Three Ways For Tying Global to Local

Many churches are looking for ways to connect their overseas ministries with their local ministries. The idea, of course, is to hook people into ministry through the convenience of their own community and then provide them the opportunity to minister in similar ways in another country. This is a good way of preparing people. Conversely, there are some people who are enticed by travel and will go on a short-term mission trip before regularly serving in their community. So how do we find connections between ministries in such different cultures? There are three main ways to do this:

1. Common Cause – This is a common issue. It could be something like homelessness, AIDS, orphans, or health and hygiene.

2. Common Role – This is a common ministry function. This could be something like children’s ministry, sports ministry, or a medical ministry

3. Common People – This could be a common culture, country or a people group. Perhaps you have a large immigrant population near your church; you could develop a missions sending program that goes to their homeland. 

In order to coordinate these, the church needs to begin by praying. Seek God’s will for your church—both in the context of the community and the world. Second, evaluate the church’s gifts and passions. How has God uniquely positioned you to reach others for Jesus? Are there common passions that God has placed in many individuals in your congregation? Finally, look to see if your church has a significant number of people from a specific group. Maybe your church has a large number of attendees who are from a specific country. You may consider adopting that place or people group as your focus.

You may even consider participating in a “Tying global to local” seminar. Click here to request more information on the seminar or to see about bringing it to you.

Questions for the author? Need coaching or consulting? You can contact Tory at 520-404-0841 or toryr@delaministries.com.

4 Things Every Friend of a Short-term Missionary Needs to Know

Normally I write an article to short-term mission (STM) participants or pastors. This one is going to be different. This one should be SENT to anyone who has or had a friend or family member go on a short-term mission trip. That might mean you are going to have to forward this email—just make sure you delete the FW at the beginning of the subject! We don't want to be confused for one of those annoying forwards your coworkers always send you!

Have you thought about what coming home might be like for your friend or family member? Maybe you have been on a trip and know, but if you are reading this article, maybe you haven't. Coming home from a STM trip can be an exhilarating and scary thing. It is exciting to come home and tell stories and show pictures. Often we have a new purpose in life. But it can be a scary, depressing time as well.

I want to give you an idea of what to expect when your STM trip participant comes home. There is typically a four-stage process:

1. Excitement--coming home is exciting. The participant can't wait to share stories, show pictures, and live "a new way."
2. Hostility--the air is let out. Life is harder than imagined, change seems impossible, and no one seems to care. Sometimes we treat others with disdain, judgment, and superiority.
3. Adjustment--we gradually adjust back to life as it was. We give up trying to "change the world" and just accept life as it is and was before the trip.
4. Integration--taking lessons learned and applying them to a transformed, more Christ-like life. Most people never get to this stage--they stop at #3.

So what should you do? How can you help your friend or family member through the coming home process? Here are some suggestions:

1. Listen to their stories and look at their pictures--I mean all of them. It may take one whole evening. Put in the time. They need to express themselves.
2. Listen for heart change. Listen for how God is calling them to change. This may come across as contempt for their current life--don't take it personally. They may be processing our affluence in comparison with deep poverty. Listen for the heart change and encourage them.
3. Encourage them to stay in contact with the team. They have a shared bond and shared understanding. Their interaction and desire to be together will eventually fade, but for now they are a good support for each other.
4. Journey together. You may not have gone on the STM together, but that doesn't mean you can't journey together. Listen for the heart change and pray about what God is calling both of you to do or become. I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Sometimes the people who appear the least affected on the outside are the ones struggling the most on the inside. All STM trip participants need their friends, family, and church to love them well when they come home. I hope this article helps you know where to start.

Coming home is hard. Follow-through with a returning STM trip participant can be even harder. But as their friend, you are perfectly placed to walk the journey with them!

Questions for the author? You can contact Tory at 520-404-0841 or toryr@delaministries.com.

How To Avoid Donor Fatigue In Your Short-term Mission Program

Does your church send out multiple mission teams every year? Do your church members become fatigued opening all the support letters that come to them? Or maybe you have a hard time deciding which people from your church to support. You don’t want to pick and choose, but you can’t afford to support them all.

A little bit of strategic planning can alleviate the stress. Here is a process that I would recommend trying:

1. Get the church on some sort of cycle. I would recommend six to nine months or even one year.

2.  Discourage or even forbid support letters to be sent to members of the church. Instead encourage the team members to send support letters to friends and family in other places, hold fundraisers, and even save some of their own money to pay for the trip.

3. Promote the trips or individuals going on a short-term mission trip in the next six months to one year. Make sure people know that they are going and what they will be doing and assure them they will have a chance to contribute towards the project.

4. Take up an offering sometime during the cycle and split it amongst all the team members evenly. If you don’t want to collect a special offering, have a pastor write one letter to the congregation outlining the trips and asking for donations. All donations will then be split amongst all the team members.

I think you will find that this removes the “first come, first serve” environment as well as keeps generous donors from being overwhelmed. After a cycle or two, your members will begin to budget and expect the annual or biannual donation to the mission teams.

Questions for the author? You can contact Tory at 520-404-0841 or toryr@delaministries.com.

3 Crucial Reminders about Remembering God on a STM

As a goer on a short-term mission (STM), a lot is going on in your mind when you arrive on location – did my shampoo explode in my suitcase; the sites are breath taking; excitement and nervousness; or even frustration from the journey it took to get there. There is an endless list of possible thoughts and emotions. The point is, in the hustle and bustle of traveling and doing, are you focused on the fact that you are on a STM?

First, upon arrival, pause and take a moment to focus your heart on the Lord. Being intimately connected in your heart and mind to God in each moment is vital when doing His work. Unfortunately one overwhelming reality of a STM is the issue of time, and the possibility of its distraction. The problem is that when a schedule is in place, people are then constantly thinking of what the next task is, but God meets us in the moments we are in. He meets us in the present tense – in the here and now. This means, that while time is active and moving, and the schedule ticks on, we must be aware we need to be fixed upon the presence of the Lord, praying and conversing with him continually.
When we seek Him in continual prayer, we are abiding in Him by giving Him the entirety of our situations. We offer Him the space to work freely, acknowledging His greatness and the power and control of His hand. We ask for our daily bread and the essentials, putting faith in His provision, and praise Him when our needs are met or when glory is deserved. Essentially, we are surrendering to God, and humbly seeking Him and worshiping Him for all He is and what He can do, for He is the center of all.

Second, remember you are in an ongoing spiritual battle. A STM means going and fulfilling the work he commissioned to us, make disciples of all nations. A STM is sent forward because of that call and the motivation to advance the kingdom for his glory. By responding to this call, we are declaring that God is our master. Remember that by doing such, we are stepping forth into a battle; into the thick of all that is of the world.
Realize the severity of the spiritual move we’ve made, disrupting the darkness, and bringing forth the light of God to the unreached, we go forth into enemy territory. Be prepared for spiritual warfare, and in faith, and with prayer, rely upon God for the protection we need with steadfast dedication. If our hearts harden, and become prideful or overconfident while serving Him, maybe even distracted, Satan is gaining ground because our hearts are being consumed with ourselves, and not relying on God for our needs, which are many.

Third and finally, take the time daily to meet with God while on your STM. In fact, meet with Him multiple times a day – as you transition from event to event, before travel, before speaking with people, while speaking, or any chance that you have. Keep the conversation going, inviting God to be part of your time. Also, try not to constantly be asking for things, but worshipping Him for His power and might, for His plan, for His greatness and mystery. Thank Him for Jesus and the gift of salvation, and be praying for hearts to soften, for safety while you’re involved in physical activity in that place, and for focus. Be praying for spiritual protection because Satan can come into your work to tempt and distract. Be on your guard, and ask specifically. Our God is a God who hears and acts – He is omnipotent and powerful.

Often we are inclined to think that God’s presence will be close at hand on a STM, but like regular life, we know we can’t make any assumptions about His closeness to us if it’s something we are not pursuing ourselves. So, focus your heart on the Lord when you arrive. Remember you’re in the midst of a spiritual battle, and take time to meet with him daily. You’ll find Him and discover what His will is for you and your involvement in the advancement of His kingdom.


Article by Crystal Mann

4 Steps For Designing Your Own Team Training

“Help, I have to train my church’s short-term mission team!”

Have you ever been in a similar situation?  If so, questions probably started whirling through your mind… What should I teach? How much time will it take? Where do I start? What makes me qualified to do this?

Here are four steps to help you design a preparation program for your church’s short-term mission team.

The first step is to pray continually.  Ask God for wisdom and discernment in your planning and preparation.

The next step is start with the end in mind. In other words, plan backwards. Think about what you want your team to know/understand, be able to do, and to be like before they leave for the field.  This is the hard part. If you have never been on a short-term mission, chat with some people who have and ask them what they wish they had known that would have better prepared them.  Take time on this step. If you prayerfully plan, your purpose for teaching will become clear and targeted.

Though some things will vary from church to church based on the ministry in which the team will be involved, there will be a few constants that should be addressed. For example, at the beginning of each training I ask people what will make training worthwhile for them.  Most responses revolve around building positive relationships on the team and being able to work together, learning how to adapt to the culture, and knowing how to serve Christ wholeheartedly.   You will be heading in a good direction if you prepare your team in the areas of community (teambuilding, getting along with one another), culture, and Christ-like character.

Once you determine the major areas you want to address, decide under each area what you want people to know and be able to do.  For example, when teaching about culture, you might want people to know and/or understand the following:

1.  Why it is important to increase one’s awareness of culture
2. How culture affects our behavior
3. How Americans are often perceived
4. How practices differ from one country to another (for example: communication, hospitality, relationships)

When considering “be able to do,” you might consider the following:

• Uncover personal deeply held beliefs that might serve as a barrier for serving cross-culturally

The ultimate “be like” is to be like Christ.

Step three is to design the instruction based on what you want the team to know/understand, be able to do, and to be like.  Use a variety of instructional strategies such as lecture for general knowledge and active learning for strengthening team dynamics, communication, trust, cooperation, and problem solving.  For example, effectively used, scenarios can challenge people’s thinking and move them out of their comfort zone.  By engaging participants in experiential learning, they will be forced to engage with concepts being studied rather than merely thinking about them. Problem solving is another tool used to help participants understand new learning deeply and personally apply these principles. When designing instruction, it is also important to focus on positive interdependence. Each member of the group is important for the group’s success. Be sure to involve everyone. Whenever possible, require your team to apply what has been learned. This will reinforce their new knowledge.

Step four is to determine and communicate the logistics. People need to know in advance that there is training and why they should attend. Training should be far more than communicating details about the trip.  Here are some questions to consider:

1.      Should it be required for all team members? (If so, what happens if someone does not attend? If not, what is the purpose for the training?)

2.      How much time do I need and who will teach? (Don’t feel compelled to be the expert in all areas. Prayerfully recruit people who can work alongside you.)

3.      Where should the training be conducted that will create an environment that is conducive to learning and support the activities that you have designed? (If you plan to use church facilities, check the calendar and process for scheduling an event. Don’t assume it will be available.)

4.      What materials will I need and will I have access on the day of the training? (Be sure to have a back-up plan for technology.)

5.      Clearly communicate the expectations for the training to participants.

The steps above should get you started in designing a short-term mission training. Remember to pray, plan backwards, design instruction and determine logistics.

Article by Kathy Mort Ed.D

Kathy Mort joined DELTA Ministries after spending over thirty years in public education. In the early eighties she took a leave of absence from teaching to attend Columbia Graduate School of Bible and Missions (now Columbia International University) so she could go on the mission field. After doing adult literacy work in a village and teaching at ELWA Academy in Liberia, West Africa on a one year, short-term assignment, she returned to public education, but her desire was still to serve the Lord in the area of missions in some capacity. She is currently actively involved in her church and has led a number of church-based mission trips.

You’re Prepared To Go, But Are You Prepared To Come Home?

Many of you are getting ready to go out on your short-term mission (STM) trip in the next few weeks. I'm sure you have done a lot to prepare for your departure, but how much have you planned for your coming home? If you are like most people, the thought of preparing to come home hasn't crossed your mind. That's ok, that's why we're here! What is there to prepare for and how can we prepare? As always, I don't have all the answers, but I do have some ideas. Hopefully this will get you thinking:

1. The final impression--I always say the only thing more important than a first impression is a final impression. Saying good-bye and doing it the right way is important! Do say goodbye, but resist urges to make promises to write, return, or send help. Broken promises break relationships. Email me or leave a comment at the end of this post and I will tell you how I handle situations like this.

2. Knowing is half the battle. Or so that is what GI Joe taught me when I was growing up. Prepare your team for the challenges of going home. Make sure they know what kind of reception to expect from people. Also, make sure they know of some of the pitfalls of going home. The Next Mile goer guide is a great resource that has a section to read specifically about this topic!

3. Ask the team some questions. Before you leave, give people a chance to journal their answers to some strategic questions. Questions like, "what am I most/least looking forward to about going home? What am I most/least looking forward to leaving behind? What from this culture do I want to make a part of my life and how?" Again, The Next Mile goer guide includes these questions and more for reflection.

4. Plan 2-3 team meetings after your trip. Make sure you plan these meetings before you leave. If you wait until you get home, schedules will be too difficult. The time together will be both energizing and therapeutic for team members. I recommend planning three meetings that will focus on celebration, reflection, and next steps.

Coming home can be hard and it requires some preparation to do it right. Don’t neglect this area of your short-term mission trip as it is the key to life long change in your participants and not simply a mountain top experience that fades with time.

Questions for the author? Do you need help knowing what to expect, or how to prepare your team? You can contact Tory at 520-404-0841 or toryr@delaministries.com.

3 Ways for a short-term mission team to bless Missionary Kids

Many churches send teams to countries where they know, love, and support missionaries. Sending people from the congregation can be a huge blessing for missionaries, as it communicates a commitment and support in their work. However, many churches forget that this is an opportunity to bless the children of their missionaries as well. Missionary kids have unique lives; they have usually seen more of the world than most children, often speak foreign languages (sometimes better than their parents), and live adventures that we only dream about. Yet missionary kids can sometimes feel like they are playing a great game of capture the flag—only there’s no home base. There’s no anchor. There’s nobody with whom they really connect. They aren’t really a citizen of the country where they are ministering, but they don’t really belong in their home culture. Short-term mission teams are uniquely equipped to bless missionary children—but do you know how?

Americans will always be somewhat of a curiosity to missionary kids. At least they were to me growing up in Italy as a missionary kid. Many missionary kids are known in their schools and communities as the Americans, yet they don’t feel like it. There are several misconceptions about missionary kids. Many see them as just another average American kid. This assumption can get short-term missionaries into trouble, as missionary kids are not normal American kids. Others think of missionary kids as somewhat of a peculiarity, and wonder on what level one can connect with this kind of person. But no one likes to be treated like an oddity. So here are a few ways you can bless missionary kids:

Take a sincere interest in missionary kids. Like most missionaries, my parents welcomed short-term mission teams to help them in their ministry. I always looked forward to spending time with the teams. They would often stay in our home, so our interaction was up-close and personal. I sought to glean from them anything I could about what it meant to be an American. It was important exposure for me, especially since the only other thing I had to teach me about America was MTV--which was probably not the most healthy for me! Developing relationship with our American visitors allowed me to have a connection with a part of me that I did not understand.

Bring gifts that are uniquely American. In my younger years, I anticipated the arrival of the American teams mostly to enjoy the gifts they would bring us. The bulk of it was various kinds of food we requested because we could not find in Italy. Of course, my sister and I only knew of what our parents would describe for us, but we would ask for things like peanut butter, marshmallows, and jell-o. Occasionally, a team would surprise us with items we did not know to ask for like Skittles, Root Beer, or Hershey’s Kisses. Perhaps the teams did not think that commodities like these could be terribly exciting for kids our age--especially in a land known for its culinary delicacies--but these gifts blessed us more than anyone could know. They were more than just food and candy; they were small connections to America that made us feel like we belonged.

Include missionary kids as much as and whenever possible. When short-term teams came to participate in my parents’ ministry, I was often recruited by the team to be an interpreter. I loved participating with the teams in their ministry and felt honored that they would include me. But beware! Do not assume missionary kids will understand all your slang and cultural references. We may speak English and appear to be American, but we do not have the same shared experiences. Sometimes the most lonely feeling is when a short-term team is hanging out, having fun, and laughing about things you just don’t understand. Be sure to include missionary kids not just in the ministry activities but in your fun, relaxing times too.

So, before you go on your next short-term mission trip, find out if you will be interfacing with missionary kids. Know that you will have an affect on them, and you can choose to influence them positively or negatively. You are what they know of the states. You are their connection to what they haven’t experienced for themselves yet. Take an interest in them, treat them special, and include them as part of your team!

Article by Liz Thompson

Liz Thompson is a short-term mission assistant for DELTA Ministries International. She grew up on the mission field as a missionary kid in Italy. She graduated from Moody Bible Institute in 2010 with a Bachelor’s in Educational Ministries. She has been blessed to live in three different countries and visit two others on short-term mission trips. These experiences have widened her view of the world as well as cultivated a passion for cultures and peoples. She desires to see people understand what it means to know God who calls Himself Love, and to help people grow in their calling to become children of God.