Short-Term Mission Team Training Guide

SHORT-TERM MISSION TEAM TRAINING GUIDE

Preparation for a short-term mission trip is extremely important! It is essential that you make this a part of your trip by scheduling at least five team training meetings before you go. This advance preparation builds team unity and enables you to arrive on the field prepared to serve. The benefits your team will receive on a project have already, in part, been determined before you depart, based on the thoroughness of the preparation.

This manual contains outlines for five team meetings along with attached materials, handouts and forms. You may use this as you choose. Some may want to have five meetings as suggested here while other teams may need more or less.

We are eager to be resource persons and most certainly prayer warriors as you plan to lead a team on a short-term trip.

Jimmie and Martha Sue Mitchell

Global Outreach

First Presbyterian Church

512 Old Mt. Holly Road

Stanley, NC 28164

Phone: Church 704/263-4275

FAX: 704/263-0498

E-Mail: (Church)

(Home)

TEAM MEETING 1

PURPOSE: To have team members get to know each other

To start building team unity

To assign prayer partners and distribute paper work to be completed

OUTLINE:

• Meal or Lunch (60 min.)

Who: Team members only

When: Lunch on Sunday seems to work well, but you may choose an evening.

What: Team leader/volunteers may prepare a typical meal from the country

where you are going or you may order a deli tray.

• Overview of Trip (10 min.)

Where we are going and why – If you have been there previously, share your experience

When we are going

When we will meet - Schedule of team meetings

• Introduction of Team (15 min.)

Ask each team member to introduce themselves and tell a little bit about

themselves and why they are going. (NOTE: Each participant must be a

Christian. Short-term mission projects are designed for the maturing Christians--

those who are serious about deepening their commitment to Jesus Christ. It is not

the place to evangelize the members of your group. Requirements for

participation (church member status, age, etc.) should be set by your pastor,

Elders or Missions Committee.)

Introduce team leaders: Spiritual, Construction, VBS , Photography, First-Aid

• Prayer Partners (10 min.)

Assign prayer partners and give them time to meet together before leaving to

discuss particular prayer requests. People listed on the same day should pray for each

other daily; team members should pray for the persons listed on each specific day.

(See attachment #1 – Prayer Calendar.)

• Explanation of Fund Raising (10 min.)

NOTE: In order to be tax deductible all checks should be designated to the

church rather than to an individual. Receipts should be sent from the church.

Each individual should write personal thank you notes to donors.

(See attachment #2 – Financial Support Letter.)

• Paper Work (10 min.)

Hand out individual forms and ask them to bring them back completed to the

next team meeting along with their passport. See list of forms included in this booklet.

Team leaders should keepone copy and leave one copy with church office.

TEAM MEETING 2

PURPOSE: To handle necessary paperwork

To give information about the country, the customs and MTW policies

To formulate team covenant and work on testimonies

OUTLINE:

• Devotional (10 min.)

You may want to ask a different team member to do this each time

• History/Culture/Policies (20 min.)

Introduce the country and customs to the team

Use a media presentation if available

Present information on smoking and dating (See attachment #3 – These are MTW

policies and we find them wise even though you may not be on a MTW trip.)

• Music (10 min.)

Begin teaching songs you will use while on the trip. It is good to prepare one song

in English to sing as a group in one of the worship services while on the trip.

• Break (10 min.) Prayer partners may meet together to share and pray.

• Team Covenant (10 min.)

Write a team covenant expressing in a concise way your purpose/mission

statement for going. (See attachment #4 – Team Covenant/Tongue Assignment)

• Tongue Assignment (5 min.)

Introduce Tongue Assignment and give each team member a copy.(See attachment #4)

• Paperwork (10 min.)

Take up release/health forms and check to be sure each is complete. Make copies of

passports. NOTE: Some countries require a visa. If so, distribute forms for this that you

secure from their embassy.) Get information to be included on Team Summary List - Name, address, phone, e-mail,shirt size if you plan to have a team shirt, emergency contact. If you use the MTW Release Forms, the shirt sizes are all you need.

• Testimonies (15 min.)

Spiritual leader to share his/her testimony

Give initial guidelines for preparing/sharing testimonies (See attachment #5 –

How to Share Your Testimony)

• Language (15 min.)

(See Spanish language helps at back of booklet. Check other resources if you are going to a non-English or non-Spanish speaking country.)

TEAM MEETING 3

PURPOSE: To equip team members to share testimonies

To lay groundwork for good health procedures

To begin to use language skills

OUTLINE:

• Devotional (10 min.)

• Testimonies (30 min.)

Come back together and let 1/3 of group share their testimonies.

• Break (10 min.) Prayer partners should meet together to share and pray.

• Songs (10 min.)

Review songs from last week

Learn one new song

• Language (15 min.)

Practice what you learned last week and add new words/phrases.

• Health Information (10 min.)

Go over guidelines for physical preparation for the trip being careful to explain

the rationale for these. It helps to eat yogurt each day for several weeks before

going.

Mention good health practices to observe while in the foreign country.

(See attachment #6 – Health Information)

• Helpful Hints (10 min.)

Bathroom procedure – Because of sewage problems in third world countries, they

do not flush paper down the toilet. There is a trashcan provided for the paper.

Money exchange – Give the current money exchange rate for the country to which

you are going. It is generally better for team members to carry cash in smaller bills

rather than traveler’s checks. Bills must be clean, i.e. no marks

Phoning home – It may or may not be possible for team members to phone home.

They should not promise to do so. Our policy is that “no news is good news.” If

you do phone, it is best to purchase a phone card in the country. Some may have an

international plan for their cell phones.

• Questions/Answers (10 min.)

Distribute individual financial reports during this time.

TEAM MEETING 4

PURPOSE: To review what you have been learning

To plan for Vacation Bible School/outreach ministry

To go over packing list and other helpful hints

OUTLINE:

• Devotional (10 min.)

• Songs (10 min.)

Are you able to sing them from memory yet?

• Testimonies (20 min.)

Give other team members opportunity to share testimonies

• Break (10 min.) Prayer partners meet together.

• Language (20 min.)

Review, add new phrases, check up to be sure they are learning

Practice simple conversational phrases.

Invite a person who speaks the language of the country to which you are going

to meet with you if possible.

• Vacation Bible School (30 min.)

Let the VBS leader go over each day’s outlines and assign responsibilities

• Packing List (10 min.)

What to take - this is time to give helpful hints and mention any luggage

limitations. (See attachment #7 – Packing List)

• Questions/Answers (10 min.)

Give financial updates

TEAM MEETING 5

PURPOSE: To review what you have learned

To learn about cultural bridge building techniques

To go over travel plans

OUTLINE:

• Devotional (10 min.)

• Vacation Bible School (20 min.)

Review plans for VBS and be sure everyone understands their responsibility

• Songs (10 min.)

• Testimonies (15 min.)

Let team members who have not done so share their testimonies

• Break (10 min.) Prayer partners should meet together to share and pray.

• Bridge Building (20 min.)

(See attachment #8 – Bridge Building)

• Language (15 min.)

• Travel Schedule (10 min.)

Go over the travel schedule. All countries require a passport.

Distribute a list of emergency phone numbers and travel schedule to leave with

family members.

What time will you meet to go to airport?

How will you get there?

Will everyone wear team shirts?

• Commissioning Service

Make arrangements with pastor for this and give date/time to team members

• Questions/Answers (10 min.)

PRAYER CALENDAR

Send a letter like this to anyone you think might help.

1. Enclose an envelope addressed to the church with SUPPORT: MEXICO MISSION TRIP at the bottom. This seems to help with the responses!
2. You might want to enclose a card that can be returned indicating their decision to support you financially and/or in prayer. See sample card below.
3. The church office staff will be happy to make copies of your letter on letterhead .

SAMPLE SUPPORT LETTER

Central Carolina Presbytery is sending ten short-term mission teams to Mexico this spring and summer. Each of these teams will spend one week in Merida, located in the Yucatan peninsula, helping construct a church building for Moriah Mission Church. In addition the teams will teach Vacation Bible School, share their testimonies in worship services and perhaps offer some English classes in order to reach the students with the Gospel.

When the announcement was made in my church, I put my name on the list to go for the week of (Date)! I believe that God wants me to dedicate a week of my time to assist in this cross-cultural mission.

I am writing to ask if you will help me in the following ways:

Pray for me and our team as we prepare for the physical and spiritual work. Pray that we will be unified and care for each member of the team. Pray that we will be able to clearly share Christ with people we meet.

Would you consider a financial contribution? The cost of the trip is (Amount) which includes airfare, building materials and on-site expenses. If you will help, you may make a tax deductible contribution payable to (Name of your church) designatedfor Mexico Mission Trip. For tax purposes, you should not write the name of the individual team member on the check. Please return the check and card in the enclosed envelope. A receipt will be sent to you from the church.

Thank you for considering being a part of my team!

MISSIONS PARTNER

I would like to assist (Your Name) in the 2013 Mexico Mission Project by:

Praying for him/her regularly before and during the project

____contributing ______towards the cost of the mission

Name

Address

MISSION TO THE WORLD POLICIES

ISSUES OF PERSONAL CHOICE

We understand that smoking and drinking are not specifically prohibited by scripture and that the debate will continue on whether or not Christians ought to smoke/drink. Our position on the use of tobacco and alcohol during projects is not based on biblical mandate, rather it is born out of our experience in cross-cultural ministry.

1. THE USE OR PURCHASE OF ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED. PARTICIPANTS WHO USE OR PURCHASE ALCOHOL WILL BE SENT HOME AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.

1. NO SMOKING WILL BE ALLOWED.

The following reasons have brought us to this position:

a)Cultural sensitivity dictates this policy. In most of our foreign projects, smoking is viewed by the nationals we work with as inappropriate behavior for Christians. Since we are guests in their country and do not want to do anything that would compromise their witness, we defer to their standards and norms.

b)If someone is smoking on a project, it doesn’t take long for the energies of the group to be directed, in part, to the conflict this creates and thus draws the focus away from the primary task.

c)In many of our project locations, there are restrictions against smoking in some housing and campus areas we will be using. Our experience shows that when smokers participate they tend to withdraw from the team in order to find a location where they can smoke. This works against the very goal of team unity we are attempting to nurture on these projects.

Some may object by saying we have not remained neutral on an issue where no clear absolute exists. In situations such as this there is no neutral position. Given the reasons stated above, we believe that the overall interest of the project is best served by this prohibition.

DATING

It is MTW policy that “dating” or coupling on short-term projects is not allowed. The purpose of the short-term experience is to concentrate on your personal relationship with the Lord and to work together as a team. Dating hinders these objectives and will cause one to possibly forfeit a life-changing experience.

MERIDA MISSION TEAM COVENANT

We are going to Merida, Yucatan, Mexico for the purpose of helping construct a

Mission church. In addition, we want to have an evangelistic outreach to children,

teens and adults through a Vacation Bible School.

We commit ourselves to serving Christ through our work and our worship as we seek

to share His love with the Mexican people.

We covenant to pray for each other regularly, to uplift and encourage one another; to

have a positive attitude; to meet daily as a team for Bible study and prayer while on

the trip; to be sensitive to the Mexican people. We also commit to using the “Tongue

Assignment” as a guide for our conversation.

We seek to grow in our understanding of God’s will for our lives and in our

obedience to Him.

TONGUE ASSIGNMENT

1. Do not complain or grumble.

2. Do not boast about anything.

3. Do not gossip or repeat a matter.

4. Do not run someone down--even a little bit.

5. Do not defend or excuse yourself, no matter what.

6. Do always affirm one another.

How to Share Your Testimony
As a believer, you have a story to tell. Sharing how you came to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and what He has done in your life since then is an effective tool to get people to talk about the gospel. Here are some suggestions to help you learn to share your personal testimony.
Step 1 - Before
What was your life like before you knew Christ?

Those who accepted Christ as a child will not have as much to say about this as those who came to Christ later in life.
Step 2 - How
How did you feel the need for Christ?

Tell about the events that led to your conversion.

What are the steps you took to become a Christian. If you have a Scripture verse that applies, use it here. Always use scripture somewhere in your story.
It is good to include the gospel here.

• God’s Purpose: Peace and Life. God loves you and wants you to have abundant life. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10b

• Our Problem: Sin “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
• The Penalty: Death “For the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23

• God’s Remedy: The Cross - Christ paid the penalty. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:28
• Our Response: Receive Christ - We must trust Christ for salvation. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” John 1:12

Step 3 - After
How has your life been different since you accepted Christ?

How has God directed you, blessed you and used you? Be sure not to brag about yourself, but to point to God. Here again, you may use a scripture verse that has become your "life verse."

Remember

It is good to write out your testimony. Share it with a friend. Have both a short and long version. Get familiar with what you've written down and be able to tell it without reading it. Remember that you are the best one to tell your own story. You are the expert. Ask God to help you share your testimony in a way that will bring honor and glory to Him.

HEALTH INFORMATION

All mission projects, regardless of where you go and what you do, will be for most people, a change in routine and structure. In addition to the stress this can create, most of the participants will be using muscles they do not normally use—at least not to the extent they will use them on the project. The diet will be different and travel will have an effect on their bodies. Therefore, it is wise to take steps in the following areas to help maximize your time on the field by minimizing the physical effects.