How do I train a short-term team?

[General Topic]

How do I train a short-term team?

[Tim Williams]

Answer from Tim Williams in New Zealand, who has served for 14 years with
Elim Church and has led seven church-based short-term teams.

There are so many different types of teams, and the spiritual preparation
will vary for each, but here are areas I would always include:
1. Praying together and for each other. Every team meeting will have a time
of praying with and for each other. Most teams will have the opportunity on
the field to pray for people and therefore confidence and faith needs to be
built before leaving.
2. Each team member should be able to demonstrate a vital personal
relationship with God. If they are lacking at home it will restrict them
when overseas.
3. An awareness of the spiritual climate of the field you are visiting.
This includes at least a basic understanding of the main religions practiced
in the area using international students, the internet, travel guides and
books like _Operation World_. Some of the team may need to know how to
minister in the area of deliverance.
4. An examination of their motives for wanting to be on the team. This
should be made clear in any selection process. If you are aware of the
reason for people wanting to join the team it puts the trip in context and
allows for specific preparation (both spiritual and practical) as
appropriate. Get them to write down their personal goals and how they
think they can contribute to the teams goals.
5. Talk about how the trip fits in to their overall development as a
Christian – their personal vision and calling.
6. You want to be building faith into the team – they will be challenged by
things they have probably never faced before. Do they know how to hear from
God? Are they willing to step out of their comfort zone?

[Audra Coker]

Having been on short-term missions in a team setting, I can say that the
greatest training was preparing me to be flexible. The past two teams I've
been on have been pretty sharp spiritually, but that doesn't help if people
flip out about conditions, arrangements, etc. upon arrival. Things to be
stressed should be the importance of team unity, the witness of the team's
love for one another and others to the people around, attitude, flexibility
to whatever happens, and the celebration of the differences the team will
begin to see among themselves and between the cultures.

Warn the team about the normal culture shock experience so that the impact
will not be doubled by the shock AND thinking that they're alone and/or
weird in their experience. You can talk about all of these topics until
you're blue in the face, but experience is the ultimate key to their being
understood. Putting the team in high-stress scenarios while they're here
(e.g. a ropes course) can help them see what it will be like, as well as
asking them "what would you do if . . ." Make sure they see how splitting
into cliques or partners to the exclusion of other team members can tear the
team apart, as well. The team needs to be prepared to attack anything that
would threaten group unity.

[John M.]

A webiste to look at:
http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/ds_train.html

Other related articles also on the site above include:

Training programs for STM's
http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/dt_sterm.html

Short Term Policies, Language Issues, Planning Guides, Insurance
http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/ds_genl.html

The Ideal Short Term - from a Frontier perspective
http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/ds_ideal.html

Info and contacts for starting up a program
http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/ds_ntwrk.html

Short-Terms among Unreached Peoples
http://www.calebproject.org/bomm/ds_upg.html

[Julie Tanning]

You might want to consider leaning on the experience and leadership of a short-term mission agency to help train and prepare your team. STEM Ministries has prepared and led over 300 teams for short-term missions. Obviously, over the past 15 years we've learned a few things about what works, what doesn't, and what mistakes we need to help churches and individuals avoid on the field.

Our passion is to help people do short-term missions well -- so that there are immediate and long-term blessings to the goer, the receiver and the sender.

We have different levels of partnership available, from full involvement (i.e. providing the full leadership, training, and logistical support for your team) to involvement in training only (i.e. anything from on-site training by a member of our staff to nation-specfic Team Training Manuals and leadership manuals that can be purchased from our office.) If you are interested in letting us help you train your team, e-mail us at Teams@stemmin.org, or call 1-877-STEM-min.

[Ron Adams]

I have attended a great short term mission seminar called "Help! We're Going On A Short-Term Missions Trip!" that is put together by CultureLink. Larry Ragan, World Outreach Pastor of North Metro Church in Atlanta, GA and Terri Hughes of Send International in Michigan put it on. Several locations around the country every year. I just attended the seminar location in Detroit in April 2003 and it was just as excellent as the one I attended in Atlanta in January 2002. Great information and methods and opportunities for networking with other STM coordinators. Their website isn't up, yet, but their email address is cullink@aol.com. ~Ron

[Clint Bokelman]

Fortunately and unfortunately, one size doesn't fit all when it comes to short term missions prep. Although there are some practical things you do need to know.

For starters let me ask.... what's the Lord telling you? Is he putting a specific peoples group on your heart? Who's goin with you? I've been taking teams on trips for 11 years domestically and internationally. The first thing I do, is sit down with my team, pray and LISTEN! 80% of my preparation is shepherding my team in hearing and discerning the voice of the Father.

Once every one get's ahold of that, we'll soon come to terms with where were goin, what heart issues need to be dealt with in preparation, and what we will do when we get there. I want my team to wrap their lives around the fact that Jesus only went where the father told him to go (John 5), and only said what the father told him to say, and how to say it, (John 12). My objective isn't to mobilize a bunch of little Billy Grahams, my chief objective is to mobilize a bunch of little Jesus's.

www.MissionsResources.com
is a great Short Term Missions resource arsenal to help outfit you and your team.