Want to know how to assess risk in missions and properly prepare?  Have you considered your strategy for dealing with our hyper-connected culture and what to do with smartphones while overseas?  

Guest Brian Becker is the Director of International Ministries at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA.  Part of this role is creating and implementing many international mission trips each year for up to 200 students to go and serve all over the world. Called the LoveWorks program, they send well-trained volunteer mission teams to serve alongside hosts as Christ's hands and feet.

Brian also organizes ministry internships and mission opportunities for students after graduation. He is passionate about following Jesus as a lifelong learner and in intentional formative relationships with others. 

Listen in as we cover:

• Developing a mission philosophy for short-term missions
• The power of making calculated risks for the sake of loving and learning
• Harrowing stories while he spent a few years serving in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• How to address smartphone usage for teams
• Top tips on building community quickly within a missions team
• The challenges of communications in a hyper-connected age...and the real risks to missions.

Connect with Brian here:

[email protected] 

Bill Reichart is a long-time leader where missions engages healthcare professionals.  He currently works as the VP of Campus & Community Ministries of Christian Medical and Dental Association.  Previous to CMDA, Bill was a pastor at a church outside of Atlanta and before that on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU) for over 16 years. Having traveled to over 25+ countries doing missions, Bill is also a Global Health Outreach team leader.  He has led healthcare teams around the world to places such as Ethiopia, Haiti, Nicaragua, Kenya and Honduras.

 

In this episode we get deep and practical into the discussion of the challenges and opportunities within healthcare missions.  As CMDA partners with students and professionals in the healthcare space, there are tangible opportunities and advice for doctors, dentists, nurses, PAs and more.  Listen in as we discuss:

• How proactively engaging with the church and community leaders before the trip will yield helpful, longer-term results for any mission trip
• Bill's #1 tip for anyone going on their first trip
• Topics related to sustainability and shared-ownership with the locals and nationals
• Practical ways to engage a virtual team using technology (even if the team doesn't meet physically until they enter the country)
• How medical missions is getting harder with Ministries of Health in many countries and what you can do well in advance to ensure success
• Opportunities to explore more and meet Bill soon at the Remedy Conference by CMDA

 

Connect with Bill at:

www.CMDA.org/gho

www.BillReichart.me - for social media, email and more

Abby Fegtly, now a young college student, founded Blue Door Sponsorship when she was in high school.  Be inspired - no matter your age - as you hear of her bravery and desire to "just do something to make a difference." 

Born in Little Rock, AR, the importance of service was instilled in Abby by her parents. Through a series of events, Abby went to Kenya before high school then felt the tug on her heart to continue - and on the second trip she decided to do something impactful and lasting. 

Hear more about:

-What she wished she knew before her first mission trip

-Biggest struggle of running a mission organization at a young age

-How to overcome obstacles (like age) to succeed in missions

-Blue Door Sponsorship's active support of children through their mission 

-Her ongoing involvement in Kenya and beyond 

 

https://www.bluedoorsponsorship.org/ 

What do you do if those around you - or in your church - are apathetic toward missions?  Listen in as Pastor Rory Rodgers shares about activating his church toward amazing missions in Nepal and beyond. 

Growing up and in other ministries, Rory was engaged in worldwide missions.  Moving to a small rural town in Oregon, he discovered his church had a cold heart toward missions. His journey of getting the whole church body engaged in global missions is inspiring - much to learn from here! 

Plus, when preparing for a Nepal Himalaya trek, your mission trip preparation looks different.  Learn how working out and sweating together for a year brings their teams so close together. 

Listen as we cover: 

-Going from cold to on fire for global missions as a church body

-Unreached people groups

-Physical, education, spiritual preparation in missions

-How Crossfit and missions intersect when you're preparing for Nepal

 

Resources: Joshua Project, Operation World, Prayercast

Connect: 

Pastor Rory at Calvary Crook County Church 

Commission Fuel Blog

Big Things Can Come from a Small Town: 

How soon should I plan for my mission trip?  When do I need to start fundraising, collecting applications, setting deadlines, getting travel arranged, trip insurance, passports, etc?    Today, founder Chris Niemeyer breaks down the best practices of planning a mission trip from A to Z.  Hear the logical steps to start planning well so you'll be organized, streamlined and on budget.

 

If you have a mission trip anytime within the next year you'll want to listen to this episode.  We cover:

• How and when to estimate your mission trip budget
• How a team webpage will keep you organized and boost your fundraising
• Why setting deadlines is a a must 
• Passport and visa tips - don't forget this important one!
• Why travel protection trip insurance could save your life and ministry
• Important things to do the last week before the trip
• Helpful items to do after your team returns

 

Connect with Chris Niemeyer:

LinkedIn

MissionTrip.org 

 

 

Guest Ferrin Cole has traveled on missions to over 65 countries. With practical advice on trip preparation, crisis management, and communication you'll learn some key areas for trip planning.

Even more importantly, hear as Ferrin shares his powerful personal story and how it's at the center of the Good News. Missions, repentance and forgiveness go hand in hand. 

Plus, some fun stories and practical advice when cultural norms may be overlooked - don't get an AK-47 stuck in your back like he did! 

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Ferrin Cole has been a leader in missions work taking teams internationally for over two decades to more than 65 countries including Burkina Faso, Afghanistan, Peru, and extensively in Latin American countries.  His heart is for pastoral training, church planting, and areas with un-reached population groups.       Hailing from California, the place he always refers to as "where he is from" — he has called Asheville, North Carolina "home"the past 8+ years.  Ferrin doesn't work for a church, doesn't run a non-profit, and doesn't have a paid ministry occupation.  Instead Ferrin and his wife launched a startup company this year called FOX-N-OTTER Adventure Puzzle Rooms.  The choice to pursue the entertainment industry in a tourism-driven town gives him the freedom to participate in local ministry and missions more easily and still lead abroad.   Connect with Ferrin:  Facebook Fox-N-Otter Facebook Website 

Raised in Africa, Dustin Aho shares his unique perspective on solid sustainability models in missions, why even go on a mission trip and much more.

Currently, Dustin serves as VP of Mission Integration for Adventist Health.  Prior to this, he was the executive administrator for Loma Linda University Church.  He founded Africa Mission Services and continues to serve as president.

Dustin has led or participated in over 40 mission trips around the globe.  In this episode we discuss:

• What his childhood in Africa taught him about missions
• Mission sustainability models - the good, the bad, the ugly
• The Massai and World Food Program
• Why go on a mission trip instead of just sending money
• Story about high schooler's first mission trip experience
• The important emotional attachment a mission trip brings
• The biggest challenges facing missions today
• How a wealth mindset can help missions

Connect with Dustin:

Africa Mission Services

Mara West Safari Camp

Adventist Health 

 

Dr. Ralph Izard practiced medicine for over 40 years and has been on several dozen medical missions trips. As Director of Baptist Medical Missions International, his unique insights to trip preparation, fundraising, staying in touch with friends and family will keep you going on more mission trips. 

He's been to over 40 countries, many of those multiple times.  As a pro in leading short-term missions trips and engaging with long-term missionaries, listen as Dr. Izard shares his thoughts and wisdom on a wide range of topics including:

• Unique challenges facing medical missions professionals
• How listening in medical school really helps when you're in a 3rd world country
• How to do trip preparation as a team before you leave
• Ways to offset trip costs so more people can go on your mission trip
• Why staying in touch with friends, family and your local church is important to keep going on future trips
• Top airport(s) he avoids flying through these days
• His top travel gear and why

 

Connect with Dr. Izard here:

BMA Missions Website

BMA Missions Facebook

 

Hear from longtime missions pastor Brandon Beard as he shares tips on fundraising, the importance of pre-trip team meetings, planning, establishing leadership and more. 

Brandon Beard has served as a Pastor in the local Church for 25 years.  Currently, Brandon is an Executive Pastor at Compass Church in Colleyville, Texas. He is committed to sharing the love of Jesus with everyone he comes into contact with.

Brandon believes the Church is the hope of the world. His life calling is to help people follow Jesus' in their neighborhoods and beyond.

He also serves on the Board at Children of the Nations, an organization that rescues and cares for the orphan and destitute Children in 5 different countries. The mission of Children of the Nations is to raise children who transform nations. Brandon has been on over 21 mission trips to Uganda, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic with Children of the Nations. He has taken hundreds of people with him on these missions trips over the years and plans to spend the rest of his life investing in these children.

In this show, we dive into great missions topics with highlights such as:

• A humbling role on his first trip and how it helped him see missions in a new light (and this is a common role on mission trips).
• How to establish authority as a first step to leading a successful missions trip
• A Spa Day on a missions trip?!?  (This is incredible!)
• How to successfully fundraise like a Girl Scout 
• Practical tips to succeed at mission trip fundraising

 

Book recommendation: When Helping Hurts

 

Connect with Brandon Beard:

Twitter: @brandon_beard  

Facebook.com/beard.brandon

Mycompasschurch.com

 

A practical, actionable discussion with Bill Evans, head of One Mission Society's Men for Missions department.  

Bill has helped send out over 10,000 short term mission participants and has much wisdom to share on the topics of mission trip planning, fundraising, preparation, travel tips and more. 

Bill has been a missionary with One Mission Society (OMS) for more than 15 years with an incredible story of following God's call on his life to missions.  

Men for Missions - the layman's voice of OMS - strives to send out short-term teams (of men and women) from all over the US to support the work of the OMS missionaries around the world. They do this through work and witness groups, evangelism, medical, and prayer teams.

Bill's job is to work with people from the US and match them up with a specific short-term trip. He works on all logistical details that go into a short-term trip of great significance. In addition to that Bill helps train and prepare the team members before they depart, then follows up with them after their journey so they have an opportunity to report what they saw God do in and through them as they served.

In this episode we dive into:

• The Power of Prayer support (how helps with fundraising for the trip)
• How to overcome culture shock
• Learn the best formula for writing a successful fundraising support letter
• 3 questions and one key phrase that need to be in every good support letter
• Favorite (and least favorite) airports 
• Bill's top travel tip - great for any leader and traveler

Connect with Bill and Men for Missions, of OMS:

https://www.facebook.com/menformissions/

http://menformissions.org/

https://www.onemissionsociety.org/