What is special about international student ministry?
Among so may other ministry options, why should we work with them?
Lia and I kind of stumbled into international student ministry initially, and are now very convinced of what an incredible opportunity this ministry is.
The most effective ministries are those that have a global reach, especially to people who have never heard of Jesus. This is because we’re called to reach and love every person: a ministry that is only local can’t do this, because it isn’t contagious beyond its borders. While Lia and I feel that we’re not best suited for living in another country, we do want to have an impact overseas.
International students present a uniquely inredible opportunity to us:
1. They’re the future leaders of their countries and their fields. A third of current political leaders went to university in the US. (Every person is equally valuable, but some people are more able to influence others.)
2. They’re also strategic because of where they’re from: 60% of them are from countries that don’t allow foreigners to share their faith there. And 90% of them will be returning home to their own people. Imagine if they returned home to these places loving Jesus!
3. They’re already here. Three quarters of a million of them, and they’ve bought the plane tickets and learned English. We can reach them and go home to our own beds. ☺
4. They want to know us. They’re very curious about Americans and American culture, and consider it a privilege to talk with and learn from us.
5. They’re lonely. About 75% of international students never see the inside of an American home. They mostly spend their time with each other or alone. And God calls us to reach people who are outcasts and lonely.
6. Because it’s good for us to love people who are different from us. We get our horizons stretched, learn more about other views, and get our hearts stretched by knowing and loving them.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Why do ministry with international students?
