“Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Luke 5:4, NIV

God put a BIG dream in our hearts: that by 2023, every international student in Canada will have the opportunity to be loved and led by ISMC or our partners. To this end, nearly four years ago we established a strategy to grow wide from 2013 to 2016 and then go deep from 2016 to 2019.

Our going wide phase meant gains in staff, cities, and multitudes of students being impacted. Our city directors and the national leadership team have identified six elements for the going deep phase.

Deeper Discipleship—this starts with our personal spiritual and emotional health as staff, and includes solid discipleship training so we can disciple our students better than we do today.

Richer Resourcing—quality support in people, technology, literature/multimedia, training and other resources to get the job of reaching the nations done well.

Conscious Consolidation—intentionality regarding significant staff engagement, healthy organizational culture, and unity nationally as well as solidification of local ministries.

Reasonable Recruitment—meaningful and strategic recruiting that results in at least one new career, one associate staff, and double the volunteers in each city over the next three years.

Serious Succession Planning—no one, no matter how well intentioned and dedicated, can serve ISMC forever, so we should be earnest and thoughtful about replacing ourselves.

Avant-garde Catalyst—that all the above will put us in good stead to be cutting edge agents who precipitate and accelerate international student ministries by envisioning, encouraging and equipping the wider body of Christ to reach the nations at their doorsteps knowing full well we cannot reap the entire harvest ourselves.

The quest for emotionally healthy leadership (through deeper discipleship, as stated above) will be a major focus of ISMC’s biennial national staff conference this summer. Jesus invites us to launch into the deep and let down our nets to catch the 400,000 international students in Canada for Him. Will you please journey with us, investing prayer and resources to get us there?

Dr. Yaw Perbi

President

ISMC