 Learn how the M28 Bible study continues to grow rapidly worldwide!
“For you bless the godly, O Lord; You surround them with your shield of love,” Psalm 5:12 (NLT). “The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged,” Psalm 69:32 (NLT). “In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge,” 2 Peter 1:5 (NLT). We can truly be at peace when we intentionally live our lives in God’s will. It might be easy to start each day presenting our Heavenly Father with a checklist of requests. Yet, how much more might we be blessed if instead of asking what He can do for us, we ask Him each morning: “God, what will You have me do for You this day?” The Psalmist wrote of God saying that He blesses, “the godly, O, Lord; You surround them with Your shield of love.” Psalm 5:12 (NLT). We see this happen all of the time through our ministry and we are always thrilled to see how the Lord surrounds international students with His love. One of our staff members shared with me an encouraging story about a student blessed through our M28 Bible Study ministry. He writes: “At one point, we had two weekly Friday home groups where an average of 40 students were gathering in two homes for a time of great community building, awesome dinners, M28 Bible studies, and English discussion groups. Students were finding community with both Americans and Internationals at these Friday home groups. I really understood how much was happening when a student from Korea made this comment at the end of last semester: ‘These home groups are the best thing that has happened to me since being in America. I feel like this is my family. I do not know what my semester would have been like if I did not have International Students, Inc.’ It is such a blessing to see the effect our ministry has on international students, but it is also a blessing to watch many of our American students grow in their own faith as they spend time with, minister to and pray for the international students that God has brought to their lives.” Friend, we are so excited that our ministry continues to expand. Not too long ago, we launched our Strategic Advanced Leadership Teams (S.A.L.T.) initiative with ambitious plans to reach even more people with the Good News of Jesus Christ. The three-year initiative is focused on accelerating ministry impact through our M28 Global Discipleship model, Church Mobilization efforts and Outreach and Technology. We are thrilled that the S.A.L.T. initiative is thriving and want to share some exciting numbers with you! Some of the initiative updates include: M28 Global Discipleship
Church Mobilization Our ministry now has access to more than 4,275 churches as a result of cultivating relationships with several denominational groups.
Outreach and Technology Our Global Media Outreach (GMO) Evangelism Website results to date include:
Friend, we give all glory to the Lord for His gracious and abundant ways. It is because of His faithfulness that we continue to grow and expand. Please pray that our volunteers and staff are surrounded by His “shield of love” as they minister to and share His Promise to international students! Please pray also for students, that they are encouraged and uplifted by His Word--that they find true comfort and hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ! For More Information Learn more about the M:28 initiative by reading Dr. Shaw’s blog, “M28 Bible Study Evolves into Global Movement.” International Students, Inc. recently introduced the FIRST app specifically for international students! Download the app here. Learn some helpful tips on how to reach out to international students!  Learn more about an international student who accepted Christ and found the ultimate freedom!
“If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me,” Psalm 139:9-10 (NLT). “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free,” John 8:32 (NLT). Never is our freedom in Christ more palpable than when we first receive Him into our hearts. Spiritual rebirth is a true renaissance for our entire being, in fact, it changes our hearts, minds and souls. Our initial encounter with the Holy Spirit can bring with it a release of long-held emotional strongholds and stumbling blocks. This may be challenging at first, but what follows is the truest and purest form of freedom—the freedom in the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. As Scripture tells us in John 8:23, this is the truth that sets us free. When we are free from our old, oppressive strongholds, we can fully enjoy the Lord’s everlasting presence. We can rest and delight in the fact that He is with us at all times. Everywhere. Not only is He with us, but He guides and supports us. As the Psalmist wrote: “If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me,” Psalm 139:9-10 (NLT). Friend, I love nothing more than hearing stories about international students who have found and accepted the truth of Jesus Christ. We often hear of the immense strongholds and bondage students have been able to let go of forever after accepting Him into their hearts. Take, for example, this testimony sent to us by one of our ministry staff members. She writes: “After being bitter towards Christians growing up, an international student started coming to International Students, Inc. events on Friday evenings. There, she felt the love of Jesus in a way she never had before. It was the first time she truly heard the Gospel—the Good News that Jesus had paid the price for her sins. After much thought and prayer support, she recognized her need for the Lord. She went to an International Students, Inc. event to ask more about Jesus and how to interpret the Bible. Within weeks, she accepted Christ as her Savior. She also attended a leadership discipleship Bible study conducted by International Students, Inc. Today, she has grown tremendously as a young Christian woman and student. Here is what she says: ‘I am now free and have dreams. What the devil meant for evil, God turned around for my good. I’ve got nothing but love for you all (ministry staff). I thank you all for your love, for the long hours you put in, for everything you do because there are a lot of people like me out there. Don’t give up. Don’t get tired or weary. If God calls you, He will provide.’ This young woman is so right! There are many other lost, lonely and emotionally imprisoned international students stumbling through their academic years in a culture that feels alien and unapproachable to them. This is why we at International Students, Inc. feel such a sense of urgency in recruiting new staff and volunteers to meet the tremendous needs of international students, for the number is multiplying dramatically. The harvest field is not only ripe—it’s expanding!” It is so amazing to see international students freed from bondage! May God continue His great work of spiritual growth and freedom, both in students’ lives and in ours, as well. For More Information Learn more about the exciting opportunity ISI presents to become a ministry representative to help mobilize and train Americans in local churches! Learn more about ISI’s Churches Reaching Nations initiative. |
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