California Baptist University’s International Service Projects prepared to depart as students continued training for their upcoming travels. The program marked 29 years of global service through CBU.
This program brings together CBU students to learn, live life and serve globally together. Having programs like ISP trips on campus gives students hands-on experience as disciples of God and as people who spread his love to people from all different backgrounds. On CBU’s website, it mentions the purpose behind these trips.
“ISP is a program that brings together teams of CBU students to do life, learn, and serve globally. Immersion teams provide opportunities for students to engage in a peer-led biblical community for the purpose of joining in the mission of God among the nations. We define immersion as being fully occupied in thought, life, relationships and service with Jesus Christ.”
Earlier this semester, students applied for service trips and those selected began training. On Wednesday nights, students met from 6:30 to 9 p.m. to build relationships with one another and learn about the cultures they would encounter.
Lee Stevens, director of global service, described a typical training day as an experience that helped students understand they were stepping into something greater than a trip.
“We spend time helping them see the big picture of God’s global mission and where they fit within it. Students learn about the cultures they’ll be entering, they build trust with their team and they begin thinking about what it means to live out the gospel well in another part of the world,” Stevens said.
Students also learned more about their faith and the broader mission of sharing the gospel. Many people around the world have little or no exposure to Jesus or the Bible, which motivated students to share their faith.
Madison McAlister, freshman elementary education major training for an ISP trip, said the training taught her important lessons about global missions.
“I’ve learned that only about 4% of missionaries go to unreached people, which has been heartbreaking and humbling,” McAlister said.
Many students did not know their teammates before training began. These weekly meetings helped them form connections through shared experiences and faith-centered conversations. Students shared personal stories and sought spiritual growth together while preparing for their trips.
Training also encouraged students to reflect on their own relationship with God. McAlister said the experience reminded her how much she depended on her faith in daily life.
“I need Him to get me through training days. I need Him in my work, sleep and eating. I could not do any of this alone,” McAlister said. “Through all the times I’ve been reminded that I am not here primarily because I wanted to be but because God wants to use me and who am I to not be obedient to His call.”
Training for an ISP trip created an experience many students would remember long after their travels. As they prepared for departure, students expressed excitement about sharing their faith. Stevens said the trips also encouraged students to think about their long-term purpose.
“Travel can open someone’s eyes, but the deeper question becomes, What will you do with what you’ve seen,” Stevens said. “Our hope is that students return home not only with a clearer picture of how they can participate in God’s global mission but also with a clearer sense of what following Christ and making Him known looks like right here in Riverside, California, and on this campus.”
As departure dates approached, students prepared not only for travel but also for what they believed was a calling. Through training, they learned that sharing the gospel was not limited to one location but continued as a lifelong mission. Whether on CBU’s campus or across the world, students prepared to live out their faith wherever they believed God led them.
