4 more ways to bless an international church…
Last month we shared 3 activities that could be incorporated into your next mission trip, but the list goes on! This month we’re sharing the rest of our list of practical missions activities that bless the church abroad. Ideas 1-3 included Construction, ESL classes, and Bible teaching. Let’s pick up at #4:
4. Open Air Evangelism (Iglesia Crecer - Córdoba, Argentina)
No doubt your mission team’s ultimate goal, no matter what activity they are doing, is to boost the local church so that more people would come to know Christ. Open-air evangelism is a straightforward way to do this.
The Crecer Foundation aims to have all outreach activities (ESL camps, trade schools, etc.) include a time of evangelism. However, nothing is more exciting than sharing the gospel yourself, one-on-one, with someone else.
Iglesia Crecer did this in Cachi, Argentina, in July 2016. The small local church in the mountainous region of Cachi aimed to reach the entire town with invitations to church, gospel tracts, and information about their services. The team of 8 from Iglesia Crecer in Cordoba split into groups, each with a translator, to canvas different neighborhoods. Their initial goal was to take the church pamphlets door to door with a friendly greeting and personal invite to an upcoming church service. Whenever possible, they would go deeper in conversation with the person and share the gospel.
Certainly, one-on-one evangelism is something that local Christians can do and (in healthy congregations) already do participate in. However, there is something special about a foreigner sharing the Word, and locals are often more respectful of someone who has sacrificed time and money to travel to their town to meet them.
Argentines are especially fascinated with “gringos” and greatly appreciate it when an American takes the time to learn about their culture. This enthusiasm for American tourists provides a great icebreaker to lead into deeper conversations when a team is evangelizing door-to-door or in public spaces.
5. Trade Schools (Redeemer Church of Abilene - Abilene, =TX)
In 2019, a group of welders from Redeemer Church in Texas came down on a mission trip. They brought their tools and were able to help with a construction project. But they didn’t limit themselves to construction only.
Each night of their trip, they held trade schools to teach others in the community how to weld. These classes were free, offering locals a chance to boost their resumes and seek new job opportunities (a vast need for a country with a 39% poverty rate).
Like ESL camps, Trade Schools conclude the week with a gospel presentation. After a week spent developing relationships in the classes, students were all the more receptive when their teachers told them about Christ.
If your mission team knows a skill that can be taught at a high level - mechanics, drywalling, computer repair, etc. - start dreaming about how you could turn this skill into a class that would bless workers abroad and open the door to share the gospel with them.
6. Service (Nickell family - Bellmead, TX)
Talk to the local pastor or missionary you will visit, and undoubtedly they will invite you to share in the ministries and outreach programs they are involved in. However, if you dig a little deeper, you will discover a laundry list of items that need to get done behind the scenes.
When the Nickell family traveled from Texas for a family mission trip, they were open to whatever chore or activity would serve the local church. While dad John worked in specialized welding construction to bless Seminario Carey, mom Libbie and the kids spent the week knocking out the to-do list accumulating as the church grew. Deep clean and reorganize the church kitchen. Paint the crown molding. Babysit for the missionaries so they can finally go on a date night.
Other teams have served by cataloging books for the Seminary library or sorting through donations so churches in poor rural areas have clothes and shoes to offer impoverished families.
You may have a clear direction and project you would like to take on during your mission trip. Or perhaps you’re not looking for one main activity: you just want to help. If that’s the case, don’t hesitate to ask your pastor or missionary contact: what menial things would you like to get done but
7. Youth Outreach (First Baptist Church - Boise, ID)
Working with kids and teens is an excellent opportunity to reach an entire family with the gospel. Parents who may have their walls up towards religion are often much more open upon seeing their kids’ joy after a day at VBS or a weekend at camp. We’ve repeatedly seen how a strategic children’s program can reach local youth and grow the church.
Argentina celebrates Children’s Day in August, a great time to plan youth outreach events. This is precisely what teens from First Baptist Church of Boise did. The mission team honed their balloon-tying, face-painting, and clown-acting skills and held Children's Day events all week long in the tiny town of La Rinconada. Kids came daily to play, sing, and learn about Jesus; moms and grandparents often hung around too.
Other teams have targeted teens, particularly with sports. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter of the University of Texas sent a few of its football players to work with local sports teams and improve their skills in what is still a very niche sport in Argentina. Local young people faithfully attended every practice, and friendships developed as the week went on. These young people were eager to hear the testimonies of the college players.
Chances are, your church has already held a kid's event or two or perhaps has an entire youth ministry (or even sports ministry) already developed. Recreating these youth activities abroad - with a few local adaptations, of course - can be advantageous to reaching new families with the gospel.
As you prepare your group for a mission trip, remember: there’s no “right” way to assemble a mission team other than those the Lord is calling to go and serve. But logistically, it can be helpful to have a direction and talk with the native pastor, organization, or missionary to find out what will be the biggest blessing for them. Simultaneously, talking to your team and seeing their capabilities is a good idea. Your student ministries team may or may not be the right fit for a trade school outreach!
If you’re a bit lost on how to get started on mission trip planning, The Crecer Foundation is a great resource to handle all the trip logistics for your church. We ensure you’re involved in the planning but take care of all flights, translators, food, project planning, lodging, etc. All you have to do is SERVE.
You can learn more about Doing Missions via our free resource (Download now!) written by Sam Masters. You have the opportunity to change lives during a mission trip, and equally importantly, God can use a mission trip to change you.