3 Jul 2017

Short term missions are not the race

by | posted in: Missions | 93,433

I am always amazed at the excitement and nervousness from those going on their first short-term mission trip, most of the time they don’t know enough to know what they need to be nervous about. There is an excitement in their eyes as they head into the unknown. They prepare testimonies and lessons, not knowing how God will use them or if they will be effective. They pack what is recommended and wonder if it will be enough. They comfort their parents and loved ones, and try to reassure them everything is going to be alright, while at the same time not knowing what the future holds. But through leading and prayer, the journey begins.

 

A lot of mission team members, especially those who have never been on mission before usually become broken spiritually sometime during the week of the trip. They discover a new outlook on sharing, faith, trust, and God. Why is this? It is simple, during the week they are constantly hearing the word of God either from others sharing or through the preaching or their own study. They also see the word of God come to life. That doesn’t mean that the bible gets up and starts walking around. But they see the Spirit of God begin to work in the lives of the people they come in contact with. They walk the streets with a single purpose, to find the person of peace with whom they can share the good news of the gospel. Some are hit with the hard truth that not all will accept the gospel, so they plant a seed not knowing the condition of the soil. Other times they begin to pour out water onto unknown soil, unaware that a seed exist and has been waiting for the moisture that God will use to bring it to life. They get excited and don’t know what to do when out of the ground springs forth life. A miracle, they get to see cold dead bones come to life. After that experience, they have a drive to share and no longer need to be pushed in front of people to share with. Oh what it would have been like in Acts to walk the streets and see God work, bringing people to life through the proclamation of the Gospel. But wait, could that still happen? And could it happen here?

After returning home and a couple weeks of rest, life returns to normal. The mission was accomplished, people were saved and now we are back comfortable, safe, fed, and loved. Or are we? There is always a sense of completion at the end of a mission trip. Not that that would be wrong in the short term, but there is a since of that was where we were on mission at, but now we are back and we have things to get done. Real stuff, school, work, friends, problems, and you know life. Right?

One of the greatest tragedies we have is short-term missions. I know you saw a bunch of people get saved, and God really “showed up”, but stay with me. There is a since of awe and wonder during the week of a mission trip. And we look forward to the next year when we can go and feel that same since of awe and wonder. But let’s compare it to a race shall we. Anyone who runs foot races understands that you have different splits. These are markers throughout the race to gauge your progress, and to ensure you are on pace. A short-term mission trip is sort of like a split. It is a time to see if you are where you need to be in your spiritual life, in your reading and study of the word, apologetics, doctrines, and if you can articulate them to the world around you. The shortness of the week gives you the opportunity to push yourself hard and to evaluate yourself. The tragedy is that the short-term is looked at, as the race itself. We return with a sense that we ran and will rest up to run again next year.

The race however is not over. In fact it is just beginning. When you return home, it is like passing the first mile marker. The street is no longer filled with cheering fans, the road narrows, and the reality of the race sets in. Here is where we must work our hardest. This is where we must pull from prayer and scripture, the strength to press on. Where most might sit and rest, we must run to win. We don’t just return to normal life, we return with a renewed sense of awe for what God has been doing and we must now trust even more so that He will continue His work. We saw on foreign soil God work in others lives. Now we must trust that He will work in ours for His glory and to reach those around us. We are home; this is where we must turn from our sins, where we must love God more than mother and father, more than friends and things. This is where we live out what we preach, if we believe that which we have taught. Did we believe it? Do we believe it? If so, then are we disciplined for the miles ahead? Paul tells the church at Corinth “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”. Are we disqualified or are we still in the race?

There are no short-term missionaries; there are only missionaries in different context. When we return to our Jerusalem, let us seek the hope that is only found in Christ. Let us not lean on our own understanding, our own wisdom, which is foolishness. Let us not fall victim to busyness and the lure of shiny objects that promise fulfillment. Let our knees be worn out for those nearest to us. Let our time be determined by the cross and His call, trusting that He will provide the time for work, family, fun, and ministry, as we continue the race. We have found our greatest joy in walking by faith; let us not check our faith with Homeland Security as we return home. But let us be reminded daily where our ultimate security is found and where our joy is greatest. Wherever you woke up at, wherever you find yourself, wherever you stand today, then that is your mission field. Time to get running.

93433 Responses

  1. Finance Phantom
    | Reply

    Do you have a spam issue on this website; I also am a
    blogger, and I was curious about your situation; we have developed
    some nice methods and we are looking to trade solutions with others,
    be sure to shoot me an email if interested.

  3. sports betting dime, online football betting sites reviews
    | Reply

    What is a teaser in sports betting. https://bbifit.com/the-impact-of-sports-betting-apps-in-your-customers-followers/ best sports betting app.
    Strong Reasons To Avoid Sports Betting

    You don’t need a Fanatics promo code to get started with the platform, either. Caesars Sportsbook Promo is available in: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. As the legalization of online sports betting continues to sweep across the country, we expect to see the DraftKings Sportsbook name in more and more places. Remember, sports betting is all about having patience and a long-term outlook. Thinking about your spouse and children should already stop you from having an affair. The excitement and energy doesn’t stop outside of the major U.S. Stop and take some amzing photos of the eccentric buildings. Alone, his obsessions take hold and he steadily descends into madness. For more detailed information, consult our FAQ and Help guides, and feel free to browse our archive of helpful sports betting articles if you want to take your game to the next level.

    What role does social media play in user acquisition for a fantasy sports app? Finding the best betting app can seem like a time consuming, confusing process. This might not seem like a lot but those fees can add up after a long time. Whether or not you have any interest in cricket from a betting perspective, this World Cup has once again put women’s cricket front and center, albeit for a short period of time. We are a short drive from Auckland’s CBD and are accessible via the motorway from the North Shore, Manukau, East Auckland, South Auckland, Pukekohe within 30-45 minutes depending on traffic. Perry Group runs quarries, rubbish tips, gaming machines, galvinisation plants, construction, fertiliser and cement companies, even bowling lanes and bars in the North Island. Just as you’re encouraged to participate in discussions on our blog, Playabet offers you a platform to engage in sports betting and gaming.

    The Playabet platform introduces you to a world of thrilling possibilities, with a variety of betting options and interactive features. One of the essential attractions of esports betting is its variety. There are so many different online sportsbooks and so many of them seem legitimate – an online betting guide is a great way to cut through the mess of betting apps to find the perfect one for you. Another advantage is that there are overall organizations worked around the betting objections, allowing you to bestow tips to various betters and talk concerning why games went a particular way. Many casual American bettors don’t even realize that most sportsbooks offer a wider range of sports – including many of the more unusual games. Cricket is one of those unique games – it’s a true team sport that still manages to highlight single players and make them seem as if they are playing alone. A supportive partnership is one of the most beautiful parts of the game, especially when a less experienced or talented player is holding their own to allow their counterpart to flourish. Our exhibits are world class and in the five and a half years that the Visitor Centre has been open we are proud to have achieved the position of one of New Zealand’s premier tourist attractions.

    Betting on cricket is hardly unusual elsewhere, and is in fact one of the top betting sports in the United Kingdom. The most basic thing that you’re going to want to be aware of when choosing a mobile Tennessee sports betting app is its security features. The ease and convenience of mobile betting meets the thrill and excitement of all the most action packed events worldwide, and you will be amazed at just how easy it is to do. Get the info you need with ease. Generally speaking, you get what you pay for in this industry, but there are a few diamonds in the rough that realize they need to offer more a better price. Check out the top recommendations for trusted and respected online sportsbooks that offer in-play wagering to Kiwi punters. Check out the Russian Snark trailer and let us know what you think – post on our blog – just click on any of the red blog heading subjects on the Producer’s Blog to post a response! It was in vain that I indignantly repudiated any capacity or intention of giving him a “tip;” the more I protested the more he exulted and rubbed his hands, evidently believing that I had inadvertently “let the cat out,” and now was sorry for it.

  6. Everix Edge
    | Reply

    Your method of describing everything in this article is actually fastidious, every
    one can without difficulty understand it, Thanks a lot.

  13. piano tuner near me
    | Reply

    Do you mind if I quote a few of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your webpage?
    My website is in the very same niche as yours and my visitors would certainly benefit from a
    lot of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this alright with you.
    Cheers!

  17. how to win sports betting, sports betting promos
    | Reply

    https://forum.elaivizh.eu/index.php?action=profile;u=496199
    Successful Tactics For Sports Betting

    Place Bets: The bettor then places bets on all possible outcomes with different bookmakers or exchanges. Rams example again. If a bettor places a wager on the Patriots to win $100 he will have to risk $135 Dollars. Even if you’re only a “recreational” bettor who’s looking for entertainment, discipline will make your dollars go a much longer way. “This is a big upset in the making as Team X was an underdog of 14 points today,” an announcer will say. We know sports betting is fun, and following the guidelines above will certainly go a long way into making sure it remains fun. Futures are bets available for future events, like who will win the Super Bowl this year, who will be the MVP and more. Operators are not available in all states. Also, sportsbook operators make these kinds of errors more than you think. Also, there is no half-goal handicap market. There may be rake spreads reduced or no juice offered occasionally.

    We’re constantly searching for knowledge to give us the edge needed to beat 52.38%, which is the break-even point when betting point spreads at -110 odds.(You can knock that down to 51.19% if you take advantage of the -105 reduced juice offering at BetAnySports). We also explain a spread in depth at our What Is A Point Spread And How Does It Work? We go in depth on what a moneyline bet is at our What Is A Moneyline Bet And How Does it Work? When you’re eating your lunch, we’re reading injury reports, when you work the second half of your workday, we’re analyzing line moves, reading player news, researching how the money is coming in on each game, mulling through local news in each city and discussing our takes with other astute handicappers. Sports betting lingo can be confusing, and you’re probably scratching your head wondering what it all means. You can also find NASCAR, golf, boxing, soccer, and UFC previews and picks in the menu at the top of the page. At the bottom of this page we list all of our sports odds pages, with over 10 different sports to choose from. 2) Settlement of markets held over more than 1 round/stage (e.g., Season Bets) will only consider amendments effecting bets which settlement has not been decided yet.

    Should this order not be upheld and the sequence of events change in a way that games against other teams get scheduled in between so much that the listed event ceases to be the next official commitment from that particular tournament/league/competition for all teams involved, that will be considered as not part of the same gameday/game week/round and offers will be declared void. Markets which odds are dependent/based on a full schedule of games being played (e.g., Over/Under Wins in the Regular Season/Points in the League) will be declared void should the number of games played end up being different than originally scheduled at the time of bet publishing, unless an outcome has already been determined and the change in number of applicable games bears no influence the outcome of the offer. All bet offers related to games/matches/events which do not take place at all or are awarded a result through a walk-over decision will be declared void.

    Should, the occurrence be only awarded and not taken, it will not be considered for settlement purposes. Offers where the format change does not preclude the governing body from declaring a winner (e.g., Season winner), regardless of whether there will be a continuation of play or not, revised length of season/competition, etc., will be settled according to the result issued by the governing body provided the result is issued as per the timeframes listed below and is congruent to the odds/lines/totals available at time of offer publishing. Unless otherwise specified within the offer, implied by the official competition rules or announced beforehand as being the official format for that particular event, any changes from the default sport/event/competition format that result in Potawatomi Sportsbook offering odds/lines/totals which are incongruent with the revised playing format will result in the voiding of the bets effected by the format change. 7) In cases of events which have not been completed before their natural conclusion, and a result is issued through a decision by the association not more than 12 hours from the event’s start, Potawatomi Sportsbook will use the issued decision as the official result for the following bet offers: Moneyline, Tie No Bet and Double Chance.

  18. PINATA
    | Reply

    An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this
    onto a friend who was doing a little homework on this.
    And he in fact bought me lunch due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him…
    lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending
    time to discuss this issue here on your web page.

  29. 아이허브 11월 할인코드
    | Reply

    Caan I simply just say what a comfort to discover someone that really knows
    what they’re discussing on the internet. You definitely know how to bring an issue to light and make it important.
    More people ought too read this and understand this sidee of your story.
    I was surprised tht you’re not more popular since you certainly have the gift.

    아이허브 11월 할인코드

  30. MarvinRoorp
    | Reply

    ST666 – Lựa Chọn Hàng Đầu Trong Thế Giới Cá Cược Trực Tuyến
    Trong thời đại mà ngành công nghiệp cá cược trực tuyến đang bùng nổ, việc chọn một nhà cái uy tín là yếu tố quan trọng để đảm bảo trải nghiệm chơi an toàn và đáng tin cậy. ST666 nhanh chóng khẳng định vị thế của mình trên thị trường với những dịch vụ chất lượng và hệ thống bảo mật cao cấp, mang lại trải nghiệm cá cược công bằng, thú vị và an toàn.

    Hệ Thống Trò Chơi Đa Dạng
    ST666 cung cấp một danh mục trò chơi cá cược đa dạng, đáp ứng mọi nhu cầu và sở thích của người chơi. Từ thể thao, bắn cá, game bài, cho đến xổ số và live casino, tất cả đều được tối ưu hóa để mang lại cảm giác hứng thú cho người tham gia. Đặc biệt, với Live Casino, người chơi sẽ được trải nghiệm cá cược với các dealer thật thông qua hình thức phát trực tiếp, tạo cảm giác như đang tham gia tại các sòng bài thực tế.

    Tỷ Lệ Cược Cạnh Tranh
    Một trong những ưu điểm nổi bật của ST666 chính là tỷ lệ cược cực kỳ cạnh tranh, giúp người chơi tối ưu hóa lợi nhuận của mình. Các trận đấu thể thao được cập nhật liên tục với tỷ lệ cược hấp dẫn, tạo cơ hội chiến thắng lớn cho những ai yêu thích cá cược thể thao.

    Bảo Mật An Toàn Tuyệt Đối
    Yếu tố bảo mật luôn là một trong những tiêu chí hàng đầu khi chọn nhà cái cá cược. ST666 sử dụng công nghệ mã hóa hiện đại để bảo vệ thông tin cá nhân và các giao dịch tài chính của người chơi, đảm bảo mọi dữ liệu luôn được bảo mật tuyệt đối. Người chơi hoàn toàn có thể yên tâm khi tham gia cá cược tại đây.

    Chăm Sóc Khách Hàng Chuyên Nghiệp
    Dịch vụ chăm sóc khách hàng của ST666 luôn sẵn sàng hỗ trợ 24/7 qua nhiều kênh khác nhau như Live Chat, WhatsApp, Facebook, đảm bảo giải đáp mọi thắc mắc và xử lý các vấn đề nhanh chóng. Đội ngũ nhân viên tại đây được đào tạo chuyên nghiệp, tận tâm và chu đáo, luôn đặt lợi ích của khách hàng lên hàng đầu.

    Ưu Đãi Hấp Dẫn
    ST666 không chỉ nổi bật với các sản phẩm cá cược mà còn thu hút người chơi bởi các chương trình khuyến mãi hấp dẫn. Người chơi có thể nhận được nhiều ưu đãi như 280k miễn phí khi đăng nhập hàng ngày, cùng các chương trình thưởng nạp và hoàn tiền liên tục, giúp tối đa hóa cơ hội chiến thắng.

    Lý Do ST666 Là Lựa Chọn Hàng Đầu
    Sự kết hợp hoàn hảo giữa giao diện hiện đại, hệ thống trò chơi đa dạng, dịch vụ khách hàng tận tâm và tỷ lệ cược cạnh tranh đã giúp ST666 trở thành một trong những nhà cái cá cược trực tuyến uy tín hàng đầu tại Việt Nam. Đối với những ai đang tìm kiếm một nhà cái an toàn và chuyên nghiệp, ST666 chắc chắn sẽ là lựa chọn không thể bỏ qua.

    Kết Luận
    Với những ưu điểm vượt trội, ST666 xứng đáng là địa chỉ cá cược uy tín và an toàn cho tất cả người chơi. Đăng ký ngay hôm nay để trải nghiệm hệ thống cá cược đẳng cấp và nhận những ưu đãi hấp dẫn từ ST666!

  36. twitter likes kaufen
    | Reply

    Someone necessarily lend a hand to make seriously articles I’d state.That is the very first
    time I frequented your web page andd up to now? I surprised with
    the analysis you made to make this particular publish extraordinary.
    Fantastic activity!
    twitter likes kaufen

  38. read here
    | Reply

    Thanks for any other fantastic article. Where else may
    just anyone get that type of info in such a perfect approach of writing?

    I have a presentation subsequent week, and I’m on the search for
    such information.

  39. see here now
    | Reply

    My brother suggested I might like this website.
    He was totally right. This post truly made my
    day. You can not imagine just how much time I had spent for this info!
    Thanks!

  40. learn here
    | Reply

    I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was
    wondering what all is needed to get setup? I’m assuming having a
    blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100% sure.
    Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

    Thank you

  41. anime porn
    | Reply

    What’s up everyone, it’s my first pay a visit at this web
    site, and paragraph is genuinely fruitful designed
    for me, keep up posting such articles.

  42. situs togel online
    | Reply

    When someone writes an post he/she keeps the image of a user in his/her
    mind that how a user can know it. Thus that’s why this paragraph is
    amazing. Thanks!

  46. vách ngăn vệ sinh
    | Reply

    Hi, I do believe your site might be having web browser compatibility problems.
    Whenever I look at your blog in Safari, it
    looks fine however when opening in Internet Explorer, it has
    some overlapping issues. I merely wanted to give you a quick heads up!
    Apart from that, great blog!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *