This free download can help you take concrete steps toward becoming a missionary
If you have felt called to greater involvement in world missions, we want to offer you this free Individual Growth Plan , believing that you—and God— can use it to make 2020 the year that you move forward in answering that call.
The Individual Growth Plan focuses on three areas: spiritual life, self-management, and ministry skills. You spell out the improvements you want to see in each area, specify learning activities to make those improvements, and choose target dates for completing those activities.
God has a specific plan for each of you, so we can’t tell you exactly how to fill out your Individual Growth Plan. But we can tell you that SEND missionaries use it every year to provide focus and clarity to their lives, and to grow closer to Jesus and more able to serve him with excellence.
Click here to download your own Individual Growth Plan for free. The document might look rather intimidating, but don’t worry if you don’t end up filling in every single line! Remember, this is YOUR individual tool for growth, and you can use it the way that suits you best. Here are some great tips as you get started:
1. Start with prayer
Listen to what God is saying to you about where he would like you to grow.
2. Take a look at yourself
After praying, take the self-assessment, which is included in the Individual Growth Plan download. It lists 32 potential growth areas and asks you to rank yourself from 1-4 in each area. From the assessment, you pick three priorities, one from each of the main categories. You may or may not pick your weakest areas—you may want to focus on building your strengths instead.
3. Choose learning activities
To make this plan concrete, you should attach learning activities to each growth area. Be creative—don’t limit yourself to just taking formal classes (though those can be very helpful). Think of people to interview, books to read, places to visit, sermons to listen to, spiritual habits to practice, or mentors/coaches to ask for help.
A few ideas for going deeper in world missions: Start listening to the Global Missions Podcast , do a personal Bible study of God’s heart for the nations , learn about and consistently pray for an unreached people group, take a class like Perspectives or Kairos , interview a missionary.
Ken Guenther, director of SEND U, SEND’s department dedicated to training and lifelong learning, offers these characteristics of an effective Individual Growth Plan:
- Valuable. You’ve chosen goals that will help you become who you want to become and do what God has called you to do.
- Holistic. Your goals address both personal character and ministry skills—who you are and what you do.
- Personal. Your goals are for you, not to meet someone else’s expectations.
- Measurable. You can know when you have reached your goal.
- Attainable. You’ve chosen goals that you can actually complete in this coming year.
- Written down. Or typed out, so that you won’t forget your goals and your plans for reaching them.
- Accountable. You have shared your Individual Growth Plan goals with someone else who will encourage you to press on and stay committed to this learning.
The path to missions can feel overwhelming! Our experienced mission coaches will walk alongside you every step of the way.
• Find out how you can become a SEND missionary.
• Explore where and how you can serve with SEND.
• Subscribe to Explore , our free monthly newsletter full of inspiration, ideas, and encouragement for people interested in discovering their role in cross-cultural missions .
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