As the values of an individual define the person, so the shared values of a community define its people. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is a community of Christians with shared values that are biblical.
Biblically Based
Our values are based in the historic truths of the Bible. We teach students and faculty to study the Bible and discover the relevance of God’s teachings to their circumstances in life, both individual and societal. We believe the Bible reveals the love of God, the mission of Jesus Christ, and the gift of hope for humanity.
“Some students will meet the Lord in college. Others will grow to know Him in greater ways or be challenged by God to do things they never dreamed of. These are future leaders of InterVarsity and the face of the church in the years to come,” said Matt Sidell, InterVarsity staff at the University of North Carolina in Wilmington.
We share values with other Christians worldwide. Indeed, our doctrinal values are consistent with the beliefs of Christians throughout history and with Christians living today in all nations of this world. We articulate our core beliefs in a our Doctrinal Basis statement.
Distinctively Christian
In addition to our Doctrinal Basis, we articulate our Christian values in two other important documents—a Vision Statement and a Purpose Statement.
Our Purpose Statement expresses our desire to love God and people of every ethnicity as a grateful response to God’s gracious love for us. Our Vision Statement asserts our mission to the campus.
After InterVarsity’s Price of Life Invitational at Ohio State University, InterVarsity students followed up with students who had visited the event. Amy, a junior, wrote in an email to our staff, "My new friend shared that she tried to get close to God before and it "didn't work." She was really honest about how she is tired of having a "selfish faith" where she just goes to God when she needs something, but she doesn't know where to begin and has a lot of theological questions. We're starting our GIG on Sunday and we're reading The Reason for God together! I'm so excited that I get to be a part of what God is doing in her life!"
Through the seventy years of our incorporated fellowship, we’ve thought seriously about our community’s values. Today, within our Core Values document, twelve distinct values define and guide us and set high standards for our legacy to future generations.
Socially Relevant
These Core Values show the focus of our ministry is on the college and university campus, that we are formed by both traditional and contemporary expressions of discipleship to Christ, and that we are by nature a missional, evangelical community.
“We are called to be a redeeming influence among the people, ideas, and structures of the college and university campus,” said InterVarsity’s President Alec Hill. “As such, we plant and build campus witnessing communities for the purpose of helping students and faculty know the love of God through Jesus Christ.”
We believe that when students and faculty are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ, they in turn help to renew their campus in biblical values, and help to change the world for the better.
