Our History

In 1930, Australian university students gathered to hear English evangelist Dr Howard Guinness. With single-minded devotion to Christ, he spoke on the power of the gospel to transform lives. Students were convicted: they needed to tell people about Jesus on campus. Taking up the call to evangelism, Christian groups formed on university campuses across Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, and Brisbane.

Guinness returned to Australia three years later to encourage the fledgling groups. Small evangelical unions began in Perth and Adelaide, and in 1936, this national network became the Australian Inter Varsity Fellowship (IVF).

The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) formed in 1947, and Australia was one of its ten founding members.

To reflect the affiliation with IFES, the Australian IVF changed its name to the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (AFES) in 1973.

The same year Murdoch University was founded, Murdoch Christians began uniting together to enjoy fellowship and look at God's word

The first AFES staff worker came on board to help and partner with students to share the gospel with others on campus!

Steve McKerney came onboard as the new Campus staff worker helping to run the bible studies, bible talks and training and evangelising students to know more about Jesus

In March of 2024 Steve had to step down due to heath related issues, but God continued to provide people to serve and carry on the ministry. Tim and Rosemary Thorburn step in to help the CU.

Today we are a healthy club who continue the mission of making Jesus known to those at Murdoch Uni, praying that God would continue to work among us and the students on campus.