PRO/VOLUNTEER/STUDENT`

Some people involved in mission mobilization do it professionally; others do it in addition to an income-producing job. And then there are quite a number of students doing mobilization, who may not fit into the professional vs. non-professional paradigm. Here's testimony from one of each of these classes of mobilizers on how they are going about mission mobilization. By the way, we'd be glad to hear what YOU are doing, too!

PROFESSIONAL MOBILIZER <CODY_WATSON.parti@ecunet.org>`

My focus to this time is getting people to pray in October. The PCUSA [mainline Presbyterian denomination] is preparing a video for some key churches, to encourage their joining the PCUSA unreached peoples plan which is called "Commitment to Share Good News". It should come out in November addressed to pastors and mission committee members. Right now we have 22 churches that have made that commitment. Our goal is to see 1000 by AD2000 and to see us involved in 200 unreached people groups. Currently the PCUSA is engaged in about 50.

NON-PROFESSIONAL MOBILIZER <WScottW@aol.com> Scott White`

I run 2 small businesses in "real" life. In part one biz exists to allow me the time to do some mobilizing I could not otherwise do. I look at it as a bi-vocational opportunity. Thus priorites sift out based on balancing my two roles.

My first priority is to my local body,a subset of about 80 people within a larger body of 4000. We've seen a strong missions emphasis birthed there over ten years and that group move to providing key leadership to the 4000. I also provide leadership tothe 4000 as a nonmissions professional in a church filled w/ a whos who of missions. I trust I am able to provide a view from the pew to church leadership that emphasizes laity; where they're at and where they are, or aren't, going.

One key role is to host Perspectives regularly (annually is the goal). Because of the sucess of the program, I give it high priority in my time allocation decisions for 6 months of the year. In doing so, many others get mobilized and as a side benefit provide more compatriots to share in the tasks.

As with anything, the key is defining roles and skills. Even more so for those of us non-pros who must split our time between "work" and missions. My strengths are in communicating and if I don't focus my efforts there when "doing" missions, then I am imprudently spending my "avocation capital."

STUDENT MOBILIZER stuaros@beacon.regent.edu (Stuart Ross)`

I am a MDIV student at Regent University in Virginia. Although I am pursuing a MDiv in Practical Theology, during the past year, the Lord has begun a work in transforming my ability to see the real state of the world, and the small part He would like me to play in the harvest. My wife Heather, also a student here at Regent, works for Dr. Howard Foltz at AIMS as the Eastern Europe/CIS desk, helping to coordinate church-planting efforts, networking with other groups, etc. Dr. Foltz IS a missions mobilizer, [and] I am currently working with him in developing a 4-lesson seminar for his use in missions mobilization efforts, tentatively titled LIVING WITH A PURPOSE (the purpose of course is the Great Commission). I have about 1.5 yrs to go here at Regent and we have begun to pray for the Lord's direction for the future -- no matter what we do, though, we will always work as mobilizers, perhaps sometimes exclusively.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE of a professional mobilizer SteveAIMS@aol.com`

This last week has been an exciting one. All while at a low in my life and having to deal with some family issues brought on by tight finances.

The week started with sharing on the October prayer effort in a Sunday School adult class to about 40 people. The territorial commander for The Salvation Army was present. God moved greatly upon him and as a result is promoting this prayer effort through out the 11 central states to over 300 churches.

I am facilitating a city wide effort in Wichita to mobilize for world evangelization. AIMS is excited about what is being set up and has asked me to do the same in Kansas City.

On Tuesday I rode up to Kansas City were I attend a monthly Pastors fellowship. My plan has been to establish and maintain relationships with pastors in the Kansas City area and wait on God for the opportunity to bring them together for world evangelization. Tuesday I confessed that after numerous trips this plan was going nowhere.

Last May I met a lady from a church in Liberty, MO who is interested in AIMS and receiving help with missions. We talked this last Friday and she told me of representatives from 24 Kansas City area churches who want to begin working together for world evangelization. They want to know if I can come and help them get organized.

I have invested about 15 minutes in these 24 churches outside of my time in prayer to make this happen. While in Wichita I have invested hundreds of hours. God continues to remind me to get the attention off of me and the task and allow Him to be the center and focus of our attention.

If your wondering God provided a $300 gift and another $800 gift all while teaching my wife and I some important lessons and drawing us closer to Him.

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