What activities made up this year of ministry? No doubt many of the things that make up local ministry as we know it today: relationship-building, outreach, evangelism, discipleship, teaching, leadership development, etc. They are equally as critical to local ministry as to global work. And, like Paul, missionaries called to global engagement will need to learn these skills within their local context before ever moving to the other side of the world. This is a case of being faithful in the simpler things before you are entrusted with the more complex.
Moving a family thousands of miles away, investing years in language study and crossing major cultural barriers are all exceptionally risky endeavors. And there is no greater predictor of success in global mission than success on the local front. Without local mission, there is no global mission.
It is easy to focus on local ministry because local needs surround us on a daily basis and demand our attention. But since the very beginning, God has been in the business of pushing his people out of their current context and sending them into the wider world. Abraham, Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Daniel are all notable examples. God sent Israel as a whole and Abraham, Moses and many others in particular.
He left his own throne to live with us. But to what end? To the end of blessing the nations, of bringing the good news of his kingdom to the lost and broken kingdoms of the world. It will not do, then, to separate local ministry from global work, picking and choosing the emphasis that suits our purpose.
If we pray for global needs, we draw our attention beyond our immediate needs and might overlook the more obvious opportunities next door. Practicing generosity tends to foster a heart of generosity, which can spill over into all areas of life.
Mobilizing fervent prayer for the nations can be an easy way to open hearts to local needs as well. Quite apart from draining precious resources, global engagement multiplies our ability to engage locally too.
Two years ago, I met a family who expressed their desire to move to the Middle East as missionaries. As such, our summons to missions is naturally bound up in the mission of God itself. Building projects, health clinics, orphan care, and the like are all important humanitarian activities. Yet these good endeavors, when detached from evangelism, discipleship, and church planting, do not constitute biblical missions. Instead, God has given us clear instructions about playing our role within His ultimate mission.
In light of this commission, we must recognize there are places in the world where people have never heard the Gospel, where disciples have not been made yet, and there is currently no church offering acceptable worship to God in Christ. This is where the need for international missions arises. And at Cedarville, our students have a pivotal role to play.
Cedarville does not send missionaries, but we partner with churches in missions. Primarily, we do this by preparing men and women to enter both the workforce and their local churches equipped as disciple-makers. In light of this, we encourage students to take advantage of our many Global Outreach trips during their 1, days on campus.
The LCMS Office of International Mission recruits, trains, sends and cares for our missionaries, human care workers and international educators. Your gift will be utilized exclusively by the Office of International Mission as it recruits, trains, sends and cares for our missionaries, human care workers, international educators, and military chaplains to serve outside the United States. In addition, gifts support or enhance the projects and programs of our international mission teams as they work with specific people groups and strengthen LCMS partner churches around the world.
To offer support via personal or organizational check, please make payable to The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Designate International Mission on the memo line. Box St. Begin service projects. Continue service projects. Free day to explore the local area. Complete your project. Journey home. Learn More. Who can participate? How do I book my international mission trip? Contact one of our mission trip advisors at , or chat with us online. Is airfare from North America included in the international mission trip price?
Prices do not include airfare from North America. What is your policy on deposits, payments, and cancellations? Are all meals included in the cost?
What types of meals are served? How strenuous are the activities and service? Are tips included in the cost? Are the trips safe? Can you put together a custom trip for my group?
0コメント