For Liberty University students looking to serve overseas, Greater Europe Mission (GEM) offers an opportunity to spend a summer building relationships and sharing the gospel across Europe.
GEM is an organization that focuses on reaching the lost and growing Christ’s Church. Gem operates in 26 countries, including Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Greece and the United Kingdom.
GEM offers the Ten2 Project, a 10-week summer program for 18-to-25-year-olds interested in missions.
The organization serves through church planting, biblical education, refugee ministry and relational discipleship.
According to GEM’s website, in most European countries less than 3% of the population claims to have a relationship with Jesus.
Ben Sather, a regional mobilizer with GEM, said Europe is an overlooked mission field because many people associate the continent with Christianity’s history.
“Europe is often seen as a mission field that doesn’t need missionaries,” Sather said.
Sather has worked with GEM for two years as a regional mobilizer. His role includes working with universities and churches to connect young adults with opportunities to serve in Europe. He also helps recruit, train and mentor students participating in GEM’s Ten2 Project.
Those who join the program get to invest in relationships, learn about the local culture and serve alongside missionaries and local churches.
Sather first became involved with GEM in 2022 when he participated in Ten2 during his undergraduate years. He spent the summer in Rome, Italy, where he experienced GEM’s approach to ministry firsthand.
“What is so unique about Ten2 is you get to experience a mission field in a really organic way,” Sather said.
Instead of solely focusing on large events or short-term outreach, Ten2 emphasizes relationships and discipleship.
While in Rome, Sather and other students spent time in local parks playing sports and talking with people they met. These activities created opportunities for conversations about faith.Sather said one of the most important things he learned was the difference between identifying as a Christian and personally following Jesus.
“There’s a misunderstanding of what Christianity is across the board,” Sather said.
After completing Ten2, Sather spent seven months serving alongside a church plant outside of Birmingham, England. He now helps prepare other students for their experience in Europe.
Ten2 is built around six core values: transformation, leadership, passion, community, humility and stewardship. GEM believes discipleship is crucial to seeing Europe transformed by Jesus. Sather said students can also gain a new perspective on the global church through the program.
Students get to visit churches that are smaller than many in the United States.
Sather described seeing congregations with only a small number of believers in communities where Christianity is not culturally common.
“It allows the Lord to just really work in your life,” Sather said.
GEM prepares students before they leave on mission. Ten2 participants begin with a training week in the French Alps, then they travel throughout Europe to serve with other missionaries.
At the end of the summer, students meet in Greece to debrief their experiences. Sather said Ten2 can serve as an opportunity for students to explore what God may have for them beyond college.
“If you have a free summer, why not do this now?” Sather said.
For Liberty students interested in missions, Ten2 provides an opportunity to serve alongside missionaries while experiencing European culture and learning how discipleship can be used to share the gospel.
GEM will also take part in Liberty’s Global Focus Week, so interested students can ask questions and get involved in the program.
Rockenbaugh is a feature reporter for The Liberty Champion.