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Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV)
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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In Matthew 28 Jesus commands us to “Go and make disciples of all nations”
but sometimes we don't have to "go" very far. Thanks to the rise in international students in the U.S. the nations are coming to us!
California has more international students than any other state in the U.S.
Join Bridges International in reaching out to the nearly 8,000 international students in San Diego.
What is International Student Ministry?
What is International Student Ministry?
Some of you have asked what international student ministry looks like. It can be hard to define, though, as any ministry, including college campus ministry, will look different depending on many factors, such as geographical location, culture, other local ministries, and many others.
A Ministry Example from Central Illinois
A Ministry Example from Central Illinois
A great example of this is John and Linda Berger and their amazing international student ministry in Normal, IL with ISI (International Students, Inc.). I had the pleasure of doing a 6 month internship with them in 2010. One of the main service aspects of their work was their furniture ministry. They connected with generous Christians in the area through church partnerships to provide free furniture and furniture delivery to international students. This furniture ministry met a great need in the international student community and was a great way to show the love of Christ. (If you would like to help, connect with John). This was perfect for their specific ministry, but not every city or college campus has the same problem areas or needs to meet, which is why these ministries can often look very different from one-another.
Our San Diego Ministry
Our San Diego Ministry
Our ministry in San Diego might look a little different than John and Linda's, but every international student ministry shares common goals that tie them together, such as the desire for international students to know Jesus, be built up in their faith, and be sent out as professing believers. We drive toward these goals through:
Service
Social Connections
Spiritual Conversations
Student Leadership
The following is what Cru and Bridges uses to describe generally what international student ministry looks like.
Bridges International is a caring community of Christ-followers...
Bridges International is a caring community of Christ-followers...
committed to serve, promote social connections and engage in spiritual conversations with international students so that students become leaders internationally.
committed to serve, promote social connections and engage in spiritual conversations with international students so that students become leaders internationally.
Millions of people in the world today have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel
Millions of people in the world today have never heard a clear presentation of the gospel
“We talk about the Second Coming of Christ when over half the world has yet to hear of the first…”
- OSWALD J. SMITH
Canadian Pastor
A 2016 report on college enrollment indicated that 54% of international students in the U.S. come from China, India, and Saudi Arabia, all of which are strategic countries in the 10/40 window. How they are influenced on campus will have a lasting effect on their lives and the countries they will return to.
Bridges international is making every effort to share the gospel with the over 1,000,000 international college students studying in the U.S. who are especially open to Christians who love them.
Service
Service
Bridges International wants to serve international students and equip them to serve others. We offer a variety of services, from airport pick-ups to help with English. But we don’t want it to stop here. We want to give them opportunities to serve others, too.
Social Connections
Social Connections
Relationships are an essential part of everyone’s life especially international students. When they transition to life in America they often find it difficult to make friends. Bridges International can help them connect and make friends from all over the world allowing them to enjoy their time in the U.S.
Spiritual Conversations
Spiritual Conversations
Bridges International is a Christian organization. Though open to students from any religious or non-religious background, we offer opportunities for international students to explore the Bible and understand Jesus Christ in a safe environment.
Student Leadership
Student Leadership
Bridges International seeks to equip international students to be global leaders. We want to help them lead other people, both during their studies and later in life.
Prayer
Prayer
There are roughly 1 million international students studying in the USA. Pray that they would have a chance to come into relationship with Jesus.
Praise God for the people who have joined our team so far.
Pray for me to continue in diligence in finding ministry partners.
Pray for the San Diego Cru campus team as they connect with college students in San Diego.
Sam Davis has focused on international student ministry since 2010 and is on staff with Cru and Bridges International in San Diego, CA. His passion for leading others into a close relationship with Jesus is shown in his general love for people and focus on discipleship.
Sam and his wife, Gloria, love to travel, meet people, eat great food, and hike.
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