By John Patton
Surveys can tell you what you already know. You’ve felt it slip down your back, constrict your chest, look away in mortification, slide beneath your fake smile. The #1 obstacle to entering full-time ministry?
Fear of fundraising.
Tag: global work
Raising Support for Long-term Global Work: Voices from Around the Web
#BestOfTheBestFriday: Why We Go; Personality & Evangelism; The Gospel & Social Class
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Why We Go–Lest We Forget
Still wrestling through the decision to go–or needing a pick-me-up in the midst of all the prep (Remind me why I’m doing this again?)? Don’t miss Justin Bullington’s post with the heartfelt letters of a Papua New Guinean, pleading for global workers to come.
Evangelism and Your Personality Type
Yet another reason why we dig Jesus: Every person was an individual to him. He’d step away from the crowds to hear that one person crying out–and to ask them specific questions about where they were, right where he found them. It’s why Go. Serve. Love is keen on global work that isn’t McMissions. People are more than a one-size-fits all McMethod.
Ever wonder how personality should influence how you share Jesus–or how others receive it? Cru’s got some great tips on applying the Myers-Briggs personality profile to sharing Jesus.
Prayer: A Voice When Words Fail
#BestoftheBestFriday: Answering the Critics; Language Learning Infographic; Africa & China’s Unique Dynamics
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Is Missions a Joke? Answering the Critics
There are some well-aimed critiques being leveled at global work lately, which may make you question the validity of this work altogether. Amy Medina from A Life Overseas addresses some of the most painful and poignant criticism by authors/bloggers/podcasters like Corey Pigg, Emily Worrall, and Jamie Wright–the latter of whom writes, “I came off the mission field with a new mission which is to burn down missions.” This one is a must-read…and may explain a tiny bit of why Go. Serve. Love has recently released our self-assessments. Well done, Ms. Medina.
How Ready Am I? A Self-Assessment for Global Work, Part I
Reading Time: 3 minutes
When I was 23, an editor position opened up at the publishing house where I was working. In the vein of having integrity, I approached my boss with my interest in the position.
“You don’t have the chops for that job,” he told me point-blank.
His blithe directness, to be frank, chapped my hide. But looking back now, there’s no doubt in my mind he was right. I’m not sure if I have the chops for that particular job now. Yet it did make me take a look at the job itself and gradually appreciate just how off my self-assessment was–as well as my understanding of the job itself. And honestly, I buckled down to eventually be the kind of person who could qualify for a job like that.
#BestoftheBestFriday: Free UPG Prayer Guide; 8 “Ifs” to Reexamine; No One Mentioned That; Peru, the World Cup, and Global Work
Reading Time: 2 minutes
free prayer guide for the 31 largest unreached people groups
The William Carey Library has compiled this free daily prayer guide for the largest unreached people groups in the world. Download it here–and consider this free printable infographic for unreached people groups while you’re at it!
Eight “Ifs” I Don’t Believe So Much Anymore
Craig Thompson challenges “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well”, “If it’s important to you, then it’s important to God” and other phrases he’s put in perspective in his time on the field. Great words here.
Home Again: Telling Your Story
He Said/She Said. You Say? “How can I know if God’s calling/leading me overseas?” Part II
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Missed Part I? Grab it here.
Years ago my husband had a friend who was contemplating starting his own non-profit (oh. And he had a family with six kids. So there was that.)
Our friend decided to take forty days to fast and pray, in search of what he should do.
At the end of all this fasting and praying, my husband wanted to know: Did God show you what to do?
He Said/She Said. You Say? “How can I know if God’s calling/leading me overseas?” Part I
Reading Time: 5 minutes
I’ve written before that my husband’s and my decision to shuffle our family of six overseas wasn’t perhaps as clear as we would have liked. But when I finally arrived overseas, y’know the funny thing? Everyone’s story and path on how they got overseas was completely different.
None of us had heard an audible voice, to my knowledge. That would have been nice, considering all the times you wonder what in the world you’ve gotten yourself into; all the times you’re second-guessing because the work and the results didn’t look how you thought. Did I hear you right?