Sep 30, 2020 Pastor Dan’s Inspirational Mission Tips Part 2

Here are more of Pastor Dan’s tips for working in the mission field. Start thinking about them now so when you’re able to goÑnothing is stopping you!

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TOUR THE WORLD: You can simply look at pictures of the Taj Mahal or Victoria FallsÑor you can go see them yourself! Go to Thailand, preach this gospel, heal the sick, build a churchÑAND see the Emerald Buddha and Grand Palace, ride an elephant, raft a river, go trekking, sleep in a hut with the locals, and eat as much Thai food as you want! Even though we’re working hard sharing the faith, you can’t go to someone else’s culture and world without experiencing it yourself! There is always an opportunity to see what makes a place unique, take the opportunity.  Life will be richer seeing the Golden Pagoda in Yangon or Mt. Kinabalu or the ruins of Siem Reap.

THICK OR THIN: Everybody chooses whether to live life thick or thin. Thin is just casual triviaÑWhat do you think of our weather? or How’d the Lakers do? or Pass the butter. But you can live life thickÑWhy did you change your beliefs? and What was it like to grow up in your village?

Thin complains about the bugs and the beds and the food. A thick attitude loves it when it rains, when the going gets tough, is thrilled that you are on the other side of the world experiencing new things, stretching, on an adventure. You only have one lifeÑwhy not live it thick? Go into the barangays in the Philippines, invite the young people to eat a halo-halo dessert with youÑmake thick connections with the people you meet!

BOND WITH FRIENDS: Not only will you connect with the people in the mission fieldÑthe pastors, the Bible workers, the people in the hotel, your interests at the meetings, the people who come to the worksite and work next to you, etc. etc. But you will also bond with the team you go withÑwhether you knew them well before or not!

There’s just something about doing a God thing together for two weeksÑeating meals together, worshiping together, working in the heat together, having fun togetherÑthat connects you! You’ll want to sign up to come back so you can be with those same people again! Wearing the trip t-shirt becomes a symbol of pride, a public marker of being part of this incredible group of servant people who went to build a house in Mexico or dig a well in Africa or put on evangelistic meetings in the Philippines.

ADD A SKILL: Most of us have to learn new things when we go to the fieldÑhow to mix cement, how to take a blood pressure, how to do PowerPoint and set up a sound system overseas, you name it. You will see how churches are put together, you’ll see how the pastors work with church members, you may have to step up and join song service, or you may help with the children’s program. All of these new things will give you a deep sense of value and confidence that you can handle more and do more for God, both on mission trips and the times in between, back at home.

SPIRITUAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: Jesus told the famous story about the five talents becoming 10, and about Daniel and his friends becoming ten times smarter through temperance and trust. And the soil that multiplied 30x, 60x, 100x! Jesus took five loaves and two fish and fed at least 5,000! He came down from heaven and as one man, died for the whole world! God calls us to use our one life to multiply ourselves as much as possible.

If you help baptize one teenagerÑyou’re not just baptizing that one. He becomes a pastor, baptizes 30 people a year for 45 yearsÑthat’s part of it too! She becomes a teacher in a school, with 30 students a year for 40 yearsÑpart of the package! God calls us to give our lives to whatever can multiply ourselves to the maximum! Mission trips are maybe the best way and the quickest way to multiply yourself in the world!

GO STORM THE WORLD!