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International Student Ministry (ISM) refers to evangelical Christian ministry among international students within an academic context, often carried out by Protestant college religious organizations, volunteers and churches.[1] It is considered part of the church's mission, within the broader framework of diaspora missions.[2] The first two decades of the 21st century have seen a sharp growth in the number of international students globally[3] with a corresponding development in ISM.[1]

History

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ISM traces its modern roots to John R. Mott who established The Committee on Friendly Relations among Foreign Students in 1911, which was the first national ISM in the US.[4][5] Some international Christian student organizations trace their origins back to the World Student Christian Federation.[6] Since then, and particularly since the 1950s, there has been a growth of organizations doing this mainly in Western contexts.[4][7] As of 2016 there were at least 57 organizations engaged in ISM in 22 countries.[8]

Lausanne ISM Issue Network Leaders Forum, Thailand 2004

In 2004, after a century of intermittent ISM growth[1] Leiton Chinn convened a global gathering in Thailand of ISM leaders, and in 2007 he was appointed the Chair of the Lausanne ISM Issue Network.[9] The two Lausanne Issue Groups of Diaspora and International Students then published Diasporas and International Students: The New People Next Door.[10] Recent publications include those by Yaw Perbi,[11] Jack D. Burke[12] and Enoch Wan.[2] The Lausanne 2010 Cape Town Commitment (section II-C-5) refers to reaching out to international students.[13][14]

WIN (Worldwide ISM Network)

In May 2014 the Lausanne ISM Global Leadership Network became a "docked network" with the World Evangelical Alliance's Mission Commission.[1] It operates as WIN (Worldwide ISM Network).[15]

Lausanne Global ISM Leadership Forum in Charlotte, NC, USA in September 2017.

In September 2017 the Lausanne ISM Global Leadership Network hosted a global ISM forum Charlotte '17 which gathered 100 participants from 25 countries and 70 organizations.[9][16]

It is suggested that ISM is grounded in the Missio Dei and is motivated by biblical precedent and trends in migration.[17] Chinn outlines ten reasons why ISM is strategic in relation to the Great Commission and nine reasons why it benefits local churches.[18]

Networks and organizations

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Individual churches, such as Park Street Congregational Church in Boston, have welcoming ministries reaching international students.[1] This modality-based model of ISM is attractive because every church member can be involved in cross-cultural mission at virtually no expense.[12] Miller outlines key qualities leading to successful ISM by local churches.[19] Chinn and Jones point out 6 strategic outcomes for international churches intentionally including international students in their ministry focus.[20] Perbi and Brewster argue that ISM will be strengthened by the intentional involvement of "workplace Christians."[21] Some denominational groups have established an ISM focus such as Anglican (USA),[22] Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod), Assemblies of God (USA) and the Presbyterian Church in America.[1]

A 2019 study based in the US concluded that "Chinese international undergraduate students identify the church and its fellowship as (1) a social support community and (2) an informal learning community, one which fills in the gap in counseling services and interpersonal activities that the university fails to offer."[23]

Christian campus organizations, which are sodalities, have historically focused on domestic university students. These have developed campus-based ministries for international students directly linked to universities or colleges.[24]: 55 

At a global level, the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization has an ISM issue network[25] which connects groups internationally and interdenominationally. This network now includes a North American network on ISM.[26] The Association for Christians Ministering Among Internationals (ACMI) is another ISM networking body.[27][26] Networking between European ISMs has been identified as a priority.[28]

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Recent decades have seen a rapid increase in international student populations[3] concurrent with the plateauing of some western markets, most notably the US.[29][30][31][32] Students are turning to non-traditional centers of education, such as Asia.[33][34][35] This shift is underpinned by well-formed international education policy of countries like China,[36][37] Malaysia,[38] Singapore and India.[39]

The areas of diaspora missiology and its subset, international student ministry, have seen a theological and academic maturing.[40][1][41] In 2018/2019 three key ISM-specific training resources were launched: the Lausanne Global Classroom,[42] EveryInternational,[43][26] and Look at the Fields[44][45] Two ISM training workshops ran at the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES) World Assembly in July 2019.[46] While practical ISM training is offered by a number of ISM organisations, the Charlotte '17 conference considered the need for academic training and research in ISM led by seminaries and graduate schools.[9] Columbia International University lists a course called "Mission to International Students" in their 2019-2020 Academic Catalog.[47]

Global mission sending organizations are recognizing the strategic nature and necessity of diaspora missions, and especially ISM.[48][49][18] Some have refocused ISM efforts in traditional contexts because of the perceived global impact.[50] Asia has been identified as an emerging region for ISM.[51][52] It is beginning to take shape there, for example among international churches in China.[53][54][55][56] Regarding the international students in, from and within Asia, Phil Jones has identified 8 challenges and 6 opportunities that Asian ISMs encounter.[57] In tandem with the Indian hospitality concept of Atithi Devo Bhava ("the guest is god"), Emmanuel F. Benjamin describes the impact of welcoming foreign students in Pune, India.[58]

Nascent ISMs exist in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana.[1] Bill Dindi of Kenya explores the viability, trends and features of ISM in Africa. Identifying the gaps and opportunities, he seeks to "build a case for a more robust ministry among international students in Africa as well as the approaches and shape this might take."[59] Citing the historical growth of Christianity in Africa and the central role of Christian African international students, Perbi and Ngugi argue that the continent that was a mission field now comprises a mission force.[60] Kwiverr's 2022 research of 116 respondents from 16 African countries revealed that there are many "largely unaware and unprepared African Christian International Students [who are] virtually unseen and unsent by the African Church, the most populous and youngest in the world."[61] Perbi's analysis in the Journal of African Christian Thought argues that international students to and from Africa have unrecognized and untapped ramifications for mission.[62]

A global consultation of ISM leaders in September 2020 was called to assess whether ISM was still meaningful or viable given the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.[63]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Chinn, Leiton Edward; Chinn, Lisa Espineli (April 2016). "Agents of Diaspora Missions in and from the Academic World". In Tira, Sadiri Joy; Yamamori, Tetsunao (eds.). Scattered and Gathered: A Global Compendium of Diaspora Missiology. Wipf & Stock. pp. 228–241. ISBN 978-1498296670.
  2. ^ a b Wan, Enoch (August 2019). Wan, Enoch (ed.). Diaspora Missions to International Students. Diaspora Series. Vol. 4. Western Seminary. p. 10. ISBN 978-1949201178.
  3. ^ a b "International Students". Migration Data Portal. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 17 October 2019.
  4. ^ a b Chinn, Leiton Edward (2014). "Diaspora Missions on Campuses: John R. Mott and a Centennial Overview of the International Student Ministry Movement in North America". In Im, Chandler H.; Yong, Amos (eds.). Global Diasporas and Mission. Edinburgh Centenary Series. Vol. 23. Regnum Books International. p. 238. ISBN 978-1-908355-48-5.
  5. ^ Thompson, Mary (1982). Unofficial Ambassadors: The Story of International Student Service. New York, NY: World University Service. OCLC 11196897.
  6. ^ Womack, Deanna Ferree (March 2019). ""To Promote the Cause of Christ's Kingdom": International Student Associations and the "Revival" of Middle Eastern Christianity". Church History. 88 (1): 150–163. doi:10.1017/S0009640719000556. ISSN 0009-6407.
  7. ^ Chinn, Leiton (Winter 1979). "Historical Development of the International Student Ministry Movement In the USA" (PDF). Historical Development of the Christian Movement (Ralph Winter). Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  8. ^ Chinn, Leiton (June 2016). "International Student Ministry: From 'Blind-spot' to Vision (May 2009, Updated June 2016)" (PDF). Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  9. ^ a b c Chinn, Leiton Edward (August 2019). "The Global ISM Movement Emerging from Diaspora Missions on Campuses: From John R. Mott to "Lausanne"". In Wan, Enoch (ed.). Diaspora Missions to International Students. Diaspora Series. Vol. 4. Western Seminary. pp. 119–138. ISBN 978-1949201178.
  10. ^ Issue Group for Diasporas and International Students (October 2004). Diasporas and International Students: The New People Next Door. Lausanne Occasional Paper. Vol. 55. Pattaya, Thailand: Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
  11. ^ Perbi, Yaw (30 September 2015). Thinking Outside the Window. Xulon Press. ASIN B01FIXLEJ4.
  12. ^ a b Burke, Jack D. (15 March 2019). Paradigm Shift: Why International Students Are so Strategic to Global Missions. WestBow Press. ISBN 978-1973656869.
  13. ^ "The Cape Town Commitment". Lausanne Movement. 25 January 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  14. ^ Bock, Darrell (2013). The Cape Town Commitment: a Confession of Faith, a Call to Action : Bibliographic Resources. Wipf & Stock. pp. 77–78. ISBN 978-1625640031.
  15. ^ "International Student Ministry". Lausanne Movement. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  16. ^ "Lausanne ISM Global Leadership Forum: Charlotte '17". Lausanne Movement. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  17. ^ Sneller, Christopher D. (August 2019). "Theological Foundation for the Practice of Diaspora Missions Among International Students". In Wan, Enoch (ed.). Diaspora Missions to International Students. Diaspora Series. Vol. 4. Western Seminary. pp. 56–63. ISBN 978-1949201178.
  18. ^ a b Chinn, Leiton (June 2016). "International Students: A Strategic Component of Diaspora Missions & The Great Commission". Asia Missions Advance. 52. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  19. ^ Miller, S. Beau (June 2018). Mobilizing Local Churches for International Student Ministry: A Study of How Local Churches Mobilize to Evangelize and Equip Nearby International Students (DMin (Global Studies)). Columbia International University. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  20. ^ Chinn, Leiton; Jones, Phil (8 September 2022). "International Students in ICs: Intentional Inclusion". Missional International Church Network. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  21. ^ Perbi, Yaw; Brewster, Emma (June 2019). "International Student Ministry and the Workplace". Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  22. ^ "International Student Ministry". New Wineskins Missionary Network. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  23. ^ Li, Anke; Nguyen, Chi; Choi, Jinhee (7 August 2019). ""Because of the Christian Fellowship, I Decided to Stay": How Participating in a Christian Community Shapes the Social Experiences of Chinese International Students". Social Sciences. 8 (8): 234. doi:10.3390/socsci8080234.
  24. ^ Wang, Chin T. (John); Green, Sam (August 2019). "International Students and Diaspora Missiology". In Wan, Enoch (ed.). Diaspora Missions to International Students. Diaspora Series. Vol. 4. Western Seminary. pp. 43–44. ISBN 978-1949201178.
  25. ^ "International Student Ministry (ISM) issue network". Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  26. ^ a b c Miller, Beau (19 October 2019). "Global Outreach Opportunity: Ministry Among International Students". The Exchange: A Blog by Ed Stetzer. Christianity Today. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  27. ^ "Association for Christians Ministering Among Internationals". Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  28. ^ de Pater, Francina; Ryan, Clayton; Tower, Alan (5–8 June 2019). International Students in Europe. Lausanne Global Diaspora Network. Liverpool Hope University. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  29. ^ Zong, Jie; Batalova, Jeanne (9 May 2018). "International Students in the United States". migrationpolicy.org. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  30. ^ Redden, Elizabeth. "With international enrollments slowing or declining in some top destination countries, a look at trends across the globe". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  31. ^ "Four megatrends that are changing the competitive landscape of international education". ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. 1 November 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  32. ^ "Mapping the trends that will shape international student mobility". ICEF Monitor - Market intelligence for international student recruitment. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  33. ^ Luo, Ning (16 August 2017). "Global Student Mobility Trends: Focus on Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan, and South Korea". WENR. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  34. ^ "China emerges as the No.1 study abroad destination in Asia". Study International. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  35. ^ "Up and down the table: Growth trends across major international study destinations". ICEF Monitor. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  36. ^ Atack, Patrick (12 April 2019). "China "opening education to the outside world" - policy document". The PIE News. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  37. ^ Parr, Chris (20 April 2018). "A two-way street: why China is not just a student departure lounge anymore". The PIE News. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  38. ^ Mustafa, Zulita (27 September 2017). "International students and the Education Malaysia brand". New Straits Times. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  39. ^ de Wit, Hans (6 July 2018). "The new dynamics in international student circulation". University World News. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  40. ^ Wan, Enoch (Nov 2014). Diaspora missiology: theory, methodology, and practice (2nd ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. ISBN 978-1503095502.
  41. ^ Pocock, Michael; Wan, Enoch, eds. (August 2015). Diaspora Missions: Reflections on Reaching the Scattered Peoples of the World. William Carey Library. ISBN 978-0878080458.
  42. ^ "Lausanne Global Classroom: International Student Ministry". Lausanne Movement. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  43. ^ "Every International". Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  44. ^ "International Student Ministry". IFES Europe. April 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  45. ^ "Look At The Fields". Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  46. ^ "Messengers of Hope, IFES World Assembly 2019, All Seminars" (PDF). July 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  47. ^ "Columbia International University, 2019-2020 Academic Catalog" (PDF). Columbia International University. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  48. ^ Eddie, Arthur (January 2017). "The Future of Mission Agencies" (PDF). Mission Round Table. 12 (1): 4–12. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  49. ^ Best, Alexander. "10 Reasons Why the Global Campus Is the Future of Mission". The Exchange: A Blog by Ed Stetzer. Christianity Today. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  50. ^ Chinn, Leiton (January 2018). "The Mission Field Coming to Our Campuses". Lausanne Global Analysis. 7 (1). Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  51. ^ Chinn, Leiton (Jan 2019). "Broad Asian Global Mission Opportunity: Increasing Numbers of International Students in Pan-Asia Region". Asia Missions Advance. 62. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  52. ^ Chinn, Leiton (January 2014). "International Student Ministry: A Most Strategic Yet Most Inexpensive Global Mission Opportunity Arises in Asia" (PDF). Asia Missions Advance. 42: 2–7. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  53. ^ Blair, Mark (January 2019). "Looking for Gospel Laborers? Don't Forget the University!". Asia Missions Advance. 62. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  54. ^ Momoh, Miatta (21 February 2020). "Novel Gospel Opportunities: How One International Church in China Is Maximizing New Gospel Opportunities". ChinaSource. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  55. ^ Jones, Phil (April 2018). "International Students in China: Who Will Reach This Vast and Strategic Yet Invisible Group?". Evangelical Missions Quarterly. 54 (2): 46–57. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  56. ^ Jones, Phil (25 January 2019). "The Birth of ISM in China: Is This God's Timing?". ChinaSource. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  57. ^ Jones, Phil (2022). "International Student Diasporas of Asia". In George, Sam (ed.). Reflections of Asian Diaspora: Mapping Theologies and Ministries. Vol. 3. [S.l.]: 1517 Media (published 1 November 2022). pp. 245–264. ISBN 978-1-5064-8748-9. OCLC 1337971477.
  58. ^ Benjamin F., Emmanuel (January 2019). "Strategic Opportunity to Reach the Nations of the World in Pune, India". Asia Missions Association. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  59. ^ Dindi, Bill (20 November 2020). The Viability of International Student Ministry in Africa (MDiv). Nairobi, Kenya: International Leadership University.
  60. ^ Perbi, Yaw; Ngugi, Sam (31 March 2022). Africa to the Rest: From Mission Field to Mission Force (Again). Foreword by Joshua Bogunjoko. Maitland, FL: Xulon Press. ISBN 978-1-6628-1213-2. OCLC 1348381106.
  61. ^ Kwiverr (October 2022). "Not All Who Go Are Sent: A Research Report on the Missionary Preparedness of African Christian International Students, Past and Present, from 16 African Nations" (PDF). Accra, Ghana. p. 14. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  62. ^ Perbi, Yaw (2 December 2021). "The African International Student Phenomenon: Turning an Unsung Force into a Tour-de-force in Missio Dei". Journal of African Christian Thought: 41–49. ISSN 0855-3262.
  63. ^ Jones, Phil (26 November 2020). "Missions in a COVID Crisis: ISM Implications". WEA Mission Commission. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
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