“Then I heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me’ (Isaiah 6:8). Have you ever wondered if God can use you? Well, guess what? The same God who created the universe wants to use you to impact nations and those around you! You can impact the nations by sharing Jesus’ love with families, communities, and nations.
The fact that we could accept Jesus into our lives, letting Him guide us, is a huge blessing and gift. Since we have that beautiful gift, we can share it with others, bringing hope and love to communities and nations. How amazing is that? You can play a big part in changing lives by bringing light to the darkest places! Now, you might be wondering, “How can I be involved with Missionary organizations?”
Well, there are several ways to be involved with a missionary organization. One way is by researching different Christian mission organizations. If you are interested in getting trained and sent to the nations, Youth With a Mission (YWAM) is a great organization to start with. With over 18,000 staff and 1,200 ministry locations, YWAM is one of the world’s largest missionary organizations that trains and sends people to different nations (ywam.org).
UNDERSTANDING MISSIONARY ORGANIZATIONS
Christian missionary organizations can be beneficial for guiding you and helping you get equipped to reach nations and those around you, whether in the mission field or different spheres of society. These organizations will help train you to know God more and spread His love to others. They will also be able to help you get plugged into different nations and walk alongside you, whether through short-term or long-term mission opportunities.
FINDING THE RIGHT ROLE IN MISSIONS
Life with Jesus and sharing His love is a wild adventure! A great way to spread Jesus’ love is by valuing people and using your gifts to bless others. Since God is a creator, we all have the creativity and passions He placed in us! For example, if you love art, you can use that in evangelism and ministry times. If you like construction, God can use that as a blessing to people and tribes in different nations by simply building a house for them. If you have a heart for kids, God will use you to care and reflect His love toward people in a way that’s unique to you.
There are other gifts– No gift is better than another; they are all needed in God’s kingdom. Everyone has gifts; if you don’t know your passions and gifts, you can discover them through serving. However, if you know what they are, you can use them to bless others. ”God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10).
VOLUNTEERING WITH MISSIONARY ORGANIZATIONS
One way to volunteer is by going on short-term overseas mission trips. Many trips are available throughout the year, giving you many summer missionary opportunities to jump in on. Youth With A Mission Lancaster runs practical trips called PA Mission Builders. The trip is very practical, involving visits to overseas nations (Mexico, Haiti, Jamaica) and local trips in the United States. The goal is to serve the people through evangelism, construction, and medical work. After getting a taste of what a mission trip looks like, it can even lead to something more, and you might develop a heart for that nation… and the next thing you know, you’re serving and impacting that nation in a great way!
LONG-TERM MISSIONS COMMITMENT
What is “long term”? A long-term missionary in Asia once said, “Long-term missions” don’t have to mean the rest of your life.” That could mean three years, five years, or twenty years. Long-term missions is when you make a commitment to a missionary organization or missions team for at least two years, but you’re open to serving that nation longer than the commitment to see more than just an impact, but a transformation of unreached people, culture, or nation. Transformation comes through raising up faithful followers to continue to invest in that region, so your job is done when you raise up people to take your place.
Long-term missions can look different for different Christian missionary organizations. It can look like joining another established ministry or forming a team and planting in one location. In YWAM, it can look like serving on staff on a campus in any country of the world. A few practical ways to serve can look like serving in operations, administration, ministry events, and even leading schools. You can play one of these roles anywhere, but these are just some of the main areas you can work in. Despite the different roles, the main goal of serving in these areas is to share God’s love with people around us and with the nations.
TRAINING AND PREPARATION FOR MISSIONARY INVOLVEMENT
There are many ways to prepare for missionary involvement. First, you can connect with your pastor or youth pastor and talk with them about missions; they might be able to help suggest different types of ministries that fit the passion in your heart. You can also speak with missionaries in your community about how they were plugged into different ministries and able to serve in their community and nations. Also, pray, ask Jesus what steps to take, and allow the Holy Spirit to guide you.
The passion that God placed on your heart is something He can help you with; you can’t do it on your own. Also, having people praying for you as you prepare and train for missionary involvement is extremely important, too.
A great way to start is by joining YWAM’s DTS program. Our Discipleship Training School offers a 5-6 month intensive missions training, providing practical, personal, and powerful experiences that will equip you to reach the unreached. Join us in seeking God and fulfilling His purpose for your life. Take the first step today, and let YWAM guide you on your mission journey. Start Here>
