GOING ON A
MISSION TRIP?

BRING A GIFT!
Recycle computers
and BUILD A
COMPUTER LAB!

Bring a complete computer lab with you on your mission trip! A gift that keeps giving!!

Using A Computer Lab In International Mission Ministry

Matthew 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

There are three action words in the Great Commission (go, make, and baptizing) and notice that two of them can be done through the internet. This article is about some ideas that may help pastors launch a internet based ministry in their congregation.

If you are trying to reach a particular people group then you may want to do research about the country's technological infrastructure. There is usually a difference in the Internet service in rural areas as compared to the cities. Personally I believe you should target the major cities in an area and train pastors so that local ministers can do the work, eventually reaching the rural areas. That seems to be the strategy the Apostle Paul followed.

Make "virtual" missions an extension of your regular missions program. It makes an excellent introduction to missions. Its advantages are: it is much less expensive, it is "safer", it can be done "part-time", it can be done by any age group, it is handicapped accessible, and the training and experience received through it are directly usable if student goes on into short-term or long term, mission work.

Have your church members take a computer lab with them on their next mission trip. Have them set it up as part of the mission trip and provide some basic training about its use. That way when they return they will be able to continue to minister from their homes.

Encourage the creation of a child sponsorship program. Encourage the general church population to each sponsor a child and use the new computer lab to establish communication and relationship between the sponsor and the child. In a typical child sponsorship program a sponsored child might send a couple letters a year to their sponsor. By using email these letters can be as often as the parties want. Hopefully the sponsor will start to teach and disciple the child.

The computer lab that we plan on using includes the open-source educational software "Moodle". It would be helpful if your group familiarized itself with it before it is brought to an overseas ministry. In fact a Moodle is a great way to interact with your own church members. You can provide online bible study that enhances and supports your regular church messages. Its a great way for everyone to learn the Moodle software. Are your people understanding your sermons? Are they "deep" enough? Moodle courses running throughout the week can provide you valuable feedback from your people and can let you take your message to deeper levels for those who are hungry for more.

Your inward willingness to obey God is the way to know God's will for your life! Develop this by daily studying God's word and spending time with Him. God has the blueprints of our lives, not us. We are to rejoice in times of trials. Don't regret your past mistakes, just learn from them and realize that God uses them to as stepping stones to mold you according to His purpose for you and to build your character. God is a covenant God. Psalms 25:9 He leads the humble into what is right. John 7:17 If anyone has the willingness to do God's will, he will have discernment. Only His sheep know His voice. Those that are His sheep, her and obey him, not the world. For the world does not know His ways or His voice. So next time you go through the valley (i.e. hard times), remember that God is adding stepping stones to the ones you already have and is shaping you into the person that can carry out His will for you and fell blessed.

Enter Missions! Be a Virtual Missionary!