Decision Making
and God's Perspective:
continued...
3. Keep your passion alive by surrounding yourself with people who also love missions and ministry.
Our Christian community can provide perspective when we need it. They can remind us of our calling when the world's voice seems to grow louder than God's. They keep us honest about what God has us here for. I have watched friends who made commitments to missions, and then seen them get great jobs (nothing wrong with that, by the way!), and buy nice homes (nothing wrong with this either!) ... and get involved in comfortable churches … and then have a complete community in which no one even talks or thinks about missions. Something is wrong with this picture. God WILL call some of us to stay back and be senders. But the best supporters I have still have hearts for missions, and they continue to desire to be a part of what God is doing around the world.
Some practical ideas to stay linked with missions:
- Become a participant in your church's missions committee
- Volunteer at a missions organization
- Participate in your school's global outreach opportunities
- Find a retired missionary who lives nearby and meet with them regularly (nothing will fire you up more than this!).
- Read missionary biographies. During the five years between my Urbana experience and when I left for the mission field, I tried to read as many missionary biographies as I could find. And I would pray, "Lord, allow me to serve like Irene Webster Smith!" or "Give me a heart of humility like Amy Carmichael."
- Support an overseas missionary. Get their prayer letters; send them occasional encouraging emails.
- Get on the bike and participate in a short-term missions experience.
- Stay in touch with mission agencies you have connected with. Ask to be on their general mailing list. Call THEM once in a while and ask about how God is corporately directing them. Find out how you might fit into their ministries with your gifts and interests.
For further reading:
The Making of a Leader: Recognizing the Lessons and Stages of Leadership Development.
by J. Robert Clinton, 1988. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
A few good mission biographies:
A Chance to Die – the story of Amy Carmichael
by Elisabeth Elliot
Through Gates of Splendor – the story of Jim & Elisabeth Elliot
Inn of the Sixth Happiness – the story of Gladys Aylward
Mountain Rain – the story of J.O. Fraser
In the Arena – the story of Isobel Kuhn
Sensei: The life of Irene Webster-Smith
Irene Webster Smith: An Irish Woman Who Impacted Japan
by Sue Plumb Takamoto
Sue Plumb Takamoto (on left in picture) first went to Japan in 1984 on Asian Access’ summer program, and then spent three years in Japan from 1989 – ’92. She’s been in Asian Access' U.S. office since 1993 and now serves as Director of HRD. Sue is working on her Ph.D. in leadership studies at Fuller Theological Seminary. In September 2001, she and her husband Eric, along with Maltese Molly, plan to move to Sendai, Japan with Asian Access to work in a local church called L’Abri.
To find out more information about any of these missionary biographies listed above, you might check out Crosswalk.com or contact Sue Takamoto at
.
If you would like more information about Asian Access, call us toll-free at 1-800-543-3678 or email us at
. Or check us out on the web at http://www.asianaccess.org
