|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Inserv Articles |
HOW TO RECEIVE A SHORT-TERM OUTREACH TEAM
<< back
A suggested guideline for the churches in Africa on
how to receive short-term outreach teams (Preparation
and Expectations)
By Peter Vumisa and Liswaniso Kamuwanga
- INTRODUCTION
The last part of the 20th Century saw an extraordinary
growth of short-term outreach teams “into
Africa.” In as much as these teams have
been a great blessing to local churches on one
hand, we should be honest to admit that on the
other there has been a growing set of problems
and challenges these foreign teams poses to the
local congregations and their communities as
a whole. Nevertheless, a careful examination
of the issue shows that the foreign and local
teams both contribute towards some of the confusion
that takes place on the field. In order to avoid
such confusion, proper preparations need to be
put in place. If there’s one thing that
spells the difference between a successful short-term
mission outreach and a stagnant project, it’s
preparation. In most cases, foreign teams do
try to prepare themselves adequately. On the
other hand, very little or sometimes no preparations
at all are done by the host ministries and congregations.
The role host ministries play in short term outreaches
is very crucial because the rise and fall of
a project lies with them. They are the ones who
are to see to it that the work is maintained
and progress is made even after the foreign team
has long gone.
In this article, we try to address more specifically
the need for the local teams/churches to prepare
themselves adequately for such an important venture
as a short-term outreach and to have a closer look
at their expectations.
- PREPARATION
- Planning:
- Recognize God’s guidance
The mandate to participate in the Great Commission
is for every Christian. However, in order to play
host to a short-term outreach team, one need to
understand that God is leading them into it. For
example, Paul and his short-term out reach team
were not allowed by the Holy Spirit to enter into
the province of Bithynia (Acts 16:7) It is therefore,
imperative for the host to ask God whether they
should participate or not. Prayer for God’s
guidance should be the first thing in every spiritual
venture.
It must also be understood by the host that the
project being undertaken is their own even if the
visitors initiated it or requested to have the
joint program with their church/ministry. The visitors
are there simply to compliment your efforts.
- Joint Setting of Goals and Objectives
Both the foreign and host leaders should jointly
develop clear task aims, and objectives. It has
been the experience of many local churches that
only the visiting team is aware of the aims and
objectives of the outreach, which are normally
set back home without the input of the field partner(s).
- A case in point concerns a colleague who was frustrated
by a one-sided arrangement of the program of the
conference that he was requested to organize by
his national office. The theme of the conference
centered on the rebirth of the African church.
The partner churches abroad in conjunction with
the main office set the aims and objectives for
the conference, without consulting with the local
church. He was asked to write and submit a paper
in the course of the conference. Unknowingly to
him the leaders wanted him to present it during
the workshops, but this was only communicated to
him after he inquired about the details of the
program from the national office. In addition to
this, the expectations of the local staff were
that they were going to be accorded equal opportunities
to play a major role in the program. Unfortunately,
they discovered that all the speakers in the plenary
sessions were from abroad. This and the lack of
communication resulted in frustration to both him
and his fellow local workers.
- We therefore recommend that the setting of aims
and objectives of any given joint project be done
in consultation with both parties. Where this rule
is neglected, there is little sense of ownership
from the local people and whatever the foreign
teams try to achieve remains their property.
Formulate Policies and Procedures
- Policies and procedures covering missions, joint
efforts with other ministries, finances, gifts
from overseas through short-term outreach teams,
security, conflict resolution, misconduct, discipline,
handling of cultural sensitive issues, and grievances
should be developed by the church and should
be communicated and implemented as is appropriate.
- The issue of gifts (be it money or materials)
brought by foreign teams has been one of the main
causes of many misunderstandings and splits in
some circles.
- The writer recalls an incident some years back
involving a regional short-term missions coordinator
of an international organization. A number of short-term
outreach teams visited his country and were able
to carry out successful evangelism programs. After
the program, some of the teams felt they needed
to assist the local team in the areas of transport
and music. They managed to send bicycles, a guitar
and a motorbike. The items were sent through the
name of the Coordinator. Sadly, he decided to claim
all the gifts as his own alleging that they were
sent to him as a personal and not ministry gift.
This angered all the members of the group. This
misappropriation could have been avoided had policies
and procedures regarding gifts for the ministry
been explicitly laid out and communicated.
- Agree upon a Time Frame
The time needed to carry out the program must
be clearly stipulated in consultation with the
visiting
team. The program schedule must be clear enough
with no gray areas, which might become a source
of misunderstanding and conflicts between the
visitors and the locals. This includes the time
specified
for work, when goals and objectives should commence
and terminate; and the general order of events
for a day’s work. A lack of these may lead
to misunderstandings because people follow and
observe time according to their cultural worldview.
A time frame will act as a motivational factor
as the people realize the need to work and accomplish
the task within the stated time limit.
- EXPECTATIONS
In terms of short-term outreach people usually
have many and different expectations. Some of
these concern the project and others their own
personal gain. Team members should put their
expectations in the proper perspective in order
to obtain effective results. Expectations could
be realistic or unrealistic. The following are
just a few examples:
- Realistic Expectations
- To see the unreached in your community reached
with the Gospel
- To consider the involvement of a foreign team as
a Kingdom Partnership
- To see this as an opportunity for your members
to gain experience and exposure
- Unrealistic Expectations
- The visiting team has money and expertise; therefore,
they will do everything for us.
-
To be paid by the visiting team because you took
part in the short-term outreach project in your
area or church.
-
To ask them to pay you some money so that you do
the outreach for them instead of them to come over
with a team.
-
As a means of finding a job abroad
-
As a means of gaining material things
- CONCLUSION
Using the words of Norman Geisler, we would like
to conclude by saying that Christians accepts as
a universally accepted truth that his task is to
communicate Christ to the world. This is an idea
that sounds simple enough, but it is fact a complex
one. It is complex for at least three reasons:
first, there are many views of “Christ;” secondly,
there are many ways to “communicate;” and
thirdly, there are many “worlds” to
which Christ must be communicated.
Therefore, with this kind of complexity of missions,
it is indispensable for both missionaries and their
partners on the field to consider the issue of
proper preparations and expectations seriously
before any kind of ministry can be done. Our goal
should be to conduct our work in an environment
that is conducive for the preaching of the gospel.
Our priority should be to bear fruit that is lasting.
We cannot bear lasting fruit in a situation where
both the nationals and the missionaries do not
understand each other, and worse more where the
nationals cannot accept ownership or take charge
of the project that has been jointly completed
with the foreign teams. As nationals, we need to
develop a sincere and honest mind as well, so that
when it comes to doing short-term outreaches with
foreign teams, we will be able to cherish realistic
expectations. In this way, we will esteem God’s
work above our personal agendas.
|
| |
|
