You have been on a mission trip, or more, and now you are thinking “What’s next?”. Could full-time missionary work be in your future? If so, what does that journey look like? Consider these “next step” resources to continue growing in your understanding of what God is doing around the world and deepen your involvement in His global mission.
Websites/Blogs
- Ask a Missionary – Provides answers from missionaries to frequently asked questions on topics like: support-raising, selecting an agency, the call, training, and singles/families concerns.
- Go.Serve.Love – Motivational stories and resources for the aspiring missionary.
Supplies
- The Journey Deepens Retreats – Weekend retreats to help prospective missionaries explore what it is like to be a missionary, discover whether a missionary or sender role is God’s fit, and connect with mission agencies.
- Perspectives on the World Christian Movement – A course designed to help believers learn about God’s heart for all nations and how believers worldwide can play an active role in the Great Commission.
- How Ready Am I? – Free self-assessment for global work.
- Radius International – Radius International provides training to those wishing to plant churches among unreached people groups in a pioneer context. This pre-field training equips cross-cultural workers to partner with Jesus Christ to establish healthy, indigenous, reproducing churches among unreached people groups.
- Global Frontier Missions Missionary Training School – For future global workers, Global Frontier Missions offers a training school with classroom plus hands-on experience while living in heavy refugee or international apartment complexes.
Articles
- Debriefing Your Mission Trip What is next? Great insight to help you process your short-term mission trip and consider how it fits into God’s bigger plan.
- What are some of the First Steps to Becoming a Missionary? Three different missionaries/mobilizers provide practical steps you can start taking today as you consider full-time mission work.
Books
- People Raising: A Practical Guide to Raising Funds by William P. Dillon. Too often, the desire to accomplish ministry is squashed under the fear and perceived burden of raising the necessary funds. Break through that perception into a reality where you reach out and effectively develop relationships that quickly allow you to reach your funding and prayer support goals. This tried and proven manual has been updated to include new sections on social media, coaching, mastering six critical support raising skills, and confronting the “Fear Factor”.
- Friend Raising by Betty Barnett. Betty Barnett began full-time voluntary Christian service in 1975, dependent upon missionary support from her church and individuals. Her home is in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, where she leads the College of Communication for Youth With A Mission’s University of the Nations-Kona campus. She teaches internationally on principles that have benefited thousands of missionaries.
Audio/Podcasts
- Global Missions Podcast A show for Christ-followers who want to participate more effectively in God’s work both at home and to the ends of the earth.
- Bridges for Mission (B4M) What is it like to serve overseas as God’s ambassadors? How does the Kingdom of God look around the globe? Through International Ministries’ Bridges 4 Mission Podcast, we bring the answers to these and other mission-related questions directly to you. Join us as we interview a diverse group of servants working in a variety of capacities around the world.
Videos
- The Biblical Basis for Missions (6:27) Shows God’s heart for all nations and the story of His glory throughout eternity. God’s mission is mentioned throughout Scripture, not just in the Great Commission.
- I Didn’t Feel Called – Jungle Missionary Joil Marbut (5:10) Powerful missionary testimony about calling and obedience.
- I am a Missionary (4:05) Inspiring imagery and full of scripture.
- How to Know if you are Called to Mission (3:33) Explores the question, “Are all called or is the missionary call a special call?” Provides 5 practical steps as you seek to confirm the Lord’s direction for your life now.
Download Docs
- Your Journey There – A flexible timeline for your journey into full-time cross-cultural ministry.
- O.V.C (Orphans & Vulnerable Children) Guide – A guide provided by (Standards of Excellence in Short Term Missions) that shows conversations and resources reevaluating and redefining how we serve orphaned and vulnerable children through short-term missions
Know of other tried and true resources that would benefit those beginning to explore full-time missionary work? Send your ideas to: [email protected]