What kind of preparation is required for missionary service? What do you need in your kit bag before you go with CMS to another country and culture? How much experience - and of what kind?
CMS sends long-term workers who cross cultures with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Let's assume that you're already a follower of Jesus Christ and someone for whom the Good News is simply the best news ever. Living for the Lord Jesus and his mission in the world is already your number one priority. In fact, God's heart for all the nations, and for all peoples and cultures, is something that resonates strongly with you - to the point that you've considered some sort of missions work.
That being the case, the next step is to get some serious cross-cultural ministry experience under your belt. CMS looks for people who have a proven record of such ministry. Many have worked with overseas student ministries, or with churches that have multicultural or ethnic-specific congregations. Others have gone on missions exposure trips overseas, or to Australian indigenous communities - often more than once! Get as much experience as you can!
Getting this sort of experience will help you work out if you enjoy cross-cultural work. You might find yourself developing an interest - even a passion! - for a particular people group or language. Relationships might come easily for you within a certain culture. Finding joy in cross-cultural ministry is important. It is one of the things that will sustain you in the long term. If, upon persisting, you find that ministering cross-culturally consistently frustrates you, then it's probably not a good long-term option!
There are lots of options for getting this sort of experience in Melbourne and across Australia. If you need help finding something - drop me a line!
Click here for Part Two!
No comments:
Post a Comment