The CIS Mission Board of Directors has approved Colin Campbell, chaplain with the “War on Cancer” in Charlottesville, as a special ministry project. The decision was ratified at a regular board meeting in October, 2008. [read more]

For over 30 years Dr. Bray has used the YWAM Prayer and Planning Diary as a way to stay on track with his personal piety and as a prayer guide for the whole team. "Next to the Bible, this is the most life-changing devotional book I have ever used," says Dr. Bray. "It takes you right into the heart of Jesus for the lost world-it is like walking with God. Plus it helps you plan your daily apostolic action." [read more]

THE volunteers who serve at the CIS Mission Book Table Ministry are offering two free gift books this season as part of their 2008 holiday ministry to needy students, supporters and the whole body of Christ. [read more]

THE OVERSEAS STUDENTS MISSION: VISION STATEMENT

ALMOST daily, potential friends and supporters of OSM ask me to define my vision for the future of this mission. Why is it unique? What are our plans and prayers for the future? What is our focus and goals moving toward 2020? Why is it so very worthy of urgently needed support? More specifically, why is it so critical to revitalize and expand OSM now – to assist emerging student missionary leaders?

My answer is steeped in six decades of missionary history. When Dr. Bob Finley founded OSM in 1953, the twin concepts of supporting indigenous missions and reaching overseas students for Christ seemed radical and untried. There was no track record of native missionary success such as we have today. Missions were still colonial in mindset and controlled mostly by the newly affluent white, Anglo Saxons. We Americans were still basking in our WWII victories, confident our methods and ways were always best.

Today, all that has changed. There are over 850 local missions doing evangelism and outreach with foreign students in the USA alone! Similar movements have spread throughout Europe. Back in 1953, there was only one American agency supporting indigenous missionary movements—no Advancing Native Missions (ANM), Christian Aid or the 50 other such organizations that have appeared since. In addition, thousands of local churches are supporting indigenous missions and international student outreaches as well!

Furthermore, the movements Dr. Finley helped birth have grown more sophisticated and formed themselves into two growing associations of independent mission agencies: (1) ACMI for overseas student outreaches, and (2) COSIM for the development of indigenous mission’s partnerships.

Why then, with all this progress, is it so critical in the 21st Century to refocus and revitalize OSM? Is there still an urgent demand for the Overseas Students Mission?

The answer is YES. In fact, we need OSM now more than ever. The situation has changed. The older generation of missionaries is not always replacing itself. Yet God is calling a new generation of students to go forth. Over 48 countries with 2.4 billion lost souls are still unreached and live in “closed” lands that restrict or persecute foreign missionaries. New approaches are needed in this age of Jihad. God has brought students from most of these closed lands to study here at our very doorsteps. We must follow the New Testament pattern of missions and equip them to go back. That is why we need to support OSM Staff Missionaries and OSM.

So then, what is the current crisis and OSM’s strategy for response?

FIRST, most of the ACMI member missions are focused quite rightly on the very important task of “friendship evangelism.” Their hands are full just responding to the needs of the 700,000 international students in the USA alone. When they find a zealous young converts or Christian students who are actually ready to go back to their homelands as a full-time missionary, they need to send them somewhere for additional help. That is the special challenge that we feel OSM is called to address. That is why we are reorganizing a new national headquarters office for OSM here in Charlottesville, Virginia to serve their needs. That is why we are seeking new support-raising staff missionaries and volunteers.

SECOND, most of the COSIM members are overwhelmed just taking care of the fine, well-established indigenous mission agencies that were developed in the last century. In fact, they are so busy just responding to their cries for help that they don’t have time to develop new missions or missionary leaders. Again, this is where we come in with our 40 years experience in helping to develop new indigenous mission projects.

THIRD, what is the action plan for our organization? We envision three simultaneous efforts to redefine our mission for the current reality and to respond with your help, and God’s grace:

• ADVISORS AND MENTORS – Working closely with campus staff from existing agencies we are identifying students that the Holy Spirit seems to be calling into full-time missionary ministry. This effort requires building close relationships with student leaders, missions professors, related faculty, foreign student advisors, deans and others role models and counselors. This web-based effort will be largely co-ordinated by the OSM Internet Team.
• MISSION TRAINERS – At the president’s office, we will organize and support training seminars and assist short term discipleship missions organized and led by campus-based Overseas Students Mission leaders. This student-led effort is inspired by the successful mobilization of American students by OM and YWAM students in the 1960’s. OSM Missionary Staff will only focus training support and help develop the leadership and infrastructure. Again, the OSM Internet Team will help develop community.
• PRAYER AND SUPPORT PARTNERSHIPS – Finally, the OSM stewardship office will work with pastors and local church leaders to find prayer partners and support team members. The OSM Communications and Administrative teams will keep them informed and process their much-needed financial help. We believe united cooperation in faith will be blessed by God. Unbelief is sin.

TEN REASONS WE ASSIST INDIGENOUS MISSIONS

This effort will assist and co-operate with existing indigenous support agencies whenever possible such as Partners International, Christian Aid and ANM. However, the focus is always on getting aid and assistance directly to the newly-emerging native missionary leaders themselves. We must be channels of blessing to them.

This is necessary because only New Testament style indigenous missionaries:

• avoid expensive cross-cultural evangelism and church planting, thereby saving most of the costs, training and time investments of traditional foreign missions
• read, write and know their mother tongues and the languages of local Bible translations
• live on more realistic, local standards and so have a much lower cost of living
• rarely have to adapt and accommodate themselves to different cultures
• do not bear the stigma of forcing an alien culture onto their converts
• do not have the huge extra costs of international travel, special schooling for their children or emergency medical care and foreign diets
• are not viewed as agents of foreign imperialism and intelligence gathering
• have vast networks of knowledge and resources unavailable to foreign missionaries
• often have strong local political contacts, sometimes with people they have known for years
• understand traditional birth, death, burial, marriage and religious customs

Let’s Talk About Your Role in Missions Today:
Contact Bill Bray, OSM President
bray.william@gmail.com
434-295-6488