The value of the ship’s ministry

Two weeks after we bought our house, the pastor came to our church. He had been on one of the ships and thought we should be involved in missions. I told him, “I just bought a house. I do Christian music. I’m not an evangelist. I’ve never been to seminary. What does music have to do with missions? Get out of my life.”

I’m not a risk-taker.

The value of the ship’s ministry

Three reasons the ship is still relevant

1. The international community
2. Travel opportunities for people all over the world
3. The ministry opportunities

The ship is the “best and worst of times.”  It’s a workaholic’s dream and also nightmare.

Keeping boundaries. We could actually have the shop raise our kids and hardly ever see them. So we had to be intentional with our kids and making time for us as a family.

Boundaries in missions

It’s so counter-cultural to take time to rest.

I had several burnouts in those four and a half years because I said yes to so many things. Especially at Christmas.

The lesson learned is for me to go, “I don’t care what people think. I need to say no. I need to take this time for sabbath. For family time.”

The ship was like a pressure cooker; it boils out the impurities, and they come to the surface, and that happened for us for sure on the ship.

Our marriage was in the toilet. How do we navigate keeping a good face out front in our marriage when it’s in the toilet?

Transitioning to the home office

I came back to our home country and had a decision to make: where do we go?

There was an opportunity in the home office, and I have these weird hats. I have the one hat that’s for an administrative and detailed organization, kind of person , but also I’m creative and a musician. And there was need for both of those in the home office.

We moved here in 1991 and have served in that office for over 30 years in a variety of roles.

One of the questions I wrestled with was, what will our support level be when we return to our home country?

Ministry Partner Development (MPD)

For the last 25 years, I’ve been passionate about seeing people become fully funded.

There is a book I use called Personal Support Matters, by Myles Wilson and Claire Niclasen.

A lot of people that are on the field feel stuck. They don’t have any hope. They don’t know how to get out of their low support. The first thing is to get a coach. Get a support-raising coach.

Another thing is to steward your partners well. Keep those newsletters coming. Quarterly minimum. Get those out.

Seeing ministry partners as part of your ministry.

We have people that I probably wouldn’t be friends with today if they were my financial partners.

Many times, the coach will have the faith that the missionary doesn’t have.

Be prepared. How much more per month do I need in my support? Have that ready. And if there are any projects that I’m looking to raise funds for, have that amount and know how to explain the project and why I want to raise funds for the project. Have those two things ready!

I coach some people in Europe, and the principles are the same. I’m excited about what God has called me to do, and I’m reaching out to people that I know and love. I’m inviting them in to partner with me and God, to make an impact in this world.

In Ministry Partner Development, it’s one by one by one.

Staying close to the Father

Time alone with God. Reading. Praying. Listening. Having good, male friends that I can be open and honest with. Attending the local church. Those are things that help me stay alive.