life. Think about it: Jesus gave up His comfort zone of Heaven to bring us redemption. As His followers, we grow the most, when we do the same.


A BMMI trip helps us to see that God continued from page 13 I could tell countless other stories too,


each one just as precious. BMMI gives you the privilege of interacting with people that you may or may not ever see again this side of Heaven, but one truth remains: you come away with the realization that God’s work, done God’s way, will have lasting results. As a pastor, I want to encourage other


pastors to take their churches on BMMI trips. Dr. Izard and his assistant, Doris Dickey, are dedicated to bringing the world to Christ and will assist you in making your trip a lasting memory. Whatever the costs, the sacrifices, or the commitments, the trip will be worth it. Along the way, you may meet a Yaw or a Michael. What did I learn from our BMMI trip?


While sharing all of our experiences would take too much space, let me share with you just a few things I learned. The psalmist was right when he said,


“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). The vision of reaching the world and fulfilling the Great Commission brings joy. And where there is joy–there is life–the life of Christ. Nothing will revolutionize the life of your people like a BMMI trip. I also discovered people are looking for


opportunities. They want to give, to go, and to pray. They want to be used of God to expand His Kingdom here on earth. All they lack is the opportunity. BMMI gives them that opportunity. When challenged, your people will rise to the occasion. From time to time, we all need to be


stretched. If left to ourselves, we default back to our comfort zones. Life was never meant to be lived from the comforts of


is at work around the world. He is not our God alone, but He is a global God. Our puny view of God often limits our faith, and it stunts our growth. But as we see that God has big plans for our world, our appreciation and gratitude for Him expands exponentially. BMMI also makes missions personal.


It gives our people the chance to experience the mission fields first-hand. While reading about missions and listening to missionaries will stir our hearts, there is nothing like being on the field, working with missionaries and native pastors, to make missions come alive in our lives. Although some of the names we


reached may be forgotten over time, some things will never be forgotten like the friendly faces, the handshakes, the sweet smiles, and the prayers prayed. The sights, sounds, smells, and tastes will remain with us forever too. In our American culture, we value our vacations. We take cruises, excursions, and engage in recreational events, but if you are looking for the adventure of a lifetime that will maximize your faith, I invite you to include a BMMI trip in your plans. The lessons learned, the in- sights gained, and the faith renewed is beyond measure. Spiritual growth never happens ac-


cidentally; it takes intentionality. Going on a medical mission trip helped me and my people grow spiritually as we learned to interact with a different culture, tend to medical needs, share our faith, and develop new friendships with people we had never met before or may never see again. Over the years, I have come to realize that most of us know more Bible than we ever practice. A BMMI trip gives the unique opportunity to live out our faith in a very practical way.


A trip of this kind also enables


pastors to know his people personally. There is nothing like not having hot water or air conditioning to bring out the best in people. There is also something about being hundreds of miles from home that encourages people to open up and to be honest about what is going on in their lives. For a pastor, this can be an incredible chance to impact your people. If you have your family with you as I did, this can be a transformational time of bonding for families too. Lastly, most churches will never have


the resources or the people to plant churches by themselves, but BMMI provides a vehicle for the average church to work along missionaries to plant churches. And as these churches grow and plant other churches, you can be thankful knowing that you had a part in it. This team effort in turn builds a


missions culture in the local church. It gives pastors success stories to tell, and it provides a foundation for attempting even greater things for God both at home and across the world. On our trip, we took over 1,000 pictures and hours of video. These historical records will be used over and over again to inspire others to serve our great God. Let me encourage you and your church


to partner with the BMMI. Pastor, as a spiritual leader, there is no greater feeling in all the world than stepping off the plane in a foreign country with your church members and being part of a medical mission team. Our people and our churches don’t need another program or ministry. They need to see God at work, and BMMI delivers. As spiritual leaders, we are called to help people grow spiritually–a medical mission trip was the answer for my church and for me. Because of this trip, God was able “to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.” Are you ready for some affliction? n


14


theGLEANER n November/December 2010


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