Turning Strangers into Friends

An excerpt from Social Networking: Turning Strangers into Friends
By Elizabeth Carter, Spain
April-June 2012

Confession time: My name is Elizabeth, and I’m an introvert. I love people, but I definitely need my alone time.

Real-life reality: As we’ve been traveling around the country on homeland ministry assignment, I get to meet—and talk to—many different kinds of people.

Here is our quick guide for The Introvert’s Guide: Turning Strangers into Friends:

1.Find common ground with the “stranger.” Take a class or volunteer for a project that will bring you into contact with people you might never have met otherwise. You may have nothing in common except for the class or project, but that’s a great starting point.

2.Use “free information.” (Thanks to my mom, Glenda Moon, for this point!) Using free information is drawing on common topics to start conversations. We have learned people love to talk about their towns.

3.Ask questions. Make sure that you’re genuinely interested in the answers or this one won’t work! Most people are knowledgeable about at least one thing and are happy to share their expertise.

Social media isn’t a substitute for real-life friendships and connections, but if it’s used properly, social media can definitely enhance and strengthen those relationships.

ACT: As you read this article, has someone come to mind that you need to take some steps to get to know better? Reach out to that person today.

Unfriend It and End It

An excerpt from Unfriend It and End It
Progressive relationships
By Michael Johnson, Special Assignment
April-June 2012

After almost 35 years of marriage, I am amazed that my wife has not unfriended me yet. I have given her plenty of reasons to do so. She could just unfriend it and end it.

I thank God that He does not work that way. After 59 years of life, I have given Him plenty of reasons to unfriend it and end it. But He does not work that way. There is nobody on God’s “I am not speaking to you” list. In fact, God just keeps on talking to me, even when I completely ignore Him.

Even though He has good reason to unfriend me, He refuses to do so. I have given Him ammunition moment by moment from the past to the present and even future. But He doesn’t. God does call me friend, and He refuses to end it.

ACT: God calls you His friend, too. Read John 15:15.

How a game of ISpy can change everything...

An excerpt from View Your World Differently
How a game of ISpy can change everything
By Shushan Richardson, Ukraine
April-June 2012

While on homeland ministry assignment this past fall, I had the privilege of speaking at my alma mater, Kentucky Mountain Bible College, for its fall recruiting event/missions conference. The theme was “I Spy…Seeing the World through God’s Eyes.” The premise of the event was Matthew 14:14, where Jesus was with the people and He looked on them with compassion, seeing their real needs and the need for laborers. This is a special verse to me, because God clearly spoke to me through it as I began to understand He was calling me to missions, calling me to see the world differently.

A game was set up on the KMBC Facebook page, challenging people to come and to play every day. Challenges were posted with an activity that would encourage players to see their world differently. Things like “ISpy the work of the Holy Spirit,” “ISpy a prayer warrior,” or “ISpy someone who needs to be encouraged.”

ACT: Create your own ISpy game for missions with your network of friends and family or with your Sunday School class. Look for the examples Shushan listed in this article and create a few of your own. You may just see the world differently too.

An excerpt from Connecting Partners to Ministry
By Kelly Hallahan, Uganda

April-June 2012

Social media is the new normal. If you’re not tweeting, blogging, or Facebooking, you’re missing out on some vital connections with this generation.

WGM Uganda has a variety of options for you if you want to stay connected with what God is doing here:

Prayer Room blog: www.247prayeruganda.blogspot.com

Twitter prayer request feed: 247PrayerUganda

Facebook community: WGM Uganda (your one-stop shop, linked to our blog and Twitter)

Keeping you, our prayer warriors, informed and connected is key for the success of God’s kingdom work here in Uganda.

The possibilities are endless for connecting with missionaries on a daily basis. Are you seizing the opportunities that are available? Can’t wait to connect with you!

Mission-Central.org: Living Your Story

An excerpt from Mission-Central.org: Living Your Story
By Rachel Elwood, Support Staff
April-June 2012

What’s your missions story? Do you come from a missions-minded church? Maybe you’ve been on a missions trip or two (or ten!), or you pour yourself into the kids who attend your church’s Wednesday night kids ministry. Or maybe you’ve just recently discovered this “missions thing” and what it means for believers to share their faith with their communities and the world.

But regardless of whether you’re a wide-eyed newbie or slightly cynical veteran like me (Come on, we’ve seen a lot!), we all share something in common: we truly want to know how God is moving in our world and where our place is in His work. We crave glimpses of hope that those who need Jesus are being reached. We want to know how we can get involved.

That’s why we created www.mission-central.org. On this multimedia blog, you can hear the voices of missionaries on the front lines of the Great Commission. Check out videos from all over, and learn creative ways to participate in missions. By using a variety of media, we want to show missions for what it is—not flashy or polished but real people doing real ministry to make a real impact.

ACT: Have ideas for podcasts or videos that you’d like to see on www.mission-central.org? E-mail Rachel at wgm@wgm.org with your feedback!