Explore News: "How has your team been an integral part of your work and life on the field?"

June 2022

How important is it to have a team in missions? In this month’s Explore News, our panelists describe their teams and the role they play.

Relational & Prayerful

"Our team is small, and has mainly provided support through relationships and prayer. We've also done some intercultural training together, which has been very helpful for our personal growth."

We Compliment One Another In Ministry

"My team, the Spain Youth Mobilization team, has been a tremendous source of encouragement to me personally this past two years. Since COVID-19, we have had to exercise tremendous creativity to 'stay in the game' and each member had certainly done so by bringing the talents and spiritual gifts the Lord has built them with; Administration, art, musical skill, writing, teaching, discerning, etc. As far as life, we are a crazy bunch; A vivacious single, an older couple with four grown kids still nearby, and a younger couple with two babies. Oh, and dogs, and chickens in the mix! Not to mention the revolving door of visitors, short termers, youth who come in and out of the D-house, and Youth Arts Studio to collaborate. I am blessed. The Lord is very active. Each member contributing the thing the Lord asks. I have faith that although we are also still all growing through trials, suffering and attack, that the Lord is glorified, and youth are getting to see it!

Friendship & Challenge

"The team has played different roles in my life over time. The first thing that I would say is that God has given us some wonderful personal relationships with people on our team. Some of my closest friends are people that we have served with on the team, and this has been all the more true for us as a family as our kids see our teammates, and particularly other MKs, as their family and closest friends. As far as the work side of things go, the team has helped us, on one hand, to keep focus on what is most important. On the other hand, they challenged some of our assumptions about how ministry should happen. As we have come up with a common direction of ministry and aim for what we want to accomplish here, it has provided us with excitement, we have been able to celebrate progress as a team, and pray for each other. Another thing that the team has provided is a group of people that we know will support us, cry with us and pray with us through challenges that come up in life."

We Grow, Learn, and Dream Together

"I work on a fairly involved team, but it also has a fair amount of independence structured into it. Our team is split into three areas, and we have a smaller team of people in each area. So, we work closely and daily with the people in our area. The larger part of our team also interacts frequently, but not daily. Having a healthy functioning team was a non-negotiable for me when I chose the area I would work in. Since being on the field, my team has been a big support in the transition to the field. We are committed to growing and learning and dreaming together. We also commit to praying together often and have built in groups for accountability and spiritual growth. Our team also utilizes one another’s strengths, so if we have a need in one area, for example a teacher for an agriculture lesson, we can call on another area to help. This is helpful in utilizing all of our resources and strengths well, instead of only relying on ourselves."