How to Recruit a Team for Asian Access' Summer Teams Program…

If you want to go on Summer Teams project, but are an individual who needs a team, Asian Access can help you recruit those individuals from your church, school, or group.

1. Define your vision. After talking to a Asian Access mobilizer and getting all of your questions answered, ask yourself these questions. Why do I want to go to Japan? What part of the ministry sounds exciting to me? What is my vision for how the Lord could use my team in Japan?
2. Share your vision with church leaders or school staff members. It is very important to have a staff person, either at church or school, backing your desire to go to Japan. They often know who is interested in missions, who the best group would be to talk to, or can give you the opportunity to present the trip in a group setting.
3. Talk to friends. It’s always nice to have a tightly knit team. If you have some friends who are interested in forming your team, this is perhaps the easiest way to recruit.
4. Present the opportunity to a group. If your friends aren’t interested, work with your staff member to find a time to present to a group. Share your vision and some of the details of the trip. Present the Asian Access video "Pointing the Way" as well if time permits. Give examples of past teams’ ministry activities and emphasize the impact they could have in this country where less than 1/2 of 1% are Christian. Have brochures available along with a sign up sheet. For more information, see "Asian Access: Mobilizing."
5. Follow-up. Have those who are potentially interested leave you their contact info. Follow up with them within a week. Don’t let their fire of interest die.
6. Make a team decision. Hold a second meeting a week or two later for all those who indicated interest. This should give them time to think and pray about the opportunity and time for you to contact each one to gage their true interest. Make sure you have called a Asian Access mobilizer to answer all of the questions that were brought up at the first meeting. Be prepared to answer those at this meeting. Figure out the length of the trip that will work for the majority of the people and begin the application/screening process with your screening committee for those that remain interested. The team member application can be downloaded at the same place as the team leader application [http://www.lifejapan.org/forms]. If you have more than four people other than yourself interested, it is possible to form two separate teams as long as there is a team leader for each one.
7. Screen the Applications
   Set up a committee of 3 people, with the missions pastor or staff member, plus the Team Leader and someone who has had missions experience. Read through the applications separately and make notes. Then have the committee set up a 15-20 minute interview with each applicant. Finally, as a committee, decide upon who should be on the team. Communicate your decisions to each applicant separately.
8. Thank the Lord for providing the team He had prepared for you.
   Don’t forget to be thankful for who He has chosen. Even though they may not be the same people you would have chosen, keep in mind that God has selected them to be a part of your team.
9. Send every team member’s application to Asian Access.
   If your own committee screens the applications, be sure to mail the original files to by March 14. However, if you want Asian Access to screen your applicants rather than your own committee, we will be happy to do so. In this case, you’ll need to send in their applications no later than March 7.

Shelley Belong is a Mobilization Specialist with Asian Access. If you would like her advice about finding team members, you can contact her at .