Telling the Story to International Students

If someone asked you to tell the story of Little Red Riding Hood, would you start by saying, “Once upon a time, the woodcutter burst into the room and killed the wolf”? Of course not! But when we share God’s story, we often begin with the rescue. In international student ministry, this tendency can prove frustrating and dangerous.

Most international students have little knowledge of the Bible. They may not even have an understanding of the concept of sin. We can’t ask them to accept the salvation offered through Jesus Christ if they do not see their need for a savior. Through the Old Testament, God introduced characters and themes, developed a plot and established the problem. When we take advantage of this, our message will be more powerful and clear.

There are several ways you can apply this in international student ministry. Know the story of the Bible so that you can tell it to someone who has never read it. If your friend is interested in the Bible, buy one that is a full translation in his or her own language. Offer to show the student how one of the themes is developed. Encourage your friend to look back in the Scriptures whenever the New Testament refers to an event from the Old Testament.

Last November, I sat in a car with my Japanese friend Yuko. Several months after she asked me about the Old Testament, I finally had a complete Japanese Bible to give her. Handing it to her, I asked if I could tell her about the story of the Bible. When she nodded, I took her to Genesis and started to share God’s story.

The next time you have the opportunity to share God’s story, why not start with “In the beginning, God . . .”?

—Carolyn Stent is studying Bible and journalism at Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Oregon. She spent the first eighteen years of her life in Pakistan. Friday evenings, she hangs out with international students.