While in New York City, Junjie*, a Taiwanese student, got connected to our international student ministry. He first joined an English conversation group, then began attending a Bible study.
International student ministry reaches more than just students—it reaches the world right here at home. See what can happen when an international student hears the Gospel in the USA and carries it across the world.
Junjie came to Christ while studying in the USA. He planned to return to Taiwan after his studies to run his father’s import export business.
God deeply impacted Junjie through the Gospel and his house church experience, giving him a vision to share the Gospel back home with his family and friends.
Keep reading to see how Junjie went from unbelieving international student, to aspiring church planter!
What Is International Student Ministry?
International student ministry is evangelism and discipleship outreach focused on reaching international students.
Each year, international students flock to American universities for a good education and better jobs. Many of these university students come from areas of the world that have never heard about the love of Jesus.
Living as a missionary used to mean traveling overseas on a global mission. But today, the unreached are migrating to North America more than ever. The presence of international students offers us a strategic mission field without leaving home!
Why? Because people from nations closed to Christian missions can come here and hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. And then they take the Gospel back to their own peoples.
Related: What Is Diaspora Missions?
Ministering to international students is a great way for Christians and local churches to participate in the Great Commission!
Why Is International Student Ministry Important?
Many international students come from Unreached People Groups (UPGs). UPGs are ethnolinguistic groups with limited or no access to the Gospel.
We consider a people group unreached when there is no indigenous community of Jesus’ followers able to engage this people group with church planting.
Technically speaking, in a UPG, less than 2 percent of the population actively follows Jesus.
The USA receives international students from countries that have hundreds of unique UPGs. While studying abroad, these UPG students have the freedom to hear the Gospel.
Let’s break down the stats on international students in America to see the trends.
So Many Students!
In 2023-24, there were over 1.1 million international students in the USA.¹
In 2025, there were over 135,000 international students in New York Alone.²
While America’s international students come from all over the world, certain countries consistently send the most students. The top 2 countries where international students came from in 2023-24 were India and China.³
India is home to 2,041 distinct UPGs totaling over 1.3 billion people.⁴
China is home to 444 distinct UPGs totaling over 139 million people.⁵
In the Great Commission, Jesus commanded His followers to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). UPGs represent nations around the world that still have yet to hear the Gospel.
International student ministry is strategic because when these UPG students hear the Gospel in the USA, they take the message of Jesus back to their families. This is how the Gospel can spread into countries and regions closed to traditional missionaries!
So, how do you make disciples of the nations represented on our university campuses?
Let’s find out!
What Does International Student Ministry Look Like?
International student ministry offers a unique opportunity to support students during a major transition.
When students study abroad, they leave behind their familiar culture and must learn to navigate American culture, all while longing for connection in their new home.
Through their friendship, Christians can help international students acclimate to life in the USA and find a home away from home.
There are lots of ways you can do international student ministry.
You can connect with your international friend by:
- Practicing English conversation together
- Exploring your city together
- Sharing meals and favorite foods together
- Accompanying them to healthcare appointments
An international friendship blesses both you and the student as you share and learn about each other’s cultures. When you invest time in these relationships, you’ll find natural opportunities to share the love of Jesus.
Where to Start
The best way to meet new students from another country is to go to where they are on campus at a local college or university.
You can connect with students by initiating spiritual conversations at a local coffee shop, or by volunteering at a community center that offers resources to internationals.
You can naturally engage your new international friends by asking them more about their culture or religious traditions.
Many international students come from UPG cultures that are deeply spiritual. You might be surprised by how comfortable international students are with conversations about religion and faith!
Next Steps
At International Project, our missionaries invite international students to study the Bible with them. Our missionaries facilitate Discovery Bible Studies (DBSs), asking the spiritually curious to gather friends to explore together.
DBSs are small groups designed to introduce the Bible to people from any culture. Facilitators guide participants through simple questions that help them read and understand Scripture for themselves.
This approach allows the Holy Spirit to speak directly to each reader, rather than having them rely solely on a leader’s interpretation.
A DBS often serves as the first step for an international student to come to Christ. But in international student ministry, you’ll often discover that God has been preparing students’ hearts to hear the Gospel long before they arrive in the US!
Learn more about the Discovery Bible Study Method here.
And when an international student comes to Jesus, it doesn’t just end there.
See what happens when new followers of Jesus return to their home countries.
The Lasting Impact of International Student Ministry
Remember how you learned that international student ministry is a way to take the Gospel to the nations? Well, here’s how!
When international students hear about and become followers of Jesus, they carry fertile seeds back to their home country with them. They share the hope they’ve found with friends and family.
These seeds of the Gospel can go on to produce a great harvest as the message of Jesus spreads to UPGs around the world.
This message is even more powerful because it’s not delivered by foreigners, but by one of their own people. UPGs recognize that Jesus’s salvation is available for all peoples and the Gospel speaks to every culture.
And that’s what happened to Junjie!
Taking the Gospel Home and Abroad
Remember Junjie from the beginning of the blog?
After graduating, he stayed an additional 8 months for us to disciple him in starting and multiplying house churches.
After leaving the US, Junjie went to Japan to study Japanese so he could more effectively conduct business between Taiwan and Japan. He continued to receive weekly discipleship, training, and mentoring through our campus ministry leaders.
Then, Junjie moved to Japan for his father’s business.
When Junjie started initiating spiritual conversations in Japan, he made an international friend named Shigeru*.
Shigeru had also come to know Jesus while he was an international student studying in America.
Separately, God also gave Shigeru a desire to make disciples. It’s amazing how God brought them together.
Then Junjie and Shigeru, in partnership, were boldly sharing the Gospel. Then, they started a house church in this least reached place.
Junjie and Shigeru’s stories show that international student ministry can impact nations.
Get Involved with International Student Ministry!
If you feel God is calling you to full time international student ministry, check out our Equip Missionary Training Program.
Equip is a 10 month program in New York City that prepares you to reach UPGs and international students. You’ll gain skills for effective cross cultural ministry through hands on experience and specialized mentoring.
In Equip, while on a team doing international student ministry, you’ll learn to:
- Facilitate Discovery Bible Studies that lead to reproducible house churches
- Communicate the Gospel across cultures with wisdom and sensitivity
- Disciple indigenous leaders who will carry the Gospel back to their homelands
Fill out the form below to learn more about the Equip Missionary Training Program.
Thousands of international students are waiting to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ—and you could be the one to share it with them!
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Sources
¹https://www.statista.com/statistics/237681/international-students-in-the-us/
²https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2025/06/12/how-many-international-students-attend-ny-colleges-what-to-know/84050603007/
³https://www.statista.com/chart/20010/international-enrollment-in-higher-education/?srsltid=AfmBOorP1mWPcRv1OEgtyNbVkdjXZh-WugaP0nglkLpvbiNarlKTz878
⁴https://www.joshuaproject.net/countries/IN
⁵https://www.joshuaproject.net/countries/CH
*Names changed for security
