Great Experience, New Opportunities

Amy Wellner - Global Missions Operations, Upper Midwest

Every October, a team of business men and women from the Upper Midwest travel to East Asia for the CEO Leadership Lecture Series. Participants are highly successful professionals that share principles and wisdom drawn from their marketplace experience with the next generation of leaders. They highlight business principles along with the importance of character and integrity in the marketplace.

This year, twelve professionals traveled to East Asia to meet with some of the top college students in two large cities. In five days on campus, the team held sixteen Leadership Lectures. Classroom discussions after the lectures led to the professionals sharing their personal faith stories -- and the gospel.

John, a senior VP at one of the top five insurance companies in the US, had this to say about the trip:

“I had a wonderful experience. I have never met so many quality young people in my life. By and large, nearly every student I met was interested in knowing more about the Gospel and what it means to know God personally. They seemed to sense that there is something missing in their lives. I had a real sense that the Holy Spirit was moving, and it is even greater when He moves and you know it is happening regardless of my sinful nature. That was my prayer -- to be used by the Holy Spirit.”

After the vision trip, local teams are given the contacts so staff members can follow up with interested students. One of our teams has a vision to reach 600,000 college students at 67 universities in their scope. Their team is made up of six stinters and seven ICS staff (including two moms). The Lecture Series has helped this team tremendously by giving them inroads to new campuses and connections to new students.

This partnership truly is a win-win situation, not only impacting movements in East Asia, but also churches and parachurches Stateside. Because as these business professionals get involved in direct ministry, they begin to give more of their time and financial investment to broader initiatives that push the gospel forward.