Key Activities: We have weekly meetings that include a Bible study, speaker, or movie. We have other events like welcome night (our most effective), coffee house, culture night, and a dumpling party.
Ministry Success Factors: I truly believe in student leadership. I have realized that the times when the ministry was at its peak was when we had the most leaders. Developing leaders is a passion of mine, because I feel that it will help them in whole-life stewardship.
Leadership: The leadership team includes myself (Jovin) and 1 to 8 undergrad and grad students, serving in positions such as President and Coordinators and Assistant Coordinators for small groups, outreach, prayer, communications, and worship. Students also serve as small group leaders (separate from the leadership team). While we have no formal leadership selection process, we extend invitations to students to consider one-year terms in leadership. Previously, volunteers had also served on the leadership team, but some were getting burnt out. So, we changed the leadership structure to be completely student led, freeing up the volunteers to disciple and help where needed and providing more opportunities for students to serve with greater confidence.
Growing Leaders:
We seek out Christian internationals and challenge them to grow. We encourage them to serve in various activities to help them get excited and feel a part of the fellowship. This helps us to get to know them better too. The people who have grown and matured the most are those that have been discipled and those that have served in some capacity (outside their comfort zone). One student leader also said that having the fellowship available to meet people’s needs and help them get involved in a church were also important.
Student Leader Testimonies
Andreanne from Indonesia
I joined ICF as a freshman. Jovin discipled me. I was always so afraid whenever a new responsibility was presented to me, but I learned to trust God. First it was participating in welcome night, then it was organizing various outreaches, Bible studies, prayer meetings, retreats, and training events, and then I accepted the position of President. The most exciting thing for me was getting to know new students and making them feel at home, especially when they missed home so much. ICF became my family. God had me in ICF for a purpose. The experience was not just another activity but something that shaped me and prepared me for life outside college.
Cesar from Bolivia
A couple of years ago, God called me to the leadership of ICF and put my faith to the test. I experienced the difficulty of managing interpersonal relations and the importance of walking straight before the Lord and having a spotless testimony. Although these experiences may seem discouraging, I experienced the delight of working with a team of godly and wise people that shared the same vision for God’s kingdom. After serving in ICF, I learned that serving the Lord is a privilege that brings humility and maturity when one understands that the all-sufficient Creator of the universe is kind enough to look down on us and give us a little share of his titanic task.
Priya from India
I came to pursue graduate school in Fall 2003. I met ICF after a month, and I have enjoyed the fellowship. In 2004 and 2005 God blessed me with an opportunity to serve ICF as Outreach Coordinator. From this experience I learned dependence on God and letting Him be my stronghold and source of encouragement. I also learned to give what I have for God's glory and care for other people in a real way. God transformed me completely, so I started praying that many more students would come to know Jesus Christ on our campus. I thank God for this great experience and look forward to growing in Him more.
