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The Greatest Reconciliation

3/27/2017

One by one, thousands of bold brothers and sisters are changing the world!

“For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation,”
2 Corinthians 5:19 (NLT).

“Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation,” Proverbs 14:9 (NLT).

I was recently reminded of God’s powerful gift of reconciliation during a major city’s volunteer banquet. After I shared a bird’s eye view of International Students, Inc.’s impact on the world, I was surrounded by volunteers overwhelmed by the reality of how the students we serve not only experience reconciliation with their heavenly Father, but spread it back home. I thought about just how profoundly this mirrors Scripture:

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to Himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him,”
2 Corinthians 5:18 (NLT).

I hear from our volunteers, often, that International Students, Inc. blesses the givers even more than it does the students! Our more than 24,000 dedicated volunteers reach out and help students in countless ways: They pick them up at an airport; help them adjust and thrive in a new and foreign environment; invite them over for dinner; and welcome them into their families. It fills us all with great joy that both the givers and receivers of such selflessness are so blessed. It is through these relationships that many international students are reconciled with their Heavenly Father!

I have mentioned this amazing statistic before, and it brings me great joy to share it again: Through our ministry, a student is coming to Christ every hour of every day––for the third year in a row. We’re here to bring our brothers and sisters reconciliation with Jesus Christ. On our new M28 app, we’re witnessing approximately more and more people entering into a new Bible study, without any advertising or marketing!

God has been thrilling me with this truth lately: Reconciliation often leads to redemption, which often leads to replication. Recently, I spent lunch and several hours with a former international student from a large Muslim nation. After finding Christ through ISI, he became involved with setting up microloans in developing nations. I asked him, “What about the discipling?” He smiled. “Many of those who become involved with us accept Christ,” he answered. “But there’s more. In the last 10 years, we’ve started 1,100 home Bible studies in Muslim villages, led by individual believers. We have their addresses, and we work to stay in touch and encourage them.” All that from a single convert. One by one, thousands of these bold brothers and sisters are changing the world!

For More Information
Learn more about how you can change the world right from your own doorstep!

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Our Gift in Full

3/21/2017

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It’s amazing what happens when we focus on meeting the needs of those around us!

“Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves,” Philippians 2:3 (NLT).

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back,” Luke 6:38 (NLT).

In our culture, we are encouraged to be self-aware, self-taught and self-sufficient. There is nothing inherently wrong with these “self” conscious tools. In fact, they can be helpful and can help prepare us for what God wants to do through us. But in this “selfie-culture,” where we are encouraged to focus a little too much on ourselves, it is vital for believers to remember the rest of the world.

When we only seek to satisfy our own needs, our self-absorption leaves little room for God to speak into our hearts about how to love and care for others. It’s true: Our current society tells us to “be the best version of you!” But, how can we be our best selves without fully surrendering to the One who made us? I believe that we need to focus less on ourselves and more on the Lord and letting Him shine through us.

When we focus on reflecting Christ’s attitude to those with whom we interact, they experience the love and respect they need. And giving always comes full circle. As Scripture says:

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back,” Luke 6:38 (NLT).

It’s amazing what happens when we focus on meeting the needs of those around us! Here at International Students, Inc., we try to engage in the everyday lives of the student with whom we are blessed to interact. In turn, they share their lives with us! One of our ministry friends told us about some students she and her family got to know. She writes:

“Recently, we got this text from Toby, one of our Middle Eastern friends: ‘Thank you guys for your prayers. I aced both my tests.’ We smiled because early in our friendship with Toby he told us, ‘Don’t believe in God. But if there was a God, I would want to believe in Him.’ Now that our relationship has progressed, Toby has indicated that he is open to the idea of God’s existence, and believes that He does listen to our prayers. He has watched us, and has seen the part prayer plays in our lives, so he no longer discounts it. We consider this a small but significant step in his journey toward Jesus! Another example of finding common ground with one of our students occurred when we took our new Iranian friend, Amanda, to her first Christian wedding. We quietly explained the significance of communion, and clarified the rest of the ceremony. With wide eyes she took it all in, absorbing everything intently. Thrilled by the experience, Amanda had her picture taken with the bride and even ventured a dance before we departed!”

What an honor and privilege it is to be able to share our lives with students from all over the world. In turn, they bless us in ways we could never imagine. They grow to appreciate and rely on our friendship and counsel, and we grow to love and care about their lives and futures! Simply put: The students we serve always return to us our gift in full!

For More Information
Learn more about some incredible world leaders who happen to be former international students!

Are you a prayer warrior? Do you have a heart for international students? Learn how to become an ISI Prayer Partner!

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Truth by Action

3/13/2017

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Learn more about a married couple deeply affected by the kindness they received when far from home.

“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions,” 1 John 3:17-18 (NLT).

Showing compassion to our international students can mirror the love of Christ in so many ways. In fact, sometimes it is our reaching out that brings them to Christ! Our countless ministry volunteers and staff members often go above and beyond to meet the needs of students. Sometimes those needs are physical, as in money, food and furniture, etc. Other times those needs might involve sharing time, a listening ear or comfortable place to talk and ask questions. Sometimes, the needs are purely emotional and spiritual.

Many international students who come to the United States to complete their studies find themselves in challenging situations. It can be especially difficult to fit into a new culture, to speak a different language and adapt to a society different from the one at home. One of our ministry friends shared a story about a young Middle Eastern couple who moved to their town in a rural area of the United States. The husband-and-wife-team encountered struggles with finances, visas, jobs and academics. Our ministry friend writes,

“The wife desired her husband to be a religious man, and yet they did not have a true faith in Islam, though their home country’s citizenship required them to be Muslim. They were surprised to find that since coming here, Christians surrounded them during these hard months and blessed them with financial gifts, warm meals and hospitality. These showers of blessings and love caused the couple to ask questions about Christianity. And soon they also desired to have a personal relationship with Christ. Both of them eventually accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior! The currency in their home country is still unstable, so financially they are still struggling—yet they have learned to trust God to provide. They saw God answer a prayer for the wife to pass a crucial exam and find a good job on campus. They are hungry to grow in their knowledge of Scripture and will be starting a Bible study with friendship partners. We were so blessed to have this couple in our lives and to witness God’s salvation, provision, and faithfulness in these young believers.”

This testimony is a good reminder of how we, as believers, can show the truth by our actions. Being sensitive to our friends’ needs opens doors to their hearts and minds. It’s what Jesus did.

“If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions,”
1 John 3:17-18 (NLT).

For More Information
Do you want to make a difference in the life of an international student? Becoming an ISI Friendship Partner will be a blessing for both the student and for you! Friendship Partners, by their interaction with international students, receive cultural experiences which enrich their lives. Many become lifelong friends with their international students. Learn more here.

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We Must Redeem This Time

3/6/2017

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Despite daunting challenges, God continues to bring us a Harvest.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,”
Ecclesiastes 3:1.

“As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease,” Genesis 8:22 (NLT).

“The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor,” 1 Corinthians 3:8 (NLT).

As we continue charging into the year with boldness and prayerful anticipation, it’s exciting to think of all the planting and harvesting we have in front of us. Yes, planting and harvesting simultaneously is no small feat. Just think of us as a farmer with crops in both phases at once!

The Harvest has been plentiful. We thank God that for the third year in a row, for every hour of every single day students have told us they accepted Christ through this ministry. More and more churches are receiving and accepting our invitation to join us. Right now, denominations representing between 3,000 and 4,000 churches have expressed interest in coming alongside us in international student ministry. No wonder engaging the church continues to be one of our core values!

Worldwide, our online evangelism efforts that include our new M28 Global Discipleship app and our partnership with Global Media Outreach continues to spread. Every day, users sign on and send comments of gratitude. These efforts solve one of evangelism’s most troublesome dilemmas: how-to-disciple-converts. They immediately refer students anywhere in the world to Christians who can come alongside them.

December brought in unexpected numbers, in terms of students accepting Christ! From a previous average of 400 to 500 students a month wanting to accept Christ, December’s total jumped to almost 2,000. This is the highest number we have seen yet! The month also saw 19,055 Gospel Presentations and 213 brand new contacts.

A major Planting highlight will be our upcoming International Conference––this year in Singapore––centered on the theme that we all have a plan to fulfill. The conference will unveil a thrilling, macro-level perspective of what God is doing in China, India, and the Islamic world. As usual, global experts, ministry veterans and spiritual leaders will personally encourage, equip and inspire our staff. It also moves them to deploy and visit student returnees in their home countries, as we’ve done in past years. Previous overseas conferences have enabled visits to over 1,800 returnees!

This time of strategy and planning is crucial, because the field of harvest grows rockier by the day. India has expelled 20,000 foreign organizations, including nearly all official Christian groups. In China, the government has vowed to crush Christianity. In vast swaths of the Islamic world, believers are being martyred for their faith. In fact, the past year’s worldwide total has reached 90,000 for the year––one believer perishing for the Gospel every six minutes. Martyrdom has become a global crisis.

So how amazing is it that despite these daunting challenges, God continues to bring us a Harvest––even from the most hostile nations! Consider this testimony from a brother who came to us from Asia.

A very bright, philosophically-minded atheist, Jason was well schooled in the “No God Theory” he had learned growing up in East Asia. After several conversations about spiritual matters, one of our volunteers suggested that Jason simply ask God straight out whether He existed. Jason decided to take up that challenge. Knowing about his roommate’s struggle with school, he challenged, “God, if you’re real, let my roommate pass his exam.” The result? His roommate took the test and failed miserably. Jason walked along the street laughing at God, saying, “This proves you aren’t real!” But then, according to Jason, a remarkable thing happened. He instantly felt overwhelmed by an almost tangible manifestation of peace and love. He had never experienced anything so wonderful in his life! He described the sensation as flowing over him; he felt he wanted to inhale it and drink it in. After only a minute, it stopped just as suddenly as it had started. He sensed a strong voice speak into his heart, “Yes, I am.” As soon as the sensation of peace left him, he recognized within himself “emptiness, blackness, and cold.” He now realized that as his natural state all throughout his life. Continuing his walk, Jason surrendered his life to God. Since that day, he claims that the love, peace and light that he had experienced briefly, have returned to his heart and remained there. Now that Jason has returned to East Asia, two of the people closest to him have chosen to follow Jesus as well.

Clearly, God is not stopped––or even slowed down––by international barriers. That’s why for us, this is a Time to Build. Friend, you may have heard about the new building God has brought our way. We’re thankful that, despite delays in closing escrow, God brought us the funds to close. I’m so grateful to everyone who gave to this effort! We see this as more than a building, but a Ministry Center. We are dedicating space to pray for the nations and the students who will come there from around the world. Please stay tuned for news on this purchase, and a dedication later this year.

While I’m hopeful that this may be a time of fewer anti-Christian and anti-biblical values coming out of our government, I also know that God’s Kingdom advances regardless. But we must redeem this time. We must make use of this season by planting and harvesting in His glorious name.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,”
Ecclesiastes 3:1.

For More Information

Through ISI’s Churches Reaching Nations initiative, we can come alongside you and your church, helping you effectively fulfill the Great Commission without ever leaving the US, or even your own community. The impact and influence you have will reach nations and world leaders in even the countries most closed to the Gospel message! Learn more here.

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The Greatest Reconciliation

Our Gift in Full

Truth by Action

We Must Redeem This Time

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