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This is part 4 of the Reaching Internationals series.
If you want to reach internationals and make disciples of all nations, you must have a “kingdom mindset.”
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
It’s Not About Us
Having a kingdom mindset starts with realizing that it’s not about us. God does not need us to accomplish his will in the world, though he invites us to join him in his mission and he sanctifies us through our obedient service. God is working in the world, and he is working through other churches and ministries that having nothing to do with us.
When different leaders, churches, and Christian groups work together toward this larger kingdom goal, the impact will be exponential. This positive, godly example is especially important if your efforts yield spiritual fruit. When internationals who become Christians return to their home countries, they, too, will see the value of synergy when it comes to Christian work.
We Need to Reach Out
Jesus the is the greatest example of reaching out cross-culturally, and John 4 is one of the best examples from Jesus. In this chapter, Jesus travels through Samaria (enemies of the Jews) which most observant Jews would not have done. Further, he stops in a Samaritan town and talks to a woman (another cultural “no-no” of the day). And even worse, she was an adulteress. By all the standards of the day, Jesus shouldn’t have been anywhere near this woman, let alone chatting her up. Yet when she saw who Jesus truly was, it was her testimony that convinced the rest of the town that he was the messiah.
In the same way, the “Samaritans” (internationals) in our midst can be like the woman at the well, telling their own people about Jesus…but are we willing to “cross through their territory”?
Asking good questions is a great way to reach out. Many internationals miss their families dearly and are eager to talk about life back home. And don’t assume that faith or beliefs are out of the question in conversation.
Share Your Story
Learning to tell your story effectively is important. What kind of person did you use to be? What are you like now? How has Jesus become the center of your life? If you’ve built a relationship with an international friend, they want to know you and will likely be interested in hearing your story of faith, even if they don’t buy in right away. This gets back to the integrity issue mentioned in previous topics in this series. If our international friend trusts us because of our proven track record, we now have legitimate inroads to share the truth of Jesus Christ with them, and they will know we truly care for them in so doing.
God Sends Believers to Us, Too
It isn’t just non-believers coming from the 10-40 window, but Christians as well. Many of these brothers and sisters in Christ have endured much for their faith, and time in the US or Canada can be a refreshment to them. This is an opportunity to minister to them and serve them during the time they’ll be sharing with you and to help guard against the college and university cultures that are often anti-Christian, focused on partying and self-gratification, etc., that might derail a young Christian’s faith. Being a mentor is a great way to help.
While some internationals end up making North American their home, most return home, and whether they come to us as Christians or become Christians because of our ministry to them, we have a responsibility to equip them to be effective disciple-makers when they head home.
Whether or not you devote your life to reaching internationals living in your community, all of us have an obligation to live out Jesus’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). As you work to make disciples of all nations, remember that it is not about us, but about God and his heart for all the world. With so many internationals living among us, we can partner with God in this mission “without a passport.”
- What is your initial reaction to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- What does it mean to have a “kingdom mindset?” How can you live out these values as you work to make disciples?
- What are some ideas for reaching out to internationals?
- How would you respond if you were invited to a Hindu temple, Buddhist shrine, or Muslim mosque? How do you think internationals might feel when being invited to a Christian church for the first time?
- What are the benefits of developing a friendship with an international before you share your faith with them? Explain.
- Why is prayer so important when working with internationals?
- Why is sharing your story so important when helping internationals trust Jesus for the first time?
- What are some ways you can equip internationals to be effective disciple-makers when they return to their home countries?
- Read Matthew 28:18-20. Explain what these verses are teaching and how they apply to ministry to internationals.
- Write a personal action step based on this conversation.
This content is adapted from Without a Passport: Reaching the Global Community Living in Our Community by D.H. Bud Fuchs. Written content for this topic by Daniel Martin.
