Anytime God is leading you to make significant changes can be exciting and scary all at once. It is normal that you will have a variety of emotions as you embark on this new season in life. Amid the packing of boxes and scheduling of good-byes, you’ll have many opportunities to glorify God. This transitional time will bring open doors for good conversations. People are curious as to why a person would “give up” so much to answer a calling. So remember, your ministry has already begun.

Form a Sending Team
Make sure you have a support network for your ministry. Our home church was a significant partner for us. They wanted the missionaries they sent to have a strong connection to the church beyond their monthly financial partnership. They asked each missionary sent out to create a sending team, modeled from a book called Serving as Senders (Emmaus Road Publishing, 1991), by Neal Pirolo. The sending team is comprised of individuals who volunteer to provide support in one or more of the following areas: moral, logistical, communication, prayer, financial, and re-entry when you return home.

A little more than a year before we left for the Philippines, Diana and I took time to pray over whom we might ask to be on our team. We then invited them to join us as supporters in the ministry. We met together monthly for prayer, planning, and preparation. This continued until we left for the field.

Our support team had a great impact on the ministry and were equal partners with us in the journey. We were the ones who went, but they were our lifelines. The sending team continued meeting monthly to support us with prayer, cards, e-mails, and telephone calls.

Two other sources that validate this need for support are the military and the Bible. In battle there is an acknowledged ratio of support personnel to frontline soldiers. The soldiers’ effectiveness and lives depend on the faithfulness of their support. A break in the link can be devastating. In the book of Romans, Paul illustrates the need for those who send as well as those who go. “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14, 15 New King James Version). The missionary is sent, but to be sent effectively, the support must be more than the sending of a check.

Pre-Field Training
Get some good pre-field training. A mission organization may have specific requirements or it may only offer training specific to the mission agency, similar to a new employee orientation. We strongly suggest you seek this training.

Prior to our marriage commitment we went to premarital counseling at our church and attended a marriage conference for engaged couples. We took the time to be sure that God was leading in our relationship before we got engaged. Unfortunately, many couples invest more time preparing for the wedding ceremony than in preparation for the marriage. Taking time to learn and prepare for marriage has been a key to our adjustment and ability to thrive in our new relationship together.

The same is true in missions. It was exciting to see how God was leading and preparing the way for us to serve him in another culture. But we knew we needed the wisdom and guidance of those with experience to prepare us for the challenges we would face as a missionary couple.

We chose to attend a two-week program called SLICE at Mission Training International (MTI) in Colorado. There were several other couples and singles there from a variety of different missions. The program was of great benefit to us as we learned from experienced missionaries the issues and emotions we could anticipate as we adjusted to our new culture. We were given the necessary tools to help us successfully navigate the normal ups and downs of our journey in answering God’s exciting call on our lives and marriage.

Seeking the opportunity to learn from others and building a support network are two key ways you can help ensure you are ready for the call. |L

Send your questions about family life to Phil and Bev Haas in care of The Lookout, 8805 Governor’s Hill Drive, Suite 400, Cincinnati, OH 45249, lookout@standardpub.com.We regret that personal replies are not always possible. Phil and Bev Haas are involved in education and family ministry in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the parents of two children, and they have one grandson.

OTHER COLUMNS:
October 11, 2009 - Parenting without fear
September 27, 2009 - Mentoring the motherless
September 13, 2009 - Sharing family stories
August 30, 2009 - Parenting solo
August 16, 2009 - Surviving junior high
August 2, 2009 - Healthy boundaries at home
July 19, 2009 - Parenting curriculum
July 5, 2009 - Job loss and your family
June 21, 2009 - Winning dads
June 7, 2009 - Benefits of marriage
May 24, 2009 - Love at a distance
May 10, 2009 - Mother and daughter conflicts
April 26, 2009 - Caring at a distance
April 12, 2009 - Teaching children about God
March 29, 2009 - Family meal time
March 15, 2009 - Giving an allowance
March 1, 2009 - Growing children spiritually
February 15, 2009 - Reduce your stress level
February 1, 2009 - Pitfalls in parenting teens
January 18, 2009 - Vital signs of healthy families
January 4, 2009 - Life after divorce
December 21, 2008 - Santa and Christmas
December 7, 2008 - Raising spiritual champions
November 23, 2008 - Family traditions
November 9, 2008 - Parenting after divorce
October 26, 2008 - Feeling like a failure
October 12, 2008 - How to save your marriage
September 28, 2008 - Rolling with the changes
September 14, 2008 - Teens need boundaries
August 31, 2008 - To separate or not
August 17, 2008 - Teen drivers
August 3, 2008 - Adoption worked for our family
July 20, 2008 - Parenting curriculum
July 6, 2008 - Tips for new parents
June 22, 2008 - The swivel door
May 25, 2008 - Expectations in marriage
May 25, 2008 - Helping our children become decision makers
May 11, 2008 - God’s plan for sexual purity
April 27, 2008 - Families and forgiveness
April 13, 2008 - Expressing thanks
March 30, 2008 - Love languages
March 18, 2008 - Cultivate commitment
March 2, 2008 - Teaching children about money
February 17, 2008 - Reclaim your family time
February 3, 2008 - Keeping the peace
January 20, 2008 - A preacher’s wife
January 6, 2008 - Passing on your faith
December 23, 2007 - Self-worth in children
December 9, 2007 - Forgiveness in the family
November 25, 2007 - Santa Claus is coming to town
November 11, 2007 - Parents under stress
October 28, 2007 - A more satisfying marriage
October 14, 2007 - Codependency
September 16, 2007 - Rewards and motivation
September 2, 2007 - Improving your child’s work ethic
August 19, 2007 - Teaming with teachers for success
August 5, 2007 - Communicating with your teen
July 22, 2007 - Childhood trauma
July 8, 2007 - Delegation and responsibility
June 24, 2007 - Learning to say no
June 10, 2007 - Teaching children about money
May 27, 2007 - When children rebel
May 13, 2007 - Mom’s wisdom
April 29, 2007 - 10 tips for parenting teenagers
April 15, 2007 - Making marital intimacy a priority
April 1, 2007 - Kids need time to play
March 18, 2007 - When you need counseling
March 4, 2007 - Bouncing back
February 18, 2007 - Narrowing your focus
February 4, 2007 - Choose your battles carefully
January 21, 2007 - New parents
January 7, 2007 - Parenting pointers
December 17, 2006 - The power of praise
December 3, 2006 - Knowing a woman’s heart
November 19, 2006 - On a more positive path
November 5, 2006 - Putting household chores in a positive light
October 22, 2006 - Finding significance
October 8, 2006 - Secrets of a healthy family
September 24, 2006 - Confronting elder abuse
September 10, 2006 - Parenting grandchildren
August 27, 2006 - Teaching our children right from wrong
August 13, 2006 - Letting go of adult children
July 30, 2006 - Solving your solvable problem