Short-Term Missions (STM) & the Kingdom of God

1. Short-Term Missions (STM) & the Kingdom of God

2. Praise & Worship

3. Ground Rules for Learning • Be willing to participate • Share your thoughts & wisdom • Ask questions at any time • Learn from each other—listen • Be patient with one another • Enjoy our time together

4. OverallGoal of STMTraining Maximize the likelihood of a long-term positive impact on all STM participants

5. Participants in STM Senders Goers Host Receivers

6. Training Objectives • Equip individuals to be effective trainers for STM team leaders • Equip individuals to build/lead teams • Provide tools and information to engage in cross-cultural ministry • Describe the participants in STM • Describe the STM process • Provide information on available resources

7. Key Principle Participating on a STM trip is more than about YOU!

8. Who is the SAMS?

9. SAMS: Who are we? A servant ministry: rooted in the apostolic faith partners with Anglicans incarnational cross-cultural ministries shares the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed

10. SAMS’ History • Founded over 150 years ago by Captain Allen Gardiner • Initial effort to bring the good news of Jesus Christ to the Yaghans of Patagonia

11. Allen Gardiner’s Journal Entry • Grant, Oh Lord that we may be instrumental in commencing this great and blessed work; but should thou see fit in Thy providence to hedge up our way; and that we should even languish and die here, I beseech Thee to raise up others, and to send forth laborers into this harvest. Let it be seen for the manifestation of thy glory and Grace, that nothing is too hard for Thee. --Spaniard’s Harbor 1851

12. Why mission in the Majority World today? • In many areas up to 90% unchurched • Unique niche for (3-stream) Anglicanism – “Catholic, Charismatic, and Canonical” • Bridge church among Evangelicals, Pentecostals and Roman Catholics

13. SAMS International Today • 200 missionaries • Extensive work among indigenous peoples • SEAN courses (Seminary by Extension to the Nations) • Seminaries in Madrid, Arequipa, Santiago, with other extension programs

14. SAMS • Serves the Anglican Communion by sending people to share the good news of Jesus Christ through words and actions. • Sendsindividualsto serve as missionaries—interns or career long-term missionaries. • Supportslocal parishes involved in missions with STM training and on-field support.

15. SAMS: What we believe • We affirm belief in the historic Christian faith as revealed in the Scriptures and as stated in the Apostles', Nicene and Athanasian Creeds and the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (BCP).

16. SAMS - USA • Long-term missionaries • Short-Term missions (STM) training • Interns serving with missionary mentors

17. Dominican Republic Honduras Panama Ecuador Peru Chile Bolivia Paraguay Spain Uganda United States SE Asia Global Where SAMS missionaries are working

18. SAMS & missio Dei • Grow the Kingdom • Equip the U.S. church with a missionary vision • Foster vibrant and fruitful ministry in the Global South • Raise up cross-generational leaders and missionaries • Plant churches • Minister to the poor

19. SAMS’ Foundation • Long-term missionary sending and supporting structure • Emerging short- to medium-term sending structure • Broad range of holistic ministries • Anglican in heritage

20. SAMS’ Foundation (continued) • Strong relationships with the emerging orthodox Anglican movement in the USA • Strong relationships with Global South church • Strong partnerships with other Anglican mission agencies—AGMP • Solid track record as organization of integrity

21. SAMS & STM • Has assisted churches to send STM teams since 1993 • Believes that good preparation and training are essential • Understands that that STM can do harm • Is very enthusiastic about the role that STM can play in building the Kingdom of God

22. SAMS short-term health teams are a part of the effort to bring health and spiritual healing

23. SAMS missionaries proclaim the gospel in word and deed through feeding body and soul.

24. Short-term teams build houses for the poor, share good news and construct churches.

25. SAMS’ Vision for STM • Use STM to glorify Christ in word & deed and promote the building of His Kingdom • Foster missions awareness in sending churches • Equip leaders to prepare teams for cross-cultural ministry • Work to ensure that STM will be a blessing to those who send and those who receive

26. SAMS’ Vision for STM (Cont) • Encourage building long-term partnerships • Seek to empower the poor and not do harm • Many of those who go will sense a calling to the missionary endeavor • Help unite the true church across cultural divides and economic classes • Promote excellence in STM for maximum impact on all participants

27. Standards of Excellence • Seven Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission

28. Std # 1 – God-Centeredness Seeks first God’s glory and his kingdom, and is expressed through our: • Purpose — Centering on God’s glory and his ends throughout our entire STM process • Lives — Sound biblical doctrine, persistent prayer, and godliness in all our thoughts, words, and deeds • Methods — Wise, biblical, and culturally-appropriate methods which bear spiritual fruit

29. #2 – Empowering Partnerships Establishes healthy, interdependent, on-going relationships between sending and receiving partners, and is expressed by: • Primary focus on intended recipients • Plans which benefit all participants • Mutual trust and accountability

30. #3 – Mutual Design Collaboratively plans each specific outreach for the benefit of all participants, and is expressed by:  • On-field methods and activities aligned to long-term strategic partnerships • Goer-guests’ ability to implement their part of the plan • Host receivers’ ability to implement their part of the plan

31. #4 – Comprehensive Administration Exhibits integrity through reliable set-up and thorough administration for all participants, and is expressed by: • Truthfulness in promotion, finances, and reporting results • Appropriate risk management • Quality program delivery and support logistics

32. #5 – Qualified Leadership Screens, trains, and develops capable leadership for all participants, and is expressed by:  • Character — Spiritually mature servant leadership • Skills — Prepared, competent, organized and accountable leadership • Values — Empowering and equipping leadership

33. #6 – Appropriate Training Prepares and equips all participants for the mutually designed outreach, and is expressed by: • Biblical, appropriate, and timely training • On-going training and equipping (pre-field, on-field, post-field) • Qualified trainers

34. #7 – Thorough Follow-Through Assures debriefing and appropriate follow-through for all participants, and is expressed by: • Comprehensive debriefing (pre-field, on-field, post-field) • On-field re-entry preparation • Post-field follow-through and evaluation

35. STM Manual • Introduction • Glossary • Part I – Equipping Team Leaders • Part II – Equipping STM Teams

36. STM ManualPart I—Equipping Team Leaders • The role of STM team leader • Introduction to STM • Foundation for maximum impact STM trips • The birth of a STM idea • Engaging senders & receivers in pre-field planning • Forming a STM team • Building a STM team

37. STM ManualPart II—Equipping STM Teams • Raising funds & support • Trip logistics • Understanding poverty and the poor • Preparing for cross-cultural ministry (Part A) • Preparing for cross-cultural ministry (Part B) • In-country ministry • Re-entry and follow-through

38. Training Methods • Presentation of material • Key Principles • Dialogue—learning from each other • Reflection questions • Small group activities • Case studies • Video clips

39. Small Group Reflection What would a successful STM trip look like?

40. The Importance of Preparation

41. “Short-Term Missions is a huge phenomenon. It has great potential. But STM does not appear to be realizing this potential.” --Robert Priest, Anthropologist & Missiologist

42. “But when the immersion experience is connected with the right sorts of orientation and coaching, significant change is possible. --Robert Priest, Anthropologist & Missiologist

43. Training is the Foundation for a Successful STM Trip: Why? • The task (project) may not work out • The logistics may go wrong • But the training can prepare a team for such contingencies

44. Key Principle Training & preparation is the foundation for a successful STM trip.

45. Why is training important? • To maximize the likelihood of positive impacts/changes • To minimize the likelihood of negative impact or harm

46. Who is being equipped? Churches Training Teams In-Country Hosts

47. The Role of aSTM Team LeaderSession I

48. Goal – to form and equip a team with a shared vision for ministry Role of the leader – to facilitate the formation of that vision and provide the necessary training for the team

49. Question & Dialogue What qualities do you think are the most important for a leader of a STM team?

50. The Importance of Team Leadership • Pre-field • On-field • Post-field