International Friendships, Inc

International Friendships, Inc

Serving and partnering with internationals to make Christ known among the Nations.

Menu
  • Home
  • About IFI
    • Blog
    • Locations
    • Our Team
    • History
    • Board of Directors
    • Financial Accountability
  • Donate
  • Get Involved
    • Upcoming Events
    • Become A Volunteer
    • Volunteer Resources
    • Training
    • Pray
    • Careers
    • Contact Us
    • Muslim Friendship Team
    • ISEED Discipleship Training
    • International Student Ministry Apprenticeship Program
    • Online Training Courses- Request Access
    • Staff Access

Russ and Rebecca Sermon

  • Support a Specific Staff Member's Ministry
    Find their name using this form
    Choose Another Staff Member
    • General Fund
    • Rich Mendola, ED
    • National Staff
      • Ken Barker, COO
      • Don Hayes, CFO
      • Jason Pinschenat, Dev
      • Estera Pirosca Escobar, National Field Director
      • Ryan Finke, Communications
      • Michelle Prindle
    • Columbus Staff
      • David Albright
      • Bruce Bernard
      • Samanta Buffa
      • Mike Burt
      • Wen Cao
      • Guy Deal
      • Phil & Ellen Foell
      • Leila Gardner
      • Christina Ho
      • Fabiola Jara
      • Mike & Tish Krajnak
      • Kaini Li
      • Alyssa Mueller
      • Karen Oliver
      • Russ & Rebecca Sermon
      • Jerry & Gwen Shellhaas
      • Samson Wasao
      • Abby Zou
    • Cincinnati Staff
      • Jim Gifreda – City Director
      • Pat Durst
      • Dale & Cheryl Ramsey
      • Julie Rhine
    • Cleveland Staff
      • Cleveland Ministry Fund
      • Eric Benson
      • JP – City Director
    • Dayton Staff
      • Dayton Ministry Fund
      • Gloria Kelios Jacob
      • Larissa Swartz
      • Mo W.
    • Staff in Other Areas
      • Darrell Caldwell – Muskingum, OH
      • George & Heena Chow
      • Bill Erickson, Champaign-Urbana, IL
      • Rod & Kim Friesen, East Lansing, MI
      • Bruce Fulcher, Buffalo, NY
      • Andika Gunadi, Wooster, OH
      • Jim Hanes, Washington, IL
      • David & Carol Kunselman, Lubbock, TX
      • Heather Murray, Portland, OR
      • Craig Olive, Gainesville, FL
      • Madeline Trotman, Charlottesville, VA
      • Lindsay Van Sicklen, Arkadelphia, AR
      • Y.M., North Africa
  • Already giving via credit card?
    Update your giving plan
    For assistance, contact IFI's Accountant, Karen Volker at accounting@ifipartners.orgor (614) 294-2434 ext 208


Go To Giving Form

IMG_0152Russ Sermon, Director of English as a Second Language and The International Student Ministry Apprenticeship Program – 

Rebecca Sermon, Director of the International Wives’ Group – Rebecca@ifiusa.org

Russ has an AA from Century College in White Bear Lake, MN; a BA in Cross-Cultural Communications from North Central University in Minneapolis, MN; and an MA in TESOL (Teaching English as a Second Language) from The University of Maryland–Baltimore County.

He has worked with university and international students for over 27 years at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; the University of Washington, Seattle; Virginia Tech; American University; George Mason University; the University of Maryland–Baltimore County; and the University of Maryland–College Park.  He lived in Cornwall, England, for a year as a Bible teacher, traveled to Chile to work with university students, and spent three weeks in China as a TESOL teacher.

Rebecca graduated from Knox College with a BA in European Studies.  Shortly after graduating, she went to Russia to teach English and Biblical ethics.  She worked in Russia and Russian-speaking Central Asia for almost seven years.  She is a gifted teacher and loves learning about and meeting people from other lands.

Russ married his lovely wife, Rebecca, in July 2004.  Together, they lived in Kazakhstan, where he was a TESOL teacher.  They began working with IFI in December 2007.

Russ leads a weekly investigative Bible study.  He also leads the English Conversation Club, which provides opportunity for international students to practice their English and make American friends. Russ also is the director of the International Student Ministry Apprenticeship Program, a one-year program to prepare young men and women to be ISM workers, especially at new university locations.

Rebecca leads the IFI International Wives’ Group, a social and investigative Bible study group for wives of students and visiting scholars.  She also supplies hospitality to the many international students who visit our home.

Ways to Give to Russ and Rebecca’s Ministry

  1. Give automatically through your bank account (EFT)
  2. Use your bank’s ONLINE BILL PAY or mail a check to:

    International Friendships, Inc.
    PO Box 82416
    Columbus, OH 43202-0416

    Please write “RUSS & REBECCA SERMON” on the check memo line or in the memo or account field in your online bill payer.

  3. Credit Card online (see form on this page)
Please use Check or Online Bill Pay or the form below for credit card giving.



  • Privacy
  • Financial Accountability
  • Staff Login
  • Careers
  • Contact Us

International Friendships, Inc. © 2018. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by WordPress. Designed by Woo Themes