Agape Europe, a Christian organisation dedicated to helping people understand the good news of Jesus Christ, is the Western European branch of Campus Crusade for Christ International. ;xNLx;Over the years, the methods and tools have certainly changed - transitioning from simple printed booklets to modern, interactive websites - but the message remains the same. Our goal is to WIN people with Jesus' life-changing message, BUILD them up in their faith and SEND them out to share with others. Read on to see how God has honored these efforts for almost 50 years in Western Europe.
Kalevi Lehtinen meets an American Lutheran youth team in Finland, trained by Campus Crusade for Christ.
The early days of Agape Europe saw staff members making many contacts, starting new ministries, and young European couples catching the vision.
Gordon and Marcy Klenck make first Campus Crusade for Christ visit to Europe
Frank and Judy Kifer begin work in Berlin, soon meeting Bernhard Rebsch and his fiancée, Anne. By the following spring, they have met German youth and begun Bible study groups with Gerhard Triebel and Hartmut Unger, who would be involved with the movement for decades to come.
Finnish evangelist Kalevi Lehtinen meets Bill Bright at the Berlin Congress on World Evangelism. The two are kindred spirits, and their hearts connect.
Kalevi and Eine Lehtinen of Finland join staff along with Bernhard and Anne Rebsch of Germany.
Just as the Apostle Paul received a request for evangelistic help from a far away country, Kalevi Lehtinen from Finland challenged US missionary Bud Hinkson and the University Ambassador team to "Come over and help us!"
People's Bible Society of Finland (Kansan Raamattuseura in Finnish, and now called Logos Ministries internationally), agrees to form a partnership with Campus Crusade for Christ
The University Ambassadors, a team of 50 Campus Crusade staff members, travel to Europe and plant the seeds of what has today become Agape Europe.
The ministry is launched in the UK and Germany. Most members of the University Ambassador team begin the work in England, spreading out to five universities. Meanwhile a small team goes to Berlin to help Frank and Judy Kifer, who had begun work there the previous year.
