Eric and Carol Hanson. Member Guide. Discipleship Training Curriculum for International Short-Term Teams. Second Edition.

Transcription

1 Discipleship Training Curriculum for International Short-Term Teams Member Guide Second Edition Written By Eric and Carol Hanson missiontriptraining.com

2 MISSION LAUNCH TEAM TRAINING Discipleship Training for International Short-Term Teams Member Guide Copyright 2007, 2013 by Eric and Carol Hanson All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise (unless noted) without the expressed, written permission of the authors. Second Edition 2013 ISBN Mission Excell 847 S. Randall Rd., #178 Elgin, IL All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Video Production: JS Creative ( Cover Design: Carol Hanson Printed in the United States of America This Team Member Guide is designed to be used in conjunction with a Mission Launch Team Training Leader Guide in a group setting. Each team member is to have their own Team Member Guide for each mission trip. Any children/teenagers traveling with their parent(s) should have their own Team Member Guide as well. To order more Guides, please visit our website: missiontriptraining.com

3 Contents Acknowledgements xi Welcome Your Team Member Guide 3 Get Ready! 3 Team Meeting 1 Introduction 7 Welcome and Prayer 7 Getting Focused 7 Meet the Team 8 Vision for the Mission 9 Video 9 Trip Timeline 10 Team Building 10 Group vs. Team 10 Team Covenant 11 Leadership Opportunities 13 Support Raising 14 Why Raise Support? 14 Two Types of Support 14 Steps to Support Raising 15 Recap 19 Other Support Raising Ideas 19 Brainstorm Potential Supporters 20 Sample Support Raising Letter 24 Sample Response Form 25 Sample Supporter Tracking Record 26 Logistics 28 Assignments 28 Closing Prayer 28 Payment and Meeting Schedule Eric and Carol Hanson v

4 Self-Study 1 Introduction 33 Before Your Next Team Meeting 33 Mission Launch 34 Personal Checkup 36 Physical Preparation 36 Spiritual Preparation 36 Relational Preparation 37 Cross-Cultural Preparation 37 Personal Motivation 37 Expectations 37 Spiritual Preparation 38 Support Raising 38 Prayer 38 Devotions 38 Journaling 38 Your Story 39 Bible Reading 39 Scripture Memorization 39 Pray 40 Veteran Challenge 40 Team Meeting 2 Introduction 43 Welcome and Prayer 43 Getting Focused 43 Self-Study Review 43 Team Building 44 Team Building Game 44 Spiritual Preparation 44 Conduits for God 44 Self-Study Review: Spiritual Prep 45 Leadership Opportunities 46 Logistics 47 Details 47 Assignments 47 Closing Prayer 47 vi Mission Launch Team Training: International Member Guide

5 Self-Study 2 Introduction 51 Before Your Next Team Meeting 51 Immunizations 52 Cultural Checkup 53 Poverty and the Poor 55 Why Is There Poverty? 55 Who Are the Poor? 55 How Do We Confront Poverty? 56 God s Response Through Us 57 Our View of the World 58 Understanding Our View 58 Encountering Another Christian Worldview 58 Navigating New Views 59 Culture Shock 60 What Is Culture Shock? 60 Coping With Culture Shock 61 Pray 62 Veteran Challenge 62 Team Meeting 3 Introduction 65 Welcome and Prayer 65 Getting Focused 65 Self-Study Review 65 Cross-Cultural Experience 66 Cultural Awareness 66 Trip Timeline 66 Cultural Adjustment 67 Culture Shock 68 What If? 69 Spiritual Experience 70 Book of Acts 70 Global Expressions of Christianity 70 Logistics 72 Details 72 Assignments 72 Closing Prayer Eric and Carol Hanson vii

6 Self-Study 3 Introduction 75 Before Your Next Team Meeting 75 Social Customs and Sensitivity 76 Time and Space 76 Greetings and Gestures 76 Conversation 77 Those Loud Americans 78 Photography 78 Crossing Cultures 80 Your Story 82 Writing Your Story 82 God s Story 87 Bridge Diagram 87 Pray 90 Veteran Challenge 90 Team Meeting 4 Introduction 93 Welcome and Prayer 93 Getting Focused 93 Self-Study Review 93 Ministry Preparation 94 Your Story 94 God s Story 94 Team Building 95 Team Building Game 95 Logistics 95 Details 95 Assignments 95 Closing Prayer 95 Packing 96 Clothing and Appearance 96 Packing Tips 97 Suggested Packing List 98 viii Mission Launch Team Training: International Member Guide

7 Self-Study 4 Introduction 103 Before Your Next Team Meeting 103 Preparing to Serve 104 Health Precautions 107 Insurance 107 Immunizations 107 Sun Exposure and Insect Concerns 107 Sanitary Issues 107 Food and Water Safety 108 Working with Interpreters 109 The Basics 109 When Preaching or Teaching 110 Pray 111 Veteran Challenge 111 Team Meeting 5 Introduction 115 Welcome and Prayer 115 Getting Focused 115 Self-Study Review 115 Long-Term Impact 116 Logistics 117 Details 117 Assignments 118 Closing Prayer 118 Self-Study 5 Introduction 121 Before Your Departure 121 Personal Safety 122 Money Issues 123 Spending Money 123 Tipping 124 Shopping 124 Arrival In-Country 124 We re Almost There! Eric and Carol Hanson ix

8 Pray 125 Veteran Challenge 125 On The Field Team Devotionals and Daily Journals 129 Debrief ing Meeting Introduction 159 Welcome and Prayer 159 Thoughts and Emotions 159 Memorable Moments 159 Paper Pass 160 Trip Debrief 160 The Soil of Our Heart 161 Re-Entry 161 Reverse Culture Shock 161 Imagine Arriving Home 162 My Impact Story 163 Opportunity and Responsibility 164 Life Application 164 Logistics 165 Celebration Party 165 Going Home 165 Closing Prayer 166 Team Member Evaluation 167 Self-Study 6 Introduction 171 Going Beyond the Trip 172 Relating to God 172 Relating to People 173 Finding a Mentor 174 Pray 174 Veteran Challenge 175 About the Authors 177 Notes 179 x Mission Launch Team Training: International Member Guide

9 Welcome Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God. William Carey

10 Welcome You are about to embark on an exciting journey with God! You may not realize it, but YOU are an answer to the prayers of Christ-followers around the world. The harvest is plentiful. People everywhere are hungry for the message of Good News, and we continually pray that God will send out workers into the harvest fields. You ve heard that call of God and have responded. Thank you! I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57: 9, 11 The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Matthew 9:37-38 Your Team Member Guide This Team Member Guide is a resource to help you prepare for your upcoming trip. It contains critical information to prepare you spiritually, cross-culturally, relationally, and physically so that your whole team can be effective in another culture, as well as when you return home. Inside your Team Member Guide, you will find places to take notes during each meeting, so be sure to bring it with you every time you connect with your team. During these meetings, you will be bonding with your teammates, learning how to communicate cross-culturally, and hopefully, deepening your trust and dependency on Jesus. In-between meetings, you will have Self-Study material to complete. On the field, your Team Member Guide will serve as your daily devotional and journal. You will also utilize this material as you debrief and return home. Your Team Member Guide will become a remembrance for you. Years later, you will look back and remember what God did in your life through this mission trip! Get Ready! We guarantee that if you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and serve others when opportunities arise on your trip, God will use you in ways you could never imagine. Get ready to have your faith ignited as the Holy Spirit works through you to impact other people! Welcome 2013 Eric and Carol Hanson 3

11 Team Meeting 1 We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God. John R. Stott

12 1 Team Meeting Introduction Team Mtg 1 Welcome and Prayer Getting Focused Read the Bible verse provided by your team leader. How do these verses apply to us? 2013 Eric and Carol Hanson 7

13 Meet the Team Name Basic family information Why I joined the team Icebreaker My Team Members Mission Launch Team Training: International Member Guide

14 Vision for the Mission Video Notes: Team Mtg 1 Read: Matthew 28:18-20 Who s authority do we have? What is the mission that God has given us? Who is being discipled on this trip? 2013 Eric and Carol Hanson 9

15 Self-Study 1 Missions is more than a matter of obeying a command, it is the result of an encounter with Christ. To meet Christ, means to become caught up in a mission to the world. David Bosch

16 1 Self-Study Introduction Welcome to the adventure of short-term missions! God wants to do great things in and through you. Undoubtedly, your willingness to prepare will directly correlate to how effective your team will be on the field. Your team is counting on you! In these Self Studies, you will be reading information pertinent to the trip and working through some questions to help you prepare. Each of these studies will take about 30 minutes to complete, so please set aside time in your schedule. Have you been on a short-term trip in the past? Great! We want to challenge you to dig deeper, take your experience up a notch, and try out the optional Veteran Challenges. These are designed to help you grow deeper in your faith and become even more of an asset to your team. Self-Study 1 Before Your Next Team Meeting Please complete these items for your next meeting. Your team leader will be asking if these items are completed. Complete trip application Pay deposit Apply for passport, if needed Complete visa application, if appropriate Work through the Support Raising section and begin sending support letters Read and complete Self-Study One in Team Member Guide (if you are a returning team member, consider the Veteran Challenge ) Pray and contact your team leader regarding your desire to serve in a subleader role Pray for your team 2013 Eric and Carol Hanson 33

17 Debrief ing Meeting If all of your concern is about your own life, your job, your clothes, your children s good clothes, healthy bodies, a good education, a good job and marriage, then your concerns are no different from someone who is lost in Bhutan, Myanmar, or India. K.P. Yohannan

18 Debrief ing Meeting Introduction The Lord has done Welcome and Prayer Thoughts and Emotions great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3 Debriefing and re-entry is a process, not a one-time activity. You have experienced something incredible and beyond-the-norm for most people. Taking the time now to apply this unique event is essential in order to receive the greatest impact from your trip and be further transformed into the person that God wants you to be. We are now near the end of the Trip section of this mission. Remember however, that this adventure is not all over when you arrive back in your hometown. Like a plant, you were uprooted from your familiar life routine to go on this trip. Now it s time to uproot again and return back home. A major part of your mission experience is about to begin and this is where it can get really exciting for you personally! Quite possibly, there are a variety of thoughts and emotions going through your mind at this point on the trip. You ve met new friends, you ve experienced new things, you ve seen God use you to affect other people s lives, and you ve come together as a team with people you really didn t know well before you left. At the same time, you are probably looking forward to the comforts and familiarity of home! More than likely, you ve started to envision seeing your loved ones again. Memorable Moments Share one memorable moment. Debriefing 2013 Eric and Carol Hanson 159