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"Your life only makes sense in the context of God's plan to finish the Great Commission. God has given us the direction we need to make our lives count and leave our mark on eternity. When we find it, we move from merely existing to truly living life on purpose."
— back cover of Claude Hickman's Live Life on Purpose

You've had a taste of God's global plan. Now what? Here are some practical ways to help you move from merely existing to truly living life for God's purposes.

Learn

Take the life changing college-level course Perspectives on the World Christian Movement and discover what God is doing around the world and consider your part in His purposes. Perspectives will help you understand God's plan for our world—and for your life:

• Navigate the roadmap of the Bible, and with fresh eyes, view God's overall plan.
• Explore God's ultimate purpose as you travel through history.
• Discover how you can be strategic by participating in God's plan during your journey through life.
• Acquire a practical guide to understanding intriguing cultural dynamics.

For an introduction to some of the material in Perspectives take the 12 lessons available online from The Traveling Team or read Live Life on Purpose by Claude Hickman. Also see Southeast Christian's six-session study How to Develop a Biblical World View and Mission ONE's eight-session Operation WorldView.

Grow

Knowing God does not come through a program, a study, or a method. Knowing God comes through a relationship with a Person. This is an intimate love relationship with God. Through this relationship, God reveals Himself, His purposes, and His ways; and He invites you to join Him where He is already at work. Still, some tools can be helpful in deepening that relationship:

• Go deeper with Jesus and read Steve Hoke's article on personal spiritual formation in step 1 of the Send Me workbook.
• Grow in 13 key relational areas recommended by MentorLink so no areas of spiritual growth are neglected.
• Learn from Richard J. Foster's six dimensions of a balanced spiritual life for the formation of Christ-like character.
• Study the workbook Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing His Will by Henry Blackaby, former church planter in Canada who now inspires many worldwide to prayer and spiritual awakening. This 224-page workbook is designed to be studied daily for three months. Blackaby's prayer is for God to teach you how to:
  • hear when God is speaking to you
  • clearly identify the activity of God in your life
  • believe Him to be and do everything He promises
  • adjust your beliefs, character, and behavior to Him and His ways
  • see a direction that He is taking in your life and what He wants to do through you
  • clearly know what you need to do in response to His activity in your life
  • experience God doing through you what only God can do!
  A few years ago God used this book to reprogram my perspective on guidance and I've reviewed this material in detail before each subsequent ministry transition.

Do

• Consider going on sequential trips, or taking a longer mission trip.
• Other resources: AskAMissionary.com, PreparingToGo.com

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John McVay is administrator of In His Image International and coordinator of the Tulsa (Oklahoma) Missions Mobilizers Network, as well as developer of the Journey Deepens retreats.