In the West these days we often talk about, or should I say marvel at, how the nations are coming here. Where I live in the Twin Cities (MN), we have immigrant and refugee communities from Bhutan, China, Cambodia, India, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, and Somalia (to name a few). We have the second largest population of Tibetans in the United States as well. In addition, there are more than 8000 international students from 130 different countries at the University of Minnesota.
Clearly there is a need for gospel-centered ministry among international students in cities and universities in the West.
But international students are no longer simply heading to San Francisco or Sheffield to study; they are increasingly going to China. There are profound implications for this trend, not only for global international student ministry groups, but for the Chinese church as well.
Phil Jones, in partnership with Missio Nexus and ChinaSource, has recently published an ebook titled International Student Ministry in China, in which he surveys the landscape of international students in China, as well as the opportunity and methodology of doing outreach.
Writing as an endorsement, Dr. Patrick Fung, General Director of OMF International has this to say about the e-book:
Global sending organisations must rethink their missiology, genuinely engaging with the diaspora of international students in China. God is calling both the Chinese church and the global church to reach and disciple international students. Such workers can be strategic bridge-builders who “model the way” by living a life of Christ’s love and sacrificial discipleship.”
The book is available for download from ChinaSource. There are four digital versions of the book in English, and pdf versions in seven other languages, including Chinese. In addition, check out the blog series that started earlier this week on this topic.
We are hopeful that God will use this ebook to mobilize both the Chinese church and the global church to reach international students in China.
Updated on April 29, 2019.
