Free Resource
30/60/90 Day Quick Start Guide
A practical, week-by-week plan to take your church from first prayer to first welcome event, and to a sustainable ministry by day 90.
Before your first student contact: every volunteer completes IFI's cultural sensitivity training. It's included in the toolkit and takes about 2 hours.
Days 1–30
Build the Foundation
Toolkit phase: SPARK (Prepare)
Week 1
- Identify your ISM champion (the primary point person).
- Pray as a leadership team specifically for international students.
- Research the nearest university and its international student population.
- Schedule an initial meeting with your pastoral team.
- Begin reading the Global Welcome Toolkit overview (Phase 1: SPARK).
Week 2
- Connect with the university's international student office.
- Attend one campus international student event as observers.
- Identify 3–5 potential volunteers from your congregation.
- Review the cultural primer for the top nationalities at your campus.
- Draft your church's initial commitment statement.
Week 3
- Host a volunteer information meeting; share the ISM vision.
- Complete the readiness assessment (in the full toolkit).
- Assign volunteer roles: hospitality lead, prayer coordinator, outreach lead.
- Set a ministry launch date.
- Create a simple one-page overview for your congregation.
Week 4
- Schedule the first community event (e.g. Welcome Dinner).
- Complete volunteer cultural sensitivity orientation.
- Build a communication channel (group chat, email list).
- Connect with the nearest IFI campus (if applicable).
- Review the budget template and set an initial budget.
- Finalize your launch plan.
Phase Deliverables
Week 1
- Champion identified
- Prayer commitment in place
- University research notes
Week 2
- University contact established
- Volunteer list (draft)
- Cultural primers reviewed
Week 3
- Volunteer roles assigned
- Launch date set
- Congregation one-pager ready
Week 4
- First event scheduled
- Volunteer orientation complete
- Initial budget set
- Launch plan documented
Days 31–60
Launch & Establish Rhythm
Toolkit phase: CONNECT (Launch)
Week 5
- Host your first Welcome Dinner or community event.
- Follow up personally with each student who attended.
- Debrief with your volunteer team: what worked, what to adjust.
- Add students to your communication channel.
- Begin the volunteer training module 1.
Week 6
- Begin one-on-one friendship pairings (Family Match).
- Schedule your second event.
- Update your congregation on progress; recruit additional volunteers.
- Review cultural primers for any new nationalities represented.
Week 7
- Host your second event.
- Introduce a Discovery Bible Study opportunity to interested students.
- Conduct mid-point check-in with volunteer team.
- Begin tracking attendance and engagement.
Week 8
- Review your 30-day goals: what did you accomplish?
- Celebrate wins with your volunteer team.
- Adjust your plan based on what you learned.
- Set goals for days 61–90.
- Complete volunteer training module 2.
Phase Deliverables
Week 5
- First event hosted
- Post-event follow-up complete
- Volunteer debrief held
Week 6
- Friendship pairings initiated
- Second event scheduled
Week 7
- Second event hosted
- Bible study opportunity offered
- Tracking system in place
Week 8
- Mid-point review complete
- Updated 60–90 day plan
- Training module 2 done
Days 61–90
Deepen & Sustain
Toolkit phase: GROW (Sustain)
Week 9
- Deepen individual relationships with core students.
- Host a "share your story" event (cultural exchange night).
- Invite interested students to join in serving at your church.
- Begin exploring re-entry conversations with graduating students.
Week 10
- Evaluate your ISM program structure: what is sustainable long-term?
- Identify 1–2 students who show leadership potential.
- Connect students to broader church community life.
- Review financial sustainability of the program.
Week 11
- Plan for the next semester or program cycle.
- Create a simple annual calendar of events.
- Begin training a backup or co-champion.
- Complete volunteer training module 3.
- Document your best practices and lessons learned.
Week 12
- Host a celebration event with students and volunteers.
- Share stories of impact with your congregation.
- Set goals for the next 90 days.
- Submit your program to ifipartners.org (if applicable).
- Download and review the full toolkit for next-phase guidance.
Phase Deliverables
Week 9
- Cultural exchange event hosted
- Re-entry conversations started
Week 10
- Sustainability review complete
- Student leaders identified
Week 11
- Annual event calendar drafted
- Co-champion identified
- Best practices documented
Week 12
- Celebration event hosted
- Impact stories shared
- Next-cycle goals set
Ready for the full toolkit?
The Global Welcome Toolkit goes deeper on every phase, with cultural primers, event templates, a budget planner, and a step-by-step volunteer training curriculum.