COVID-19 has forced all of us to make changes in how we live and work. But one thing that has not changed is God’s desire to see people from every tribe, tongue and nation united in worship before His throne.
Like most (if not all) ministries and churches, Cru’s evangelism and discipleship efforts have moved largely online during the pandemic. We already had some wonderful tools on the web, but other tools created for in-person ministry still needed to be transferred online. This summer, I had the privilege of setting up a website for Conversation Art Cards, a resource designed for outreach meetings with international students here in the U.S.
International students are often isolated and overwhelmed by the pressures of life in America. They are especially open to friendships with Christians who love them. Those friendships then provide opportunities to share the gospel.
The concept of Conversation Art Cards is simple: on the front of each card is a work of art that explores a crucial aspect of human experience. On the back is a series of thought-provoking questions to spark and steer conversation. Given the topics, conversation flows naturally to deeper issues, providing multiple opportunities to talk about faith in Jesus Christ. A second set of cards, Conversation Art Cards: “Does God exist?” and Other Hard Questions, encourages similar conversations about the existence and nature of God.
Now that I put both sets of cards online (at http://conversationartcards.com), a staff member can host a video meeting with a group of international students and send them a link to one of the cards. Then the students can look at the art on their phones while they discuss the questions with the group on the video call.
I thoroughly enjoyed working on this project! I loved using my creative skills to provide a tool Cru can use to reach students from all over the world. These students will hold positions of influence when they return to their home countries, and some will return to nations where foreign missionaries are not allowed.
