College ministry provides a very unique opportunity to reach the nations. As college ministries, we are truly in one of the most strategic positions in the United States for reaching people from all over the world. In contrast, many of the local churches around Missouri are demographically homogeneous. This isn’t a bad thing; it is what it is. However, on the college campus, there are students from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation—that means that the Great Commission to the nations is readily accessible! (This is one major reason why MBCollegiate desires to help start college ministries on every campus in Missouri!)
Every local church and follower of Jesus is called to reach the nations. It has been often said that you are either going to the nations or holding the rope for those that do go. Either way, you are actively a part of the Great Commission. This must be the foundational conviction of the church if we are to truly reach the nations for Christ.
We believe that our local churches have a very unique opportunity to minister to the nations through the ministry of their local Baptist Collegiate Ministry. How can the local church and the local church member be a strategic partner in reaching international students on the college campus? Here are four helpful strategies to give you more confidence in reaching the nations where you are.
“On the college campus, there are students from every tribe, tongue, people and nation.”
-Reese Hammond-
Strategy #1: Get involved.
The first step is always the most important step when beginning anything worth doing. In order to begin reaching the nations near you, you must be willing to take that first step. At the campus ministry where I serve, we have many opportunities for our local supporting churches and church members to get involved. For example, we have weekly meals that local churches provide. These meals exist so that our local churches can get connected with the ministry that we have with the students that we are investing in on campus. Furthermore, they perform a major role in sharing the gospel with the students that we are connecting with, and we want our local churches and church members to be a part of that work.
Getting involved in a local campus ministry can be really easy. There is always a need for volunteers, prayer warriors, and financial givers. Get connected with your local BCM if you are able and take those first steps to reaching the nations near you.
Strategy #2: Open up your home.
Another major way to reach the nations near you is to be hospitable! Opening up your life and home is probably the biggest opportunity for you to be a part of reaching international students. Unfortunately, many don’t utilize their homes for the sake of the gospel.
Every Thanksgiving, we have a group of international students over to our home. This may seem like an inconvenient time to have students over because of family commitments, but we need to realize that they have no family here. Being hospitable shows them the grace and love of Christ, and the impact that you leave with them opens up so many doors for the gospel.
Opening your life and home to international students isn’t limited to the holidays; it can be a once-a-month home-cooked meal with a student or inviting them to a family outing. The heart of the matter is whether or not our hearts are seeking to be open-handed with everything God has given us, even our homes.
"The heart of the matter is whether or not our hearts are seeking to be open-handed with everything God has given us, even our homes." -@ReeseHammond #collegiatedisciplemaker #internationalstudents #connections Click To TweetStrategy #3: Put on the miles.
One of the most effective strategies to reach international students is to give car rides. Most of the students that come to the United States have no car or no license but live off-campus. This means they are always in need of car rides.
This semester alone we have taken students to the airport in St. Louis, the train station in Carbondale, Wal-Mart (more times than we can count), the DMV, and everywhere in between. The best part is that they’re spending time with a Christian without other distractions. Putting on the miles for international students has consistently led to many gospel conversations at our ministry.
Strategy #4: Be a mentor.
Lastly, be a mentor. This means more than just sitting down and having coffee every once in a while. One major reality is that young international students (and students in general) have little working knowledge of the real world. I’ve taught international students how to change their oil, work through taxes, learn how to exercise, and do a budget. This practical care leads to lifelong relationships with these students that opens up so many opportunities for the gospel.
You Can Reach the Nations
In conclusion, you don’t need to be a Billy Graham to reach the nations for Jesus. However, you do need to be there. Whatever your season of life, you have something to give to the nations for the sake of the gospel. The question is this: Will you?
