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Chapter One, The Need for Senders
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From Beth’s story, what obviously was wrong?
Paul was a missionary statesman par excellence. Everything we do today to support our missionaries should find its foundation in Scripture.
From Romans 10:13-15, it is clearly established that those who serve as senders share an equal responsibility and privilege with those who go.
Psalm 139:14 says it succinctly: “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” The integrated yet extremely complex personality of your cross-cultural worker will be stripped of every “comfort zone” he has come to appreciate as he grapples with the various stages of his ministry experience. Because of this, he needs an active, knowledgeable and committed support team working with him while he is preparing to go, while he is on the field and when he returns home.
What this book is encouraging every mission-minded church to do is being modeled by an average-sized church in Sacramento.
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
Help the group see the progression of Paul’s linear logic establishing the senders as foundational to the goal of the salvation of the lost! It is true that the further one is away from the actual “action” of one praying the “sinner’s prayer,” the more difficult it is to feel a part of it. Perhaps a couple’s experience at being far from the front lines could help illustrate:
We served for a time with Wycliffe Bible Translators in the Jungles of Peru. My wife was assigned to keep inventory of the radio parts. For her, a fulltime “people-person,” this took some discipline! By tracing the sequence from radio parts to the actual goal of Wycliffe, we were more able to rejoice in such a task. Somebody had to keep up the inventory of radio parts so the radio men could keep the airplane radios in repair so the pilots could fly the linguists to the villages so the linguists could translate the Bible so the indigenous people could have a culturally relevant presentation of the Gospel of Christ so they could put their trust in Him and be saved!
Make sure the nine stages and the incidents in time that mark the transition from one to another are clearly understood.
Read the six passages of Scripture that parallel the six support responsibilities. Make sure everyone sees the application of the Scripture.
To help crush the pedestals of “cultural Christianity,” share Christ’s teachings on greatness in the Kingdom of God. Study Mark 10:35-45 and Matthew 18:1-4.
Pray for those who have committed themselves to a study of this book. Ask the lord for clear insight to which area of support each should become committed. Or, if specific cross-cultural support is not their function in the Body of Christ, pray that that will be equally clear.
For Further Action
Given the structure of your church, how can you proceed to elevate the vitality of the ministry of serving as senders?
Do the missionaries your fellowship or you personally support know of these six areas of care available to them? You might want to survey your missionaries. Have them place the six support ministries in priority. Further, have them rate on some scale from “excellent” to “poor” how adequate they think their support is in each area. Careful! If they are honest with you, what they say may hurt!
From their report, determine clear, deliberate steps to take to bolster the areas of care they sense are lacking.
Chapter Two, Moral Support
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From Scott and Jean’s story:
From the biblical accounts:
From the foundation stones:
From building awareness:
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
Have several share their meditations on various translations of Matthew 12:20.
Have a “teaser-length” (1-2 minute) book review of one or more of the books listed or others that have been read.
Identify the kinds of people who can give solid moral support.
Have several read their rewritten story.
Discuss some of this world’s philosophies-whether by bumper sticker, commercial jingles or other sources of input-that can distract us from giving moral support.
Pray for those who have made the commitment to actively encourage the Body of Christ Pray for those who are still uncertain of their place in ministry.
For Further Action
Contrast Joseph’s initial response in Matthew 1:18-19 with Elizabeth’s first words to Mary on her visit (Luke 1:39-45).
Roleplay various non-supportive, then supportive responses to the following situations: A person is telling his parents that he thinks God wants him to go on a two-year mission trip.
Roleplay: A person is telling his best friend that his parents are angry that he senses God wants him to go on a two-year mission venture.
Roleplay: An assistant pastor is telling his pastor that a mission agency has invited him to go on a two-year mission venture.
Design your own roleplay!
Chapter Three, Logistics Support
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From the story you can emphasize that nobody can do everything. But as everybody does something the job can get done!
Both the Bible and growing mission agency practices are placing the responsibility of initiating the missions process on the local church.
There are innumerable details that can be handled by a group of individuals.
The Body of Christ needs to care for its members showing diligence, concern for details, punctuality and sound business practices.
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
Discuss how to overcome the strong individualistic tendencies of our culture. How can we become more involved as the Body of Christ in each others lives?
Compile a master list from all the logistical needs each person wrote. Don’t be overwhelmed! No one person will have all of these needs, but it emphasizes the diversity of needs and the vitality of Logistics Support.
Pray for those who have made a commitment to be a part of the Logistics Support Team for their missionary. Pray for those who have not yet made a commitment to any area of support.
For Further Action
Consider the last missionary your church sent out. Who in the group knows which and to what degree the various logistical needs of that person are being met by your fellowship?
Consider the internationals who live among us. What loss do they sense in not knowing how to establish all the logistics of “setting up” in a new culture. What can you do about it? Order All Nations Dictionaries, which are packed with Gospel messages in various definitions, to distribute as gifts to internationals in your area (see “Resources.”)
Chapter Four, Financial Support
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From the story you can emphasize God’s faithfulness to supply financial support to ministries He directs. When senders diligently seek God for His direction in helping to financially support missionaries, He is faithful to provide the funds-possibly by very unusual methods!
Typical methods of fund-raising do generate some working capital. But for the “long haul,” more basic issues of financial management must be tapped:
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
From Scripture, discuss the philosophy of financial support Paul the Apostle seems to have adopted.
Tithing is one principle of the Kingdom of God. It works!
Encourage discussion surrounding these five questions found in chapter 4. Avoid condemnation either of yourselves or others; however, allow the Holy Spirit His opportunity to convict in the area of our wealth.
Media imput first sells us on our needs, then provides us with the plastic money to mortgage our future. Have someone share a vibrant testimony of victory over credit card buying.
Pray for those who have made a commitment to be a part of a missionarys Financial Support Team and for those who are still uncertain as to their personal involvement in serving as a sender.
For Further Action
Consider sponsoring a Christian financial management seminar.
Do a study on the financial accountability of the organizations with which your missionaries are working. (ACMC has material to help you ask the right questions. See “Resources.”)
Do a study on the financial accountability of your missionaries.
Chapter Five, Prayer Support
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From Helen Mollenkof’s story, it is clear that commitment to prayer is not to be lightly regarded; rather, it is a discipline of long-term obedience.
Though the efficacy of prayer is a divine mystery, the practice of prayer is as clear as any Bible story.
Prayer is the arena of spiritual warfare. Only the well-advised should enter there.
The prayers of the Bible can serve as models for our prayers. These prayers provide for us the language and nature of petitions in line with the heart of God.
Prayer with fasting is a powerful weapon in the spiritual warfare we are facing with our cross-cultural worker.
“In-the-gap” praying is a level of intercession that demands a depth of commitment beyond the novice.
“The harvest is plentiful; the laborers are few” is as true today as when Jesus spoke it. Therefore, “pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers” (Matthew 9:37-38).
Pray that the Gospel, in a culturally-relevant context, will be presented to all peoples.
Pray that the “strong man” will be bound.
Pray for the coming of His Kingdom to the hearts of all people.
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
Discuss the types of prayers the group has been used to praying.
Discuss several model prayers of Jesus and other Bible characters that have been studied, and what differences the group anticipates in their praying now.
Have someone who has prepared ahead of time give a book review of God’s Chosen Fast (see “Resources.”)
Have available the mailing addresses of your church’s missionaries for those who are ready to make a commitment to their prayer support.
Pray for those who have made a commitment to be a part of a cross-cultural worker’s Prayer Support Team. Pray for those who have yet to make a commitment to any area of support.
For Further Action
Begin a mission prayer group, or increase awareness of the existing one(s).
Give a more prominent visual place to the prayer requests of your missionaries by
Expand the vision of your church’s outreach by using a world prayer guide such as the Global Prayer Digest, Passport booklets, “Unreached People Profiles” and Operation World (see “Resources.”)
Prayer support is the most vital of the six areas.
(And the two yet to be considered.)
These five areas of support relate to the physical, emotional and psychological realms. Though the adjustments for lack of support in these areas are difficult, they can be made.
However, Prayer Support moves into the realm of the spiritual where there is no adjustment for lack of support! Therefore, make this issue the highest priority.
Chapter Six, Communication Support
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From the Paris missionary’s story:
From Mary’s story:
From the biblical writers:
Get everyone involved in letter writing.
Be sure the content is worth reading.
Use other methods of communication:
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
Have several share their highlighted letter of Paul. What was mundane in the letter-yet important enough to be included in Scripture? What did some of the other writers talk about?
Make a list as the group relates the many different types of communication support missionaries have received.
What have other churches found to be practical ways toward communication support?
Compile a list of the resources within your group for communication support.
Pray for those who have made the commitment to be a part of a missionary’s Communication Support Team. Pray for those who have not yet made a decision regarding any area of support.
For Further Action
Right now, let each one present have a half sheet of paper to write a personal note to your missionary. Gather them into one envelope and mail it-tonight!
Prepare a chart to show what time it is where your missionary is living and the best times to reach him by telephone.
Talk with the children’s minister or Sunday school superintendent. Develop a plan for the children to write to missionary children in other countries.
Chapter Seven, Re-entry Support
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
From the seminary director’s story:
From the Situation of Re-entry:
From the Challenge of Re-entry:
From the Re-entry Behavior Patterns:
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section.
Review any articles on the subject of re-entry.
Hear the real stones of re-entry given by returned missionaries.
Develop a plan for educating the Body on this area of support.
Pray for those who have made the commitment to be a part of their missionary’s Re-entry Support Team. Pray for those who have not yet made a decision regarding any area of support.
For Further Action
Obtain information that various international corporations use to bring their employees home. Incorporate transferable material to your program of re-entry.
In the opening chapter of this book, we related Beth’s story in which she was so distraught by her lack of re-entry support that she chose to take her own life. By God’s mercy, that plan was thwarted. Unfortunately, there are other less final but equally serious forms of suicide that may require professional help. If it appears that a returning missionary is not responding to the care you are able to provide, there are groups equipped to help.
One highly recommended organization in the US is Link Care Center. Contact Link Care Center, 1734 West Shaw Avenue. Fresno CA 93711, phone (209) 439-5920 or www.linkcare.org
There may be members of your fellowship who would like to participate in a broader hospitality ministry to missionaries. Makahiki Ministries is dedicated to providing short-term hospitality housing around the world for missionaries. To find out how you can help missionaries find a respite from their hectic pace, contact Makahild Ministries, P.O. Box 575, Kailua HI 96734 USA.
Also, most mission agencies are looking for senders willing to open their homes in hospitality to returning missionaries. One such agency is Wycliffe Bible Translators, P.O. Box 2727, Huntington Beach CA 92647 USA or www.wycliffe.org.
Chapter Eight, Your Part in the Big Picture
After prayer, summarize the chapter:
Leaders in the global Christian community are taking bold, aggressive steps to mobilize and deploy thousands of new missionaries to reach the unreached.
God is doing a mighty work among the nations. Yet about half of the earth’s population lives beyond a simple, culturally relevant presentation of the Gospel.
Most of the world’s 12,000 unreached people groups-in 3000 clusters-live in a geographic region called the 10/40 Window.
Until recently, very little has been done to target these people. In fact, today only about 8% of the world’s missionary force is working among unreached peoples.
They can be reached by a two-pronged attack:
1) Send thousands of “Timothys” to teach Third World nationals the Word in such a way that they will teach others. God is sovereignly raising up thousands of new Third World nationals to go as missionaries to the unreached.
2) Identify, mobilize, train and deploy thousands of “Pauline-bold” teams to penetrate these final fron-tiers of unreached peoples.
The Christian community has the resources to see this mission accomplished by the year 2000.
As part of this worldwide move, we can actively serve as senders in the six areas of support as they relate to reaching the unreached.
Go over the For Your Personal Involvement section:
Focus on that most critical question Mordecai gave to Esther: “Who knows but that for an hour such as this, you have been called to the kingdom?” Relate and discuss other Scriptures that lay a responsibility for action on us to participate in God’s Great Commission (Genesis 12:1-3; Isaiah 6:8; John 20:21; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; James 1:22).
Pray as various ones share global breakthroughs on what God is doing to reach every people.
For Further Action
Contact the Adopt-A-People Clearinghouse (1605 Elizabeth St., Pasadena CA 91104 USA or www.adoptapeople.com) on how you can take responsibility before God for an unreached people group.
The Blue Letter Bible ministry and the BLB Institute hold to the historical, conservative Christian faith, which includes a firm belief in the inerrancy of Scripture. Since the text and audio content provided by BLB represent a range of evangelical traditions, all of the ideas and principles conveyed in the resource materials are not necessarily affirmed, in total, by this ministry.
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