Life as a Semester Missionary

Mission Trip

marcuswilliamson — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 04:41:40 +0000

What’s new?

I am flying over a massive body of water for the very first time next year to go do mission work in Nicaragua! Who would have ever thought that this small town boy from Lancaster, SC would be able to have this Awesome opportunity. It’s amazing how God blesses us even when we don’t think things are on our radar screen.

Do you have any mission trips lined up? If so, what are they?

Prep Work for Missions Part 2

marcuswilliamson — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:25:57 +0000

What do I do after I choose my project?

Figure out how much money you need to raise. Start a prayer/financial support team (family, friends, church family, local businesses, etc.)

Do you need a Visa or Passport? Apply for those immediately! (Check with your travel agent for Visa information) If you have your passport, find it IMMEDIATELY so you won’t be searching your momma’s house for your passport the day before you leave.
Book your travel accommodations (going through IMB, NAMB, or SCBCM will all give you someone to help you with travel booking)
Find out what the missionaries need. What is a great need in the community they work in (first aid kits? Bibles? ESL material? Clothes? Etc.)
Get insurance!! Again, ask the organization you apply through to help you choose where to get insurance through.
If possible, plan times for your team to get together and pray for the area as a group. If this isn’t possible, email/facebook regularly before going to get to know your team and pray for one another.
Do you need immunizations? Get those at the required time. Check with your sending organization or the missionary about this.
Know that there is no dumb question. If you feel it’s important, ask away! Ask your sending organization, the missionary, etc. as many questions as you need to about the important stuff. But, realize that there are some things that you won’t know until you get there! Most missionaries can’t give you a day-to-day schedule before you arrive… it’s “go, be flexible, and know that things aren’t going to go as planned daily!” But, ‘tis the life of a missionary… soak it up, have fun, and have some faith!
Go here for more things to remember when preparing: http://thetask.org/students/Approved/default.asp

Now, go! Go make disciples across the nations. Meet some of God’s children all across the world! Make His name known to people that have never heard His name!

Prep Work for Missions Part 1

marcuswilliamson — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:26:30 +0000

Just like Batman, every good missionary needs some resources before they go out and fight for Jesus. If you plan on going on a mission trip soon here is part 1 of a 2 part checklist fro missionaries. Enjoy.

Guest Blogger: Kristi Clements

Marcus asked me to give you all a little word on the prep work for missions. I work with the South Carolina Baptist Convention to mobilize college students on mission. I’ve also been on the other end of missions: the one being sent! I’ve had the privilege of serving in North Carolina, Peru, Mexico, and Guatemala.

So, I’ve got some handy tricks up my sleeve if you are interested in mobilizing some people for missions, here are some great ways to get started with the prep work for missions:

Why do we go?

To help people understand why we want to serve on missions. Is it just a cool trip overseas or to another state? No! It’s a commandment from Jesus Himself (Matthew 28) and it’s a way to expose the Good News that we have to share!

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. –Revelation 15.4

Man! What a great promise we see towards the end of John’s revelation! He alone is holy… all nations will come and worship him because His righteous acts have been revealed—to all peoples! Verses like this empower missionaries today to serve all across this great, wide world because we are working towards one goal: making the name of our God known to all of His children.

What a great job we have!

When Jesus gives us the Great Commission in Matthew 28, he means it! And it’s not something that we should be fearful of, but instead desire to be invested in world-wide, in our hometown, and across the states. This is something that needs to be communicated to every believer—it is our job to be mission-minded!

How do I get started?

1. Pray. That seems obvious, right? But it’s the first, key step into making a decision on where/when/how to go.

2. Dig! Dig into different areas of ministry that are available to you. For college students: www.goandsend.org (SCBCM) is a great place to start (shameful plug!) For any age: www.thetask.org (IMB) or www.answerthecall.net (NAMB) are great mission boards that will send you all over the world!

3. When you know who you would like to get involved with, figure out where you want to serve. (or vice versa) Then, start thinking about when you’d like to serve. Full summer jobs? Just a week or two? How about 2 years? There are all sorts of jobs that meet every one of those time blocks!

4. Pick a project and run with it. Once you pick a project, you will be in touch with the missionaries or the mission mobilizer that works with the missionary to better plan your trip.

007 Mission

marcuswilliamson — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:36:54 +0000

Today’s guest is a good friend of mine. She works here at the BCM with me. Her main focus: International Students. How cool is that!

Guest Blogger: Misti Bailey

I always wanted to be a spy and go on adventurous and dangerous top-secret missions. I’d climb through air vents and creep past the bad guys. My life would be endangered multiple times, but I’d always escape without a scratch. And, in the end, I would have solved the mystery, caught the terrorists, and saved the day;

…well, sadly, my life never led me to this.

A-I really hate politics. So I would never work for the government.

B-I’m pretty out-of-shape and would pass out in long chases.

C-I’m so accident prone that my mission would turn into saving myself and not saving the day.

My life has been far from dull, however, and certainly not void of a mission. As followers of Christ, our lives are suppose to be missions-focused. I could be predictable and tell you that Jesus’ last words before ascending were the Great Commission or that, in Acts, Peter tells us to go into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. But I’m sure you’ve heard those verses a thousand times.

The greatest adventure you could ever ask for is based on missions. Just think about it. You’re taking a message of love to a chaotic world. And no matter where you are, from the mountains of Nepal to Finley Park in Columbia, SC, not only is Christ needed, but you will find intrigue, needs to met, and beautiful creations of God that need to hear about His forgiveness.

One thing that I’ve learned from doing local, national, and international mission trips is that it’s all the same. The Buddhist in Nepal, the Muslim in Senegal, the atheist in Boston, and the wayward in Columbia all need to hear this message. Being used by God for His purpose is exciting and, by far, the best adventure ever.

So…step up.

You may not be 007 out to save the day, but you are a follower of Christ who lives in a world that is desperate to be saved from itself. Take a chance. Go overseas and tell those that have never heard the name of Jesus about him. Invite your coworker to church. Feed the homeless. Donate your time, energy, love, compassion, service, and especially your heart. Share with others the incredible knowledge that you possess. After all, Jesus commanded us to go. Jesus commanded us to tell. Jesus commanded us to share.

Jesus has given us the adventure of a lifetime.

Moving Backwards to Move Foward

marcuswilliamson — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:44:39 +0000

I am looking at revamping my blog.

Finally…I know

In an effort to do so I am going to be posting less on the blog.

Hopefully in the months coming up this place will have a new look, direction, and overall feel to it.

Since the title is about missions I am going to have my blog be more missions focused than it has been before. Genius, I know.

From now till I get new everything I will/Someone will be posting on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Thanks for understanding.