FELLOWSHIP OUTWARD 2022
Isn’t it amazing! The church has been expanding across the globe for 2000 years because Christ followers took the Great Commission to heart (Matthew 28:18-20).
And what a privilege we now have to continue the good work of connecting outward with the mission locally, nationally, and internationally. We call it Fellowship Outward.
Our hope is that every person in our church family would take a mission trip across the street, or around the world sometime during 2022. Our heart is to mobilize our body with gospel-grounded words and works that will point people to our loving Savior.
With that in mind, this guide is designed to help you discover a “great fit” mission trip which enables you to connect outward with the mission of God this year, shoulder-to-shoulder with others in our community of faith.
What is a “Mission Trip?”
When we say “Mission Trip,” we’re referring to an intentional outreach initiative designed to show and tell the love of Christ to a particular group of people locally, nationally or internationally. Typically, these initiatives are focused ministry activities over a relatively short period of time, and intended to establish or advance a gospel presence in a particular area of need.
Think of these trips as the “short game” of the Great Commission. They are strategic supplements to the long term ministry efforts taking place all around the world. Mission trip teams have the privilege and opportunity to bring a burst of resources to an ongoing ministry context within a compressed period of time. Done well, this can provide much needed encouragement and momentum to those who are serving in a sustained way.
In addition to outward influence, God uses mission trips to transform the lives of those who are willing to go. Our participation in God’s redemptive work puts us in a beautiful position to more fully experience that redemptive work in our own hearts.
So, let’s go outward and see what God will do in us and through us here and abroad.
The “Nuts & Bolts” of a solid trip!
Part of the beauty of a mission trip is the TEAM that takes it! Strive to incorporate a collective of people who will complement one another as they serve. As always, Together is Better!
- Pick a LOCATION. It can be local, national or international.
- Decide WHO you are attempting to reach. Think in terms of demographic, geographic, felt needs, etc.
- Strategically determine HOW you will go about connecting with your target audience. Be sure to include a specific plan for communicating the gospel. Identify creative ways to engage people around their areas of interests, needs, opportunities, etc.
- Clarify WHAT resources will be needed to fulfill the mission? Take into consideration the people, finances, equipment, training, transportation, food, etc. required for the team.
We’ve established a 3-day minimum for all trips so as to provide a sustained opportunity for impact and personal transformation. This also ensures engagement outside of our normal routines.
All of the participants on a mission trip should have clear roles and responsibilities which contribute to the success of the trip.
With these criteria in mind, you can either JOIN a trip, or CREATE a trip. Let’s ask God to lead us into a life-changing year on mission!
