By Tobin Perry
Attitude: You'll face all kinds of obstacles as you work to fulfill the Great Commission. Keeping a good attitude can be the difference between having a good missions experience and a bad one.
Attitude: You'll face all kinds of obstacles as you work to fulfill the Great Commission. Keeping a good attitude can be the difference between having a good missions experience and a bad one.
Bible: The Bible is your essential handbook for missions. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible not only explains why we should be on mission, but you'll also find in the New Testament examples of time-tested techniques for telling the world about Jesus.
Commitment: There's nothing easy about obeying the Great Commission. It carries considerable cost, perhaps even your very life. When you're on mission, your commitment to Christ will be tested.
Dependence: From the day God tells you to follow Him on mission, you'll need to depend on Him every step of the way. Ask any missionary!
Enthusiasm: Enthusiasm is contagious, even on mission. As an ambassador for Christ, your enthusiasm for your Savior will go a long way toward showing people that they need a relationship with Him.
Flashlight: A good missionary follows the Boy Scout motto: Be prepared. When you're on mission telling people about the Light of the World, bring a portable light source to help you navigate in dark places.
Good health: While on mission, you might find yourself in a very strenuous physical environment. Make sure you understand all of the physical requirements for a trip before you go, and then talk with your doctor about what you need to do in order to be physically prepared for the trip.
Humor: When you're on mission with God, expect anything and everything. As a good missionary, remember to take God seriously while not taking yourself too seriously.
Intentional: Mission trips aren't vacations. As a kingdom messenger, focus on your purpose! Be intentional about sharing the gospel.
Jesus: What Would Jesus Do has become a cliche, yet that's exactly what you need to be thinking as you share God's love with hurting people in your community or around the world. You may be the only Jesus some people will ever see.
Kum-by-yah: You will find that some of the most memorable moments in your life will be with the community or should we say kommunity that you develop while on mission, particularly among those on mission with you. But a word of warning if you suggest singing Kum-by-yah 50 times in a row, you might find yourself walking back home.
Languages: When you talk about Jesus, it always helps if you can speak in the native or heart language of the people you want to reach. However, when that's not possible, keep in mind that LOVE is a universal language.
Map: Whether you're traveling across an ocean or just across town, it helps to know where you're going. Take the time to find a good map and use it.
Nations: Gods concern for the nations goes all the way back to Genesis 12. If God cares about the nations, so should you. Don't limit your missions involvement to people who look like you and talk like you. Step out of your comfort zone and into a whole new culture which might be just down the street!
On your knees: Nothing is more essential to being on mission than prayer. Spend a significant amount of time praying for the person or people you'll be trying to reach. You'll be amazed at how God answers those prayers!
Passport: Being on mission means you should be prepared to go anywhere. If God sends you overseas, you'll definitely need a passport.
Quality time with the Lord: Spend quality time with God before you join Him on mission. Let Him tell you how you can be a part of His work and then join Him where He is working.
Real: As you share your faith in Christ, be real and authentic. Nonbelievers can tell when you're insincere or phony, and you'll just end up losing credibility in their eyes.
Servants heart: As you go on mission, be willing to do anything God asks. Whether you're leading someone to Christ, making breakfast for the homeless or cleaning toilets, you can be confident that you're making a kingdom difference! The prophet Jeremiah even says its among the mundane matters of life that you will often encounter God (Jeremiah 29).
Toilet paper: We know from firsthand experience that every bathroom in the world does not necessarily come complete with well necessities. Be sure you have a roll of toilet paper stashed someplace you can easily access.
Unity: If you plan to go on mission with a group, creating a sense of unity is very important. You can't expect people to want to enter the Kingdom if there is dissension among the brethren.
Vision: In order to be an on mission Christian, you'll need to embrace Gods vision for the world. Once you see missions through Gods eyes, you'll never sit on the sidelines again. You'll want to get in the game! Ask God to help you see the world through His eyes.
Willingness: For some awesome reason God chooses to use us to complete His worldwide mission. Your willingness to surrender to Him is an essential part of being on mission.
X-treme: Going on mission with God means living life to the X-treme. And guess what, you were made for this X-treme. From the moment you were conceived, God planned for you to share His message throughout the globe. What a purpose!
Yes!: Being on mission starts by saying yes to God's global plan. Saying yes to God means saying no to a selfish status quo.
Zealousness: Your passion for Christ will make a monumental difference in how effective you are in sharing your faith. Ask God to make you zealous for Jesus and zealous for telling others about Him.
THINGS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN ....
Family Ministry Planning Tool: a tool a family ministry council can use for evaluating, planning, and promoting your ministry to families - http://www.lifeway.com/article/?id=169745
Affordable Background Checks: http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/bgc.asp?intcmp=LCS_onesource_backgroundchecks&CID=em_CD091029
Beth Moore's Updated Breaking Free: see the video http://www.lifeway.com/e3/shop/?id=005125846&CID=WomenNews-emailCRD20091101-BreakingFree
Free threads Starter Kit: contains Context (a handbook for reaching young adults), Videos, other resources - http://threadsmedia.com/starterkit
New Small Group Life curriculum for small groups/cell groups/home groups - http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/article_main_page/0%2C1703%2CA%25253D168800%252526M%25253D200804%2C00.html?CID=RDR-SGL
2010 GBREA Meeting online registration - http://www.gbrea.org/templates/System/default.asp?id=39977
Valentine's Weekend Retreat at Ridgecrest: February 12-13, 2010 - http://www.lifeway.com/ev/events_detail_mainpage/0%2C2232%2CE%25253D196%252526M%25253D200975%2C00.html
Eight Year Study Plan for Explore the Bible: http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_CG_StudyPlan_ETB2007_2015.pdf
