On October 9-10, 2013, Encompass hosted a 24 Hour Retreat for Mobilization/Mission Pastors in central Ohio. This gathering included leaders from five states. The retreat setting, campfire and all, created a flowing conversation ranging from short-term mission trips, to local church mission “successes” and even to how do churches create “pathways” to groom more cross-cultural workers.
The sharing of life, ministry, stories and principles invigorated everyone. At the conclusion, each leader was challenged to a four-step application process:
1) Think (spend some time working through all that was discussed)
2) Draw (put the current reality down on a piece of paper, and draw a future reality)
3) Communicate (figure out good ways to share mobilization with the church)
4) Experiment (try some innovative ideas to mobilize many into cross-cultural mission)
Here’s a list of some of the “recommended resources” that were shared over the 24 hours:
Maximum Impact Short-Term Missions
Credible Study on the Impact of Short-Term Missions
When Helping Hurts by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert
What Every Church Member Should Know about Poverty by Bill Ehlig & Ruby Payne
“Mission Pastor’s Profile” by David Mays
Bible Study from Acts for Supporting Churches- “Behind the Goers” by Mike Jentes
This is a picture of the white board that we had for the weekend…