Make the Right Connections
How to involve others in the venture from the very start
By
Lucinda Secrest McDowell
Lucinda Secrest McDowell is a former missions pastor. She has trained short-term missionaries and produced a daily radio news program, "Christians Around the World."
Now it's happening to you. You never thought it would. You've watched other apparently normal people go overseas for years. They come back in decent shape, but different. You've always looked on career missionaries with awe, but you could never identify with them. As you watched others commit big chunks of their lives to cross-cultural ministry, your prayers might have been, "Here am I, Lord, send them!"
But now you're seriously considering giving it a try, perhaps for just a summer. You almost don't want to tell anybody. What if you don't go through with it? Should you keep your plans under wraps until you leave?
Tell somebody what you are thinking. In fact, tell several people early on while you are still mulling it over. There's no spiritual "Charles Lindbergh" award for attempting solo trips overseas with no guidance and coaching from others.
Some people have the opposite problem. Far from feeling like they want to prove something by doing great exploits on their own, they want to break away from the pressure of expectations of friends and family. A short-term experience may appear as a chance to break away, to get far away from home, school, or job, and serve the Lord with abandon. You might be tempted to "disconnect" from the world you've known.
Don't disconnect. Don't pull off a covert operation. More than ever, you're going to need the wisdom and backing of godly people. Some of those people you will have known for some time. Some will be new to you. But if you want to have any kind of success, pursue relationships with key people, especially while you are considering where to go and how to get there.
You'll need to connect with others in three ways before you leave: receive counsel from trusted friends and family, consult with key leaders in mission structures and in your church, and communicate with interested friends and supporters.
Counsel
The primary connection you need to make is with God through serious prayer. Make it "open heart" prayer. Come to the Lord in total honesty, with all of your hopes, plans, and fears. Verbalize each one specifically as an act of trust. Give them over to the Lord, expecting His answers to come. To "pray through" an issue or situation like this is not a mere devotional exercise; it requires commitment and discipline. That's why it's unlikely that you'll get very far praying by yourself.
Seek out a prayer partner (of the same sex). Covenant with them to seek God's will together concerning every aspect of this short-term mission venture. Don't forget to be still and listen for God's answers as they come, often in unexpected ways.
Hopefully, you are already part of a small group of Christians who meet regularly for Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. If not, pray that God will give you time with some friends to whom you can be committed, people who share a global vision and a dedication to Christ. You may have to organize gatherings. You may have to make appointments or travel a distance to see these people. Do whatever it takes to get like-minded Christians to join you in exploring your heart and the opportunities that God gives you.
The crucial phase of exploring opportunities shouldn't be done alone. Dr. Robert Munger says, "Jesus called His disciples to a committed company. We must not presume to be solitary followers of Jesus Christ. Seek the counsel of trusted believers. To move out step by step alongside our Lord with bright faith and a warm heart, we need one another as fellow followers - praying for one another and supporting one another."
Within the sphere of this community relationship, ask yourself some hard questions. "How solid is my commitment to Christ? What gifts do I have to offer for service? Are my reasons for pursuing short-term missions healthy and appropriate?" Discuss various mission opportunities and consider together which ones may fit you best at this time. Together you'll be able to see the pitfalls and some of the astounding possibilities.
Consult
Seek out more mature Christians who can give you solid wisdom and fresh information about your short-term mission dreams. Start with your pastor. Keep him informed early on of your thinking. Ask for his advice and his recommendation of other leaders in the local church who might be able to give you even more counsel. Some churches are fortunate enough to have a special pastor with missions responsibilities. Find out which leader in your congregation or denomination leads the missions concerns of your church.
If you are a student, you may have a college chaplain. Leaders of campus ministries such as Navigators, Campus Crusade, and InterVarsity usually offer sound insights. Often they have seen your "track record" in ministry and spiritual growth.
Open up with your family. Before the process goes too far, arrange a time to discuss your vision and hopes with significant people in your family, especially your parents. Plan ahead so that you can discuss your dreams and plans in a personal encounter, not through a letter or telephone call. It is best to give some background about your thinking and growing process as a Christian concerned for the world.
Many non-Christian parents may respond in shock based on their concept of missions and missionaries. Your most crucial task will be to share with them the "why" behind your desire to serve overseas. Without a trace of condescension, fill the role of interpreter of how God is working in the world through people today.
You may hear protests like, "Is this why I paid for you to get a computer science degree?" or "No daughter of mine is going begging for money!" Other parents, whatever their Christian persuasion, may fear your proposed living and working conditions.
There is no simple formula for handling the myriad of responses from your family, but try to anticipate their concerns. Calmly and non-defensively give them as much information as possible. Listen carefully to what they have to say.
In his book Life and Work on the Mission Field(Baker, 1980), missions professor J. Herbert Kane addresses this issue: "Nowhere does the Bible suggest that parents, Christian or non-Christian, have the right to come between their children and the will of God. From a purely humanistic point of view, it is wrong for parents to force their plans on their children. It is doubly wrong when these plans run contrary to the will of God."
Talk with mission representatives. You may have to talk over the phone, but get to know mission representatives. Most are well- informed and willing to coach you through fears and concerns.
Meet missionaries. Once the location is set, do whatever you can to meet former missionaries from that country or other short-termers who have preceded you. Often these people rate as "experts" on where you're going, and they're usually very pleased to share about the life and culture you can expect.
Communicate
Tell people what you plan to do as soon as you come to a clear decision about your direction. Keep a list of those you want to keep informed. You will probably need to give these people updates a few times before you go. Don't forget to thank those who are giving you prayer and/or financial support.
Make connections with your local church, meeting first with your pastor. Your church may even have a missions committee. Obviously, check in with that group. Try to arrange a time to present your expectations and prayer requests. Promise to keep them informed through regular prayer letters. Express a desire to be formally commissioned at a morning or an evening service so that you can feel truly "sent out" from your church home.
You may have a pastor or a leader who does not enthusiastically embrace your plans for short-term missions. Be prepared to accept less support than you would have desired, and ask the Lord to use you in this situation as a possible catalyst to bring about a new attitude toward missions in that church.
The communication process takes time. It can make you feel vulnerable. You may feel rejected by those who misunderstand. But one thing you can count on: God is with you through it all.
And what does God do? In his book The First Four Years are the Hardest (InterVarsity Press, 1980), Michael Pountney reminds us of God's faithfulness: "As you bring to the top of your list the genuine desire to get involved in adventurous faith, God smiles to Himself, and brings out His gifts. Because as you commit yourself to Him, He commits Himself to you and equips you for the job. And He will not be your debtor; He will unload on you some of the marvels and glories and pains of His kingdom. Watch out - it might hurt. But you will love it, and you will grow."