Church Partnership in International Student Ministry

Church partnership is vital to international student ministry (ISM) at every stage—whether you are building from the ground up or stewarding decades of experience—because lasting fruit among international students grows best when local congregations embrace the vision and share the mission.

Join us for a 75-minute interactive webinar exploring “Church Partnership in International Student Ministry.” This gathering will bring together two leaders serving in very different contexts, offering complementary perspectives on how churches can meaningfully engage with international students.

Ivan Neira, from Friends International (UK), will share insights from a mature and well-established ISM landscape. Friends International has been partnering with churches across the UK for over 40 years, developing models of collaboration, training, and support that have helped congregations welcome and disciple students from around the world.

Ray Peng, representing WINS (Welcoming International Students) in Taiwan, will speak from a very different starting point. In a context where ISM church partnership is still emerging, Ray will reflect on the challenges and opportunities of building relationships with churches from zero over the past two years—what has worked, what has been learned, and what early-stage ministries should consider.

Together, these two perspectives will help us think about:

• How to invite churches into meaningful partnership
• What sustainable collaboration can look like in different cultural contexts
• Common pitfalls and practical next steps
• How established and emerging ISMs can learn from one another

The session will include time for questions and open discussion, making this a valuable opportunity not only to learn from our speakers but also to share your own experiences and questions with others engaged in ISM.

Whether you are serving in a long-standing ministry or just beginning to explore church engagement, we hope you will join us for this reflective and practical conversation.