Short-Term Training
May 14, 2009 – 3:33 pmI am back on the blogging track after directing an intense, three-day training seminar for three college Short-Term Missions groups before they minister in restrictive access contexts. I was mutually edified, as Missions Mandate hosted workshop sessions in the morning and practical application opportunities in the afternoon. The groups were challenged in the sessions with the following topics:
- Developing Cultural Awareness on a Short-Term Mission Trip
- Building Redemptive Relationships with Muslims (guy/girl split session)
- Understanding the Qur’an and Hadith in Islamic Thought
- Serving Christ in Short-Term Missions (connection between STMs and long-term missions)
- Missions as an Outgrowth of Your Local Church
- “What is Your Identity?” Bible study from 1 John 5:6-21
Monday afternoon we broke the students up into small groups and interacted with Muslims in the greater Dearborn area, desiring to learn about their worldview and discern cultural dynamics that shape their life. We toured an evangelical ministry center that reaches out to Muslims Tuesday afternoon, followed by a tour and Q & A session at a local mosque. The groups also enjoyed the fellowship among themselves, allowing them to gel as a team before they minister in a cross-cultural setting.
This training seminar was an extension of the Missions Mandate ministry, particularly through Student Global Impact. We desire to encourage and equip people for effective, gospel-centered missions ministry; this recent seminar was born out of that philosophy. The above workshop topics are a small sample of the workshops that will be presented at our upcoming SGI National Conference January 4-6, 2010. Plan on coming and bringing a group from your church and/or school. You will be challenged, equipped, and encouraged as you interact with hundreds of college students and young adults with a passion for God’s glory among the nations.
If your school, church, or other institution is preparing for cross-cultural ministry and would be interested in a training seminar similar to the one mentioned above please contact me for more information. Missions Mandate and our church look forward to future opportunities to help equip groups and individuals in this manner to the praise of God’s glorious grace.
