cdm facing the mission field training curriculum · whether you travel to alaska or mexico, brazil...

CAN-DO MISSIONS FACING THE MISSION FIELD

Short Term Missions Training Materials

Serving the Many Faces of MissionsFACING THE MISSION FIELD is a video training curriculum. Can-Do Missions key training concepts have been developed into short-form videos, or vignettes.

FACING THE MISSION FIELD challenges participants enrolled in this training - standing at the brink of entering the mission field - to boldly face the challenges and sacrifices they will encounter in the mission field, always mindful that they do not face them alone: Christ is always with us.

The conceptual theme for this training package is Faces. Each training segment highlights a specific “face” of missions. All of these elements are directly drawn from Scripture, in particular the fruit of the Spirit:

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

In addition, the focus on the human face is a reminder to missionaries in training that we are here to minister to people. It is also a reminder that we are all God’s children and made in His image to serve Him and each other. We are to seek his guidance in all we do.

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11

The video training is composed of nine vignettes, approx. 53 min. total, summarized below:

Vignette 1 Be Still - and Know That I Am God The Face of Peace Vignette 2 Attitudes, Expectations & Flexibility The Face of Joy Vignette 3 Work Projects & Schedules The Face of Patience Vignette 4 Cultural Sensitivity I: Roles The Face of FaithVignette 5 Cultural Sensitivity II: Ethnocentricity The Face of Self-ControlVignette 6 Cultural Sensitivity III: Needs The Face of HopeVignette 7 Sharing Christ: S Cubed Face of a Student, Servant & StorytellerVignette 8 Partners in Mission The Face of KindnessVignette 9 Sharing Your Experience The Face of Wisdom

VIGNETTE 1

BIBLE VERSES:

• MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU. John 14:27

• BE STILL – AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD. Psalm 46:10

• (YOU) ARE NOT OF THE WORLD JUST AS I AM NOT OF THE WORLD. John 15:15

• DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD, BUT BE TRANS+FORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND. Romans 12:2

• WHATEVER IS TRUE, WHATEVER IS NOBLE, WHATEVER IS RIGHT, WHATEVER IS PURE, WHATEVER IS LOVELY, WHATEVER IS ADMIRABLE – IF ANYTHING IS EXCELLENT OR PRAISEWORTHY – THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS. Phillippians 4:8

• PEACE I LEAVE WITH YOU. MY PEACE I GIVE TO YOU. John 14:27

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

1. Which of these Bible verses do you most relate to and why?

2. How can we purposefully set aside time to be in God's Word each day? Why is this often a challenge in our daily lives?

Be Still – And Know That I Am God The Face of Peace

Can-Do Missions Training 3

Summer 2008VIGNETTE 1

3. Read Luke 10:38-42. Our challenge in this life is to keep the MAIN THING the MAIN THING. Take the advice of the famous children's song: "Read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll GROW, GROW, GROW!"

Be Still – And Know That I Am God The Face of Peace


VIGNETTE 2

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:2-3

The mission field. . . What does it look like? Is it across the world? Or across the street? Who will I meet there? Will I go and change the world? Or will it change me? What should I expect to find when I get there? Who will I be when I get back?”

What will your mission experience look like?

Everyone has different perceptions and expectations about journeying into the mission field. Defining why you are going helps prevent false expectations from emerging during your ex+perience.

Understanding the difference is important in shaping your attitudes about your mission expe+rience. How you approach your trip - through your attitudes - is key to the success of its out+come. Embracing a joyful, Christ-like attitude is essential.

Attitudes and expectations shape you, your team and those you go to serve. They also shape your ability to be flexible when facing challenges that will inevitably come your way.

YOU are a missionary for Jesus Christ! You go to serve. Servant leaders serve first and lead second. Be infectious with a joy-filled spirit and be prepared for transformation!


1. Your attitudes and expecations can greatly affect what you learn on a mission trip. What are the key attitudes you should take with you on your trip?

ATTITUDES, EXPECTATIONS & FLEXIBILITY The Face of Joy


2. Share stories from past mission trips where you experienced the need for FLEXI+BILITY.


VIGNETTE 3

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25

Missionaries learn to expect the unexpected. There are countless stories of servant projects in the mission field that don’t finish as first expected. Project resources aren’t available as planned, weather impacts deadlines, or cultural customs impact workflow. Patience is more than a virtue in the mission field. It is an absolute necessity.

Even the best laid plans don’t always result in the outcomes we may want. Letting go and let+ting God becomes the only real answer in the mission field. The face of patience becomes the face of trust.

Once we give up control and trust God, deeply, profoundly and humbly, only then can we see His vision revealed through the work of the Holy Spirit.


1. When things don't go your way, how do you respond?

2. Read Colossians 3:12-17 and outline the actions God wants us to have as we work with others.

3. How does the face of patience become the face of TRUST?

WORK PROJECTS & SCHEDULES The Face of Patience


VIGNETTE 4

We live by faith, not by sight.

Corinthians 5:7

Missionaries are GUESTS in the mission field. We go as servant-hearted visitors into other peoples cultures, cities, homes, churches and lives. The forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ death on the cross means living lives of grace through faith. Sometimes that may mean show

Teamwork is another critical role in the mission field. Your attitude must change from me to we.

Before leaving on your trip develop a Team Covenant. A Team Covenant is a written agree+ment drafted and signed by each member of the mission team. Decide how your team will work together. In the covenant, write goals for devotions, prayer, team meetings, training and fundraising. Be positive but use this to hold each other accountable in the mission field. By building faithfulness to your team covenant you also build faithfulness to serving one another and recipients in the mission field.

In situations where conflict arises between team members, God has some clear directions on how to proceed. In Matthew chapter 18 verse 15 Jesus says, “If your brother sins against you go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. If he will not listen, in verse 16 we are told “take one or two others along”. Finally, in verse 17, if he still refuses to listen then “tell it to the whole church” or, work things out with the aid of the entire group.

Later we’ll explore how Can Do Missions teams with other ministry organizations as faithful partners in mission work.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY I: ROLES The Face of Faith



1. Make a list of attitudes that would be ME vs. WE (e.g. I want my favorite food on the trip. I will be willing to eat what our hosts prepare.)

2. Review the CAN-DO Covenant you agreed to when you registered for this mission trip. Add any other goals or comments that your group agrees upon to the covenant.

3. Read Matthew 18:15-20. What three steps should we follow when trying to resolve conflicts with others?


VIGNETTE 5

For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved. 1 Peter 2:19

The beliefs, behaviors, patterns and other characteristics that define a particular group is what we call culture. Cultural differences may seem obvious on a trip abroad. However, even lo+cally within the United States different customs and cultural elements vary from site to site. Whether you travel to Alaska or Mexico, Brazil or New Orleans culture is present everywhere.

When you first enter the mission field its common to experience culture shock - that feeling of disorientation or confusion that affects one suddenly exposed to a different culture, way of life or set of attitudes. If you approach a different culture critically or in fear, you will likely find yourself withdrawing and isolating yourself. Ethnocentrism may follow.

Ethnocentrism is the attitude that one’s own culture is superior to others and that other cul+tures are best viewed from the perspective of one’s own. This dangerous attitude is destruc+tive for missions.

In order to avoid ethnocentrism, approach a new culture with openness and acceptance. Prac+tice self control. Watch, listen and ask questions. This helps you to bond with the people in that culture. As you grow to understand others your fears about them will subside

Perhaps one of the safest expectations to hold in the mission field is: expect to be changed. Ultimately, you may find that those to whom you go to serve will impact you more than you impact them, and the life that is transformed may very well be your own.

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY II: ETHNOCENTRICITY The Face of Self Control



1. What happpens when "pushy North Americans" insist on doing things their way? (It can be like an elephant dancing with a mouse and the mouse doesn't survive the dance.)

2. Share ideas for becoming more people oriented and less time focused.

“Could it be that divine calling isn’t even about accomplishment? What if success is defined not in measurable productivity but in the quality of our interactions with others? What if the criterion by which we’re ultimately evaluated is faithfulness rather than performance? Even more baffling, what if calling isn’t primarily about effecting change but rather about being changed ourselves?”

Robert Lupton, Renewing the City


VIGNETTE 6

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose HOPE is in his unfailing love. Psalm 33:18

The mission field is filled with the faces of people in need. All you have to do is look around.

Who are these people? What do they need? And how can you best serve them?

Missionary is not an honorary title. You are journeying into the mission field as a disciple of Christ to proclaim the Gospel message to a broken, hurting world.

People are in need of hope. Missionaries are God’s servants sent to share the message of hope. Jesus IS that Hope.

We go not to “save” the world – Christ has already done so – but to serve it.


1. What are people's greatest needs? What is the best way to fill these needs? (see Phil. 4:19)

2. Read Romans 15:13. How can you bring hope to those you serve?

3. Read Mark 10:43-45. What is the true measure of greatness according to Jesus?

CULTURAL SENSITIVITY III: NEEDS The Face of Hope


VIGNETTE 7

But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul."

Joshua 22:5

God loves all people of every ethnicity and culture. He sent Jesus Christ as Savior to the whole world. As Christians it is our mission to share the Good News of Jesus no matter what the odds or how high the cost.

There are three roles that offer the modern missionary insight into sharing the Gospel: Student, Servant and Storyteller.

As a Student, build relationships by finding out about their way of life, getting to know their customs and values and practicing their language. They may do things differently and thats okay. Empathize with whatever their daily challenges are. Be gracious about their hospitality. They have likely sacrificed time, energy and resources to provide for your stay.

The role of Servant demands that you help in any way that you can or that is asked of you. You may not immediately recognize the value of the work you are doing. But be flexible and learn how to do things their way. This is a form or servant-heartedness.

Be a student and servant first in order to build a relationship. Then seek out opportunities to be a Storyteller by sharing the story of how Jesus has worked in your own life: your own per+sonal testimonial story. How have you seen the fruits of the Spirit exemplified in your own life? Tell others about it.

SHARING CHRIST: S CUBED The Faces of a Student, a Servant & Storyteller



1. What characteristics describe a student?

2. What characteristics describe a servant?

3. What can you tell others about your relationship with Jesus?


VIGNETTE 8

MISSION PARTNER STORIES:

New Orleans – Kathy Wendling, Camp Restore

Houston – Mark Junkans, LINC Houston

St. Louis – Randy Wilkens, Acts 1:8 Mission Society

Alaska – Corby Cross, Alaska Missions for Christ


1. Share one thing that you would like to remember from this section of testimonials.

PARTNERS IN MISSIONS The Face of Kindness


VIGNETTE 9

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.

Proverbs 11:30

What happens after your mission experience?

Sometime it can be tough re-entering your own culture. Confronting familiar worldly attitudes, especially if your experience touched you profoundly, can be confusing when you get back home. The trip is over but the experience and its impact still linger. In time that lingering feeling will fade, and you may find yourself reverting to former attitudes and routines.

How do you hang on to that mission minded spirit? How do you make it last after the trip is long over?

Above all, stay in constant communication with God through prayer and daily study of God’s Word. Clarity in hearing his guidance and direction for your life comes through the Bible.

Share your experience with others Resume your role as Storyteller. Maintaining a journal, diary or blog of your experiences is a great way to keep the story alive.

Stay in touch with fellow missionaries from your team and recipients from the mission field to help keep those relationships alive.

Also, share the wisdom you’ve gained from you mission experience. Put the lessons you’ve learned into practice in your daily life. Be a missionary at home and spread the Gospel. Be a light to those in your own local community.

SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE The Face of Wisdom


Many groups report back to their home churches on their mission experiences. Some even begin immediately planning for their follow-up trip.

You will see many faces in the mission field. You will also find yourself expressing different faces and assuming different roles in your mission experience. Ultimately, success in the mis+sion field is all about serving God through serving others. Connecting relationally with people is more important than building things or completing goals. Leaving your own comfort zone behind and showing God’s love with a servant’s heart is where the mission truly meets the message!

As you begin final preparations to face your mission field, consider the following story of Jennifer, a Can-Do Missions missionary who returned from her trip to Mexico transformed by an 8-year old little girl:

“For my first mission trip I went to Saltillo, Mexico. It was amazing being submerged in a cul+ture completely different from my own. We focused on connecting with people and helping them improve the church.

The night we arrived there was a church service and sitting in the row ahead of me were two little girls. Afterward we ate dinner and all chatted as best we could. I found the girls and one of them, Abi, became my best friend while I was there. She was eight years old. Her favorite color is pink. She was my little shadow always holding my hand. She hung around while I worked on the church; we always ate together; and we played hide and seek, house, and col+ored. She was too little to play soccer but she was there watching me the whole time. She taught me Spanish rhymes and words like mariposa for butterfly and ormiga which means ant.

It was one of the hardest moments in my life to say goodbye to her the night before we left. I have photos of her on my walls and I keep a bracelet that she gave me in my wallet still. It hasn’t left my wallet since I left Mexico and that was almost three years ago. I’ve never gotten along with a kid as well as I did with her. I loved meeting her and experiencing Saltillo beside her. I will never forget her patience and happiness or how she affected me.” (Jen Phillips)



1. It can be depressing to return home after having a powerful spiritual experience. How will your group share their experiences with others when they return home?

2. Hang on to the mission minded spirit that seemed so fresh and alive during your trip. Brainstorm a list of ways you can incorporate what God showed you during the trip into your daily life?


cdm facing the mission field training curriculum · whether you travel to alaska or mexico, brazil...

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