Graduate Christian Fellowship is the only ministry focused entirely on Arizona State University’s 14,000 graduate students. GCF’s goal is to be a missional community of grads bringing truth with integrity to their fields and to their colleagues.

 GCF Students represent various academic departments, nationalities, and levels of Christian maturity, including seekers. They face overwhelming workloads, academic pressure, and financial worries. In GCF they find spiritual support to grow in Christ through these challenges. Our hope through Christ is to influence on all levels the university community of grads, undergrads, faculty, staff, and administrators.

 Graduate Christian Fellowship at ASU began in 2006; in Fall 2008 I became ASU’s first InterVarsity Graduate & Faculty Ministries staff. Since Fall 2010 I have served GCF as a campus worker through Community Ministries International.

My Priorities as Graduate Christian Fellowship’s resource person:

• Planting GCF in Scripture: Lead Bible studies and train students to lead
• Making disciples: Meet individuals for Bible study, spiritual direction, mentoring, and counsel
• Equipping for ministry: Provide seminars on evangelism, discipleship topics, skills, and chapter strategy; seek opportunities for GCF witness and service
• Preserving the future of GCF: Build relationships with new contacts, raise up new GCF leaders and guide current leaders
• Connecting GCF to the greater Christian community: Represent GCF among evangelical collegiate ministry leaders and on ASU’s interfaith Council of Religious Advisors (CORA); support the Aslan Society (Christian faculty & staff) and ACCS (Arizona Center for Christian Studies); include GCF in co-sponsored outreaches and speakers.

 Ministry Experience:
– 2010 to present, Community Ministries International: serving Graduate Christian Fellowship students and the Christian community at ASU
– 2008-2010, Graduate & Faculty Ministries staff with InterVarsity: planting ASU’s Graduate Christian Fellowship
– 1984-2008, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship staff in western PA: Grove City College and many other campuses; directing student conferences; training InterVarsity staff locally, nationally, and internationally
– 1979-1984, InterVarsity campus volunteer in western PA
– 1975-1978, InterVarsity campus staff in West Virginia
Particular areas of expertise: leadership training for GCF officers and Bible study groups, inductive Bible study, evangelism training, and administration.

 Education:
Master of Arts in Religion/Biblical Studies Specialization, Trinity [Episcopal] School for Ministry (Ambridge, PA), 2007
BA, Psychology and English/Creative Writing, Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA), 1975

  About the Duerbecks:
Guy and I met at Carnegie Mellon and married in 1978. After 30 years of suburban-rural living NW of Pittsburgh, we are grateful to call Tempe our home. We recognize that God called us here to Tempe through the many doors for service and growth that have opened to u

Contact information:
Jean Duerbeck, GCF at ASU
[email protected]

Contributions:
This ministry is sustained by the prayers and gifts of many who are concerned about the spiritual condition of graduate students. Tax-deductible contributions can be made through Community Ministries International, designated toward the ministry of Jean Duerbeck:

Online: Follow instructions on this site, and apply your gift to “Duerbeck, Jean”Mail: Send check payable to Community Ministries International (CMI) With the name Jean Duerbeck” in the memo field on the check.

CMI
PO Box 1245
Tempe, AZ 85280