Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10
For years, these words have been a daily staple in my prayers. Like many of you, I’ve recited them, reflected on them, and believed in their profound truth. But recently, the full, disruptive weight of what I was asking for truly landed. This isn’t just a polite request for divine influence; it’s a prayer for an invasion.
Think about it. We are petitioning for Heaven’s rule to descend, to permeate, to take over our lives, our communities, our societies, the very nations where we serve. We’re asking for King Jesus to assert His authority, to establish His reign in places where His sovereignty has been ignored, resisted, or unknown. It’s a prayer for a divine intervention of the most transformative… Read the whole post
Category: New Missionaries Page 1 of 2
Image by Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay
In mission work, when engaging unreached people, working in teams is essential. One person cannot do it alone. However, not all mission teams are the same. Over the years, we have observed four main types of teams on the mission field: basketball teams, track teams, X-teams (expedition teams), and combo teams. Each type has its own unique characteristics and purposes. I have written about each of these in a series on types of mission teams, but I thought it might be helpful to summarize our thinking into one post.1 The SEND U wiki also provides a Word document summarizing these 4 different types of teams in point form.
Basketball Teams: Working Closely Together
A basketball team is a tightly-knit unit, where five players work closely together on the court to defend and score. Similarly, in mission work, a basketball team consists of team members who interact constantly with each other, sharing a common goal. They live near each other and target the same people or neighborhood. This type of team emphasizes collaboration and synergy, with each member playing a specific role in achieving the team’s objectives.
A biblical example of a basketball team is Jesus and his disciples. They worked and lived together, experiencing both the joys and hardships of proclaiming the good news. Like the disciples, missionaries on a basketball team rely on each other, hand off responsibilities, and watch each other’s backs. They sacrifice their individual autonomy for the greater good of the team.
To ensure success, basketball teams require a well-defined objective, a committed team leader, and regular communication. Team meetings, conflict resolution, and collaborative decision-making are essential for the smooth functioning of the team.
David Benzel has served cross-culturally in both Russia and Ukraine for 30 years. After studying the Russian language in Kyiv, Ukraine, he and his wife moved to Khabarovsk, Far East Russia where he taught for more than a decade at the Far East Russia Bible College. Then in 2008, the Benzels moved to Kyiv and David began teaching at Kyiv Theological Seminary. In the early years in Russia, David taught with the help of a translator. But he has now been teaching and preaching in Russian without a translator for well over twenty years. David is highly respected as a teacher and as someone who loves God’s Word. He will be greatly missed as he transitions to life and ministry back in the United States this year. The SEND U blog editor asked David to share what he had learned about teaching in another language over these many years.
I was asked to share what I have learned about learning and teaching in another language. I can’t say if other approaches work or don’t work. In fact, I don’t know if God has used me because of my approach or in spite of my approach.
Biblical examples
Let me start by recognizing that our faith has a long history of teachers teaching in a language other than their native tongue. Much of the NT was written by non-native speakers of Greek. These non-native speakers were at different levels in their proficiency in communicating in Greek. Anyone who reads even a little Greek knows that John is much easier to read than Luke. Paul is much easier to read than Hebrews.
We also need to acknowledge that biblical leaders and teachers were not always confident in their mastery of a particular language. Even Moses felt he couldn’t communicate well in Hebrew, perhaps because of growing up in Pharaoh’s house.
Matthew 25:37–40 (NIV)
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?
39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
Although many, including Mother Teresa, have understood Jesus’ reference to “brothers” to include all the poor and oppressed in the world, I don’t believe that fits the context or the way that Jesus uses the term “brother” in the Gospel of Matthew. Instead, I believe that Jesus is referring specifically to those who are his disciples and are suffering deprivation because of their service in spreading the Gospel.
“Ministry is a hazardous occupation! To be in ministry is a ‘high calling’ and a grave responsibility–and therein lie much of the stress and struggle which makes it so hazardous. Anyone who chooses a role in ministry across cultures compounds the hazards almost geometrically.”
So begins an article by Lawrence and Lois Dodds entitled “Stressed from Core to Cosmos: Issues and Needs Arising from Cross-Cultural Ministry.” The Dodds were cross-cultural missionaries for many years before founding Heartstream Resources to provide care for people in cross-cultural ministry. This article addresses the familiar topic of struggles that missionaries face. The strength of the article is that it also provides suggestions for dealing successfully with those struggles.