Author: Emily Belvery

Thriving, Not Just Surviving: The Heart of Mission Partner Care

Posted on by Emily Belvery

What is member care?

Member care (or mission partner care) is ongoing preparation, equipping, empowering, and support of mission partners – a responsibility given, initiated, and led by God and shared by all within the organization. Mission Partner care is concerned with mission partner’s spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual, and relational development and well-being.

Who is on the member care team?

MCN’s member care team is made up of individuals with cross-cultural experience as well as training in counseling or coaching. Each mission partner sent out by MCN is assigned a member care advocate from the team that is available to the mission partner for prayer, encouragement, a listening ear, and guidance. The member care team provides training and resources for well-being, reaches out regularly to their individual mission partners, and leads support groups for both new missionaries going onto the field and returning missionaries readjusting to life in the US. 

What else is included in member care?

Member care involves initial and ongoing missionary training; resources on topics like grief, transition, and raising third-culture kids; assessments to help mission partners understand themselves and how they work and relate to others; connections for coaching or counseling; missionary debriefings; retreats and sabbaticals; and more!

Why does member care matter?

Sometimes wounds of our past, unresolved grief, and trauma keep us stuck and ineffective in our ministry and relationships. There is something about serving overseas that brings these things to the surface. Cracks in marriages become bigger, negative messages become louder in your head, and physical exhaustion is inevitable with all the challenges. It is important to have someone to walk alongside us to help during times of overwhelm, before it becomes a crisis. This is why member care is here. When life’s challenges are addressed sooner than later there is less to repair and restoration to healthy balance is easier. 

What does member care look like on the field?

Zach Barz

“I connect with my member care person for a call once every month or two, but I also know that I can message them whenever. As someone with years of experience on the mission field as well as an outside perspective, my member care person provides wisdom and a listening ear. They challenge me to consider how God is working through the struggles I encounter while encouraging me to practice healthy habits of spiritual and mental wellness, and they always pray with me at the end of our calls! I have also benefited from various spiritual and cross-cultural resources they’ve shared that are targeted towards missionaries out on the field, such as year-end reflections and resources for navigating interpersonal relationships.” 

– Zach, mission partner in Costa Rica

“When we first moved overseas, our member care advocate checked in with us each month and we discussed many different struggles and strategies for working through culture shock. Now, having been on the field for 6 years, we connect more periodically, but are so grateful to have someone we can go to for prayer and support.”

– Lynnea, mission partner in the Philippines

What difference has member care made for you?

“I feel encouraged and supported knowing that there is someone from MCN who is aware of what I’m going through out on the field and will be regularly checking in to see how I’m doing! It makes a big difference to feel like I’m not alone on some island far from home but rather connected to something much larger, part of a family of believers.” – Zach

It has been a blessing to have Megan walking with us through some major life changes – moving overseas, starting a family, navigating grief, and having big transitions in our ministry.  These things are challenging, especially in a cross-cultural setting, and it is unique and so helpful to have someone who shares our faith and understands both our home culture and our ministry context.” – Lynnea

Summing it all up…

“MCN mission partner care is here to make sure our mission partners have connection so they can thrive and not just survive on the mission field.”

– Cindy, MCN Director of Mission Partner Care

Go and Grow: How Missionary Service Changes Us

Posted on by Emily Belvery

As a mission mobilizer, many of my conversations with people considering missions have to do with their readiness and ministry fit. It’s natural to want to know things like “Am I the right kind of person to be a missionary?” “What skills do I have that will fit the needs of this field?” and “How can I prepare myself?” I remember wondering many of the same things when I moved to Taiwan as a new college graduate. “Is my faith strong enough for this? Am I ready for the real world – and the real world in a place that’s so different from home?”

And yet, one of the conversations I love having with people after they’ve spent time on the mission field is not about how ready they were before going but about how God has stretched and grown them through their time overseas. Being completely out of your comfort zone and out of control as a cross-cultural missionary grows you in ways few other things in life do. 

Your walk with Jesus, your personal maturity, your practical and social skills, and your character and heart posture are just a few of many areas of exponential growth for young missionaries.

Here’s what a few of MCN’s mission partners say about how they’ve grown on the field:

From Grace, now in her second year serving in Central Europe:

During my time overseas, I have grown through fully embracing the newness with sincere joy. Many locals thought it laughable that I was so over-the-top excited about moving to their “little village.” Yet I was able to share with them how God has planted me in small towns in the past to equip me to joyfully embrace another small community. 

When I moved here, there were many unknowns: the language to grapple with, every relationship brand new, new routes and routines, and a layered history and culture I am still learning about. Spending time in the mornings to read God’s Word and pray for my team and ministry, along with foundational support such as the Sojourner’s group, a monthly Zoom meeting Mission of Christ Network provides for the first year missionaries to debrief and encourage one another, contributed to a successful transition. 

I believe and have experienced this year that when God calls us for missions, He will provide everything needed for us to carry out His calling.

From Heidi, now in her second year serving in Ethiopia:

Sometimes you just feel stuck in life. That’s where I was at when I stepped out onto the mission field. Then stuck turned into thriving as God provided an amazing team of supporters in the U.S. and lovely, hospitable people to welcome me into this new culture, and my life became…simple. 

I did my job. I ate my meals in fellowship with others each day. I took walks in the quietness of my mind, the sun, and the small, abundant flowers hidden around the campus. I taught English, went to chapel, drank coffee…and lots of it, practiced my devotions, prayed, had a lot of good conversations, and worked out with my gym crew each day. 

And through each experience God was at work challenging my sins, growing my faith and confidence, teaching me once again how to trust in Him, how to love others, and how to be the person He made me to be and do the work He had prepared for me to do. Praise be to God!

And from Sarah, now in her eighth year serving in Taiwan:

During my time serving in Taiwan, I’ve grown in my understanding of how God speaks in His Word to His people all over the world. Sometimes, the way that my students’ culture and worldview mirror the culture and worldview of Israel in Biblical times gives them insight into Bible passages that I lack on my own. 

This year, I read through the Parable of the Prodigal Son with an eighth grade Bible class, and the Taiwanese emphasis on family gave my students a deeper understanding of the family dynamics in this parable. They related easily to the idea of messing up so badly that they could no longer have a place in the family and were shocked when the father welcomed the son back into the family. I read this parable with a new understanding as I saw through their eyes the power of the father’s love for his son.

Whether you’re approaching college graduation and looking to grow as a young adult or feeling stuck in your current life, serving cross-culturally could be just the way God grows you to be more who He created you to be . . . 

Talk to a Mobilizer

Taiwan Is #4

Posted on by Emily Belvery

In a recent newsletter, Dr. Steve Oliver (seminary professor and missionary in Taiwan) wrote, “Taiwan’s Stock Market rose to the 4th in value worldwide (after the U.S., China, and Japan). This is amazing considering that Taiwan takes up only 0.02% of the world’s land space and also considering that Chinese were among the poorest 150 years ago (when England, the U.S., Germany, France & the Netherlands were richest)!

“Why? High Tech, especially semiconductors. Taiwan is the stone the builders rejected (U.N. and most countries) that became the chief cornerstone of High Tech since everyone now depends on Taiwan for the most advanced semiconductors that are the heart of most high-tech stuff. 

“I pray that Taiwanese believers will use this power, wealth, and influence to glorify God and bless people, and to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth (Matthew 28:19-20)!

“I took the photo above of my students [at China Lutheran Seminary] singing in the choir during our morning chapel and realized that they are all high-tech Taiwanese engineers (two are PhDs), now turning that power into theological studies and ministry. Perhaps because these very smart men found a lack of fulfillment in the high competition materials world, they are now giving their lives to serve full-time in church for the Lord. 

What a privilege and also responsibility as I help them transition from science and technology to theology, mission, and shepherding!”

Watering Seeds: A Summer of Serving in Cambodia

Posted on by Emily Belvery

Brynn is a senior at Concordia University Nebraska. She spent about nine weeks this summer serving as a short-term mission partner at Stronghold Cambodia in Kampot, Cambodia. Stronghold is a non-profit educational ministry where children hear about Jesus’s love in their own heart language of Khmer for the first time, and students (grades 3-12) who have never spoken English learn to communicate at a basic level.

You’ve served in Cambodia for two summers in a row now. What made you decide to go in summer 2025, and what made you decide to go back in 2026?

I had spent a summer teaching in Cambodia in 2023 with a different organization and grown a heart for Cambodia through that experience. I decided to serve with Stronghold specifically in 2025 because I had learned how Stronghold intentionally shares the Gospel in students’ native language on a daily basis. I was excited to serve alongside an established ministry that serves a people group who have a special place in my heart. I decided to go back in 2026 because of the students and staff at Stronghold. I truly believe that God used the relationships built in summer 2025 to call me back in 2026.

Describe the students at Stronghold Cambodia. How were you able to build relationships with them across language and cultural barriers?

The students at Stronghold have the biggest hearts and are eager to learn! Building relationships often looked like eating with the older students and bonding over activities with all of the students, such as UNO, volleyball, soccer, and dance. It is amazing how the language and cultural barriers come down when connecting with students through these activities.

What did an average day look like for you while you were in Cambodia?

An average day in Cambodia meant going into the office in the morning and preparing the lessons before students arrived at 11:15 for lunch. Classes were at 11:45, 12:50, and 5:15. The rest of the day was spent preparing lessons, running errands, and spending time with students. Sometimes after the evening class, I would go eat and sit by the riverside with the students as an opportunity to connect with them.

What was most challenging about your summer and how did God bring you through these challenges?

This summer was not without its challenges. The most challenging part was probably learning to balance the ministry and rest. Engaging in the ministry well requires proper rest and being poured into. I was challenged this summer to be intentional with the times that I chose rest or spending time with the students outside the classroom. God gave me opportunities for rest and unforgettable experiences with the students.  

Where did you most clearly see God at work while you were in Cambodia?

It was amazing to see God at work within the students! The older students make up the praise team, teaching the younger students, and teaching their peers. They have become leaders in their community, and it is evident that God is working within and through them.

How did God grow you through this experience?

Through this experience, God grew my dependence on him and to trust him with all of the details. I knew what my role and responsibilities would be this summer, but I didn’t know what the summer would look like emotionally and mentally with being the only short-term volunteer. God provided me with community and fellowship at Stronghold in ways that I could never have imagined. It’s easy to know that we are to depend on and trust in God, but God grew me to lean on him more than I ever had.

What are you bringing back to the US with you?

I am bringing back the memories of this summer and the students’ faces. I am excited to share the stories of how God is working in and through the students. He is the one who is growing them in their relationships with him and in their leadership. I am also bringing back the full dependence on God and continuing to trust God in the details of this next chapter of my life.

What would you say to someone considering serving in Cambodia for the summer and wondering if they’re the right fit for this opportunity?

Go! The summer in Cambodia is a great opportunity to teach (even if you’ve never taught before), live in a new cultural context with support, and build relationships within an already established ministry. Serving with Stronghold is an opportunity to water the seeds that have already been planted. If you’re wondering if you’re a right fit, I would encourage you that having a heart for missions and an interest in serving cross-culturally are two of the most important things needed. Trust that God would continue to lead you towards this opportunity if you are the right fit!

How Slovakia Prepared Me for Chicago

Posted on by Emily Belvery

Are you a church work student, gearing up for your internship? Have you ever considered doing your internship overseas? Hear from Jennifer Edwards about her experience as a DCE Intern in Slovakia and how that experience prepared her for ministry in the States. 

Introduce Yourself:

I went to Concordia University Texas in Austin. I studied Religious Education in the Director of Christian Education (DCE) program. I am currently serving as a full-time DCE in northern Illinois overseeing the children’s and youth ministries at my church.

Why did you decide to do an international DCE internship?

While I was in high school, I had the opportunity to do a home-to-home exchange program through my German class. I spent six weeks in Germany one summer and fell in love with Europe. After that trip, I kept saying I wanted to go back. After a couple of international mission trips in college, I started talking about doing my internship overseas. I always thought I would end up back in Germany, but God had different plans, and I ended up in Slovakia.

Going into internship I wasn’t sure if I would come back to the States at the end of my internship, so I never really had many concerns about an international internship and then seeking a call in America. At that time all I wanted to do was live abroad. Now that I am back serving in America, I think my time in Slovakia has been a huge blessing on my ministry here, definitely not a hindrance.

How did your overseas experience shape your view of your role as a DCE?

Serving overseas had a huge impact on how I viewed the world and my faith. Recognizing there is a lot that is simply different about people, rather than believing some do it “right” while others have it “wrong,” has been a valuable viewpoint to have when talking to people and building relationships. It feels like America has become more polarized and being able to hear different perspectives and understand both is really important now. I don’t know if I would have developed that skill had I not served overseas.

What’s something you encountered on internship that you didn’t feel prepared for? How did God grow you through this? 

There were a lot of things I encountered on internship that I didn’t feel prepared for. The transition from college (where you have your best friends and trusted professors all around you) to living on your own is tough. I also was living alone in a country I had never been to before moving there. I also am not the best person at asking for help, which probably didn’t help things . . . however, God definitely showed up!

He showed up in the people from the church I was serving at. He brought me friends and incredible support through those people. Even though I wasn’t great at asking for help, they knew I had never been to or lived in Slovakia, so they regularly were asking what I needed and what questions I had, and when I was brave enough to ask for help they were ready and eager to help me. One of the most beautiful parts of Slovak culture is how hospitable they are, and it goes beyond sharing a meal! I definitely shared a lot of meals with people there, but they also shared their time, their friendship, their prayers. Being someone who likes to do things on my own, God definitely challenged me to learn to lean on others and especially lean on him. He showed me what Christian community means!

How did your international internship prepare you for church ministry in the states?

From the outside it can be a challenge to see the similarities of international ministry and church ministry in America. They really are different in a lot of ways, but what is the same in ministry no matter where you are serving is relationships. Relationships are the foundation to a strong ministry and serving overseas only emphasized the value of getting to know people. Serving in a different culture also opened my eyes to the beauty of living life with people from all different walks of life. I currently serve in the Chicagoland area, which is a pretty diverse population culturally, economically, and religiously. Serving internationally challenges you to be more curious about people, and that has been an incredible gift that has supported my current ministry in America.

What advice would you give to a current church work student considering an international internship?

There are few experiences that will stretch you like serving internationally. While international ministry may look different than what you do or will do in America, I believe it has shaped me to be a better DCE than I could have been. My time in Slovakia broadened my worldview, challenged and strengthened my faith, and brought richness to my life. It is scary to leave the country you know, but if you have even a slight inkling toward this type of ministry, now is the time to explore it. I have never once regretted my choice to go to Slovakia, and it has continued to bless me and my ministry in ways I never could have imagined! So I say, go for it!

5 Things We’re Taking Away from CMI

Posted on by Emily Belvery

The Concordia Mission Institute (CMI) is a yearly missions training conference jointly hosted by Mission of Christ Network and Lutheran Bible Translators. People thinking about future mission service, called Mission Explorers, are invited to join the week-long training as guests of MCN.

It’s a rich and full week of fellowship and learning! Looking at comments from this year’s Mission Explorers, they talked about:

Here are 5 takeaways from the week:

1. Community is key.

As the word cloud above shows, mission explorer responses were full of words like “love,” “community,” and “family.” Relationships are at the heart of what MCN does, not just as we share the Gospel on the mission field but as an organization relating to each other. Being able to gather each year from across the world is a tremendous gift and a unique privilege for MCN missionaries.

“I was overwhelmed by the hospitality, kindness, friendliness, and openness of the mission partners and specialists.” – Nancy

Mission work is a team sport, and encouraging and being supported by a Christ-focused community is imperative for going and returning well. 

“This is like a family reunion with people I never thought I knew.” – Matthew

Community is also key for discernment and decision making. When we interviewed a panel of MCN leadership during the conference about how they ended up in missions, a theme of their responses was that God put the right people in their path at the right time who gave good counsel and encouraged them in this direction. Mission Explorers felt the same.

“I feel as though God is giving me direction by the people that he sent my way to speak with.” – Stephen

2. “Don’t bother freaking out.”

Many mission explorers named the Missionary Panel as one of their favorite sessions of the conference, and perhaps no comment from this panel was as memorable as Naomi’s advice: “don’t bother freaking out!” After sharing honestly about how almost nothing she expected when she and her husband left Australia to do mission work in East Asia went the way she expected, she then reflected on how God has continued to provide for and direct them. Spoken not with glib indifference but with the confidence of one who has tested God’s promises and found them firm, Naomi repeated a couple of times, “Just don’t bother freaking out.” 

As director John Mehl likes to say, “Missions happens where we are out of control.” And while nothing about this lack of control is easy or comfortable, the power of God and the faithfulness of God never fail.

“This is a community that is human, and for humans, discussing the raw realities of missions abroad and local missions in all their rawness out of love.” – Rebecca

3. A devoted life isn’t primarily about doing.

    Monday’s Mission of God plenary from Dr. Leo Sanchez focused us on what it means to live a devoted life by the power of the Spirit. A key take away from this talk (perhaps especially important for service-oriented missionaries) was a reminder that “one can be Christ-like without being Christ-focused.” While being occupied with serving others is in many ways a Christ-like action, if this doing takes precedence over being in Jesus’s presence and focusing our worship on Him, we have lost the thread of what it means to be a Christ follower.

    The ancient reminder of “ora et labora” (pray and work) was a beautiful way to start the conference week, reminding us to put the Word before work. When we remember that the Mission is God’s and only He can create faith, then we are free to proclaim the Gospel and say with Martin Luther, “I did nothing; the Word did everything.”

    Describe CMI? “Truly transformative.” – Rebecca

    4. “One Great Thing” is a myth.

      Tuesday’s plenary session, led by Pastor Jeff Leininger touched on a number of characteristics of our plural vocations in life (based on his book Callings for Life). One of his first points addressed the myth of “the one great thing.” Reflecting on decades of campus ministry, he told the stories of students paralyzed by indecision when they looked toward graduation trying to discern the one great thing God wanted them to do – as well as the stories of older people looking back on their lives with regret, feeling they had missed the great thing they were made for.

      Instead, Pastor Jeff encouraged us to focus on the faces (the who), the places (the where), and the spaces (the what) all around us so we might live faithfully in the many roles and relationships God has given us today. 

      For a group of mission explorers trying to discern if God is calling them to cross-cultural ministry, this talk gave permission and freedom to make choices for the future and follow passions and interests without the pressure of feeling like global missions must be (or not be) the one thing they are created to do.

      “The opportunities to do mission work are varied. The option for differing locations and durations is appealing to many.” – David

      5. Missions here and there have a lot in common.

        Multiple times Mission Explorers remarked with a tone of surprise that much of what they were hearing and learning at CMI was applicable to life and ministry in the US, too. Building relationships and sharing the Gospel is at the heart of what it means to be Christ-followers no matter what place or culture we are living in. And we repeatedly told Mission Explorers that we want nothing more or less than for them to follow God’s lead and serve in His Mission wherever and however He calls. 

        At the same time, it is encouraging to know that serving as a cross-cultural missionary (while unique in its challenges and opportunities) is also in many ways an extension of Christian life in the US. One’s personality, hobbies and interests, and ways of building relationships are transferable to ministry in another culture. And in many ways the impact of these relationships can be multiplied by living in a place where few people know Jesus. 

        “Being encouraged by the stories and life experiences of both old and new friends at CMI has helped to remind me that God can truly use anyone to accomplish His will, and God isn’t done stretching us and guiding us to be the people He calls us to be.” – New Mission Partner, Katherine

        If you are interested in joining CMI as a mission explorer next summer (July 11-17, 2027) or know someone who might be, reach out to Emily and Kayla at recruiting@missionofchrist.org. We’d love to connect!

        The Discernment Journey: Trusting God When Missions Feels Both Right and Impossible

        Posted on by Emily Belvery

        Do I go or do I stay? Do I use my gifts here or there? Is this decision selfish or not selfish? Is this what God is really calling me to do or does He have something else for me? On and on the questions go.

        As someone who has lived the process of discerning to serve overseas twice now, I get it. The space between the gentle pull of God’s call to go and the loud push of doubt. For me, these competing opposites looked like: A secure paycheck vs. fundraising. Achieving my own success metrics vs. total dependence on God, the only one who can create faith. A clear boundary between work life and personal life vs. it’s all missions.

        Push and pull. Push and pull. You probably know that space of tension well and can insert your own pushes and pulls that toss you back and forth.

        How do we overcome the inertia that pushes us away from saying yes to God’s invitation to GO? We need not look any further than God’s powerful Word and prayer. God meets us in His Word. We find in Scripture the Good Shepherd’s voice, a voice His sheep know, leading us. 

        As I wrestled against the loud voice of doubt in my own discernment process, God’s gentle voice found me. It wasn’t a neon sign pointing the way or a laid out map (which I so desired); it was in His Word. His Word that as it goes out, does not return empty. His Word that not only speaks into the details of our lives, but in the lives of those we share it with as well. 

        Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Psalm 3:5-6

        This was the verse that quieted my anxious heart, drowned out the doubts and led me to where God now has me. It was the verse that prompted me to ask, ‘What is my own understanding about this decision and is that true in light of who God is?’ I pray these words will be a trusty companion to you on your journey as they were for me.

        Following God often doesn’t lead us where we thought we’d be . . . He leads us somewhere better. 

        May God grant you peace and clarity as He gently leads you to what He has prepared for you and may these Discernment Resources – full of Scripture, prayers, and questions to ponder – be a blessing to you as you spend time with your Heavenly Father.

        Where Does Scripture Talk about Missions?

        Posted on by Emily Belvery

        Matthew 28:19 (“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”) is likely the most famous mission verse in the Bible – although it’s only one of the Great Commission verses. (See Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, John 20:21, and Acts 1:8 for other iterations of this sending.)

        God’s Mission, however, started long before Jesus’s resurrection and ascension and is in fact one of the central threads of Scripture – a theme running from Genesis to Revelation. 

        God is on a mission to get His lost children back. 

        Perhaps the first word of Gospel in the Scriptures is Genesis 3:9, “But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’” God was not confused; Adam and Eve had not hidden from His presence so fully that He couldn’t find them. 

        Rather, God was seeking out his disobedient children. Even though they had broken their relationship with him – trading honor for shame, innocence for guilt, peace for fear – yet He sought them out. This same God is still today seeking the lost – the foreigners, the exiles, those far away and without hope (Eph 2:12) – and calling them to Himself with a word of grace. “Where are you?”

        Mission comes from the Latin word for send (v. mittere or n. missio) and when we read Scripture with eyes open for this theme, we see on every page that God is a God of sending.

        God sent prophets, judges, and kings to His people. 

        • God told Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14
        • “And the Lord sent Jerubbaal and Barak and Jephthah and Samuel and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and you lived in safety.” 1 Samuel 12:11
        • “And Samuel said to Saul, ‘The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel,’” 1 Samuel 15:1

        God sent Christ to seek and to save the lost. 

        • “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
        • “And Jesus cried out and said, ‘Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.’” John 12:44-45

        God sent the Holy Spirit to His Church, to indwell believers and to teach, comfort, remind, bear witness, and empower them for mission.

        • “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26
        • “Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’” Galatians 4:6

        And God sends the Church – every believer – to participate in His Mission.

        • “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’”  John 20:21
        • “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’” Luke 10:1-2 

        From the moment Adam and Eve sinned, God has been seeking the lost and sending people to participate in this mission with Him. God desires all people to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), and he desires people of every nation, tribe, people, and language to come into the family of God by faith (Revelation 7:9).

        So what does all this mean for you? Today?

        1. From the Garden of Eden, God has been on a mission to bring people back to Himself. This is still his mission for you and for all the peoples of the world.
        2. Scripture is the story of this mission. Reading with an eye for mission throughout the Scriptures (not just after Jesus’s ascension) gives a more complete picture of who God is and what He is about. 
        3. You have a part in this mission. No matter who you are or what your gifts or career, you are one sent by God to bring people back to Himself. Ask Him to show you where and how He is sending you today (and in the future) and to give you courage to follow!
        4. As you go, know that you are sent as part of a long story of sending. You don’t go alone. Jesus is still on mission (Acts 1:1). God has sent you the Holy Spirit to dwell in you. And you are sent together with the Church – the cloud of witnesses that have gone before you and the saints who live now across the world.

        Encouraged & Prepared for the Journey

        Posted on by Emily Belvery

        Every year in May, Mission of Christ Network hosts New Mission Partner Training (NMPT) – a weeklong training focused on equipping new mission partners and specialists for their time of service in the foreign mission field. Training topics range from ‘Barriers to the Gospel’ to ‘Culture Shock’ to ‘Insurance’ and everything in-between.  

        Hear from Mission Partners (L to R below) Katherine Moser (Taiwan); Seth & Kirstie Skogerboe (Central Europe) and Mission Partner Specialist Chris Schwanz (Africa) about their experience at NMPT:

        What’s one thing you learned at NMPT that you will take with you onto the field? 

        Katherine: One thing I learned while at NMPT is that the only certainty God desires in our lives is that we be certain of Him. It is a hope and an encouragement to know God is the one that creates faith in others, not us, and He continually directs our steps when we seek to do His will.  

        Seth: Considering the implications of honor/shame or fear/power paradigms for one’s understanding (and presentations) of the Gospel isn’t just helpful for relating to Christian brothers and sisters in other cultural contexts; it allows for crucial perspective on the full wealth of God’s gift to us in Jesus’ death for our life. We are not only innocent of our sins by Jesus’ blood—although we are that!—but freed from their eternal hold on us, and honored and glorified in Him. 

        Kirstie: Something that will stick with me from the sessions on partner care is the importance of building elements into a healthy routine now that we can translate onto the mission field later. While I think I’ve developed healthy rhythms of self- and family-care, I realized many of them are dependent on living where we do right now. I’ve already started adding in some new wellness routines that I am confident will make the transition with me! 

        Chris: The opportunity to break out of the worldview which I have been limited by and be opened to how incredibly large God is when seen through the worldview of another culture.

        What’s one way you feel more ready to enter the foreign mission field after NMPT?

        Katherine: One way I feel more ready to enter the foreign mission field after NMPT is having the reassurance that it is by God’s grace that we are privileged to take part in planting and watering seeds. We don’t always get to see the outcome, but that’s not the point. God simply asks us to be present with people, prayerfully and fervently seeking opportunities to intentionally proclaim the Gospel.

        Seth: All of the logistical work we did with our field lead figuring out financial details and discussing our psychological and interpersonal profiles was a huge relief to me. We trust God to lead us into and through the dark, but it’s so helpful to go into this trip with our eyes open!

        Kirstie: My greatest anxiety in going on the mission field has been leaving family and disrupting our own immediate family’s sense of stability. But one of John Mehl’s sessions, where he shared several deeply moving stories from his own family’s experience sharing Christ in Russia, re-contextualized my concerns in light of the immeasurable worth of knowing Christ and helping other people to know him. I have more courage now. 

        Chris: The time we spent together in God’s Word, prayer, and meditation affirmed what I have been feeling and thinking about taking the next step into cross-cultural Gospel proclamation. 

        What were you encouraged by at NMPT?

        Katherine: I was encouraged by the fact that God wants our hearts, not for us to just “go through the motions.” It’s as we go about our day-to-day lives that we are called to be His disciples, and God calls imperfect people to be His witnesses and to point others to Him. Thus, He asks us to simply trust Him and to always be ready to give a reason for why we have the hope that is in us.

        Seth: Knowing that the friends we made at this training will be praying and in the Word along with us as we serve in our respective fields was a real encouragement. 

        Kirstie: Primarily the staff members, who were not only interested in our commitment to missions, but in our life stories—not just in our evangelistic “success” but in our family’s health, stamina, and faithfulness to God’s calling—and not just in our comfort, but in our dependence on Christ and love for His mission. My husband and I were also profoundly encouraged by the stories of our fellow missionaries-in-training and how God has led each of them to their respective ministries. 

        Chris: For me it was the “who” I was encouraged by at NMPT. The collegiality of those who were new and not new was refreshing, inspiring, positive, and supportive. After spending the week together, I would partner with any one of them to wherever God would call us. 

        Milk Tea, Google Translate, and Grace: Adventures in Dorm Parenting

        Posted on by Emily Belvery

        A conversation with Rex and Linda who served as dorm parents with MCN in Central Asia, a place where MCN is looking for retired couples to serve 3 month terms:

        Why did you decide to serve as dorm parents? The dorm project had been a vision for around five years prior to it becoming a reality. The intent of the project – to help college students grow in their Christian faith and life – persuaded us to be a part of this ministry. God puts in His people’s hearts where he wants them to be. It is totally the work of the Holy Spirit. You’ll know when God calls you to go. Psalm 96:3 “Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all peoples.”

        What is a ‘typical’ day like as dorm parents? Your typical day begins with whatever your normal routine usually is. The student’s schedules and responsibilities vary. The goal is to treat them like the adults they are and to be kind, loving, truthful supportive imitators of Jesus. Flexibility and a good sense of humor are always in season. Introduce the students to whatever talents and gifts you love and combine them with English conversation. Your gift may be teaching English, baking, painting, any form of art, singing, playing an instrument, writing, or anything else. A pizza night with ice cream is always appreciated. 

        Monday through Thursday nights, volunteer led devotions are held for half an hour with the students. An important part of the volunteer’s assignment is to offer support and encouragement to the local pastors and their wives. You can do this by spending time together, as allowed, by praying and eating together.

        How did you see God at work in the dormitory? Forgiveness, mercy, and love for one another were evident. On rare occasions, when a misunderstanding arose, which is a normal thing in life, there was Christ-like conflict resolution. God works powerfully with the students through the ministries of the local pastors and their families.

        One thing you loved about your host-culture: People’s warmth, hospitality, and willingness to be helpful. Drinking milk tea.

        How were you able to build relationships with students across language and cultural barriers? By taking time to get to know the students’ names right away and be intentional about developing a relationship with them. There’s no short cut for this. Can anyone say English conversation, hugs, pizza, ice cream, devotions, genuine smiles, talking with your hands, food and photos? Google translate is helpful.

        What encouragement would you give to someone thinking about serving as a dorm parent? Even though initially you may feel uncomfortable in this situation, you’ll discover almost immediately the kindness and love of the students & dorm supervisor for you. Your love and kindness for them will come very easily.

        What is something you’ll take with you from this experience as God calls you into new adventures? Whenever you’re working and serving in other cultures, the fact that we’re all followers of Jesus unites and bonds us immediately as brothers and sisters in Christ. Even though the language may be a barrier, knowing that you’re with fellow believers will encourage you and make you feel welcome and accepted.