Mission Mobilization Has Been Slow… But God…
The Anglican International Student Ministry Network (AISMN) exists to mobilize, connect, and resource Anglicans to love, serve and learn from international students and scholars.
Since the birth of this first New Wineskins Missions Network in 2017 (during the ACNA Provincial Assembly at Wheaton College), we have sought to discover which churches—and who within ACNA—are involved in mission among international students.
To date, we have found very few.
The greatest initial interest by people in exploring their possible engagement in international student ministry (ISM) has come from ISM workshops we conduct at the New Wineskins Missions Network triennial missions conferences, and at diocesan events like conventions, Clergy Days training, and local church mission conferences. Those interested are invited to join our monthly AISMN one-hour Share & Prayer zoom calls in which we connect, encourage one another, and share upcoming events and resources, and pray. So far, only a handful—five or fewer— participate. Perhaps the 12 noon to 1pm hour may not fit with some schedules, but overall, the initial response of interest has not taken root for most. I do believe that there are spiritual currents involved and obstruction from the enemy, such as ‘birds’ devouring the vision-seeds we plant, or the dimming or blinding of the vision for ISM we share.
But we are not discouraged, and God continues to encourage us.
We met three new Anglicans who are very interested and engaged in ISM. One is an ISM staff member with a respected ministry who directed her Anglican church to provide four days of home-hospitality for International students during their holiday. I discovered her by reading a report of her church’s hospitality in a diocesan newspaper. Two other welcome surprises joined us for last month’s AISMN Share and Prayer zoom call. One is directing a Christian Student Center across the street from a state university and has scores of students dropping in daily, including numerous students from other nations. The other newcomer to our zoom gathering was raised by parents who had been international students from Africa, and her father was head of the International Student Association at their university. Our new participant is an immigration lawyer and very excited to relate with students from other countries.
After seven years of slow growth of Anglicans catching the ISM vision and taking next steps towards engagement, God continues to surprise us and remind us that He is in control.
Resurrected Lord of the harvest, please send forth co-workers into ISM.
P.S. My calling as an ISM Mobilizer extends to the whole Church. Last week my wife, Lisa shared the ISM vision in a plenary session at the North Carolina Baptists On Mission Conference in Charlotte, attended by 1,600 participants. We also led three breakout sessions and shared a link to our 15-minute video summarizing the critical elements of establishing a church-based ISM—highlighting how we helped two Anglican churches launch their ISM: Anglican ISM.
Leiton Chinn
Leiton Chinn has been mobilizing the Church for ISM since 1977 as a catalyst with various mission networks (the Lausanne Movement; World Evangelical Alliance Mission Commission; Ethnic America Network; Mission America Coalition; the Association of Christians Ministering among Internationals, etc). He and his wife, Lisa, founded and voluntarily directed the Truro International Programs & Services (TIPS) of Truro Anglican Church. Leiton also served on the Board of Trinity School for Ministry to further develop the Stanway Institute for World Mission & Evangelism in the early 90's.
