Getting The Team Ready
Preparation is more than a toothbrush and snacks
The Value Of
Preparation
Dutch Sheetz, in his book
Intercessory Prayer says, “If you don't know what you’re looking for
you probably won’t find it” and “If you don’t know how to do what
you’re doing you probably won’t do it very well”. When it comes to
Short-Term Missions, words of greater truth cannot be spoken. The
purpose of preparation is that we send a team who will accomplish
the task, to the glory of God. There are specific issues to
consider, such as, the type of ministry the team will be
participating in and the spiritual condition of the team. The
preparation builds confidence in the individual team members and in
the congregation sending the team. It is important to be sure
Short-Term Missionaries are well prepared to accomplish the
objectives they were sent to do. Therefore it’s necessary to set in
place a comprehensive plan of preparation.
Practical
Preparation
There are several issues to
be considered as we think about practical preparation. Bonding as a
team is crucial for the success of team ministry. The team needs to
have the opportunity to bond and grow together as they prepare for
their ministry trip. Training, praying, and working together to
develop a ministry plan facilitates bonding in relationships.
Mission teams must be trained in the areas of ministry in which they
will participate. It is important that they train to share a
testimony, work with an interpreter, minister effectively in medias
such as Mime, Drama or Puppets. Teams must be prepared to embrace
the uniqueness of a foreign culture. Their preparation should have
an emphasis in cross-cultural training for an effective mission.
Leadership for the team must be established, equipped and set in
place prior to the mission trip. Confidence and trust in that
leadership will be established during the time of preparation. This
will prepare the team to face and deal well with those things that
will test them in the field.
Spiritual
Preparation
Careful consideration must
be given to spiritual development of the team. It is extremely
important for each team member to be committed to the team’s overall
spiritual development. Individual prayer and personal devotional
time is essential for the spiritual maturity desired for the team.
Each one should embrace, not only the challenge for spiritual
growth, but also the opportunity to walk in accountability in the
process. Each team member will experience a stretching in their
personal life. It is very important that the team be prepared to
walk through the challenges they are certain to encounter during
their time on the field.
Financial
Preparation
Financial preparation must
be considered. It’s important to develop a strategy for raising the
finances to send a team to the mission field. The most important
thing to remember is that God is in charge of finances. It is His
desire to bless those whom He has called, as well as those they will
be ministering to. God has a plan to provide the finances for your
team. God is faithful to His word and He has specific things to say
about finances. Key to the financial blessing is our own personal
commitment to tithe our income. Our tithe is to be given to the
local church that we call our home church. We are instructed to
bring our tithes and our offerings. I can testify that these
principals seen in Scripture truly do work.
Malachi 3:10 "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
Short Term Missionary Devotional... this devotional is a must for every short term missionary! Check it out...
Short Term Mission Training Manual...
This is a must for the preparation of each team member...
Training Manual