I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” – Rom. 15:20-21

I was twelve when I first read those lines from the book of Romans. The prospect of taking the gospel to unreached peoples captivated me as a boy. Stories about missionary heroes like David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, and John Paton often flooded my mind as I dreamed about gospel-pioneering ministry. With a Bible in one hand and a machete in the other, I envisioned myself blazing a trail through the dense African bush, fighting off snakes and lions to reach unreached tribes with the gospel. I was convinced this was the life God was calling me to live.

Dashed Dreams of Reaching the Nations

This passion for the gospel’s advance led my wife and me to leave the comforts of family, friends, and homeland to church-plant in West Africa fourteen years ago. But our daughter’s struggles with malaria led us back to the States after just four years of overseas ministry.

I was crushed.

My childhood dreams of reaching unreached peoples had been dashed.

Or had they?

Over the past ten years of ministry in Buffalo, NY, I discovered something that never occurred to me when I first read Romans 15 as a boy. Unreached peoples aren’t just “out there.” They’re very much “in here” as well. The truth is, we don’t need to cross the ocean to get to the nations. The nations have come to us.

The Unreached in Our Backyard

One of the most dynamic mission fields of our time might easily be one of the most overlooked. This year, more than one million international students from all over the world are attending colleges and universities in the U.S. Many of these bright, ambitious young men and women have come from countries closed to traditional missionary endeavors. Some will be only here for a year or two. Others, for quite some time.

After completing their studies, many will go back to their countries to become influential leaders. An article from the Washington Times stated that nearly 300 current and former world leaders once occupied American classrooms before ascending to prominence in their home countries. The potential to see the gospel advanced globally through international student ministry is truly staggering!

An Exciting, but Challenging Opportunity

Almost anyone involved in international student ministry will tell you that many of these students are curious about religion. Unlike their American counterparts, international students are often open to discussions about Christianity. And they’re eager to make friends. Being far from home, many long for a sense of community. The church has a tremendous opportunity to reach the nations within our nation. The challenges, however, can be overwhelming.

For many of these students, English isn’t their first language. As a result, communication can be complicated. Most of these students have cultures and worldview perspectives that are drastically different from ours. Some come from countries completely closed to the gospel. They lack basic categories for key biblical concepts. Even those from “Christianized” countries often have a seriously distorted understanding of the gospel.

Patience, love, and a long-haul mindset are essential if we’re going to reach these men and women for Christ.

How You Can Reach the Nations at Home

If you’ve read this far, you might be thinking, “Micah, I get what you’re saying. Reaching these people sounds awesome, but kind of scary.” Maybe you’ve never interacted with someone from another country. Perhaps you’re worried that you won’t know what to say or how to act. How would you even begin?

If you’re near a college campus with international students, let me encourage you to consider the following:

Partner with local campus ministries

Partnering with a student ministry is one of the best places to get started. There are a number of campus ministries devoted to reaching international students. We’ve had the privilege of partnering with some in the past. Through these partnerships, we’ve had opportunities to make connections and develop meaningful relationships with students. Some of them have come to know the Lord and are now radiant followers of Christ. Others attended gospel studies led by some of the men and women of our church. Working together, we’ve had the opportunity to multiply our time, efforts, and resources to advance the gospel.

Meet the international student advisors at your local college

I recently talked with a young man who is involved in a thriving international student ministry at his local church. When I asked him about how his church started their outreach, I was struck by the simplicity of his response:

“We met with the international student advisors and asked them how we could help students adjust to college life. They were happy to have us help with things like picking up students from the airport, showing hospitality, and helping students learn about the city.”

Through simple acts of service, members of this church established relationships with both students and faculty that have opened doors for disciple-making ministry.

Organize an “International Hang Out”

Opportunities to make friends and “hang out” are usually big hits with international students. With a little planning and training, nearly anyone can organize an “International Hang Out” club. Our church started a club like this during COVID. By God’s grace, this outreach has grown and opportunities for gospel studies have emerged.

If you or your church would like to find out more about how to start a club to reach students, let me know. I’d be happy to help you get a “Hang Out” up and running!

Reach the Unreached Right Where You Are

God may not be calling you to cross the ocean to reach the unreached. Instead, He might be asking you to drive a few miles up the road. Through international student ministry, you can labor so that “those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand”—and you won’t even need a passport.

Side Note: A Gospel Resource for International / ESL Outreach

A few years ago, I developed an evangelistic resource to help churches with international / ESL student outreach. The book is entitled “Good News for All Nations: An ESL Bible Study Handbook.” I do offer a discounted bulk rate for folks interested in purchasing a number of copies. For more information, please email me at colberts@odbm.org.