Good News of Great Joy for All the People

The Bible describes God’s ways as far beyond our understanding (Romans 11:33). Sometimes, though, He encourages us by letting us in on what He’s doing. We’ve been praying for a breakthrough among the international students in our area, and just this term we’ve caught a glimpse at what that might look like.

Instead of a lengthy narrative, I’m going to copy and paste portions of emails I’ve received in the past few weeks. Long story short, we’ve seen six students and scholars come to know Jesus this term! The first was the student I wrote about here. The following notes are about five more internationals (names changed, of course): Joanna, Susie, Jenny, Cheryl, and Anthony.

A message from the house parents at our church’s international house:

We have had three conversions since moving here [over the summer]. [Joanna], whose mother is a believer and has been praying for her, [Susie], a girl with a very interesting story and now [Jenny] a female scholar returning to [Asia] at month’s end. [Joanna] and [Jenny] have been impacted by the Friday night ministry in a deep way. [Susie] seems to be a product of prayer and the Holy Spirit.

An email from my seminary advisor:

Thank you for introducing [Jenny] and [Cheryl] to [the Friendship Partner who was taking a seminary course with an assignment to learn about another culture]. She was freaked out about the assignment. In the end she said it was the best one she has ever had and she wants to encourage more people from her church to become involved with ISI!

A note from Cheryl to her Friendship Partner:

There is a big big news to you. [Jenny] and I was baptized this sunday in Chinese Christian Church… It is a special moment for us. I know you will be exited to hear the shocking news. It is lucky to meet both of you and have the chance to study the bible together, It is really means a lot to us. Thank you so much.

A report from an ISI colleague:

[Anthony] just called from LA. Where he has been attending a large Chinese church and he is getting baptized next Sunday !!!   God is good and His words don’t return void..   Isn’t that just remarkable!!

At this Christmas, we are reminded again and again that Jesus is truly “good news of great joy for all the people” (Luke 2:10).