Discipleship Training Curriculum for Domestic Short-Term Teams Member Guide Second Edition Written By Eric and Carol Hanson missiontriptraining.com
MISSION LAUNCH TEAM TRAINING Discipleship Training for Domestic Short-Term Teams Member Guide Copyright 2007, 2014 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 2014 ISBN 978-1-940847-92-4 Mission Excell 847 S. Randall Rd., #178 Elgin, IL 60123 www.missiontriptraining.com 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. www.zondervan.com 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
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 29 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson v
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 Poverty and the Poor 40 Why Is There Poverty? 40 Who Are the Poor? 40 How Do We Confront Poverty? 41 God s Response Through Us 42 Culture Shock 43 What Is Culture Shock? 43 Coping With Culture Shock 44 Pray 45 Veteran Challenge 45 Team Meeting 2 Introduction 49 Welcome and Prayer 49 Getting Focused 49 Self-Study Review 49 Spiritual Preparation 50 Conduits for God 50 Self-Study Review: Spiritual Prep 51 Leadership Opportunities 52 Team Building 52 Team Building Game 52 vi Mission Launch Team Training: Domestic Member Guide
Cross-Cultural Experience 53 Trip Timeline 53 Cultural Adjustment 54 Culture Shock 55 What If? 56 Logistics 57 Details 57 Assignments 57 Closing Prayer 57 Self-Study 2 Introduction 61 Before Your Next Team Meeting 61 Immunizations 62 Your Story 63 Writing Your Story 63 God s Story 68 Bridge Diagram 68 Preparing to Serve 71 Pray 74 Veteran Challenge 74 Team Meeting 3 Introduction 77 Welcome and Prayer 77 Getting Focused 77 Self-Study Review 77 Ministry Preparation 78 Your Story 78 God s Story 78 Long-Term Impact 79 Logistics 80 Details 80 Assignments 81 Closing Prayer 81 Packing 82 Clothing and Appearance 82 Packing Tips 83 Suggested Packing List 84 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson vii
Self-Study 3 Introduction 89 Before Your Departure 89 Health Precautions 90 Immunizations 90 Sun Exposure and Insect Concerns 90 Sanitary Issues 90 Water 90 Personal Safety 91 Money Issues 92 Spending Money 92 Shopping 92 We re Almost There! 93 Pray 93 Veteran Challenge 93 On The Field Team Devotionals and Daily Journals 97 Debrief ing Meeting Introduction 127 Welcome and Prayer 127 Thoughts and Emotions 127 Memorable Moments 127 Trip Debrief 128 Paper Pass 128 The Soil of Our Heart 129 Re-Entry 129 Reverse Culture Shock 129 Imagine Arriving Home 130 My Impact Story 131 Opportunity and Responsibility 132 Life Application 132 Logistics 133 Celebration Party 133 Going Home 133 Closing Prayer 134 Team Member Evaluation 135 viii Mission Launch Team Training: Domestic Member Guide
Self-Study 4 Introduction 139 Going Beyond the Trip 140 Relating to God 140 Relating to People 141 Finding a Mentor 142 Pray 142 Veteran Challenge 143 About the Authors 145 Notes 147 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson ix
Welcome Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God. William Carey
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 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson 3
Team Meeting 1 If you take missions out of the Bible, there is little left but the covers. Nina Gunter
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? 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson 7
Meet the Team Name Basic family information Why I joined the team Icebreaker My Team Members 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 8 Mission Launch Team Training: Domestic Member Guide
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? 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson 9
Self-Study 1 I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help Him. I ended up by asking God to do his work through me. Hudson Taylor
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 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 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson 33
Debrief ing Meeting Missions is the overflow of our delight in God because missions is the overflow of God s delight in being God. John Piper
Debrief ing Meeting Introduction Welcome and Prayer The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalm 126:3 Thoughts and Emotions 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 2014 Eric and Carol Hanson 127