Global Magazine - Issue 3 - 2014 [extract]

global operation mobilisation magazine 2014 • Issue No.3

Introducing OM Africa

transforming lives and communities

RECRUITING

GO: short-term Through short-term trips, OM seeks to facilitate Christ committed individuals into missions throughout the world, from Birmingham to Madagascar! Working alongside established OM ministry bases, you can join an outreach from one week to 6-months. In this edition of Global, we ask Anna and Becky, our Short-Term Missions Advisors, some of the frequently asked questions that short-term applicants might have…

Anna Smith (AS)r age Role: Short Term Missions Man land Originally from: Suffolk, Eng

Time with OM: 8 years OM?: Hungary, Italy, Where have you been with ldova, India and Greece Mo E, Sweden, South Africa, UA ?: Designed Sunday School What did you do before OM material

Becky Miles (BM) Role: Short Term Missions Advisor Originally from: Basingstoke, England Time with OM: 2½ years Where have you been with OM?: OM Lifehope, Moldova, Sweden and Germany for TeenStreet What did you do before OM?: Student at Chester University.

I’m interested in mission. But I don’t know where to start – what do I do?

AS Mission starts where God has placed you already. If you’re not already active in your local church and community, find out how you can be involved. Going on an outreach doesn’t suddenly turn you into a missionary, but it can help you develop your skills and gifting wherever God is calling you to be.

I’m a student with a long summer – when do I need to start thinking about my application?

BM As with most things the earlier you can begin to plan, the better. We recommend that you use your Christmas holidays to begin praying about and researching mission opportunities. It’s important to connect with your church and get them involved in this process too.

I have two small children – can I still go somewhere?

AS Children can be a real blessing to ministry and a great barrierbreaker and conversation starter with non-Christians in all cultures.

Do you have study placements?

BM We have had people on placements. Just let us know what the requirements are so we can see if there’s a suitable fit.

I’m under 18 – will you still accept me?

AS We love to see teenagers with a living faith and a heart to serve. Therefore, we provide outreach opportunities that specifically focus on using the gifts and talents of our amazing teen generation, to serve God and the local community. These outreaches are called Teens in Mission (TIM) and take place both in Britain and overseas.

I have no skills, no qualifications. Is there something I can do?

BM God uses all kinds of people for His glory. What do you enjoy doing? Perhaps it is working with children, painting and decorating, chatting to strangers, playing sports, spending time with the elderly, painting, dancing, hiking, surfing, administration, writing, photography, cleaning? You do not need a qualification in these things to use them to meet the need of local communities and demonstrate the power of the Gospel. You might see short-term trips as an opportunity to learn something new. Just come with an open attitude and a willingness to serve.

I feel God has called me to mission, but none of the opportunities on www.uk.om.org suit my gifts or passion, what do I do now?

AS We only advertise on our website official outreaches with fixed dates and prices and a rough idea of the ministry that will be taking place. There is, however, the opportunity to set up a ‘tailor-made’ placement. Here we match the skills and passions of the individual, with the needs in one of our OM ministries.

Get in touch, let’s talk.

My church group (or CU) want to go out together on a short-term project, how does that work?

AS It’s great to see communities of Christians serving together in this way! You can search online for our official outreaches which can cater for groups, or give us a ring to see if we can set up a ‘tailor-made’ option. We even offer a discount to groups to help with the financial burden of sending several people from one church!

How would a year with OM be different from the typical ‘Gap Yah’ mentality?

AS Working with OM is about ‘bringing Good News.’ How many people can say that they did this on their ‘gap yah?’

We seek to partner with local churches to meet the spiritual and physical needs in the area. The outreaches are not simply about having a good time or experiencing as many things as possible, but are about serving God and others and being better equipped to do this. All other things stem from that!

What top tips do you have to prepare myself for mission?

Pray – don’t just get wrapped up in the practicalities of going on mission but spend time with the reason you are going in the first place – the Father himself! It’s important to be both spiritually and practically prepared.

Speak to your Church leaders –although God may have called you personally onto the ‘mission field’, the whole church family has a role to play. One person may go, but a whole network of people are involved behind the scenes!

Consider your own testimony – it’s useful sometimes to think about your own experience of coming to Christ - how someone maybe first reached out to you or your first experience of Church, to put yourself in the shoes of someone who doesn’t yet know the love of Christ. This may help you relate to others better during an outreach, and telling your testimony can encourage both non-Christians and Christians alike.

Got your own question?

Email shortterm.uk@om.org and ask the team directly. Alternatively, take a look at www.uk.om.org/shorts and browse hundreds of short-term opportunities.

go

power up!

SHIPS

preparing to

The team aboard Logos Hope are in the final stages of preparing for the Power Up Logos Hope project which begins in Singapore this October. This significant technical project will see the replacement of two old generators and the main electrical switchboard as well as the installation of a heat recovery system to provide additional cost savings for the operation of the vessel.

Excitement is brewing as our crew prepares for the six-month project and, during this time, similarly to the dry dock featured in the last edition of Global, ministry won’t stop but will have an even wider impact than usual! More than 70 Logos Hope teams will participate in strategic opportunities with OM offices and partner organisations around the world. By mid-October, 275 people will be fanning out across the globe on these ‘Outbound’ teams for up to three or five months.

An extensive period of planning and training is helping ensure that ship people are well prepared and focused on what God has in store for them over the coming months. Recently, crewmembers were given their shore-based assignments and many are looking forward to this next step in their adventure with the Ship Ministry.

Head Teacher of the Logos Hope School, Joel Price, who hails from Cheshire in England, is excited to serve in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, for two months in each country. His commitment originally finished in September but he extended until May 2015 to help with the re-launch of the school after the Power Up Logos Hope project. As this is his first onshore challenge team, Joel is eager to immerse himself in the culture and customs as he learns by doing. He was eager to visit Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan both for the cultures and for the opportunity to serve in his strengths of teaching and sports. “I want to make sure I’m moving forward in terms of leadership as well,” Joel said, who is leading the team.

“It will be great to be in an area for a good while so you can get to know people and build relationships and the opportunity to have more of a lasting impact … and perhaps see some of the fruit of what we sow.”

Edinburgh native, Beth Hutchison, who featured in Global recently, cannot wait to return to the Philippines for her challenge team. “I had already been there during the last dry dock in March,” Beth recalls. “I loved it so much because the people were amazing and because it really taught me a lot of things about myself and about my own culture and cultural differences.” Having been on board Logos Hope for six months, she recently took on the role of ship’s photographer. Her team will be sharing the Gospel among tribes on Palawan Island and visiting youth literacy centres among Muslims communities. She was “very very very happy!” to hear that she is returning to the Philippines and knows God will work through her and the team.

We trust that God will bless and use Joel and Beth along with all these teams, and ask you to pray for each one.

Presentation Team During Power Up, there will be a Ships presentation team touring the UK. If your church would be interested in receiving them for a meeting or to participate in a service, email goglobal.uk@om.org or call 01691 773388 to find out more.

www.omships.org

rise and shine OM in Africa – at a glance

Since 1986, OM has been serving in Africa. It is the vision of OM Africa to see the glory of the Lord rise and shine in and from Africa, transforming lives and communities, especially amongst the least reached. We are trusting God to transform 350 communities amongst the least reached people groups by the year 2025 by calling, preparing and sending 5000+ new workers to and from the African continent.

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africa OM FOCUS

OMs work in Africa has brought hope to many people. This map is a mere glimpse of how God is using us to transform lives across the country.

CHAD

Bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the local population through discipleship programmes, friendship, evangelism and sports.

Ghana

Ensuring young girls and women who have been trafficked are rescued, rehabilitated and empowered through discipleship and skill development.

Angola

Building relationships with the Angolan community through providing a centre that facilitates youth camps, the Bible Correspondence Course and a sports programme amongst drug addicts.

Namibia

Reaching out to the least reached and equipping local believers through teaching and discipleship to be more effective in their evangelism.

SOUTH AFRICA

Mobilising the church for mission; reaching out through sport, and ministry among orphans and others suffering due to HIV & AIDS.

‘I have had the joy of seeing the work there grow from the very beginning when I was there on Logos in Cape Town, early in 1971. Over the past years together with India it has been our fastest growing area of ministry and the doors are now more wide open than ever before.’

George Verwer, OM Founder

Lake Tanganyika

Reaching out to local people living along the shores through planting churches, discipleship training and providing practical help to those in need.

‘I thank God for our brothers and sisters serving in Africa.

The growth of our ministry there is a direct reflection to their commitment to Christ regardless of their fields of service.’ Lawrence Tong, OM International Director

Zambia

Caring for the vulnerable through providing refuge for rescued sex workers, integrating children with disabilities into the community through education, and looking after orphans.

Malawi

Providing a training centre to help educate children, train teachers and develop a farm to sustain the school and wider community.

Madagascar

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Mobilising the church to reach out to its Muslim neighbours as well as building relationships with young people through sport.

Mozambique

Impacting the existing church by training its leaders and sending them out to evangelise in their local communities.

Zimbabwe

Mobilising the church to send workers to the least reached to impact whole communities for Jesus.

pray

give

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african the

experience John Speirs

OM Ambassador for Zambia / Former Director of GLO Some years ago, Coen Scholtz visited my church in Motherwell. His challenge for Africa was the spark that ignited the interest of the church and we undertook to raise financial support for 45 missionaries. I was then invited to attend the ProChristo/OM Conference in 2006, which was an inspirational experience.

To be in the midst of 700 African Christians praising God in their African style and hearing reports from all around Africa was amazing.

Each year since, I have been invited to return to Kabwe in Zambia to minster the Word of God as part of the conference, but I have also developed many personal relationships with the missionaries and have sought to encourage friends here in Scotland to support their work.

Over these years, through my involvement in the work of GLO (Gospel Literature Outreach), arrangements were made for key leaders to come and spend time at the GLO Centre and their visits were a great blessing to the Scottish churches: Melvin Chiombe, Isaac & Lilian Ngambi, Alfred & Helen, Wati, Joshua and others.

GLO was very accommodating and supportive of these friends sharing in the training experience at Tilsley College, Motherwell and I was able to introduce them to many different churches for prayer and financial support.

My visits to Africa and ongoing partnership with OM has convinced me more than ever that national missionaries are God’s instruments for the Gospel being spread in Africa.

SCAN FOR MORE

Scan the QR code or visit www.uk.om.org/ AfricaFocus to discover more about the work of OM Africa.

Coen Schultz Associate Director OM Africa A great privilege, many opportunities, and an awesome God – this summarises our experiences in the mission field thus far.

From the slums of India to the sand dunes of North Africa, from the inner cities to the remote village in Africa, we have seen such need, and yet so many ministry possibilities and always the great harvest. Originally from South Africa, my wife Suria and I have ministered in a wide variety of situations.

These images and experiences motivated us to find ways to more effectively serve the Lord. As a result, we started a Missions training college in Zambia. Our vision – to reach the least reached of the world. In 2005, I was asked to become the International Director of ProChristo, an organisation that focused on church planting amongst unreached people. In 2009, ProChristo merged with Operation Mobilisation and I now serve as the Associate Africa Area Director – I have a passion to see especially African missionaries go out into the entire world.

Together, my wife and I have raised 16 children (9 adopted, 2 biological and 5 fostering, of whom 4 are still at home) and I was also blessed to co-author the book ‘Followers and Fishers’ that outline the stories of first Generation African pioneer missionaries.

Anne Davidson OM Africa

After 6 months training at South Africa’s Mission Discipleship Training, I am excited to be heading to OM Zambia long-term to work alongside their street kids project. My whole time training to be a missionary in Africa was one of the most amazing experiences I’ve ever had. I felt God was fanning into flame all he had created me to be and he is now positioning me in a place where he can use me and my new skills.

God is at work in Africa and I’m glad I’ll be a part of it.

www.omafrica.org www.uk.om.org

Next Generation

whoever has ears to hear, let them hear This summer, from 2-9 August, over 4,000 people from more than 30 nations came together in Münster, Germany, for OM TeenStreet 2014. This year’s theme, OPEN, based on teachings around Revelation 2 and 3, referred to how God is always open to us. “God wants us to understand Him better, make deeper experiences with Him, and to enjoy the open, unhindered relationship with Him,” said main speakers, Josh and Debs Walker.

Throughout the week, 2,575 teens participated in worship during the main hall sessions, seminars, and of course, Throne Room (TeenStreet’s evening celebration). During group teaching times, workshops and their small groups, teens explored the seven letters to the churches in Revelation chapters 1-3, where they were told, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear what the spirit is saying to the churches,” a reference to Revelation 3v22.

RAG (RAISE AND GIVE) RAG is an opportunity for teens to raise funds for projects around the world, helping them to gain an understanding of the sacrificial giving Christ teaches. “At TeenStreet, our programme is designed to show all aspects of God and our God is a very generous God,” said Claire Hoernig, RAG Coordinator. “We want teens to reflect that generosity. Not giving for giving’s sake, but because it brings us joy and it gives thanks to God.”

Through a variety of opportunities to raise funds: the RAG race, Orchestra performance and various entrepreneurial endeavors, over 70,000e was raised – making this a record in TeenStreet history.

“Again, this year, God really exceeded our expectations,” said Claire.

“I’m just so thankful we can take some of the financial pressure off [the OM team in Ukraine].”

REACHING MÜNSTER Being in the heart of Münster, teens were also able to bless others through multiple outreach opportunities in the city centre.

During their interaction sessions, teens gave up their ‘free’ time to participate in outreach, including a flash mob to raise awareness about human trafficking and an international march through the city.

One teen shared, “I talked to a guy who lost everything. He was empty and lost, and he didn’t know where to go with his doubts, fears, and problems. He needs God so much. After I prayed with him, someone told me that his eyes were full of tears when I talked to God, and God blessed him.“

This year, teens and staff worked earnestly together to raise money to support orphanages in the Ukraine through OM’s Heritage Project. Selected before the recent conflicts began, it became abundantly clear to organisers that it was God that led TeenStreet to support this project.

www.teenstreet.de

SCAN FOR MORE

Scan the QR, or visit www.uk.om.org/tsglobal to find out more about what God achieved at this year’s TeenStreet.

SAVE THE DATE

TeenStreet 2015 // Offenburg, Germany // 1-8 August //

OM Lifehope

bringing Good News to

glasgow

by Haley Bourne For 10 days this summer, the streets of Glasgow were buzzing with excitement, as people from all over the world poured into the city for the Commonwealth Games.

While crowds gathered for nearly two weeks of sport and festivities, OM was also there to serve the spiritual needs of the people. Partnering with More Than Gold, an organisation designed to equip local churches to engage with their communities during world sporting events, OM teams served throughout Scotland in a variety of ways:

West Glasgow New Church A short-term outreach team from OM Lifehope ministered at West Glasgow New Church. Families came by for hot drinks and snacks, games or a friendly chat with team members in the church’s ‘Commonwealth Café’ each afternoon.

The team also ran a Commonwealth themed holiday club, ‘Fit for a King.’ Allan Grant, a leader of West Glasgow New Church, believes the holiday club was a great success. “As a church we were so excited to see families attending that we’d never seen before,” explains Allan. “We’re now able to work towards growing the seeds that were planted during this outreach.”

St George’s Tron Church Another team from OM Lifehope served at St George’s Tron Church in the Glasgow City Centre. Team members there managed a welcome table outside the church building, handing out the Scottish Bible Society’s, ‘Penny Gospel,’ to passersby.

Others helped out in the church’s hospitality room, a quiet place in the city for people to come in and reflect, be encouraged, and talk with volunteers about faith.

“We are here as a team,” said Diana Chavez, “and our desire is to support the church in many different activities and be a blessing for the people here [by] praying for them, sharing the Gospel in the streets, and trying to show love and hope for the people of Glasgow.”

The Big Red Bus A unique ministry opportunity came across the Irish Sea, in the form of OM Ireland’s Big Red Bus. Leaving Ireland for the first time, the bus travelled throughout the Lenzie and Kirkintilloch areas of North Glasgow, providing a place for children to drop in and enjoy face painting, Bible-themed crafts and puppet shows.

Led by Sharon Rose, OM UK’s Scottish Regional Coordinator, the project proved to be quite a success, bringing the Lenzie and Kirkintilloch area churches together in a way that had never been done before.

As one church member related, the hope is that this momentum will not die now that the Commonwealth Games are over. “This is the first time the churches are working together,” said Ruth Box, a member of Kirkintilloch Baptist Church, “We’ve learned from this that we can work together. We’ve built relationships in the churches. It’s exciting to see what the future holds for us.”

Partner with us If your church would like to reach its community, you don’t need a national sporting event to do it! Contact OM Lifehope via www.lifehope.om.org or by calling 0121 585 5662, and find out how your congregation can partner with us.

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Operation Mobilisation Registered office: The Quinta, Weston Rhyn, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 7LT. 01691 773388 • info.uk@om.org • www.uk.om.org

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