In This Issue: Practical Mobilization Readers Rock – Seven Great Ideas Inside
- Answers to “Gaping Voids in Mobilization”
- Buying Real Estate, Renting to International Students
- One Final Word
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Practical Mobilization by Shane Bennett is published once a month.
Dear Reader,
In the April Practical Mob. column, I asked two questions and floated out what I thought was a great funding idea. Some awesome feedback came in response. Below you’ll find the cream of the crop from MCat readers around the globe.
Answers to “Gaping Voids in Mobilization”
My first question was, “What are we missing in mobilization today? If you had a dozen people to deploy, either full- or part-time, to helping people who love Jesus connect with people who’ve never heard of him, what would you do with them?”
1. Refugee outreach ministry
David in Tucson said, “I would plug them in to our local refugee outreach ministry. We have 150 new refugees being settled every month in Tucson. So much opportunity to live out our mission statement of loving people to Jesus. What a great opportunity to be a blessing to the nations in our own backyard.”
2. Perspectives as discipleship
Fellow Hoosier and all-star Perspectives coordinator Dave Smith, points out, “One of the holes has to do with a person’s worldview. Some church people who don’t have a global view aren’t lame or evil, they’re just uninformed about what needs to happen inside and outside the church walls. Life takes on a different meaning when viewed through a Christ-centered lens. I am convinced that the whole church could benefit from the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement course. If every pastor knew the impact Perspectives might have on their parishioners, they would mandate it as part of discipleship within the church.”
3. Coordination of efforts
Justin writes, “What we’re missing in mobilization is coordination and unity. There are many missions mobilization organizations, but like our denominations, it feels like there isn’t much cohesion. Instead of working together, it seems like people start new organizations and go at it on their own. I think more coordinated efforts across denominational lines are needed within America, and more dialogue and interaction with the growing missions movements in Africa and Asia.”
What is happening to link mobilizers and help them learn from each other? If you know of things like Justin is asking for, please comment below.
4. Put the seeds out there
Johannes from South Africa (Can you hook us up with World Cup tickets?) starts his comment off with, “I pray that this makes sense,” then goes on to give some great insight. God heard and answered his prayer.
“I think the mobilizers are doing all they can to mobilize the church, and some are really doing a brilliant job. Sometimes though, I think they are trying too hard to convince people that missions is the thing to do. And it is … but it is not their (our) job to convince people. That is the job of the Holy Spirit.
“For 14 years I’ve been working in Zambia, South Africa, Botswana and Lesotho, planting churches and helping communities with farming. I know it is not that long of a time, but my idea of mobilizing is to approach church members the same way I approach a non-believer. The member who is sitting in the pew is not necessarily a believer in foreign missions, so to come and give a long sermon (nothing wrong) or long talk (does work with some) and never see the people again, well I think would not work for the ‘unbeliever of missions.’ Building a relationship though, and getting the trust helps. And giving lots of testimonies. Go back to a church on a regular basis so people can see and hear that lives are being changed.
“So what do I say? Missions must be ‘advertised’ (no, that is not a good word, but due to my limited English it’s got to do the job!) on a regular basis in the church. If you can only have five to ten minutes, take them. We do not always have to speak to the whole congregation. What about cell groups and other groups? Build relationships with one group at a time.
“Let’s take baby steps, build deep foundations for lasting results. This will help us avoid simply speaking to big groups and then, as they say in Africa, ‘build a missions lake that is a mile wide, but an inch deep.’
“All good things come in time. Just do what God told you to do. Don’t worry about the figures. You put the seeds out there and God will let them grow.”
5. Hospital in the middle of nowhere
Finally, my friend Phyllis offers the best “lay it on the line” mobilization challenge I’ve heard in a long time.
“Since I’ve seen you, I’ve accepted an appointment as a Hospital Director for a hospital in the middle of nowhere (South Asia) that has the greatest concentration of our adopted people group.
“Boy! I need doctors, nurses, x-ray techs, lab folks, literacy workers (since many of my own staff are illiterate), ESL workers, water well diggers, CHE workers, teachers for an English medium school, computer teacher, IS types to install an integrated hospital information system, dentists, eye doctors, solar power experts, agriculturalists who know desert irrigation techniques, micro-enterprise specialists, vets and managers.
“Some of these I could use short-term-ten days to three weeks-and some I need long-term.
“The chief problem is fear of the dangers in our war-torn neck of the woods. But I know if God can whistle and bring hornets and bees, or Assyrian warriors, he can whistle and bring badly needed medical people from around the world.
“This is a strategic opportunity at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia, along the Silk Road, at a strategic time in the unfolding of history for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
“I can house and feed those who come, but they will be in a locked and guarded compound. Will they give up their freedoms to free a people from their bondage to the enemy?”
Wow! Are you single and qualified? Ready to go all in? Let me know and I’ll pass your information along to Phyllis.
Buying Real Estate, Renting to International Students
And here are two ideas in response to April’s Funding Hat Trick blurb.
1. High-vacancy fix
Luke commented, “I’m interested in real estate, but am not that handy. I joined a local landlord association and attend meetings to learn about the business. I found that many landlords are frustrated with high-vacancy rents. I relayed at a recent meeting that I know a couple in an international student ministry, and asked the landlords to let me know if they have vacancies near a school. After the meeting I was swarmed with interested landlords.
“It would be really sweet if I could help set up and administer the situation you described and let the landlords take care of repairs, plumbing, etc.”
This might be a great service: Help vacancy-anxious landlords rent to international students. Beyond placement, you could work as a cultural interpreter, helping students and landlords bridge communication and worldview gaps. If you could negotiate for a placement fee, perhaps it would also be financially profitable.
2. Lightbearers Ministries
John passed along this about a ministry called Lightbearers: “In the little interaction I have had with them, they seem like an amazing ministry that operates along the same lines as your friend Brad. Here’s the summary directly from their website: ‘Lightbearers uses real estate near college campuses to generate revenue and mobilize money, prayer and manpower for strategic Great Commission initiatives. Our properties are to provide discipleship programs for students, and the rent income funds ministry projects around the world. Students and donors also engage in the mission projects they pray for and, in many cases, travel in support of them. That’s how we mobilize. That’s how we connect.'”
Thanks, John.
One Final Word
I also recently asked for ideas for an upcoming keynote at the Laity Session at the June Annual Conference of the Indiana United Methodist Church. I don’t have space this month to pass on some of the great responses, but would like to use 37 words (and ten seconds of your valuable time) to say this: If you’re reading this Practical Mobilization column on the day it was published (Wednesday, June 9th), the talk is tomorrow! I would love your prayers that God would accomplish all his purposes through this event. Thank you. (If you actually counted to make sure it was 37 words, you might like this TV show!)
Questions, comments, submissions? Contact us.
I often hear people talk about coordinating mission efforts. But before we jump on that bandwagon, can we talk about some real examples of problems that occurred because of a lack of coordination? I don’t like duplication and tripping over other missionary groups. But I do like decentralization. I’d prefer avoiding “corporate” style organizing, which usually sounds so very reasonable, because it might not allow room for the entrepreneurial ways that God often works–through individuals and very small groups. Sharing information by creating a large database about (a) what we’re all doing, (b) Best Practices, and (c) Big Mistakes We Made That You Might Want to Avoid, sounds good. But let’s not get in God’s way by gatekeeping.