How to Help Your Pastor in Missions
• Pray for him regularly.
• Send him to the mission field.
• Arrange for missionaries to visit him.
• Pay his way to a conference or class.
• Enlist the pastor’s participation in the missions conference and committee.
• Provide helpful missions reading material such as clipped articles and illustrations
• Handle the details of missions.
• Work with the pastor and board to define missions.
• Suggest new options for increasing missions giving.
• Encourage him to talk with other missions-minded pastors.
• Support and affirm his ideas for missions.

Tips...
• Don’t become a pest to be avoided.
• Demonstrate genuine interest and involvement in other church ministries.
• Be patient and go slowly.
• Don’t criticize.
• Seek and receive permission and endorsement of all missions activities.
• Ask the pastor to personally promote missions publicly.
• Do everything for missions in a quality manner.
• Don’t lose heart and try to work around the pastor.

It’s more important to get on your pastor’s team than to get him on your team.

Forsake All to Follow Jesus?

What is poverty like? Think of your home, then follow this journey.

"We begin by invading the house of our imaginary American family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes: beds, chairs, tables, television set, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the bureaus go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his 'wardrobe' his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family, but none for the wife or children.

"We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards.The box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few moldy potatoes, already in the garbage can, but be hastily rescued, for they will provide much of tonight's meal. We will leave a handful of onions, a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away: the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned goods, the crackers, the candy.

"Now we have stripped the house: the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electric wires taken out. Next we take away the house. The family can move to the tool-shed.

"Communication must go next. No more newspapers, magazines, books — not that they are missed, since we must take away our family's literacy as well. Instead, in our shantytown we will allow one radio.

"Now government services must go. No more postman, no more firemen. There is a school, but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms.There are, of course, no hospitals or doctors nearby. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle, provided that the family has a bicycle, which is unlikely.

"Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of $5.00. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the $3.94 which he mistakenly thought he needed to receive admission to a hospital where he could have been cured." (Economist Robert Heilbroner in Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger, by Ronald J. Sider, p. 15-16).

A BILLION of our brothers and sisters live like this. They are just like us with hopes and dreams, a desire to escape pain and to live in peace and hope. They want a future for their children, a bit of comfort in their old age.

42,000 children WILL DIE TODAY from hunger and easily preventable childhood diseases!

Can't we live more simply that more of them might simply live?

God's Word on Riches and Poverty

"But godliness with CONTENTMENT is great gain! For we brought nothing into this world and we shall not take anything out." 1 Timothy 6:6,7

"But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how can the LOVE OF GOD be in him?" 1 John 3:17.

"Let the one who has two coats SHARE with him who has none. And let him who has food do the same." Luke 3:11

"And God is able to make ALL grace abound to you, so that ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in EVERYTHING, you may have an abundance for EVERY good deed." 2 Corinthians 9:8

"As you did it unto the least of these my brothers, YOU DID IT TO ME." Matthew 25:40

How Can You Choose to "Forsake All" Materialism and Truly "Follow Jesus" in Caring for Those in Need?

Visit places of need — shelters, soup kitchens, countries where poverty is evident. Then Jesus' heartache and passion will become yours and you will be blessed.
Ruthlessly examine your lifestyle for areas of excess. Remember it is your brothers and sisters who are starving or are without the Gospel.

Begin to trim back those excesses — but in a joyful way, with a great sense of purpose! Make a container from an oat box into a piggy bank, pasting pictures of hungry people on it. Every time you go without something you would normally buy, place the money inside.

Choose projects for this money that will motivate you to save. Jesus specifically expressed concern for the hungry, for widows and orphans, for the sick, for those in jail, for the strangers in our midst (refugees and immigrants) and for those who are lost. Your giving should primarily reflect those areas of need.

Bolster your faith by reading stories of God's power to provide. Be confidant that you cannot out give God. Know that tithe (10% of your income) is only a minimum that God calls you to in giving. Stretch your faith and sacrifice. Only then will your faith increase and God will do miracles.
Reject high interest debt. Cut up your credit cards until you can pay them off at the end of each month. Refuse to buy things on credit. Save instead!

Have fun without consuming. Almost everything we call fun is expensive. Learn to enjoy parks, games and sports that don't require a lot of money. Shop the bargains! Buy the cheaper brands (many times the quality is the same). Eat the "two-for-ones." Buy bulk. Shop the multitude of second-hand stores (it may be humbling — but remember you're doing it for those who can't even get enough to eat). Eat healthfully — grains, fruits and vegetables are pound for pound cheaper than meats and processed foods. Laugh at the world's mad cry "More is Better!" Enjoy what you have, be content, slow down and know that simply "Jesus is Better!"

The Seven Mission Responses to the "Great Commission"

As Christians, all of us have received God's grace. We all know the story of how much God loved us - so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to become a man and to live, die and
rise again for our sake. We know that God has taken away our sin and made us part of His own family, though we.ve done nothing to deserve it. This is what we call grace. We didn.t earn it or work for it.it comes to us purely through God's great love for us.

Now that we are God's own children, God has given us other gifts as well. One of them is the privilege of being part of His mission to the world. God doesn't need us, but out of grace He gives us the privilege of working with Him to bring other people to faith in Jesus Christ. And as we get involved in God's mission, we experience the joy that comes from pleasing the God who loves us. We respond to God's love for us by getting involved in God's mission to the world.

Seven Ways to Respond and Be Involved
The New Testament describes Christians of the early church engaged in seven identifiable areas of mission involvement. Their response to God's grace helps us to see the possibilities for our own unique and active participation in His mission.

Learn! Learning about mission challenges, opportunities and who still needs to hear the Gospel forms the foundation for all mission activity.

Pray! Prayer for God's mission by individuals and congregations is a crucial component of God's mission. Prayer for specific missionaries, countries, national churches and people groups is needed, as well as prayer for people and material resources to do the work.

Give! By supporting missionaries, mission projects, or mission work in targeted areas, more people hear the Gospel. Our stewardship sparks exponential multiplication of disciples.

Tell! By telling others what God accomplishes through His people in mission, we provide reallife examples of the Holy Spirit's unfathomable work of bringing unbelievers to faith. This inspires and encourages others to greater mission involvement.

Send! Encouraging someone toward missionary service, writing to missionaries, and helping to meet their needs are examples of "sending" activities. Our "sending" supports their going.

Go! Whether it's overseas or in our own back yards, some go as volunteer or career missionaries. Others go on short-term mission trips.

Celebrate! We celebrate God's mission together during worship or at mission fairs and festivals by remembering all He has done to bring lost people to Himself. Celebration focuses on God's grace, which extends from His throne into our own Jerusalems, Judeas, Samarias and ends of the earth! (Acts 1:8)

One Activity Leads to Another
You've probably noticed that many of the activities may overlap each other, for example, you can't really pray unless you learn a little about the people you're praying for, and you can't go very effectively unless someone's there to send you. In this way, one mission response leads to another, until a person may be involved in all seven. It's just a quick overview of seven ways we can respond to God's love and be involved in God's mission.

Energize a Missionary

Missionaries are on the front lines battling the enemy. Often they are isolated from friends of the same culture. How many times a week are they tempted to come home? They need fans cheering them on, people who consistently and sensitively care.

Call any of the agencies listed in this site for names, addresses and e-mails of missionaries.

You may want to encourage your Sunday School class, small group or entire church to adopt one or more missionaries.

Here's What You Can Do to Energize a Missionary:

Send encouraging letters, inspirational articles and newspaper clippings.
Mail something to make them laugh – a good joke, a cartoon, a fun video.
Send a relative or best friend for a visit at a time of special need.
Remember holidays with special items to remind them of home. (Christmas alone in a Buddhist country. 4th of July near anti-Americans.)
Mail sermon tapes or record a tape of you talking and praying for them. (Check to see what will actually make it to them by their postal service. Check with their agency to find someone who can hand carry it).
Send a copy of a worship service in which your church has highlighted their work and prayed specifically for them.
Ask them what they need, then find a way to get it to them. It might be books or tools they can't get where they are. It could be a resource for their ministry like refurbished computers. Perhaps they need someone to visit short-term, like an accountant to help them with their books, or an advisor to help get them back on track in home schooling, a contractor for a building project or someone with medical skills. Recruit someone!
Offer to mail their newsletter to supporters, since it will be cheaper from where you are.
If you are a short wave radio operator, set up a phone-link with the missionaries' families.

Praying for missionaries is one ministry that never has enough workers

"Brethren, pray for us." What missionary has not used this verse in his presentation to churches? Many of us promise to remember that missionary in our prayers, but in a week or two our sincere resolve has dwindled to ". . . and bless all the missionaries as they serve Thee around the world." Our problem is not that we don't know how to intercede for others, it is just that we neglect to.

The missionary who solicits your prayers really wants them. He faces loneliness, persecution, and other difficulties as he serves God in a foreign land. The power of prayer is a great uplifter to this dedicated, though sometimes discouraged, servant of the Lord. The following practical suggestions will aid you in your ministry of prayer for missionaries.

First of all, remember that missionaries are human just like you. They have the same tight family budget, fussy kids, and flat tires that you have. When you catch yourself sending up a short prayer for strength and guidance for yourself at these times, ask the same for a missionary you know personally. This method works two ways. It provides the power of prayer needed for both of you, and it helps you get your eyes off yourself and your troubles.

The whole family can get involved in the following suggestion. In family devotions, choose one missionary family each night and have each person pray for a different area of need. One person might pray that the physical needs of the missionary family will be met. Maybe you will know of specific problems. If not, pray for good health and adequate medical care. Another family member could pray for the emotional needs of the family. It can be very stressful to be the only Americans and/or the only Christians in a community. One person might like to pray for the intellectual needs. There is often the problem of educating the children. Many veteran missionaries list this as the number one problem of the missionary service. Then, of course, remember the spiritual needs of the missionary family. They are in the midst of spiritual warfare and need your prayer support.

Utilize prayer cards. Put them in a place where you will be sure to see them and remember to pray. Many put them by the telephone, on the refrigerator, or in their Bibles. Others have a special bulletin board in a prominent place in the house. When you receive prayer letters, post them with the praises and requests underlined.

You might like to organize a group of thirty fellow Christians to pray with you about the salvation of souls around the world. This can be easily organized by making a list of all the countries in the world and dividing that list into thirty groups. If each person begins to pray for a different section of the list and promises to pray each day, the entire world will be interceded for every day of the month. On this list you should leave room for your prayer partners to fill in current news events and the names of missionaries they may know in various countries. This will make your prayers more personal.

One lady I know begins every day by praying for a specific missionary. She says the Lord never fails to bring that family to her remembrance throughout the day so that she might pray more.

Often we tend to remember only those missionaries who are presently serving on foreign soil, but there are other missionaries who need our prayers just as much. Have you prayed for those who work in the home offices of the mission boards? Their work is vital and demanding. How about those missionary children who are away from their parents in a Christian college--have you thought to pray for them? There are others we should remember: those on deputation, in language school, on furlough--all need to be upheld in prayer.

There is one group we must pray for although we may not know their names. They are the "potential missionaries." The Lord commands in Matthew 9:37-38 that we pray that the Holy Spirit might send forth laborers. Perhaps the lack of missionary volunteers today is because of our failure to obey this Scripture.

Praying for missionaries is a ministry that needs many more workers. The rewards are plentiful. You will find your burden for the lost at home and abroad increasing. You may develop lifelong friendships with some of God's choicest servants. Souls will be saved, the work of God will be strengthened, and your faith will be increased all because you remembered to pray.

© Bob Jones University, www.bju.edu/faith. All rights reserved. This material may be copied and forwarded electronically free of charge, as long as the above copyright notice appears on all subsequent copies. For permission to use this material in print, please e-mail your request to review@bju.edu . For questions about article content, please email info@bju.edu .

© 2003 Bob Jones University

How to pray for your missionary
A guide for missionary prayer partners and sending church supporters.


If you are reading this document, it's likely that a missionary has invited you to be personally involved in God's mission by serving in a most critical role, that of prayer partner/supporter. Your work is vital! Your prayers lay the foundation for mission outreach to move forward by ensuring that your missionary's back is covered.. You are holding up the prophet's weary arms, just as Aaron did for Moses, to enable victory (Ex. 17:8-13).

The opportunities, needs and challenges presented by your role are endless! What is important to understand is that no request is too trivial, even prayers for something as mundane as a meeting can be very important. This is because our adversary, the devil, lives to disrupt, distract and frustrate anything that will ultimately lead to the spread of the Gospel! Spiritual warfare is very real and can be unrelentingly intense on the mission field.

It can be both blatant and subtle. Your missionary needs your intercession on his/her behalf. Missionaries have often remarked that they can tell when they are being held up in prayer by supporters back home - things go smoothly, pitfalls are averted, goals are met beyond expectations, seemingly locked doors of opportunity suddenly fly open and God is glorified!

Missionary physical prayer needs:
• For pre-field procedures (visas, selling the car, packing)
• For safe travel
• For protection from harm of shipment/luggage during transit
• For a smooth adjustment to the field
• For acquisition of needed life skills in host culture
• For language acquisition
• For good physical, emotional and mental health

Missionary ministry prayer needs:
• For the members of your missionary's mission team, their team unity and field strategy
• For the nationals your missionary is serving
• For God to open doors for the Gospel with the unreached
• For the Holy Spirit to give discernment to recognize open doors and teachable moments
• For the courage to walk through open doors for the sake of the Gospel
• For wisdom and guidance in planning personal ministry strategy
• For more workers to be sent into the harvest
• For relationships with nationals
• For the national church leadership and training of national lay and pastoral leaders
• For the national government of the country in which your missionary works
• For a ready answer when asked about the hope that is within
• For your missionary to be a bright beacon, always reflecting Christ
• For the diligence to write a monthly newsletter
• For great joy in the work

Missionary spiritual prayer needs:
• For spiritual health.a vibrant, intimate relationship with God
• For protection against spiritual warfare
• For recognition of the spiritual enemy and his subtle, deceitful ways
• For forgiveness and reconciliation where needed, commitment to Christian conflict resolution
• For discipline in personal devotion and prayer time
• For companionship and protection from loneliness
• For a servant's attitude in everything
• For a heart that seeks God alone
• For strength and contentment during holidays away from home and family
• For the full armor of God to shield every day
• For many prayer partners and their diligence to pray for the missionary
• For the ability to rejoice in all circumstances

• Pray for a missionary on his or her birthday.
• Pray for mission work on site by prayer-walking.
• Missionary kids need our prayers, too. Encourage children to pray for them.
• Use your church newsletter to encourage prayer for your missionaries' families:
! On Monday
Pray for their family members to have good health, safety and close relationships with Jesus and with each other.

! On Tuesday
Remember missionaries' work in your prayers. Pray that God will give the missionaries everything needed to do their work well.

! On Wednesday
Pray for the countries where our missionaries work. Pray for peace in those countries. Pray also for the people in those countries to hear and believe the Good News of Jesus.

! On Thursday
Include the physical needs of missionaries in your prayers. Pray that God will give them enough food, rest, fun and protection to keep them healthy.

! On Friday
Pray for the emotional needs of missionaries. Pray that God will give them good friends. Ask the Lord to comfort them when they are lonely, sad or discouraged.

! On Saturday
Intercede in prayer for missionaries' spiritual needs. Pray that God will bless their times of Bible study and prayer. Pray that God will strengthen them against temptation and sin.

• Daily remember specific people you know who do not yet believe in Jesus as their
Savior. Pray that God will give you opportunities to witness in word and action.
• Next time your church newsletter is looking for more articles, submit some specific
mission prayer requests. Perhaps it could become a regular feature!
• Pray for emerging national churches. Pray that God will raise up leaders who will lead others to faith.
• There are many Bible translation projects underway throughout the world. Pray that the Holy Spirit will lead nationals and translators to swiftly and accurately translate the Scriptures.
• Millions of Christians worldwide are being persecuted for their faith. Pray that God would enable these Christians to remain faithful. Also pray for those who are doing the persecuting, that they would see the power of the Gospel through the living testimony of Christians and come to faith themselves.
• Next time you are discussing an international crisis or disaster with a friend, take the time to pray together about it. Ask God to work through the current crisis to open people's hearts and further His plan of salvation for those people who are being affected.
• Pray over the morning newspaper. Pray for world leaders and for nations in crisis and at war.
• Hold a prayer vigil with others from your church. Lift up prayers for world evangelization. Pray that God would remove barriers to the spread of the Gospel.
• Pray for an unreached people group. These are cultural and linguistic groups with few or no Christians among them. A person born into such a group has little chance of ever hearing about Jesus unless a missionary crosses cultural boundaries to reach that group with the Gospel. Learn as much as you can about the group you choose to pray for.
• Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:37-38, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." Join together with a group of friends and regularly pray that God will raise up national workers and missionaries.
• Pray that God will reveal ways in which your congregation may be actively involved in bringing the Gospel to all people.
• On Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, pray that the children of Israel will soon know that Jesus is the light of the world for all people, Jews and Gentiles.
• This morning, ask God to help you take advantage of the opportunities He gives you today to witness for Him.
• During family devotions and prayers, lift up prayers for those who have yet to hear the Gospel.
• Keep a prayer journal of mission prayers. Remember to list answers to prayer in order to remind yourself of God's great faithfulness.
• Pray with your children that they may witness to their classmates each day through their words and actions.
• During the month of Ramadan (the month of fasting for Muslims), daily pray that God will break the chains of darkness that hold the Muslim world. Pray that ministry to Muslims will increase both in the United States and abroad!
• While walking around your neighborhood, pray silently for those whom you meet.
• One day each year, Christians all over the world will participate in the "International
Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church." Organize a group of Christian friends to pray for persecuted believers, and for mission work throughout the world. This day of prayer shifts annually. For dates, information and how to pray, please see www.persecutedchurch.org.
• The annual National Day of Prayer in the United States is the first Thursday in May. Take this opportunity to pray for people in North America who do not know Jesus as their Savior, and especially for the many immigrants and international students who have not yet heard about Him.
• Map God's mission. Tape a large world map on the wall of your church, school or home, or make a special map bulletin board. Place pictures or prayer cards of missionaries around the map, with colored yarn or ribbons leading to their countries of service. The map will spark questions and conversation about God's mission and also serve as a prayer reminder.
• Keep an eye on the daily news. Read your local newspaper, watch TV news or read Internet news updates with an eye to God's mission. Many current events have a direct impact on sharing the Gospel around the world. For example, if you are interested in mission outreach in a particular country such as Latvia, start a file of news articles on that country. Or put up a bulletin board.
• Start building a mission library. You can start a mission library for your family, church, small group or school with little more than an empty bookshelf and a sturdy file box or drawer. Visit a Christian bookstore to find missionary biographies and other basic books about missions. You might also clip out mission-related articles. Keep a folder for mission stories, a folder for each country you're interested in, a folder for missionary prayer letters and so forth.
• Memorize Scripture. Write down and memorize mission-oriented Scripture passages. For example, you might include some of the following verses in your personal, family or class Bible memory program: Joshua 4:23; 2 Sam. 22:50-51; 1 Chron.16:23-24; Joel 3:14; Hab. 2:14; Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:47; John 4:34-38, 10:16 and 20:21; Acts 1:8; Rom. 1:5; 2 Cor. 5:19-20a.
• Search for God's mission in Scripture. Nearly every passage of Scripture is related to God's mission of salvation in some way. During your personal quiet time, read through the Bible with an eye to God's mission. Use a pen to highlight every passage that relates to God's mission of bringing the lost to salvation.
• Learn a foreign language. If your children are learning another language in school, they'll be glad to teach you at home! Or check out some beginner tapes from the library. Take an adult education course in a foreign language at the local college. As you get more proficient, try praying in that language occasionally.
• Provide your church with a list of books and resources with mission themes for your church library.
• Make a poster. Hang mission photos, prayer cards and Bible verses where you can see them easily. Invite friends, children or small group members to help you with this project.
• Read mission magazines.
• Use the Internet to learn more about unreached people groups. Use a search engine to locate them.
• Help others in your church learn about mission work by including a missionary's newsletter in your church's newsletter.
• To celebrate a special occasion, donate a book with a mission theme to your church library.
• Display a world map in your church that shows the distribution of world religions.
• Make a bulletin board at your church or school that features several unreached people groups. Include pictures, maps and information about their history, culture and religious beliefs.
• Designate an area of your church for mission education and awareness. Display maps and mission education resources.
• Ask a friend to join you in learning more about mission work by taking the course "Perspectives on the World Christian Movement," provided by the U.S. Center for World Mission in locations across North America. For more information on upcoming courses, visit http://www.uscwm.org/ and click on "Perspectives classes." You may also call 1-626-398-2125 or send e-mail to perspectives@uscwm.org.
• Learn about what is happening internationally in missions by consulting the Mission Network News Web site at: www.MissionNetworkNews.org. Make Mission Network News a bookmark on your computer and visit it often.
• See if your local Christian radio station broadcasts the short daily mission broadcasts provided by Mission Network News. Call 1-800-284-9361 to get more information to find a station in your area or learn how your local Christian radio station can carry these free news clips via satellite.
• Learn more about the 10/40 Window. Sixty percent of the world's population lives here. Most of these nearly four billion people are part of the world's least evangelized people groups. Call 1-888-930-4428 for a 10/40 Window map and find out more!
• Use the book Operation World by Patrick Johnstone (Zondervan) to learn more about each country of the world and its mission challenges. It is available in Christian bookstores, or you can special order it on the Internet or in a regular bookstore.
• Help others you love learn about God's mission by giving gifts with a mission focus throughout this year. There are many great videos, books, biographies, maps, calendars, magazines, etc. available with a mission focus.
• Encourage others in your congregation to learn about God's mission by featuring a mission resource from your church library each week in a bulletin announcement.
• Collect newspaper and magazine articles on countries where your missionaries work. Post these articles on a bulletin board at church so others become aware of what is happening around the world.
• How much do you know about Islam? Learn more about what 1.1 billion Muslims believe and how to witness to them.
• Learn how to witness to Jews.
• Do you know any Mormons? Learn what they believe and how you can respond to
them and share your faith.
• Learn what Bible verses to use in witnessing to Jehovah's Witnesses.
• Learn more about the history, culture and mission needs of various countries. Check
out documentary videos on different countries at your local library.
• Take a two-hour trip to another country by renting a foreign film.
• Learn some key phrases in several languages. Practice so that you will feel comfortable using them when you meet people who speak that language. Check out Web sites like this for help: www.travlang.com/languages/.
• The next time your child needs to write a book report, encourage him or her to read a missionary biography. Books for children have been written on the lives of many missionaries such as Jim Elliot, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, Nate Saint and Mary Slessor. Call your local Christian bookstore to buy or order these books. When finished, donate the book to your church library so other children can enjoy it!
• Read the book You Can Change the World with your children. This book, by Zondervan, is a child's version of the mission prayer and information book Operation World.
• Get involved in the local international community by observing, participating and learning. Ethnic groups welcome sincere learners.
• Help your Sunday school students deepen their understanding of mission fields by featuring a different mission effort each month. Make use of handouts, prayers, offerings, displays and mission speakers.
• Sponsor a mission project. Projects, like digging wells for clean water in Africa, need financial support.
• Recycle for missions. In many states, you can receive money for recycling cans, bottles and newspapers. Check with your local recycling center for specifics. Then use the money you earn to support a mission project!
• Take a special mission offering for the Spanish-language radio ministry. Learn about Spanish-language radio ministry either in your city, in a nearby city, or in Central and South America. Invite a Hispanic pastor or radio ministry representative to talk to Sunday school students or day school students.
• Help pay off a missionary's school loans. Many missionaries still owe monthly payments on their educational loans. During their service, it is difficult to get out of debt. Ask a missionary if you can help in this way.
• Go without food for a day. Use the money to support a mission project. Or omit some luxury such as dessert or eating out and do the same.
• Attend church planning meetings. Make sure that mission work and outreach are central to the congregation's planning and budget.
• Get kids involved with prayerfully deciding where the VBS offerings will go. Give them some mission project ideas to start the selection process.
• Support a mission project with Sunday school offerings. Pick a different project for each month or season.
• Encourage giving to mission work through clever ideas. You might challenge your class or congregation with ideas like the following:
! on Sundays, give 5 cents for every video you own.
! on Mondays, give 2 cents for every pair of socks you own.
! on Tuesdays, give 1 cent for every book you have.
! on Wednesdays, give 5 cents for each aunt, uncle and cousin you have.
! on Thursdays, give 5 cents for every shirt or blouse you have.
! on Fridays, give 5 cents for every day you.ve gone to work or school this month.
! on Saturdays, give 10 cents for every meal you ate this week.
• Present a mission play. Mission-related skits and plays are available, or you might write your own. You might base your play on a modern mission story or a mission story from the Bible, such as the story of Jonah or the Apostle Paul. Then present your play in church, at Sunday or day school, at vacation Bible school, or even at home!
• Present a mission puppet show. Write a mission puppet show and present it to a Sunday school class, congregational gathering, or at another event. You might present a show on a subject like "A Day in the Life of a Missionary," use puppets to act out a mission story you found in a missionary newsletter, or dramatize some of the challenges involved in sharing the Gospel cross-culturally.
• Teach God's Word with God's mission in mind. Lead your church youth or adults to read the Scriptures with "mission eyes." Look for mission passages and discuss them together.
• Include an article in the church newsletter about a mission topic. For example, you might write a short piece on how North America is a world mission field.
• Set up a conference call with a missionary and your small group or congregation. You may be supporting a missionary family or corresponding with a missionary in the field. If he or she is willing, consider setting up a conference call. Be sure to coordinate times with the missionary, so that, if possible, he or she won.t have to get up in the middle of the night. Ask questions about the mission and pray together.
• Arrange for a missionary to be interviewed with a local newspaper or local radio station.
• Submit articles about missionary work to your local paper. Feature ways in which international events affect mission efforts.
• Invite a North American missionary involved in outreach to Jews to speak to your congregation.
• Invite a missionary to international students from your district to speak to your congregation.
• Arrange for a missionary involved with outreach to deaf or blind people to speak to a confirmation class.
• Arrange for a missionary involved with outreach to Muslims to speak to your congregation during the month of Ramadan.
• Regularly invite mission speakers to make presentations. Most missionaries are eager to share the story of what God is doing to bring people to faith. Schedule "Mission Sundays" quarterly, on fifth Sundays or at least once a year.
• Invite an international student to tell the story of how God has worked in his or her life. The student might share the story during or after worship.
• Have a regular "mission minute" as part of your worship or Bible study time. This reminds people that mission is not a special activity, but a primary focus of the congregation's life. Each time a different person can read up on a particular ministry and then share a report.
• Help fellow members of your community or congregation become sensitive to the needs of new immigrants and refugees through an educational awareness workshop. Include ideas on how to share Christ's love with them.
• Plan times for people in your congregation to share their mission-related experiences during worship services. These people might be returned volunteer missionaries, people coming back from a mission trip or others who serve in a crosscultural setting. Focus on how God uses His people to bring others to Christ.
• Invite an international student panel to speak during the adult education hour. You might ask the students to describe what it's like to be an international student and how congregation members can help meet their special needs.
• Tell your youth group about the many types of missionary service. Encourage them to prayerfully consider career missionary service.

When a Missionary Visits Your Church

Your congregation is looking forward to a visit from a missionary family. How can your congregation best welcome them? How can you plan a visit that is rewarding and enriching on both sides, without overtaxing either side? How can you most effectively minister to missionaries. physical, spiritual, emotional and social needs? This document will help you discover some answers.

Why ask a missionary to visit?
There are several good reasons to ask missionaries to visit your congregation. The first is to make it possible for them to share with your members their firsthand experience of God's mission. Since they are on the cutting edge of mission outreach, they are uniquely qualified to share mission insights and information with Christians "back home."

Secondly, through a congregational visit, missionaries can pass on their enthusiasm and passion for reaching unreached people. God can work through them to inspire others with a similar desire to bring others to Christ, either through missionary service themselves or by supporting the service of others.
Finally, the congregational visit benefits missionaries. It helps them make contacts and increases the number of people praying for them, writing to them, and financially supporting them and various mission projects. Keep in mind that you need to have your congregation's leaders supporting this visit. This is not something you want to plan and carry out single-handedly. Get together with your pastor, elders, and other key leaders to ensure that the whole congregation will be interested and involved.
Once you've decided this is what your congregation would like to do, there are other questions to answer. Which missionary or missionary family should you ask to visit, and how should you set this up? What needs to happen before the visit?

Choosing a missionary to ask.
Your congregation already may be in a special relationship with a particular missionary or missionary family who will be available to speak in the United States in the near future. (Most career missionaries are on home service after each two-year term.) Remember that there are North American missionaries who would not have to wait for home service to visit your congregation, though they deserve the same long-range scheduling.

Choosing dates.
Choose two or three possible dates for the visit. You need to offer the missionaries various options, because there are other churches also making inquiries for a possible visit, and you may not be able to get your first choice. Supporting congregations often receive the first choice of dates. Then too, missionaries normally try to visit congregations in one area of the country during the same period in order to avoid excess travel. So, be sure to wait to hear from the missionaries before you publicize a date. If at all possible, work with the pastor and other church leaders to choose dates when you can clear the calendar of other church activities.

You don't want to have the visit competing with other priorities like a congregational picnic, a voters' assembly, or choir practice. Also check to be sure that other events (like public school teacher/parent conferences, the Super Bowl or the Labor Day weekend) don.t happen at the same time, reducing the number of people who can participate. Please do not ask missionaries to fill in on a Sunday when the pastor is away.

At what time during the week should you ask a missionary family to come? Most congregations ask missionaries to visit their Sunday morning worship service, especially if the church is having a mission festival. This is fine, but also consider other times when the missionaries can meet with the youth group, with men's or women's groups, or with children in the day school, Sunday school or vacation Bible school.

Contacting the missionaries.
Once you have thought of several possible dates, it's time to contact the missionaries. It's best to do this six months to a year in advance of their anticipated home service date (although if you have less time, you should still feel free to ask). Keep in mind that letters going to faraway places may take weeks or even months to reach them. If this is a problem, you might do better to FAX or e-mail your invitation.

In your invitation, be sure to tell them these things:
• What possible dates you would like them to come.
• What, in general terms, you would like them to do (for example, preach during Sunday worship? Do a presentation at a mission festival?).
• How you plan to deal with expenses (remember, although missionaries don't charge a fee to visit, your congregation should be prepared to cover the cost of their travel, meals and housing); and
• How long you would like them to stay, if possible.
Don't forget that other congregations are asking them to come too. Most missionaries have an incredibly heavy home-service visiting schedule, so try to contact them early. Otherwise, you may find that all of your dates are already taken, or that family, medical or educational needs make it impossible for these particular missionaries to visit you during this home service. If this is the case, don't give up. Offer an invitation for their next home service. In the meantime, keep trying. Invite another missionary.

How to Host a Missionary Family

Setting Up the Visit.
Let's assume that you've heard from the missionaries and you have agreed on a date. Now it's time to confirm the details of your arrangements. These are the things you'll want to ask the missionaries:
• Contact information. Ask for a copy of the missionaries' home-service itinerary, if possible, including a phone number and address where you can reach him/her in the United States. That way, if anything unexpected happens, you can get in touch with them. Also ask if the missionaries wish you to call again before the visit. If so, when and where?
• Arrival information. What date and time will they arrive? On what airline and flight number, if applicable? Will you need to make arrangements to pick them up? If so, how will you recognize each other at the airport? If they are driving, do they need directions?
• Housing needs. Will housing be needed? For how many people? Do they prefer to stay in a hotel or in someone's home? Is there any special equipment needed, like a crib, for example? Are there any special needs to take into account, like health problems?
• Child care. Do the missionaries need someone to watch their children during presentations or the worship service?
• Equipment needs. What will the missionaries need for their presentations: VCR and monitor, slide projector and screen, a table for a display, extension cords, projector, screen, sound system, tables, etc.? (If the missionaries are planning to show slides or to project a computer presentation, be sure to reserve a room you can darken enough to make the screen easy to see.)

Following are the things you'll need to talk about with the missionaries, so they know what to expect during the visit. Settle these details with your planning group or committee. Then put your plans in writing so everyone knows exactly what will happen. Long before they come, be sure to send the missionaries a schedule or summary they can refer to when they have questions, and include all the activities you have planned. You don't want to surprise the missionaries with unexpected responsibilities the day they arrive.
• Expenses. For what expenses will your congregation pay (these should be at least travel, meals and housing) and how will you reimburse the missionaries for these? Some congregations give a single money gift to be used for travel and for the work overseas. Others choose to take an offering after the presentation, or to set a free-will-offering basket at the door.
• Meal arrangements. Will the missionaries eat at a host's house, or will a special meal take place at church? Will there be any potluck dinners, luncheons or refreshments involved?
• Audience. To which groups will the missionaries be speaking (worship, adult Bible study, Sunday school, etc.)? Are there similar groups who could meet at the same time (for example, two adult Bible study groups) so that the missionaries wouldn't have to do duplicate presentations?
• Worship responsibilities. If the missionaries are to be involved in a worship service, ask the pastor to indicate what their responsibilities will be, and arrange a time for them to meet beforehand. (Keep in mind that, if the missionaries are lay people, they can participate in worship the same way other laypeople can, by reading Scripture lessons, by speaking informally, etc.) Be sure the missionaries know how many services they will be involved in and at what times.
• Timing. When should the missionaries be at the church or school for each presentation? About how long will each presentation take?
• Contact information. Give the missionaries a short list of names and phone numbers they may need for their visit with you. These should include the pastor, the congregation's visiting missionary coordinator, the missionaries' host or host family, the closest hospital and pharmacy, and a road-service number. Don't forget to include the church's address and phone number, as well as any necessary directions.

Other preparations for the missionaries' visit.
You will have many other preparations to make in your congregation before the missionaries' visit. You can handle these preparations by appointing people to handle different aspects of the visit. These might include:
• EVERYONE to pray for the safe travel of the missionary family. Ask the Lord to bless their time with you and to make it fruitful. Also ask Him to make you and your congregation a blessing to the missionaries.
• A publicity person to get the word out about the visit to the congregation. Consider inviting other congregations nearby who also support this family. You might find ways to make this a jointly-sponsored event.
• A mission-education person to see to it that the whole congregation is aware of the visit and knows at least a little about the missionaries and their field of service before they arrive. This can be done through bulletin and newsletter announcements, bulletin inserts, spoken announcements during worship and Bible studies, bulletin boards, flyers and phone calls. This person should also work with key leaders (like the pastor and teachers) in order to arrange for this mission emphasis to be picked up in their areas of ministry too. For example, the mission-education person could:
! supply the pastor with mission-related prayer requests each Sunday, especially ones relating to the missionaries who are coming and to their field.
! help Sunday school teachers organize a special unit focusing on mission, perhaps especially on the country or people group with which the visiting missionaries work.
! work with the music leaders (musicians, choir, etc.) to introduce hymns, praise songs and other music with a mission theme in order to prepare for the visit.
Alternately, they might be able to incorporate music from the culture of the people the missionaries serve (for example, praise songs in Spanish).
• Someone to handle logistical details to reserve rooms and equipment, recruit helpers to set up and take down chairs and equipment, and so forth. This person will work with questions such as these: Where will each gathering take place? Which room in the church can best accommodate the number of people expected? Do any adjustments need to be made (for example, by folding back room dividers or by rearranging chairs)? He or she also will be responsible for getting the equipment needed and testing it to be sure it works.
• A contact person. He or she should handle all letters and phone calls to the missionaries to avoid confusion. The contact person should also meet the missionaries when they arrive and ask how they want to proceed. Some missionaries prefer to set up their presentation equipment right away, while others (especially those with children) may want to get the family settled and then set up. The contact person can make sure their needs are met.
• A host or a host family to greet the missionaries, to escort or transport them to various meeting places, to provide a resting place between sessions and to help them in any other way needed.
• A photographer to take pictures of the visit. Later you can use them for bulletin boards and perhaps send copies to the missionaries too.
• Someone to introduce the missionaries at each presentation. This person should open the session with prayer, introduce the missionaries, and make any necessary announcements (for example, about a free-will offering or about upcoming events during the missionary's visit). This person should also end the program at a reasonable time, being sensitive to the needs of the missionary family as well as the audience. If there will be time for questions later (for example, at a picnic the next day), this person can announce it to the group.
• If necessary, ask someone to provide childcare for small children who may not be able to sit through a presentation.

After the visit.
After the missionaries have visited your congregation, take time to do three things:

First of all, thank and praise God for the visit. Ask the Lord to make it fruitful, so that many more people will become actively involved in His mission, either as "goers" or as "senders," supporting the mission through prayer, gifts and encouragement. Pray that God will bless the missionaries in their service, using them to bring many to faith in Jesus Christ. Ask Him to protect them as they continue their travels and to make their home service a time of rest and renewal. Pray also for any specific needs you learned about from the missionaries when they visited.

Second, write a note thanking the missionaries for their visit. This little act of appreciation really means a lot. You may write a formal letter, or (if you prefer) send a card signed by your members, school children, youth or other groups who were blessed by their visit.
Finally, make continuing use of the missionaries' visit. Don't let the excitement and interest fade away. One of the major reasons for asking a missionary to visit is to help your own members get more involved in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.
• Ask the missionaries to put you on their newsletter list. Most missionaries send out a regular newsletter you can copy for your church bulletin or monthly newsletter. It keeps you informed about what God is doing on that mission field, and gives you specific needs and blessings to pray about.
• Pray weekly for the missionaries and the work they are doing. This could even be one focus for a special missionary prayer group that would meet regularly at the church.
• Encourage members of all ages to write to the missionaries who visited or to other missionaries on the field. Encouraging words from home are a real blessing to them.
• Choose a mission project to support with your congregation's gifts and prayers. You can choose a project that involves the missionaries who visited you or one from another area of interest.

Help a Missionary Publish their Newsletter.

How to publish a newsletter for a missionary:
Regular newsletters are very important in the work of a missionary. Newsletters allow missionaries to stay in touch with supporters and to share special needs and prayer requests; they are a vital lifeline between congregations "back home" and the mission field. They also allow congregations to see and understand what God is doing in a particular world mission field. One of the many ways you can help support a missionary is by helping to publish his or her newsletter. Your service allows the missionary to spend more time focusing on his or her primary reason for being in mission - to share the Gospel of Jesus with unreached or uncommitted people. It also gives you a way to be involved with God's mission that really makes a difference.

Publishing a missionary newsletter involves a fair amount of effort. For this reason we suggest that a group of people take on this responsibility - for example, a Bible study group, or a small group meeting in homes. So, if anyone is forced to drop out due to sickness or other concerns, the rest of the group can continue this service. The whole burden does not fall on one person or one family alone.
We also recommend that you "sign up" for this service for a limited amount of time - for example, for one or two years. Then, at the end of your service time, if you and the missionary choose to continue together, that's fine. If your lives have changed and you are ready to hand this responsibility over to others, that's fine too.

What's involved?
Publishing a missionary newsletter involves money, time and effort. Money is needed to pay for postage and for supplies such as paper and photocopy ink. A small group or Bible class in your congregation might wish to make this need the focus of their mission offering. However, 90 percent of your service will come in the form of time and effort. Here are the steps involved in publishing a newsletter:
• formatting,
• printing,
• folding,
• stuffing envelopes,
• printing labels,
• attaching labels and postage,
• delivering the finished letters to the post office,
• and maintaining the mailing list.

Formatting a newsletter.
Formatting a newsletter means laying it out on the page in an attractive format and adding any photos or graphics. Usually you will not have to do this step at all, since most missionaries will send their newsletters to you "ready to go." However, if your missionary is planning to send his or her newsletter to you via e-mail, you may need to do a little work on formatting.

We recommend using at least 11-point Roman type for readability. Italics are hard to read, so it's better not to use these for your main text. Putting in subheadings allows the readers to find the parts of the letter they want to read first - for example, "Prayer Requests" or "Several Youth Are Baptized." If you like, you can put the letter into two columns, but this is not necessary.

If the letter is short enough, you can lay it out on the front side of one page. Then you won't need to put it in an envelope for mailing. You can simply fold it in thirds (with the typing on the inside), seal it shut with a sticky tab or two, and put the mailing label on the outside. That saves a lot of time and money.

Printing.
Once you have a clean, master copy, it's time to print. Most congregations use photocopiers, although some prefer to go to a printing service.

Folding and envelope-stuffing.
Many churches have folding machines you can use. If you don't have one available, you might consider recruiting the youth group to help with this task! Or make it part of another activity, such as an ice-cream social or a regular Bible study meeting. Again, you can avoid envelope-stuffing altogether if the newsletter is only a page long. See "Formatting a Newsletter" above for details. (This also works for newsletters that are three pages long, since there is still a blank page to serve as the "envelope.")

Printing labels.
The person maintaining the mailing list will usually be able to handle this too. There are dozens of computer programs, including most major word processing programs, which can print a list of labels for you. If you need more specific help, your church secretary will almost certainly be very experienced in this area.

Attaching labels and postage.
This is another job for group members, the youth group, or anyone interested in helping to support the missionary's work. If you have access to a postage meter machine, you won't need to stick individual stamps on each envelope. Depending on regulations, you may be eligible for a discount on postage; ask at your local post office.

Delivering the letters to the post office.
Your last step, of course, is delivering the letters to the post office. Considering the number and weight of the letters you.re probably sending out, it's best not to burden your local letter carrier.

Maintaining a mailing list.
One of the most important parts of this whole process is maintaining an up-to-date mailing list. This is best done on a computer. As your missionary's support-base grows, more and more people will want to be added to his or her newsletter mailing list. Others will drop out or change addresses. Someone needs to track these changes and be responsible for updating the data into the computer list accurately and on time.

Check to be sure that your missionary's newsletter includes a line somewhere that reads, "If you wish to begin receiving this newsletter or need to notify us of an address change, please contact [YOUR ADDRESS HERE]." Otherwise, readers will probably assume they should send their changes of address directly to the missionary on the field. Including this notice will save a lot of time and effort.
Some missionaries also ask people to notify you if they are planning to be on vacation for a long period, so you don't waste postage on letters that get returned to you. You might include a note about this if you feel it is a good idea.

E-mail newsletters.
As more and more people gain access to the Internet, more missionaries are beginning to send their newsletters via e-mail. This has several advantages.
• People get more letters, more often. Because there is no printing, mailing or postage involved; it's easier for the missionary to write often. E-mail is also faster than traditional mail, allowing people to get urgent prayer requests and up-to-date news right away.
• It costs less. There are no postage or printing costs.
• In some cases, it allows the missionary to include photos. Often pictures just don't reproduce well on a photocopy machine, but electronic files are clear. Missionaries who choose to send out an e-mail newsletter can often handle this responsibility themselves, from the field. However, they still need your help in two special situations.
First, there are many people who still do not have e-mail access. To keep in contact with these people, the missionary needs your help to convert the message into a printed letter that can be sent via regular mail.
Second, there are some situations when it is better for someone "back home" to maintain the e-mail mailing list, instead of having the missionary do it on the field. This would include cases where the missionary is working in a sensitive country, and has to worry about security problems that might affect the safety of local Christians.

In a world where the persecution of Christians has never been higher, this is a real concern. (If your missionary works in a sensitive country, please discuss this with your missionary for correspondence guidelines.) Of course, such missionaries will be careful with what they say in the e-letter. But they may also wish to avoid giving out their personal e-mail addresses to everyone on the list, for fear that someone might write back with a well-meaning but dangerous message. In this case, missionaries would do better to send a single message to someone back home and have him or her relay it to everyone else, after removing the missionaries. personal e-mail address.

Another more mundane situation arises because many people's e-mail addresses change often. That means that every time a missionary e-letter goes out, there are bound to be several messages that come back to the sender as "undeliverable". For most missionaries, this is no problem. But it's a big problem for missionaries serving in countries where they have to pay for each e-mail message they receive. In that case it's much more costeffective to send you a single copy and then let you relay it to the whole list, dealing with whatever "undeliverables" pop up.

In conclusion.
We hope you will consider serving in this way. Publishing a newsletter isn't glamorous work. But it is a very important way you can support a missionary's service and ultimately make it possible for more and more people to hear the Good News of Jesus.

Letter writing in the Bible.
"Reach out and touch someone" was the theme of an advertising campaign for telephoning some years ago. Phoning certainly is easier in many ways than letter writing. You don't need to find a pen, paper, an envelope or stamps. However, letter writing has a long history, going back even to Old Testament times. For example, in the book of Ezra we can read about what happened when some of the Jews returned from exile in Babylon and started rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. Their opponents wrote a letter to King Darius in Babylon (Ezra 5).

Much of the New Testament is made up of letters, or "epistles," as they are usually called. Some of these letters are to congregations, while others are addressed to individuals such as Philemon or Timothy. There are also references to letters we don't have today - for example, the one the Corinthians wrote to Paul (mentioned in 1 Cor. 7:1), or the one Paul wrote to the church at Laodicea (Col. 4:16). These letters were used to teach, to rebuke, to strengthen and to encourage believers far away.

Letter writing is a way of serving!
Letter writing is still a tool that Christians use to pass on news and to encourage one another. It is one very effective way you can support and encourage missionaries as they serve the Lord and His people far from home. Keep in mind that missionaries who serve in foreign lands are representing us, serving the Lord in places where we ourselves, for one reason or another, cannot serve. Christ commanded all of us to "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Matt. 28:19a). We all share that task as members of a team. While missionaries serve overseas on our behalf, we serve the Lord here on their behalf.

If we are in a team ministry we should build up, encourage and share with one another in the task. We need to know what missionaries are doing so that we can pray for them and their needs. They need to know how we are serving the Lord here at home, so they can pray for us and for our needs too. In fact, the most important thing you can do for missionaries is to pray for them and to tell them you are doing so!

Here are some guidelines for writing to missionaries. These are for letter writers, although the principles also apply if you are fortunate enough to be in contact with a missionary by fax or e-mail. In some cases, regular mail is the only option available.

Sometimes letters are better.
It might surprise you, but sometimes letters are better when it comes to communicating with missionaries. Even though phone conversations are quick and easy, they aren't lasting. Once you hang up, it's easy to forget what was said - even the main points of the conversation. But if you commit your thoughts to paper, they can be read again and again by the missionary and his or her family. Your letter can also be shared with other Christians and missionaries. This is what happened with some of Paul's letters (Col. 4:16).

Remember that you are ministering to missionaries when you write. Living overseas can be lonely. Your letter assures missionaries that they and their families are not forgotten - that they are still part of the whole church and supported with the love of their fellow Christians. Your letter may give them much-needed encouragement when they hit low points.

What do I write?
How do you start? If you don't know the missionary personally, introduce yourself. Write about your family - even your pets. Mention the church you attend and your pastor's name. There's a chance the missionary might know him. Talk about what's going on at your church or in your family. Every detail adds to your friendship and allows the missionary to feel that he or she really knows you. The seemingly mundane details of your daily life become a window on home for the missionary.

Ask questions! Try to make them specific. For example, you might ask:
• about the missionary's family, showing that you care for them as individuals;
• about the people they serve;
• how receptive people are to the Gospel;
• what church services or Bible studies are like;
• about other projects such as literacy work;
• if there is a newsletter put out by the missionary that you could receive;
• for specific prayer requests you and your congregation can keep in mind. Being specific keeps you from asking overwhelming questions like this one:
Dear John,
I know that you have been working in Asia for twenty years. What is it like?

Of course, after you get to know the missionary, letter writing becomes much easier. Then you will already know aspects of his or her life to talk about:
• "I remember you and your ministry to the Yoruba people in my prayers."
• "Would you mind telling me more about the well-digging project you mentioned in your
last letter?"
• "We were sorry to hear that your son Matthew was sick with malaria. May the Lord grant him a speedy recovery."
• "Praise the Lord that the Holy Spirit has brought Kamunga and his family to faith in the Lord Jesus."

When will we get an answer?
In North America, a letter can travel 3,000 miles in two days. Unfortunately, this kind of service does not exist in many places, which can be frustrating. In most cases, you must allow at least a month for a letter to travel each way. So if you are requesting information for a deadline via snail mail, make your request at least three months in advance. This also allows the missionary a reasonable amount of time to gather your information and compile it for you.

In some cases you may be able to use e-mail, which shortens the wait quite a bit. Just remember that your e-mail message may need to be forwarded to the missionary from a field office, and some missionaries in remote locations do not have regular or reliable email service in their office or home.

Your writing supplies.
The Boy Scout motto, "be prepared" has its place in letter writing too. When you shop, remember to pick up a pad of letter paper or light-weight airmail stationery. You don.t need to buy heavy, high-quality paper - your neatness will show that you care. You might also want to buy light-weight airmail envelopes, since overseas postage is more expensive and weight is critical.

Either type your letter or find a ballpoint pen that is easy to read. (Pencil often smudges and is hard on the eyes.) Also try to avoid felt-tip markers and erasable ink, since your letter might get wet and the address could wash away. Overseas postage depends on the weight of the letter and the country where it is going. A quick call to the post office will give you the current rates. If you're not sure how much your letter weighs, take it to the post office to be weighed, so you will know how much postage to put on it. Insufficient postage may result in the letter being returned to you or else forwarded to the missionary by surface mail, which takes many months.

Getting missionary addresses.
Missionaries tend to move a lot. Also, some of them must pay for every e-mail message, fax or letter they receive. You may send correspondence to the field office and it will be forwarded to the missionary. This process may take a little time, since missionaries are very busy. If you wish to include your own phone number, fax number, or e-mail address in your correspondence in the hopes of speeding things up, please do so. Please remember that not all missionaries have a fax machine, e-mail capability or telephones.

Your address.
Be sure to put your address in two places: on the letter itself, and also as a return address on the outside of the envelope. If you do this, there is much less chance of the letter being lost or misdirected. Don't forget to write your home country as part of the address. If the missionary has moved and the letter cannot be delivered, it should be returned to you if you have remembered to add your country to the return address.
For example:
Mrs. Susan Winkler
4532 Poplar Place
Council Rapids, TX 76254
U.S.A.

Greeting cards.
Greeting cards are more expensive to mail because of their weight, but missionaries appreciate them greatly. Cards remind them of special occasions and holidays that might not be celebrated in the country where they are living. At Christmas time, some missionaries use cards to help tell the story of Jesus' birth. Consider sending a card at Christmas, at Easter, for birthdays and anniversaries, or for any occasion at all. By remembering missionaries in this way, you help them to feel a part
of their own culture and of God's church.

If you send a greeting card, take a minute to write a personal note in it. Missionaries will treasure your thoughtful gift twice as much for the personal touch that keeps them in contact with you. In fact, it might be a good idea to enclose a signed note in the card and not write anything on the card at all! This allows the missionary to use the card again for the special day of a family member or fellow missionary. In many places it is impossible for missionaries to buy greeting cards. Your thoughtfulness now will help them celebrate the special day of someone else in the future.

Care packages.
Many congregations want to send care packages to missionaries. If you wish to do this, please be certain to contact the missionaries first to inquire what kinds of items they might need. Many items are cheaper to purchase in their countries of service than to ship there from North America. Also, some missionaries must pay duty on packages they receive and this can be very expensive. Be sure to get the missionaries' advice before sending things. Once you're ready to send a package, be sure to pack it well. Avoid sending breakable items like glass (repack things in plastic instead). Make sure that items which might spill (such as powdered drink mixes or liquids) are securely closed, preferably in a plastic ziplock type bag. Put crumpled newspapers or other packing material around your gifts and fill up any empty spaces so items won't shift during the trip. Consult your post office if you need advice about packing a particular item. Also check with them about how to seal and properly address your overseas box. You may need to use special tape or put your labels in a particular place. Avoid tying boxes with string. Send any perishable foods by airmail.

Receiving letters from strangers overseas.
If you receive a letter out of the blue from a person who claims to be a Christian in a country where our missionaries are working, the letter may be "real," or it may not. Sometimes nationals will write and say that they work with Missionary So-and-so and that is how they got your address. This is not always true. People can get addresses off of other people's mail or someone might have found an envelope with your address on it in the missionary's trash. If the person just wants a pen pal, use your discretion. You may have a chance to establish a friendship and even witness to the Lord Jesus.

However, many of these letters are "begging letters." The writers want you to send money or something else, or even to sponsor them as immigrants to your country. They may tell you terribly sad stories about their lives or families. There is no way you can find out if the need is real or not. Even if it is a real need, there may be good reasons why you should not simply send whatever is requested. Usually the best thing to do is to refer the letter to the missionary closest to the person who wrote to you. That missionary may be able to check out the story and find a way to help if needed. Don't feel guilty about being cautious. God asks you to be a wise steward of His gifts. And prayer for the writer is always a good idea, whether he or she is "for real" or not.

In Conclusion.
God has blessed us by sending His only Son to redeem us. He has blessed us with the mission of spreading this joyous Gospel throughout the world. He has blessed us with people who are able to go to distant corners of the world to tell people of Jesus Christ, and He has made us part of their ministry, blessing us with the means of staying in touch with them. We hope you will make letter writing a part of your ministry in the Lord's kingdom. Your prayers and letters are precious to our Lord and to your co-workers overseas. May the Lord richly bless your writing to your fellow servants in Christ.