Facilitating the Mission

Over a meal, while traveling or around the Shepherd's Staff office we've often said, "We should have recorded this conversation because it would've made a great podcast." With the last podcast as well as some recent blog posts, the missionary call has been a frequent topic of our discussions and this time we turned on the recorder. The podcast is about as natural as two pastors can possibly be with a microphone nearby, but we also believe it will be edifying for churches and individuals walking also discussing he call to missions. 

The missionary call does not need to be as mysterious as many make it. In this podcast we lay out simple three principals for discerning the missionary call to go from Acts 13:1-3.

Principal One: Location Call

Principal Two: Personal Call

Principal Three: Corporate Call

This podcast includes some excellent advice for those who feel called, but are looking for confirmation.

Acts 13:1 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 

Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 

Acts 13:3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. 

The importance of pre-field missioanry training can not be overemphasized. In this podcast we interview Brian Gibson, a former church planter in a Muslim context setting who has since taken the lead at our partner ministry, Train International. 

Does God have the capacity to make an untrained missionary effective? He certainly can, and He occasionally does. But the facts show that missionary longevity and effectiveness are much more likely for the person who has expended the relatively minimal amount of money and time to be as prepared as possible for success on the field.

Acts 13 expresses an example of God working through the local church at Antioch to send their missionaries directly to the field. This episode will help us understand the theology and purpose churches choose to send direct instead of relying on a mission organization.

A missionary survey trip is when a pre-field missionary purposely goes to the host country to pray for, prepare to move into, and pursue information needed to enter into ministry and life in that country. It is not a short-term mission, but a pre-field exercise for the home church and future missionary.

Taking 10 to 14 days for a survey trip may seem costly in time and resources, especially if there is a family involved. It may seem wasteful in this age of easy internet communication and research. For others, the survey trip can seem to postpone the actual move onto the field.

It is better to see the pre-field survey trip as a key and early investment for the home church and pre-field missionary. A future post will deal specifically on manner in which already on the field missionaries can help pre-field missionaries on their survey trip.

Hands on steps to building missionary communication and support. It begins with a clear and concise purpose and proposition to help the missionary and home church communicate all God is doing.

Participation Consummation is a description of what the giver and receiver of missionary support experience because they have both demonstrated in their actions that they are “all in” as participants in the Great Commission He gave to all of His followers.

This is the introductory podcast of Facilitating the Mission. This episode is a brief background of why we do what we do with a brief background of Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators. More information is at www.ssmfi.org.