One of the bedrock principles God has used to guide my heart in evangelism came from a statement in Oscar Thompson, Jr.’s book on relationship evangelism, Concentric Circles of Concern. It is found in the first few sentences in Chapter 1. He said, “The most important word in the English language apart from proper nouns, is…
We know that Jesus came to serve and not be served. His example sets a high standard for us to follow. We all should be servants in some way. But let’s face it, when it comes right down to it, we often are commanding servants, well-meaning but blind servants, or perhaps befuddled servants. This is especially…
There are 4,964 international students in Arkansas. The majority of these come from the 10/40 window. Many of these have no idea of what Jesus Christ has done for them. What can we do to help them really see and experience the love of Christ? The greatest thing we can do is bombard heaven with prayers…
According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), over one million students from countries around the world are currently studying in colleges and universities in the United States. When we think of taking the gospel of Jesus “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), we can begin by reaching out to the international students that…
As we start out the new year, our students and ministries may be thinking of how to connect with international students. Sometimes we charge right in with spiritual conversations without knowing much about these students, what their context is, or what their spiritual needs and questions are. We often lack a bridge to help them understand…
I was in college before I remember ever seeing my “first international student.” I grew up in a small town in southwest Arkansas. I hardly remember seeing people of color or culture driving through our town. I do remember one Hispanic family that lived in our town. Things sure have changed in the past 30+ years.…
The college campus is still one of the most diverse places in our nation. There is no other place where differing views, cultures and life experiences so come together in one place. We have more countries and cultures represented on our campuses than ever before. The nations have literally arrived in our towns and neighborhoods from…
No one likes being the “new kid on the block.” Just thinking about it takes us back to those times when we experienced loneliness and unfamiliarity in the new places of our lives. It even makes me think about my early years of school as I tried to fit in and be accepted by others I…
Each year, millions of international students make their way to the U.S. and Canada to study at one of our many universities or colleges. God is bringing the nations to our doorstep! We must be found faithful in welcoming them! Over the past several years, the Baptist Collegiate Network has deemed September Welcoming the Nations month.…
Most estimates suggest that almost 233 million people worldwide hold to some form of Buddhism. If true, that means 3.3 percent of the world’s population is Buddhist. Yet for many of us, Buddhism remains relatively unknown. Many understand it as little more than a distant, peaceful religion held by Asians in faraway lands. The truth, though,…