International (MNN) — An adventure is defined as "an exciting or very unusual experience." Webster's Dictionary outlines a mission as "the
business with which a group is charged."
If you put the two
together, you have a Mission Adventure, aimed at fulfilling the Great
Commission. Sound exciting?
Pete Lafakis with AMG International
says missions is bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who don't know
Him as their Lord and Savior.
They've been mobilizing
short-term mission teams for a while now to let people get a feel for a run
that will change the way you look at life.
Noted author Philip Yancey noted,
"Despite
their drawbacks, such trips provide two distinct cultures a taste of the
harmony that exists between members of the Body of Christ."
What are short-term
missions? Technically, they are the recruitment of Christian missionaries
who dedicates themselves to evangelistic service for a short period of time,
usually ranging from a week to a year.
All Mission Adventure teams serve
in support of AMG International ministries worldwide and in partnership with
the local national church. Because the
trips are scheduled in the summer, students make up most of the teams, which
serves a dual purpose.
Not only do mission trips give
prospective future missionaries a taste of life on the field, they show them
what kinds of needs there are.
Lafakis says often a mission trip
opens doors for direction for a young person. "We have a young girl who went to Africa a couple of years ago, and
she's now in the process of trying to go over to Uganda full-time as a
missionary. We've had students who have gone on a short term trip, and God has
impacted them so much that they're thinking about how they might be able to use their
vocation for His glory."
This summer, AMG sent 13 teams (200
team members) out to Greece, Peru, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, and India. Is everyone cut out for it? There are a few things to consider. Lafakis says, "You need to be flexible.
There's always an adventure: it might be situations you might encounter,
or even airline travel these days can be an adventure."
You also need a clear understanding
of why you are going and what motivates you to go. Most importantly, be willing. "God can use
that to impact their life for full-time Christian service, or to come home to
make an impact on their church or their youth group or school, to be a catalyst
for sharing Christ," says Lafakis.
As the participants come back
home and share their stories, others find themselves intrigued and wondering, "What
could God do if I went?"
AMG is giving their 2010 teams
that opportunity to share. A Mission Adventures Partner Celebration is slated
for September 11th at Concord Baptist Church in Chattanooga. "We just thought it would be a great time to
get all these teams together and let them all share what God did in their
group," explains Lafakis, going on to
say that some individuals will also get a chance to talk about "how God really impacted their life with a
short-term mission trip this summer."
