We call it “Team Building” at Mission Discovery. Phil 2:2 says “…then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.” And how do your get your short term mission team to this place? Any good coach knows that in order to have success as a team, everyone must know the plays, their positions on the field, and perform in the position well.

One coach put’s it this way, “[So] the key to having a good football team is having players that are willing to commit what you’re doing offensively and defensively and buy into the team philosophy. And also have coaches that know how to teach it and know how to get their players motivated.”

Every mission team wants to, as a single purpose, share with others the Good News of the Kingdom of God. That Jesus came to the earth to to show us what God is like, to die for our sins. In John 13:35 the scripture indicates that a mission team’s starting place to reach the world that wants to know God is by loving each other; “By this shall all [men] know that you are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

A mission trip is a place that you will experience this truth: What you could not accomplish on your own, can be accomplished when the gifts of God’s people are brought together. Everyone plays a part, everyone is valuable. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.

We have found that the key components to preparing a group for a short term mission trip are:

1-Knowing a team member’s story.

2-Knowing a team member’s gifts.

3-Trusting a team member.

4-Working for a common objective.

5-Holding a team member accountable.

6-Evaluating the team’s performance.

Mission Discovery’s PreField Orientations training weekends focus on preparing teams in these six areas and more. By the end of our weekend of training team leaders are equipped to know the “hearts” of those who will be a part of their team.

In the book, ‘The Sacred Romance,’ Brent Curtis and Jon Eldredge write, “The true story of every person in this world is not the story you see, the external story. The true story of each person is the journey of his or her heart.”

Click here to listen to Don Schreier’s PFO session on Mission Trip “Story Telling,” as he unfolds the key components of sharing your testimony on a mission trip.

To see some of the books available on Team Building click here.