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denem7
Member



Joined: 2005/6/8
Posts: 62
Orange Park, FL

 Mission trip

what would you guys recommend to someone who has never been on a mission trip, yet is interested in going? i'd be especially interested in going on a mission trip to my own lost country- the USA (but ,of course, i'd go ANYWHERE God wants.)

i know how to teach God's word, encourage, help, and pray......but i don't know how to dig wells and build houses.

also, i'm not interested in "adventure", but instead in serving God. (it seems that many of the mission websites center on "adventure" and sightseeing.)

thanks- dennis


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Dennis

 2005/7/2 15:06Profile
jeremyhulsey
Member



Joined: 2003/4/18
Posts: 777


 Re: Mission trip

Hi Dennis,

Bro, this may sound mundane, but let your mission field start in your own back yard. Who knows where you'll end up or where the Lord will send you. Many great missionaries started this way.


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Jeremy Hulsey

 2005/7/2 21:00Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Interesting note: My pastor has been on a missions trip to Ecuador, and says he will never go back. He said that the Ecuadorians are preying on short-term missions as a form of tourism to help boost their economy. When one of our dollars is worth about 20+ of theirs, they love the idea of us visiting.


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/2 22:58Profile









 Re: "kingjimmy" and original poster

Brother,
I dont' find your note interesting at all. To lump any one people and say that they are this way or that is not love, in my humble opinion. You slam beautiful and wonderful missionaries and ministries. You slam many wonderful christians who desperately need encouragement and edification. If you have not been there for yourself, it would have been better that you say nothing at all.

God is not limited by man's greed. While it is true that in many countries that have so precious little in material wealth can be greedy, there you will also find faith that cannot be witnessed in this country.

To the original poster, only God can call someone to missions. However, I do believe that every christian is called, at least to a short term trip somewhere. You just have to find out where. But God gives you grace there that you simply cannot get elsewhere. He manifests His presence in your heart, like you have never felt before. You will come home changed for the better, and never regret your experience.

I have some friends in Southern Mexico that I intend to visit next April. They are Grant and Jennifer Haynes. You can find their web page at www.globalfrontiermissions.com. I do believe they are making a difference for the kingdom of God in their ministry. You would be blessed to visit and minister with them. I'm certain they would blessed and feel honored to have you.

in the wonder of His love,

Lahry

 2005/7/4 8:15









 Re: Mission trip

Hi denem7,

I'm encouraged by Lahry's response, to post this website to you, which I came across fairly recently. [url=http://voiceinthedesert.netfirms.com/keith/archives/2004/10/a_missionary_bl.html]http://voiceinthedesert.netfirms.com/keith/archives/2004/10/a_missionary_bl.html[/url] There is a page there which gives a biog and traces his own journey towards being a full time missionary.

I was interested because I lived in West Africa as a child on mission stations and I know how much there is to do and of many ways to minister to the people. If you can afford to take yourself somewhere, then the best thing to start to do, is pray for direction from the Lord. He will narrow down your options to a country or a type of work or a people or a missionary (organisation).

While there is always something local (eg in the US) to which you could attach yourself, it is also useful to engage with a different cultural group, as it helps you to separate the essentials of faith, from the non-essentials attached by western culture, which has such an embedded history of Christianity pervading it.

 2005/7/4 10:03
PTywama3
Member



Joined: 2005/3/1
Posts: 156
Tacoma, WA

 Re: Mission trip

denem7,

There are many short-terms missions fields. Just about every church in the Pacific Northwest it seems travels to Mexico every four or five years for two weeks. But one thing I have heard almost continuously about short-terms outreach missions is that it is not about the missions field but the missionaries. I must confess my own experiences play into this general stereotype to a degree.

Second, if it is possible, find a way to work with established missionaries. They can reach in and show you what it is like to be there if you let them.

I don't exactly hate to be a recruiter, so if you're interested, Youth With a Mission is a large non-denominational organization. They run two introductory programs, Crossroads for the 30+/families with young kids/retiring folks spread and Discipleship Training Schools for the out of highschool to 25ish crowd. The DTS I was in actually didn't pay much attention to that, 'cause we had young families and several middle-aged persons.

The other thing about YWAM - they lead rather fluently into long-term missions work. But they also require a decent chunk of time (6 months minimum).

www.ywam.org
www.ywamportorchard.com


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David Reynolds

 2005/7/4 10:39Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

Lahry,

Please do not misunderstand me, I'm not speaking out against all such churches in such countries as Ecuador, I did not intend it as a slam, just more along the lines of a, beware what you get into sort of deal. For that matter, I have helped support an independent missionary in this very same country financially and spiritually. Even though I did not favor all the doctrine's he taught (as sometimes he directly taught against even what I believe as a pentecostal), I still believed in the work he and the team/network of other missionaries were doing. They saw much fruit in their ministry, helping start probably over a half dozen churches within a couple years.

However, one does have to beware. I say if anybody is going to do missions, do missions. I've known mission trips that were more along the lines of vacations than about spreading the gospel. Not that there is anything wrong with taking in the sites and enjoying the cultures, but if one should go there, they should go to a country, they should seek to make it about building up the church and winning souls.

By the way, my pastor is also on a denominational missions board, and has been doing this stuff for a while, and has noticed these very things and more.

God bless

Jimmy


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Jimmy H

 2005/7/4 11:37Profile









 Re: King Jimmy-reply

Jimmy,
When you say you are "never going back" because of the actions of a few, how is one supposed to take that? It is judging all by a few. This is very unkind and not Christlike at all the way I see it. I tried to read your response with empathy, but found myself right back where I started. I mean you no offense, I just think that kind of action and profession is most unfortunate.

with a mind for missions,

Lahry

 2005/7/4 15:00
dohzman
Member



Joined: 2004/10/13
Posts: 2132


 To answer your question

I read through only some of the posts so if I repeat what has been written please forgive me. I would ask my local pastor if there's a para-ministry(I hate to use that term but will anyway) in operation in your local area, a street outreach or food and clothing ministry, or prehaps a ministry to the poor in an evangelistic outreach. If he doesn't know of any I'd contact some of the local churches and inquire. If that gains you no results let me know, be sure to give me your area and I'll get you a contact ministry you can plug into. I might also suggest looking into some of the street witnessing teams and if you're a worker you might want to try doing short term missions to the American Indians. There's several really good ministries out there but that work needs a special season of prayer before you enter it. Any labor for Jesus needs prayer but some more than others due to the nature of the spiritual warfare you'll experience. There is a diverse group of individuals here who do street evangelism, of all differnt sorts you might also consider. Be sure of this, "blessed are those who hunger and thirst AFTER righteousness, they shall be filled". God Bless you and lead you into a plain path that'll meet your hearts cry to serve Jesus. In Christ Bro. Daryl


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D.Miller

 2005/7/4 23:58Profile









 Re: Mission trip

denem,
Check this site out too. www.biggrace.com. This is a friend of mine in New Orleans who is absolutely wild about evangelism. I think you'll catch fire from him. If you are not anywhere near New Orleans, contact him anyway. He is wonderful. Tell him I sent you there. Troy Bohn runs hard after souls. Keep me posted if you would please. Hugs in Christ Jesus.

In Him,

Lahry

 2005/7/5 7:50





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