat Sandidge, missionaries with the US Assemblies of God. In 1980, Jerry Sandidge becomes Director for Student Ministry in Europe. When the university of Leuven is divided into separate French and Flemish campuses, University Action moves to the newly-built French campus at Louvain-la-Neuve. Bob & Lucille Smith take over leadership at Louvain-la-Neuve in 1982. Sadly, both groups eventually close after the deaths of Jerry Sandidge and Bob Smith to cancer.
1981
John and Anita Koeshall begin student ministry in Munich, Germany. Bob and Paula Marks arrive in Nice, France and begin establishing student groups there and in surrounding areas until their return to the US in 1992.
1983
Dr. Jim Bradford conducts a training week in Germany and France, bringing new direction and focus to European student ministry using his US-based Chi Alpha university group as a model.
1984
John Koeshall is named European Director for Student Ministry. Many university groups are added in Germany (Students for Christ) and France (Chrétiens en Action) throughout the 1980s.
1991
John and Anita Koeshall relocate to Brussels, Belgium, to establish a summer student training program and center for European student leaders. Training events continue annually, with European-wide student conferences taking place every 2-3 years.
2000's
Throughout this decade, university ministry presence continues in Germany and France and is established in 11 other countries: Austria, Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Scotland, Spain and Sweden. Leadership is comprised of both missionaries and European nationals.
2008
The legally-recognized international non-profit organization Students for Christ - Europe is formed and headquartered in Belgium.
2010
SFC-Europe along with the Hungarian national church host the Global Student Encounter in Budapest, Hungary. Blair and Dina Bonin are named coordinators for SFC-Europe.