Creative Missions Conferences

by Diane Wido, Mike and Ruth Davis

What could be more exciting than to hear what God is doing in so many lives in other parts of the world and know that you have a direct part in that activity? Many believe we are not far from the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. If that is so (and I believe it is!), where should we be spending our resources—financial, time, and personal? Missions Conference offers a time when we can focus on our reason for existing and how we should be living in light of that purpose. It is a time for rejoicing! It is also a time to be challenged out of our stayed patterns to think creatively how we can communicate the importance of our call as a church to world evangelization. We trust that you will find the following material helpful as you plan for your next missions conference or event.

A WORD TO THE PASTOR:

Missions in the local church is dependent on the involvement and heart attitude of the pastor. In evaluating churches with a high level of commitment to missions, a key factor has been the leadership of the senior pastor in creating a vision of reaching the world for Christ. A Global Heartbeat must be demonstrated by the senior pastor in preaching and lifestyle. Every pastor should have the opportunity to work in a foreign missions project, exposing him to the challenges of cross-cultural ministry. No one can truly understand the joys, challenges, blessings and heartbreak of missions work until he or she experiences it first-hand.

As a pastor approaches the work of missions, he must verbally communicate his passion. In the days leading up to missions events, the pastor must set the pace. Through the Word of God, he must show God’s heart for reaching the world. An excellent resource for missions preaching is the book Let the Whole World Know—Resources for Preaching on Missions by Richard R. DeRidder and Roger S. Greenway. This Baker Book House book features sixteen sermon outlines with missions themes, thirty-eight missions illustrations, and twenty-seven missions Scripture devotionals and several preaching outlines to assist the local pastor in sermon preparation. (taken from Global Heartbeat, p. 107).

RESOURCES:

Let me list up front some resources readily available to you that will help in the preparation of your missions conference or event.

1. GLOBAL HEARTBEAT, a missions resource notebook

2. KIDS ON A MISSION, a missions education curriculum.

3. ALLIANCE VIDEO MAGAZINE

4. BEST IDEAS – A compilation of the best in Christian Education from over 400 Alliance churches – has a great section on missions.

5. The new ALLIANCE LIFE magazine

6. THE PRAYER CONNECTION

7. BUILDING A GREAT COMMISSION KID (GCK) – Four lessons developed by Alliance Christian educators on the biblical basis for becoming a GCK.

8. HOW TO CONDUCT A SUCCESSFUL KIDS’ MISSIONS FESTIVAL A TO Z – A book designed to equip leaders with all they need to effectively lead a kids’ missions’ festival.

9. MISSIONS PRAYER TOOLS FOR CHILDREN A TO Z – A book identifying ways to creatively teach and involve children in missions-focused praying.

10. SEARCH AND RESCUE – A thematic missions’ education module containing all you need to lead a meaningful kids’ missions’ festival.

11. KIDS ON A MISSION MUSICAL – A meaningful kid’s musical to present in a small or large church. Sheet music, script, props and costume patterns, CD sound track, and poster included.

12. KIDS ON A MISSION WITNESS (KOAM) BRACELETS CRAFT KIT – Contains all you need to make eight KOAM witness bracelets with reproducible witnessing outline for children.

13. All of the above resources are available through the C&MA Service Center, 1-877-284-3262.

14. The C&MA Web site www.cmalliance.org  for Great Commission information and news.

15. THE ALLIANCE WORLD missions education resource produced by Christian Publications, Inc.; call 1-800-233-4443.
    

When should we get started? -- Building a Timeline (taken from "Global Heartbeat")

Planning is vital to getting the maximum number of people involved in the missions conference. Adapt this plan to maximize the conference in your local church.

• A Prayer Team that will meet weekly is established.

• The pastor is encouraged to preach a missions sermon.

• The Publicity/Communications Team (PCT) is provided with the videos supplied by the Missions Mobilization Office (877) 284-3262. The team is encouraged to schedule the video clips to be shown in the larger public worship services of the church.

• The Program Team establishes the special events that will be a part of the conference. Initial contacts are made with prospective coordinators for each event. Contact the missionaries for the conference and discuss their areas of ministry expertise.

• The Prayer Team schedules special prayer times and prepares a list of current missions prayer requests solicited from the missionaries who will be part of the upcoming conference.

• The PCT shows video clips in the services and establishes contact with the newspaper concerning an article.

• The Music/Worship/Drama Team (MWD) teaches the theme song for the conference and rehearses a drama presentation.

• The pastor preaches a sermon on missions.

• The Program Team confirms the recruitment of the event coordinators.

• The missionaries are notified of the ministry plans for the conference and housing arrangements are confirmed.

• The Prayer Team sponsors special times of prayer at the church and in homes in the community.

• The PCT schedules the "Faith Promise" video provided by the C&MA National Office Service Center. Articles are submitted to the local newspaper. Announcements are submitted to the church secretary for the church bulletin. An outdoor sign has been placed. Bulletin inserts have been prepared for distribution.

• The Decoration Team displays the posters from the National Office missions kit. The sanctuary and foyer displays are in place. Costumes have been solicited for special events.

• The Program Team contacts all coordinators concerning any last-minute details which need to be addressed.

• The MWD provides a skit to promote the conference.

• The PCT announces the missionaries who will be coming and displays pictures of them. Brief biographical sketches are included in the bulletin.

• The MWD provides a short video in the services.

• The Missions Leadership Team chairperson shares the amount of the Faith Promise for missions from this past year.

• Public prayer continues for the upcoming conference.

• Newspaper ads are sent to the publishers for printing.

• Broadcast ads are sent to the local radio station.

• A special bulletin insert listing the upcoming plans for the conference is prepared and includes the need for people to help clean-up after missions events.

• The PCT provides pictures of the missionaries coming for the conference in the bulletin.

• The MWD provides a special skit.

• The PCT provides a short video clip.

• The PCT confirms all advertising and video clips.

• The Decorations Team places all final decorations in the church.

• The Faith Promise cards are included in the bulletin. The pastor explains the cards to the congregation.

• The Program Team sends a note of encouragement to each event coordinator.

• The Prayer Team continues to pray for the missionary team.

• Pledge cards are placed in the worship center and foyer.

• The program Team encourages the coordinators for each event.

• The Program Team distributes and collects a written evaluation of the conference.

• The Faith Promise is received and pastor announces the final results to the congregation.

• A love offering is collected for the missionaries who spoke.

• The Prayer Team develops a list of answered prayers and distributes it to those who were a part of the Prayer Team.

• The Program Team writes thank-you notes to all those involved in the conference including the missionary speakers.

• The Faith Promise report is given to the congregation.

• The Program Team contacts the missionaries on tour and asks for an update on their ministry. This information is shared with the congregation. This team meets for a time of evaluation and planning for next year.

ISSUES TO ADDRESS:

"People don't come out to services during the week."
Reality today... the American lifestyle has become hectic and complex. Time savers, such as cell phones don't necessarily make life simpler. The working mother, kids activities in multiple directions and a struggle for family time make families hesitant or unable to get a church meeting every night during missions conference. This is
reality. We must start with this assumption and work towards how to impact each family, each person, in a significant way during missions conference.

VISUAL LEARNERS

Boomers are referred to as the "Sesame Street generation." It reminds us that Boomers and Busters (Generation X) have become visual learners.
They learn watching television, videos, and computer screens. These audio-visuals have increased in quality, speed and special effects so that one can easily lose interest or get frustrated with a slower moving program.

VALUE TIME MORE THAN MONEY

Boomers and Busters (Generation X) value their time more than their money. Some feel missions has little to do with them. To sit and passively listen is seen as poor use of their time. Involve them, interact with them and give them input, and they will feel it is worth being there.

EXAMPLES OF CREATIVE AND INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES

1. Object lessons

2. Demonstrations and activities

3. Skits

4. Puppets

5. Role Playing

6. Games

7. Service projects

8. Crafts and creative activities

9. Discussions, panel, question and answer

10. Videos and Contemporary Christian Music

Interactive activities make people feel included and involved. Involve as many of the senses as you can... sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. You might have one person to participate up front or an entire congregation participating. The idea is to draw them in, hold their attention, help them remember, enhance their learning and memory, and touch their hearts.

BENEFITS OF INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES

1. HOOK - like the bait on the fishhook, it can capture them and draw
   them in.

2. TRIGGER - after they go home, a visual illustration or action may
   trigger them to remember better.

3. SUSTAIN INTEREST - keep from getting bored. Hold their interest
   through the time period.

4. UNDERSTANDING - looking at something several ways, or a fresh way,
   creates new understanding.

5. CHANGED LIVES - paying attention, new understanding or a touch can
   change a life forever.

VARY THE MISSION CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Target a specific audience:

Children's focus : kids mini-conference, kids night, kids Saturday brunch, AWANA night, children's choir number, children performing missions skit or drama, missions skit with puppets, missions skit with clowns, global game and craft fair, airplane trip simulation, passport stations, and so on.

Teen focus : pizza night, service project, sports event or tailgate party with the missionary, water fight with talk on spiritual battle, missions skit night, exciting mission video pieces. 

Small group focus : If your church has small group ministries, have the missionary meet with them. Or set up meetings in homes. The informal times of interaction with the missionary are valuable and enjoyable. Show a clip from Alliance Video magazine from the missionary's country. Give opportunity for people to ask questions.

Meetings with other specific groups in your church:

Women : Style show, salad night, mother-daughter banquet, ladies night out collecting fun bath and kitchen goodies for the missionary's wife and kids.

Men : Basketball night at the gym, "mechanical challenges on the mission field," father-son night, etc.

Seniors : Brunch or luncheon with the missionary.

Informal times with the missionary : The number one factor making a difference for people NEVER involved with missions before is personal contact with the missionary. Encourage party, sports, food and small group opportunities for interaction times (and be sure to give the missionary official time to share with the group). Involve people
who've never had a missionary over for a meal or to host the missionary. Offer a free missions T-shirt or book, "You can change the world" to whoever signs up for a missionary.

CREATIVE MEETINGS

Talk show / interview /game night: Plan a creative night interviewing the missionary, having games (see new Alliance Women's workbook for ideas), showing informative video clip, special music, skit... the possibilities of an evening like this are endless.

Music and/or drama night : A Christmas pageant or Christmas concert in many churches brings good attendance, though they takes months of practice and cooperation. Plan to put on a production. 

Food : International night can include take-out foods such as pizza, Chinese and tacos. A meal provided at church especially so working  parents can just come from work. International dinner, theme dinner, tacos served by youth, picnic, Saturday continental breakfast, salad night and so on.

Party night : In many countries there are parties for all kinds of events. Try having a birthday party for the missionary, party for the # of years on the mission field, party to celebrate a work of God in their country, international party (invite international students), celebrate all nations before God's throne with a crown theme.

Sunday morning worship service : Numerous people rarely attend other church events, so put a lot of planning into the Sunday service of missions conference, and the Sunday before and after missions conference. THE PASTOR IS THE KEY! Consider using a missions or evangelism skit, Alliance Video magazine, the missions conference video, special music related to missions, contemporary Christian song on video related to missions,
Parade of nations (variation using only children), etc. If your conference begins on a Sunday evening, design a Sunday morning service using some of the above ideas—even if you don’t have a missionary present.

Promotion is vital! Inform about missions conference and encourage the events with enthusiasm!!

Some Principles for Good Promotion

From ACMC Helpbook, How to Get Your Congregation Involved in Missions.
By David Mays, Great Lakes Regional Director from ACMC

• Make it bright, bold and catchy.

• Use as few words as possible.

• Be clever, but not too clever.

• Involve as many senses as possible.

• Make it frequent and ubiquitous.

• Use interviews, drama and skits.

• Include church leaders. People love to see the pastor in a skit.

• Make it much larger than you think it needs to be.

• Assume nobody sees or hears or reads it.

• Involve lots of people in the promotion effort.

• Recruit professionals for design and production.

• Make it professional. People do judge a book by its cover.

• Spend money as needed.

• Use video.

• Project on a big screen before, between and after services.

• Take your message to each ministry personally.

• Anything from the pulpit must be first class.

• Pattern after the best you've seen and heard.

• Make it modern, contemporary, cutting edge.

• Be creative.

• Start well in advance.

Finally, some creative examples

Object lessons

Books on object lessons at Christian bookstores may trigger an idea that you can apply to your situation. You may think of an object on your field that illustrates a point to your lesson or story. If you had several object lessons you could use, you could have a bag with several items in it, and have someone pick one out of the bag. Here is an
object lesson as an example :

Story of the nail. In a remote part of the world a missionary tried to tell people about the nails in Jesus' hands on the cross. They had no nails in their society, and could not grasp it. One day the missionary opened a tin can of fruit, and there was a nail packaged in the can. He showed it and explained how that object was thrust through Jesus flesh for them. (From C&MA Office of Christian Education - video 1997, Getting to Know Jesus. Phone # 719-599-5999).

Demonstrations and Activities

Demonstrations and activities can involve many people and keep people's attention. It usually has a big impact too, because they feel the dilemma and draw the parallels.

SOURCES

15 skits and demonstrations. From Caleb Project. Caleb Project : 10 West Dry Creek Circle, Littleton CO 80120. (303) 730-4177.

Champ, Marie and Dorothy Lander. Bright Ideas! Packet 1 is for Teens
and adults, Packet 2 is for grades 1-6, Packet 3 is for Toddlers. Order
from Wycliff Bible Translators Children's task force. 4200 SE Jenning
Ave. Portland OR 97267-6415. 1-800-269-2007.

Friesen, Bob and Sandy. Reach around the World : 52 Global Awareness
Activities for Christian Youth. Wheaton : Victor Publishing, 1994, 144p. (Out of print. Being
reprinted by Gospel Publishing/AG).

IDEAS

Balloon demonstration -from Wycliff BibleTranslators (inequality of
those who haven't heard)

Moderator has two piles of deflated balloons. One pile has four balloons to represent the population of the United States (to be explained later in the demonstration.) The other pile has 40 or more balloons representing the population of the world (or something like 20 to represent a given unreached region) The moderator asks for volunteers to help. He chooses four to represent the U.S. and one to represent the world (or given region.) However, at this point they aren't told whom they are representing.

The moderator explains the contest. "When I say 'GO' you are to begin blowing up the balloons and popping them. The first team to finish popping ALL the balloons in their pile wins. Ready, set, GO!" (Do not pause to let them fuss about the inequality of it.)

Encourage the audience to cheer for the participants, maybe even dividing the group and assigning a team to each. Obviously, the team with one participant to one balloon is going to beat the one person trying to blow up 40 balloons. Congratulate them, then ask them, or the audience if they thought this was a fair contest. Undoubtedly they will say no; ask them to explain. Let them sit down.

In the US there are quite a few people (hold up the four popped balloons) and many pastors, churches and parachurch organizations making God's instructions for life available and understandable for the people. In the world, however, (or given region; hold up the many balloons unpopped) there are many, many people who do not know about God or His Word and very few people are there to teach them. They need our help.


Candy Demonstration: (inequality of those who haven't heard)

Similar to the above demonstration, on one side of the class throw a few pieces of candy. To the other side throw out 99% of the candy. Then ask if this was fair. Why not, etc. Tell about how part of the world has the gospel widely available and the other part has very limited access. Ask what needs to be done.


Worldview Demonstration: adapted from Caleb Project (explains UPGs and
reached peoples)

Each person called up front represents approximately 1/2 billion people and the religious orientation they represent. You need a piece of paper with the word of the religion [in brackets] on it and a few props.

Reached People Groups (North and South America, Southern half of Africa, parts of Asia...)

1. [Active Christians] Call 1 person up to hold a Bible. 1/2 billion
   who know the Bible and love God.

2. [Nominal Christians] Call 2 and give each a name tag that says
   "Christian." 1 billion Christian in name only.

3. [Non-Christians within reach of a church] Call 3 people up and give
   each a pair of sunglasses. These are people with access to the gospel
   (ex: churches, Bibles) but they don't see it.

Have these on 1 side of the platform. They represent nearly 3 billion people in the world with access to the gospel. Are they all Christians though? No. There is a need to help them see Christ. Now we are going to look at parts of the world with limited or no access to the Gospel. Most are found geographically in the 10/40 window.

Unreached People Groups

1. [Atheists/Chinese] Call 1 person up and put a red scarf around their neck. He represents 1/2 billion atheists in the world. China has 1 billion people but only 62% consider themselves atheists.

2. [Muslims] Call 2 people up. I usually call a man and woman and put a
   big African robe on the man and a scarf around the lady's head. Nearly
   1 billion Muslims. Fastest growing religion in U.S.

3. [Hindus] Call a woman or girl up and put a dot on forehead (I use
   little red dots from Office Max). Most are found in India.

4. [Buddhists] [Animistic Tribal Groups] Call 1 person up to represent
   both groups, as neither one is 1/2 billion. Drape an orange cloth over
   1 shoulder for the Buddhist, and place a wooden necklace for Tribal
   Groups.

Ask 10 people to come up to represent missionaries and go stand by someone who needs Jesus. Then I ask "What is wrong with this picture?" I ask them to redistribute so there is only 1 on the UPG side and the other 9 on the Reached People Group side. In reality 1 out of every 10 missionaries goes to the reached regions. There is a need there for people to know Jesus, but this helps us to see the distribution of resources. The finances are even more startling. 1 penny out of every dollar goes to the Unreached side and 99 cents stays in the reached areas.


Barnyard Animals Activity: Reach Around the World (language frustrations and need to reach out)

Ask everyone in the room to choose a barnyard animal, begin making that sound (optional -ask people to close their eyes) and find others who are the same. Group together. When it calms down, ask a few questions. What groups are represented? How did you feel searching for others like you, and how'd you feel finding them? Is anyone alone? How did you feel being the only one? What did you think of this? Talk about
language study application... to learn a new language. Or how our tendency is to group with those like us (people groups) with a common language and culture. (I've done it with adults, too).

SKITS, MIME, CHORAL READINGS, RAPS:

Caleb Project (see address under demonstrations) has skits, a mime a choral reading and a rap. One could take scripture passages related to missions and create a choral reading for people to come up and read. Many skits need to be practiced ahead of time. I have taken simple skits and chose players to come up and read the script. Comical skits can really loosen people up and break down barriers about missions.


PUPPETS

Take a skit and have puppets perform it. Have puppets lip sync a missions song. Have puppets discuss or tell a story about a missionary. Use puppets to promote missions conference. How about a puppet rap?


ROLE PLAYING

Finding role-playing situations may be hard to come up with, but they add a dimension to the missions experience. It can work with children, teens and adults. "Prop Prayers" suggests putting a prop on someone to represent the country or a person, with the group gathered around to pray for the one(s) with the prop(s) on.

Here are a couple of role playing examples.

Nurse : "Welcome to my dispensary." Have candy (ex: M&Ms and Red Hots) provided as pretend medicine; bring stethoscope, a few rolled bandages, etc. Have kids come forward and treat them, and then talk about the medical work. Also tell about caring for the soul.

4-Wheel drive in rough terrain : Set up 3 chairs in front and 3 in back like a car. Have people come up and sit and 1 as driver, then start to describe and make them act out problems on the road. Maybe play music from there like the radio is on. For Africa ask 5 people to try to sit on the 3 chairs in the back seat to show the reality of people squeezed into the car. Talk about God's provision and protection in travel. (see Discussion "Try to solve my issue").


GAMES

You can take games for children and get adults to do them too. They may feel a bit awkward at first, but many times they are glad for the occasion to move around and think creatively.

The following books in the resource section have games. The Great Kidmission : a complete resource to educate and excite kids about missions around the world, Great Global Games, Missions Made Fun for Kids, Missions Made Exciting for Adults.


SERVICE PROJECTS

Service projects have been in vogue in some churches under the title "Servant Evangelism" (see Top 10 Explanation of Trends). These can be local outreach or for world missions (write to missionaries, make encouragement packs for kids at an MK school, rolled bandages).

Hands-on Service Ideas for Children's Ministry. Loveland : Group, 1998. p 122. This book has 6 service projects at the end related to missions.

Williamson, Nancy. 52 Ways to Teach Stewardship. San Diego : Rainbow Books, 1996. 64p. Service projects, money raising ideas.


CRAFTS AND CREATIVE IDEAS

Crafts can involve people to build global awareness, and give people a prayer reminder to take with them.

Butcher Paper Map : On butcher paper have the team or kids draw a map of the world, either with the model or from memory! Have each one share where they'd like to visit. Talk about parts of the world, standing around that area. Draw what might be there (palm trees, koala bears). Find a good verse for a part of it. Is part of the world not drawn well? Why or why not? Do they know much about it? Does God love people there? Walk across the map and pray for it, or hold hands around it.

Gross, Mary ed. The Great Kidmission : a complete resource to educate and excite kids about missions around the world. Ventura : Gospel Light, 1996. 144 p. Crafts from around the world for kids.

World craft ideas can also be found in education stores for teachers.


DISCUSSIONS, PANEL, QUESTION, ANSWER

Panel discussion / question and answer :

A panel could be prepared for 2 or 3 missionaries and someone who has been on a short-term missions trip. Or missionaries could answer questions asked by the group. Prepare a few questions ahead of time in case people have a hard time getting started.

True and False or wacky questions (which can lead to a point you want to make). Distribute them to people in the audience. Have people guess if it is true or false.

Try to solve my issue:

Present the a challenging issue on the mission field, describing the scenario, then asking how they might react themselves in such a situation. Give time for people to talk it through and think it through and then how you decided to handle it.
Examples:

1. In a Muslim society you have a string of beggars who come day to day
   to your door.

2. Every time your son goes to play with a certain kid in the
   neighborhood, his toy always comes back broken, or taken away from him.

3. You arrived for language study and a neighbor lady keeps bringing you
   fruit that you can't stand every day. You can't say much and you aren't sure what is and is not polite to do.
   

VIDEOS AND CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC

Alliance Video Magazine
Many people wonder what the C&MA does overseas. These videos can really help tune your congregation into what the Alliance is involved with in other countries. This is a great way to let people know what they are supporting when they give to the Great Commission Fund.

Contemporary Christian Videos
In our visual society Christian music videos that have a missions theme can be an new way to remind people about missions. A list of some videos with a missions theme is at the end of handout.

Missions Drama and Missions education on video
William Carey Library has a powerful package of missions videos called the "World View Video Library." Well done missions dramas can make a major impact on our society of visual learners. The Perspectives class is also on video called "Vision for the Nations."

Tips for Hosting Missionaries

By Diane Widow

The missionary’s expectations for the conference

Communicate ahead of time : Write to the missionaries, call, or contact by e-mail before tour starts. The district office sends each church information from the missionary about any dietary needs, areas of ministry preference, and so on. Dialog with the missionary about ideas or special activities your church wants to do. The missionary may have some good ideas, may have a special activity to suggest, or can plan a presentation based on the needs and interest of your church. The official Website of the C&MA has a list of all the tour missionaries, their biographical information and their press-release photo. Find it under the content heading "Missions Mobilization."

Tell the missionary about your church : Missionaries must be culturally sensitive when they go overseas. The American church is changing and each church is a little bit different.

Age It helps the missionary to know how many attend your church, the age span, and how many children and teens are in your church. If your church is half retired people, or if there is only 1 couple over 50 years old, let the missionary know.

Occupation Tell them if you have a lot of college professors at the University, if many of your people work at a local industry like Maytag or 3M, if many in your church are wheat farmers. For instance, it may interest the missionary to know if most women work or if you have quite a few families with moms that home school.

Style and uniqueness Tell them about your worship style and whether you normally have Sunday night services or small groups. Tell your missionary about something special happening in your church. For instance, tell if you have a very active EE ministry, an exceptional outreach through Weigh Down, or if your men came back from Promise Keepers as changed men.

What’s the missionary’s passion and their forte? Ask the missionary what their ministry passion is on the mission field and what they do best. This is helpful for you as you promote mission conference. Ask if there is a special interest group or an age group that they really enjoy talking to. You may also ask if they have a group they connect less well with. Some men will say they don’t talk well to children, but you can still plan a contact with the kids by having a few questions planned to interview the missionary (maybe with a puppet?).

Examples of potential matches between missionary and church interest :

A missionary who loves handy repairs on the mission field could talk at the Men’s breakfast about mechanical nightmares on the mission field.

If your church has a number of nurses and the missionary is a nurse, you could have an outreach luncheon for nurses with the missionary.

A Spanish speaking missionary may love speaking in high school Spanish classes.

A missionary may play basketball with Muslim youth to build friendships. Have the missionary play basketball with the church men one night and then talk about that ministry.

A missionary who does Bible translation on computer could talk to a bunch of computer programmers about the challenges they’ve had with electricity, disk problems etc. Or about the amazing things in Bible translation you can do thanks to a computer today.

A missionary who teachers at marriage encounter weekends overseas could have a marriage encounter evening with couples and talk about the marriage challenges in another culture and the Biblical principles that are valuable for both overseas and the United States.

Examples of creative services to coordinate with the missionary

International Ministry opportunities. If your church is in a college town with a lot of Japanese students, and your missionary comes from Japan, you could have a presentation on how to build relationships and share Christ with the International students from Japan. If several people in your church work with Muslims and your missionary is from a country working with Muslims, the missionary could talk with a small group on dos and don’ts about sharing your faith with a Muslim.

Simulation of church service in another country. If you have a missionary from a former Eastern Block country, you could do an activity on the persecuted church and re-enact an underground church service. Ask the missionary for suggestions. With a missionary from Africa consider having wooden boards on cement blocks as pews with men sitting on one side and women on the other. Ask for suggestions.

Meal in another country. In some African countries, food is eaten by family around a common bowl, using fingers to eat. For an oriental country, consider having chopsticks available and have the missionary or an international student demonstrate. If C&MA services works in a country for famine relief you could surprise your congregation with a rice and water meal (with more substantial food later after the initial impact wears off.)

Bulletin teaser:

Ask the missionary for a teaser to put in the bulletin before they come. "Ask the missionary about the time a snake got in his bed." "Did you know that the C&MA church in Indonesia is larger than the C&MA church in America?" "Do Guinea pigs come from Guinea, West Africa?"

International connections in the United States.

Find out what languages your missionary speaks and the missionary’s country. Considering finding someone in your community or in your are who is from the country or who speaks the same language as your missionary. It is exciting to observe a missionary conversing in another language with someone from the region they work in. Consider asking members of an Intercultural church in your area (Hispanic church, Vietnamese church, etc.), or international students in the area to come.

Do a little research. Go to the local library or check the Web for information on the country for and for craft, food and game ideas. Have a display of library books on the country your missionary comes from a week or two before the missionary is to arrive. Check the Jaffray Collection books about Alliance missionaries and the Alliance World articles for something on your missionary’s field. Your church might have a computer with the encyclopedia set up in the lobby for the country your missionary is from, so people can browse through it for information about the country.

Hosting the missionary

• Avoid having a missionary stay where they would be alone all day with the opposite sex.

• Consider dietary restrictions and allergies ( including pet allergies).

• Offer lighter meals... missionaries on tour are fed special meals every day for weeks.

• Make sure the missionary will be warm enough (many are used to the tropics).

• Some may have an extra need for sleep because they don’t sleep well in a different bed every night.

• Consider that the missionary may have a need for exercise from eating lots of rich food.

• Ask if the missionary needs laundry done. They are on the road for 6-9 weeks.

Do you put the missionary in a home with small children or with people who are gone most of the day? Actually, a balance is nice. 5 or 6 churches in a row staying in homes with small children can get draining. Yet 5 or 6 churches in a row where you are left to yourself can become boring for some. The advantage of staying with children is the opportunity to touch their lives. The advantage of staying with 2 adults who work all day is for a time of solitude in a schedule that demands all the people skills a missionary has. Consider asking the church on tour before yours what their housing arrangement is and provide a housing contrast to that.

Worried that the missionary won’t connect?

Plan to interview the missionary. Prepare questions ahead of time to ask the missionary. You may even go over it with the missionary ahead of time. Consider a talk show format with your church members contributing information in a fun way. Use clips from Alliance Video Magazine.

Find out personal connections with the missionary. Ask specific questions about them. Ask them to tell about their closest friend in the country they work in. Ask them to describe a unique sound or smell in their country. Ask them to tell what they and their family do for fun or a hobby. Ask what they would like most to find in a care package. Ask them what their dream is for God to do in their country.

Plan a fun filled international event. If your church prepares to have fun, exciting, informative displays, games and food from around the world, you can be sure your church will have a good missions conference whether the missionary is a good communicator or not. There are library books with ideas, and elementary school teachers have a lot of creativity. Get as many as you can involved in the planning, and people will be more likely to come. Planning to have kids sing a mission song, or advertising a puppet show for the kids will help motivate young families to come.

Missionaries are delighted to find something creative planned. There is nothing more discouraging to arrive and find that the posters aren’t up and no one was informed that a missionary is coming.

Plan special, informal events with a purpose: For people who have never known a missionary or never been interested in missions, interacting with a missionary in an informal setting is extremely valuable.

Birthday party: Does the missionary have their birthday that month? Celebrate it! Have a cake decorated like their flag! Find out their birthday from the Division of Overseas Ministries at the National Office. Missionary birthdays are also listed at the back of the Alliance World.

Have a table game night, plan Missions jeopardy, have a ladies night out with a lady missionary or a golfing outing with a man missionary. Get creative! Give the missionary a chance during the event to share something personal and a prayer concern.

Specific giving

Personalize the Great Commission Fund. As you explain the Great Commission Fund, remind people that this is the daily bread and butter of missionaries with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Missionaries don’t need to raise individual support, but this "nebulous" fund supports over a thousand people (specially when you take missionary children into account too). Ask your missionary to describe what the Great Commission Fund does for them? (rent, light bill, travel, food, etc.).

Take a love offering for the missionary. The Great Commission Fund does not cover the cost of clothes, ministry supplies, computer printers, etc. The missionary allowance is not enough to supply all their needs. In our smaller churches and extension churches, some pastors are financially hurting and are seriously underpaid. Please be considerate of the needs of your pastor’s family in your church as well.

Ask about special projects, work and vehicle specials that the church could give to. The Great Commission Fund is the top priority, for without that, the missionary could not go at all. Missionaries are not supposed to ask for special funds unless they are asked first by the church, and pastors should not push a special fund until the Great Commission Fund has been presented and Faith Promise cards gathered. Yet churches find that giving in a specific way makes missions more tangible. It is very important for people new to the Alliance to feel connected and making a concrete contribution.

Tips for the missionary’s schedule at your church

Meal are great opportunities: The best way to interest someone who has never given to the Great Commission Fund, or someone who has never known about missions is in an informal setting, like a meal, with personal contact with the missionary. Some children have felt a missionary call when the missionary came to dinner.

Keep in mind that meals are in reality meetings. It may not be a formal meeting, but it is draining to constantly meet new people and be asked the same questions over and over again around the table.

Going to a public school: If your missionary is from a Spanish or French speaking country ask ahead of time if they are willing to speak in a high school Spanish or French class. School administration needs to be assured that missionaries are there for cultural awareness building, not to promote religion verbally. At the same time, the missionary’s life of service to humanity is a witness in itself, and often kids ask questions that allow witness moments to occur. If you live in a small town, a valuable cultural presentation by the missionary can bring visibility to the church in the community. Whatever you do, do not expect the missionary to speak to more than 3 class sessions in one day. It is too draining.

The church exhausting the missionary: Remember, even God took a day off. Breakfast, lunch and supper every day with a different family is exhausting, so limit it to once a day or twice at the most, not three meals with a different family. Many missionaries don’t mind speaking at a public school. But all day at a public school speaking 4-6 times in a row, and then sharing at an evening meeting too, is too much.

The church that gives excessive time off: Occasionally a church puts the missionary in a hotel expecting them to address the church only on Sunday morning. Missionaries do not leave their family for 6-9 weeks to be given a half a week off. They want to interact with people about missions. It is important to get the missionary into the homes, even if you have to offer a prize (like a missions T-shirt) for every family who signs up for a meal. With a church full of working women, remind people that they can take the missionary to a restaurant.

The missionary spouse and kids left behind: Offer the missionary the chance to phone home on your bill, or present them with a phone card they can take with them on tour. Send flowers to the wife at home, thanking her for sharing her husband with you.

Include or invite the wife. If the wife is living relatively close to your church, invite her to join for a day or a weekend. If she is living far away, consider secretly arranging with the spouse at home to be flown in for a surprise visit and put them up one night at a hotel! Consider a conference call to the wife at home while her husband is at your church, asking her for special insight or prayer requests (arrange it ahead of time with the wife). Or ask her to send a cassette or video made of her and the kids so the church can meet the family. If you have a missionary closet call and ask the wife for ideas of household needs to send with the husband.