The Navigators is an international, interdenominational Christian ministry. Our purpose is to know Christ, make Him known, and help others do the same. For almost 100 years, the Navigators mission has been “to advance the Gospel of Jesus and His Kingdom into the nations through spiritual generations of laborers living and discipling among the lost”. The International Student Ministry (ISM) of The Navigators does this through reaching out to international students.
There are approximately 1 million international students studying in the U.S. Our ISM staff on 50 campuses desire to engage each of these students in friendship and with the Gospel, but we lack laborers. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” We are so glad you are joining us as together we strive for every international student to experience the love of Christ through friendship.
The lessons below will help you as you take those first steps in building a friendship with someone different than you. We ask that you complete the four required lessons before you begin ministry with international students. The second set of lessons are recommended to help you gain even greater understanding of how to engage someone from another culture with the gospel of Christ.
We’d love to resource you even further through personal coaching and group equipping opportunities. To learn more please contact us here: https://navigatorsism.org/contact-us/
Note: In order to access lessons you must first create an account and then enroll in the course by clicking the "Take This Course" button.
Lisa came to North America with a purpose: to be equipped to better serve her nation, the Philippines. She has done that, and more. Lisa served as executive director of an international student ministry and now travels around the world captivating audiences with her passion for the nations. In this lesson Lisa suggests three reasons we should open our homes, lives, and churches to the internationals in our midst.
Trae gave up a career in finance to devote his career to reaching the nations with the love of Jesus. He now leads one of the largest international student ministries in North America. Trae fills this lesson with stories from the Bible and his own life to explain why reaching international students is so strategic. Internationals make an exceptionally strategic mission field that one day can become an exceptionally strategic mission force because they are culturally attuned, well-respected, well-prepared, and well-connected.
Severin has experienced first-hand the impact international students can have for Christ when they return home. After becoming a Christian as an international student, Severin’s sister returned to Kenya to share the gospel with him. Severin also became an international student, and his life was further transformed through discipleship abroad. With nearly 20 years of experience in ministry to internationals, Severin uses scripture to challenge and encourage others to love the foreigner as God does.
Kevin has worked with students in Russia and throughout North America. He knows well the challenges and barriers to engaging new cultures. He shares candidly about times when fear or ignorance became barriers to reaching across cultural barriers. Hear how we can overcome these barriers, even if it means being covered in spicy Russian mustard!
Over the past two decades Chris has worked with students in East Asia, North America, and Western Europe. He has experienced that people operate in one of three cultural operating systems: fear/power, guilt/innocence, or honor/shame. Most gospel presentations focus on guilt-innocence but most international students come from honor/shame cultures. In this lesson, Chris introduces Honor Restored, a new digital evangelistic tool for honor-shame cultures.
Denis has devoted his life to practicing, studying, and teaching what it means to be effective in different cultures. He suggests that reaching internationals involves more than bi-cultural or cross-cultural effectiveness. Instead, we need to be effective transculturally–to understand and engage multiple cultures simultaneously. Denis describes what it means to “wear different hats” to be effective with diverse student groups and explains three primary cultural operating systems.
In the 1990s, Jovin journeyed from Ghana to the US for graduate studies. She now serves as a regional leader of a campus ministry and has a unique ability to cross cultures to build lasting, trust-filled relationships. In this lesson, Jovin offers profound insight in how to build and sustain relationships across cultures. She utilizes cultural experts and her own experiences to challenge us to live generous lives that clearly point internationals to Jesus.
For over twenty years, Paula has welcomed international students into her home in California. She’s held leadership roles in both church and international student ministry organizations. Paula loves to promote prayer and help churches and individuals grow in loving the internationals in their midst. In her first lesson she provides practical tips for ministry and simple suggestions on using your home to serve internationals. In her second lesson, Paula shares how to grow in prayer and how to encourage prayer among your international friends.
Lea Ann loves to welcome, serve and befriend international students. In this lesson, she contrasts the anxiety she felt on her first trip to Ethiopia with the peace that came through her local guide. How can we be comforting guides as we welcome and befriend international students? Lea Ann provides practical tips on how to meet internationals and build trusting relationships.
For over four decades, Zeke has been working with high school and university students. With grandfatherly wit and charm, he connects with people of any age and background. Zeke has developed a unique way of training people in how to utilize their personal testimony to point people to Christ. In this lesson, Zeke shares some of his tips on how to craft your story to become your most powerful ministry tool.
Working with international students in New York City has given Valerie a wealth of experiences. She loves to equip students and volunteers with a simple yet powerful way of studying the Bible. The Discovery Bible study method has been used in church planting movements around the globe and is now being used to equip internationals for a lifetime of effective ministry. Valerie explains this Bible study method and how you can begin using it today with internationals.
Marc has been in ministry for over 30 years. He is currently the director of International Student Ministry for InterVarsity. Marc shares his journey of recognizing how being a white male affects not only how he sees the world, but also how he does ministry. Learn why our posture toward others must be one of equality and mutuality, and consider the importance of ministering with internationals rather than to or for them.
Nate, originally from the Middle East, came to know the Lord as an international student in California. He has a deep understanding of international students and the challenges they face after coming to faith. He has spent the last four decades in international student ministry and has a heart to prepare students to return home well. In this lesson, Nate shares examples from his vast experience on how to prepare your disciples to continue walking with the Lord wherever they go.
Gloria comes from the multicultural country of Malaysia and has always enjoyed working cross-culturally. An experienced ESL instructor, her passion for reaching internationals also comes from her experience as an international student. Gloria knows firsthand what it is like to receive the unconditional love of Christians, and she desires to share that love with other internationals. Gloria and her husband share this love by frequently opening their home to internationals.
