International Students, Inc. was privileged last month to host the World Changers Conference for Christian student leaders from across the ministry nationally. Thirty-two students participated, and they were taught, inspired, and encouraged by ten national and international speakers who commissioned them in their future roles as leaders in their places of work, their communities, and their homes. Together, those speakers gave us model as to how to help prepare our student friends for leadership.
All of the speakers emphasized one’s relationship with Christ, one’s character, and one’s prayer life. A senior partner in a venture capital group framed God as the master orchestrator of our lives and focused our responsibility on trusting His wise guidance of our lives and careers. Knowing that God loves us and is sovereignly directing circumstances gives us courage to act in faith.
Several of the speakers focused on issues of character development and having biblically-informed values as context when making difficult decisions. Each illustrated their memorization of Scripture by quoting it and gave examples of pressured situations in their careers where they relied on God alone for wisdom, discernment, and courage.
Each of the speakers focused on examples of concerted prayer in their lives and told stories of how the Lord did miraculous things both in and through them. One speaker detailed the role of fasting and prayer that brought down strongholds of the Enemy.
Maybe the most important thing the speakers each shared were their very lives. They gave example after example of how God grew their faith and trust in Him through the experiences of life. The Lord wants us to depend upon Him for everything. It was also clear that each speaker was widely read.
As we consider how we can be used of the Lord to help prepare our international student friends to be future leaders, following the examples above is a great start!
Principles cited in this blog: Leaders are clear about the importance of a close relationship with the Lord through dependence upon him, Scripture memory, Bible study, and prayer. They also spend time reflecting on issues of character development and how they got to where they are. It increases their faith about what the Lord can do.
Application for ISI ministry: We need to share our lives with our student friends so they see God at work in our lives through our dependence upon prayer and the Word.
Next blog topic: We are taking a break from producing more blogs for the next part of the summer and will let you know when we start up again as the new academic year begins!
Doug Shaw with Derrah Jackson
All of the speakers emphasized one’s relationship with Christ, one’s character, and one’s prayer life. A senior partner in a venture capital group framed God as the master orchestrator of our lives and focused our responsibility on trusting His wise guidance of our lives and careers. Knowing that God loves us and is sovereignly directing circumstances gives us courage to act in faith.
Several of the speakers focused on issues of character development and having biblically-informed values as context when making difficult decisions. Each illustrated their memorization of Scripture by quoting it and gave examples of pressured situations in their careers where they relied on God alone for wisdom, discernment, and courage.
Each of the speakers focused on examples of concerted prayer in their lives and told stories of how the Lord did miraculous things both in and through them. One speaker detailed the role of fasting and prayer that brought down strongholds of the Enemy.
Maybe the most important thing the speakers each shared were their very lives. They gave example after example of how God grew their faith and trust in Him through the experiences of life. The Lord wants us to depend upon Him for everything. It was also clear that each speaker was widely read.
As we consider how we can be used of the Lord to help prepare our international student friends to be future leaders, following the examples above is a great start!
Principles cited in this blog: Leaders are clear about the importance of a close relationship with the Lord through dependence upon him, Scripture memory, Bible study, and prayer. They also spend time reflecting on issues of character development and how they got to where they are. It increases their faith about what the Lord can do.
Application for ISI ministry: We need to share our lives with our student friends so they see God at work in our lives through our dependence upon prayer and the Word.
Next blog topic: We are taking a break from producing more blogs for the next part of the summer and will let you know when we start up again as the new academic year begins!
Doug Shaw with Derrah Jackson
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