Global Connect: A New Path To Mission

People who want to make a difference can now start their journey with Global Connect. “The purpose of Global Connect is to prepare people to engage in mission,” said Missouri Conference Mission Strategist Lucas Endicott. “This is a new process in the mission learning experience.”

The new website, www.globalchurchconnect.org, is a starting point for people interested in becoming involved in hands-on mission. It’s a dynamic process, in which teams can work together, and leaders can work individually or together. Local leaders in the area receiving the mission team can also be engaged in the process. It will be accessible online to everyone 24-hours a day.

The new system launched in September and was developed with consultations with other Annual Conferences and with the General Board of Global Ministries. It is hoped that the system will also provide data that will give more insight on how the teams are serving.

The first step addresses the question “Why Do We serve?” This step involves four video sessions, each six minutes long. They can be used as conversation starters in a small group setting or watched and reflected upon individually.

The second step is a cultural competency survey, which was developed in consultation with a sociologist at Berkley.

“There are no wrong answers, and you don’t get a score,” Endicott said. This is just something to help someone realize where they are coming from when they enter a mission experience.” “It can also help team leaders identify some areas where their people may need some extra help.”

Hosts are being asked to provide some assessment on the mission team. It may be valuable to compare the two. A team may have perceived they were doing an excellent job of communicating with the host, but the host may feel differently.

“For churches already engaged in mission, we believe these resources will be valuable,” Endicott said. For churches considering that they might engage in hands-mission someday, this will be a good place to start.”

The whole idea of being in mission has changed in recent years. It used to be very project based, but now it is becoming more about relationship building. Through Global Connect, churches will be able to share their experiences with each other.

“We haven’t been capturing when and where we are going,” Endicott said. “This will help volunteers collaborate with other churches. It can also help a church in the early stages of entering mission find a place to go that is appropriate for them, according to their gifts and their budget.”