Thoughts Along The Journey

By Jacob (Spain)

While mobilizing in Western Canada I saw an OMF strategy that seemed effective.  In simple terms, a team of people from one region band together and travel to mission events across Canada. They visit key churches, Bible Colleges and Seminaries, and participate in the MissionFest events hosted in several Canadian Provinces.

Traveling as a team provides mutual support, knowledgeable interaction from a variety of fields (albeit from the same region), and allows them to cover several bases at once. While one person provides a seminar the others can continue to man the booth. I know from experience that exhibiting at large mission events or local churches is more enjoyable when done by 2 or 3 people than when done alone. The dialogue is encouraging, you can take some time to get off your feet without “abandoning” the booth, and the conversations with visitors can be more enriching.

Seminars – opportunity for interaction

Another key element, especially at larger events like MissionFest Manitoba or a Canadian Bible College is speaking in seminar options. These seminars provide a great forum to connect with people already interested in our focus. It lets them see some of the how in our ministry approach. For example, offering a seminar that highlights one of our values lets students/attendees not only hear about our values, but actually see how those values are lived out in a real life context.

It requires creative thinking since event sponsors often choose the topics.  In my presentations, I used adult learning techniques to foster interaction and give everyone a chance to learn and express him/herself. Regardless of the topic, I could use these interactions to give practical examples of our commitment to growing people in our organization.

Although I haven’t interacted with the OMF group to hear about their “results”, I do know that World Team suffers in the area of name recognition across most of Canada. I believe strongly that physical representation at events like MissionFest can raise awareness about who we are and what God is doing in and through us around the world.

What events have you participated in that were fruitful?

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By David Smith, ChurchLink team leader and former worker in SE Asia

Do Hard Things is the title of a book I am reading with my son. It is about how teenagers, a designation only around since the 1940’s, have been given a free pass for a life of low expectation and self focus until they become “adults.” Funny thing is, physically they are already adults. The book is written by teenagers and is for teenagers; their message is do hard and important things. There are many parallels between mobilization and the topic of this book.

As mission workers, we are the ones best able to speak to potential mission workers. Seeing undiscovered potential in others and calling it forth is part of good leadership, even when it means they will need to do hard things. Our passion about doing hard and important things is the very thing to spur others to get going.

So, here are five types of hard things the book I am reading recommends. With a little imagination I think you will see how these are the hard things that Jesus has mobilized us all to do in missions.

1) Do things that are outside your comfort zone. “These actions can challenge us because they are unfamiliar or even scary, but they usually become some of our greatest memories.”

2) Do things that go beyond what is expected or required. “These actions are hard because they rest entirely on our own initiative.”

3) Do things that are too big to accomplish alone. “We’re passionate about these because God has placed them on our hearts.”

4) Do things that don’t earn an immediate payoff. “They’re hard because you won’t see much progress from one day to the next and because, especially at the time, it can seem like you’d be happier if you didn’t do them.”

5) Do things that challenge the cultural norm. “These choices are hard because they can cost your popularity and friendships…But the payoff is huge: if we do them, we can change the course of history.” 

After all Jesus did the hardest thing for us.

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