How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Romans 10:14-15a
Short term missions can change your life! God has purposed to use believers to be a blessing to the nations. Often when God calls us to go there it is a dual blessing – we are blessed by going and God uses us to bless those to whom we go.
As a church, we value sending people into the world to bring the Good News. About 90% of all Christian workers are in North America, and that leaves 10% of Christian workers for the other 90% of the world! Let’s help them! We send long-term missionaries to places we could not all go. They form relationships with nationals and national churches. We value partnering with those nationals that we find through our supported workers. A good example is Kenya – our long-term supported workers have trained a national pastor who oversees five local churches. We have now sent three teams to work with those churches. The impact on lives is immeasurable. People come home changed, and we in turn are blessed as a church as team members share their experience with others.
About two billion people of the world’s 6.8 billion people have yet to hear the Gospel. While we often take Christian teaching for granted, people from many groups have little or no opportunity to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. God plans to use us to reach specific people groups as we discern his leading. Sometimes people come to us (internationals), but sometimes we need to go to them. It will be exciting to see where he leads us!
We offer a number of short-term trips so that we can engage in what God is doing in the world. He is already present in any place we could go, but by going we enter into the blessing of seeing lives from every people, and language and tribe and nation transformed through faith in Jesus Christ.
FAQs:
Why go?
Over the last several years, God has blessed our teams and used them to touch the lives of many around the globe. Our Panamanian sisters in Christ have been encouraged with our Women’s Conference. Our men’s construction teams have made improvements to the Word of Life Camp in Panama. Children in the Mathare slums of Kenya enjoy a new playground, churches have been planted in the bush country, and orphaned children in Haiti have a new, earthquake proof orphanage. People in Spain improve their English skills with the Spanish/English Immersion camp while we share the gospel with them in a friendship-style evangelism. In North Africa, our medical clinics serve the local population demonstrating the love of Christ with healing touches.
What about the money, travel and training?
The answer to these questions will be addressed in our team-training prior to the trip. To participate on a team, you must commit to eight training sessions that thoroughly prepare you for your trip. These meetings are fun, interactive, and informative.
Who can go?
The teams are open to adults and some are open to older teenagers. All who submit the required applications are eligible to go. The Mission Pastor will make final decisions on applications.
How do I get started?
To get started, you must apply through our application process. You must fill out a one-time general Short-Term Mission trip application. You must also fill out a Trip Specific Application and a Community Consent Form.
Contact
For more information, contact Alison Mish at amish@biblechapel.org.
Quick Facts:
Haiti
Demographics:
- Haiti is the poorest state in the western Hemisphere
- They have desperate physical needs due to lack of medical attention
- Leadership training is limited as a result of the poverty of the churches
- Literacy is 48% (functional literacy may be as low at 20%)
Who we work with in Haiti:
What we are doing in Haiti:
- Construction: Building EcoShell dormitories and working alongside Haitian laborers in providing sustainable, low-cost homes to the area.
- Medical: Providing basic medical services to the people from the 2011 earthquake and in the area surrounding the Yahve Jire orphanage.
How you can get involved:
- Pray for: the Yahve Jire orphanage, missionaries who run the orphanage, future trips.
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Honduras
Demographics:
- Leadership training is now the vital need to supply the growing number of congregations
- The poverty in this country has led to many living on the streets without a home (unemployment rate is 40%)
- 30% of street children are HIV+
Who we work with in Honduras:
- “Genesis Project” of Orphan Helpers
What we are doing in Honduras:
- Construction
- Evangelism in government centers that house abused and abandoned teenage boys and girls
- Spiritual training to youth in a transition home
How you can get involved:
- Pray for the continued progress of the “Genesis Project.”
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Hungary
Demographics:
- Great need for evangelists
- Church needs to mature in its ability to evangelize and overcome feelings on inferiority that restrain boldness in witness
- Instituted a multi-party democracy in 1990 when they established freedom of religion
- Legacies of Marxism (mistrust, division, and suspicion) still affect attitudes of the people and the church
Who we work with in Hungary:
- The leadership of Campus Crusade for Christ in Budapest, Hungary
What we are doing in Hungary:
- Evangelism: distributing “Student Survival Kits” on college campuses in Budapest, and following up with students who express an interest in knowing more about Christ
How you can get involved:
- Pray for the ease of planning this trip and for the people to express interest.
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Kenya
Demographics:
- 78% of the population proclaims to be Christian, with only about 12% attending church on a regular basis
- Trained Christian leaders are lacking due to the rapid growth of Christianity over the past decade
- HIV/AIDs is widespread with the death rate climbing to 14% of those ages 15-49
- Kenya plays a key role as a solid base for Christian ministry to the rest of Africa and around the world
Who we work with in Kenya:
- Wayne and Dee Johnson – Our missionaries in Nairobi who have served for 30 years, mainly in theological training at NIST (Nairobi International School of Theology)
- Rev. Johnson Wambua with AIC Zion church and school in the Marthare Slums
- John Kiyssa in the Bush
What are we doing in Kenya:
- Evangelism and church building in the Mathare Slum and the Bush
- Children’s ministry at the AIC Zion school in the Mathare Slum
- Church and leadership development in the Mathare Slum and the Bush
How you can get involved:
- Pray for the AIC Zion church and school; continued development of the church.
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Panama
Demographics:
- Secular state with religious freedom
- Increasing problems with youth forming gangs and taking drugs
- 88% of the population proclaim to be Christian
- Spanish is the official language
Who we work with in Panama:
- Mirko and Traci Delibasich and Juanpi and Celia Mul with Word of Life (Our missionaries in Panama.)
What we are doing in Panama:
- Construction – projects around the camp
- Evangelism – Word of Life’s goal is to share the Good News of the Gospel with children throughout Panama
- Women’s Conferences
- Youth Camps
- Leadership Training
- Transition Homes – We expect to open two transition homes by the beginning of 2012. One will be for orphans ages 12-15, and the other will be for orphans who age-out of the system at age 18. The home will give them a place to develop spiritually and to learn life skills that will help them transition into society in a healthy way.
How you can get involved:
- Pray.
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Romania
Demographics:
- Former communists still play a large role in government
- Europe’s third highest population of Evangelicals
- The government has set tight restrictions for the registration and activity of religious groups other than Orthodox
- Ethnic division still affecting the church
Who we work with in Romania:
- Caminul-Felix (means “Happy Home” in Romanian). “Family Village” concept of ministry to abandoned children.
What we are doing in Romania:
- Orphan ministry
- Evangelism – ministry to abandoned children and youth camps
How you can get involved:
- Pray.
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Turkey
Demographics:
- Religion – 99% Muslim
- Largest unreached nation in the world
- The constitutional guarantee of religious freedom has not been fully upheld
- Still instances of discrimination and harassment of religious minorities
Why we are serving in Turkey:
- To train leaders in the Christian church.
Who we work with in Turkey:
- Pastor Kaan – Protestant Church in Turkey
What we are doing in Turkey:
- Evangelism
- Church Development – seminars about specific areas of ministry in the church
How you can get involved:
- Pray.
- Give to future mission trips.
- Go on a short-term mission trip.
Trip reports from previous mission trips – check out what God has done!
