I recently received a email from Kimberly White, a freshman at LeTourneau University in Texas. We meet briefly last year during a speaking event I had at Calvary Chapel Santa Maria, CA. Kim is taking a class called Contemporary World Missions and was required to conduct a missionary interview with a missionary presently on the mission field. She has been exploring the different principles and perspectives of cross-cultural missions and was wondering if I would be willing to answer some questions about our missionary experience. I said YES of course and discovered that Kim had some very good questions that possibly some of you might also like to know the answers to.Questions:
1. How did God lead you into missions?
From a young age I was introduced to missions and have taken part in it. When I went to Slovakia God clearly gave me an attraction to the people and place. He confirmed that calling with a peace and provision to actually go. He has been keeping up that process for some years now.
2. Why did you choose to serve with your mission board GO! Ministries?
Go! was basically a financial decision. They are simply managing our donations and taxes. However, after making the decision I also found out that they have a good pastoral support and have been very helpful to us in a number of unexpected ways. We are also connected to Shepherd's Staff (for 7 years now!) which provide the same service and are great. Either organizations are worth checking out.
Shepherd's Staff: http://www.shepsstaff.org/
Go! Ministries: http://go.ccnorco.org/
3. In Slovakia, to what people group do you minister (I know you minister to the Slovaks; are there any others?)? What attracted you to Slovakia or this specific people group?
Aside from Slovaks, also international people - from Arab states, Norway, France, Hungary, UK, Asia, Canada, etc.
What attracts me to Slovaks is that they are very "real" people, down to earth. However, our collective of friends and people we minister with is quite cosmopolitan. We enjoy the mix.
4. What is your main focus of ministry among this people?
Right now - prayer, personal witness, outreach that encourages people to think about spiritual issues. Also, I work with a University student group (VBH) and assist in leading one home group. All that in Nitra. We are also laying the groundwork for a church plant in Bratislava.
5. What is your vision for the ministry in Slovakia or among this people group?
We want to plant new churches and encourage Slovaks in reaching out to their communities.
6. What strategy or strategies are you using to accomplish your vision?
Teach the Word, be real, be relational, be relevant, give room for the Holy Spirit to work.
7. How would you evaluate your progress towards finishing the task in Slovakia or with these people?
We are far from done. In fact most the time we head down one path and God does something else with it. Yet, it the end He is glorified. That's the ultimate goal anyways -right? The best way for me to evaluate is simply ask - was I obedient. If yes, then its good.
8. What kind of exit strategy do you have?
Take an airplane..... no really, it depends on what part of ministry we are talking about. For example our work in Nitra is an kind of "exit strat". We used to lead the ministries, but now we have transitioned into assisting Slovaks who are in charge. The plan is to fade out slowly. Actually, I don't see many of the New Testament leaders setting out much of an exit strategy unless it was how to avoid getting killed by an angry mob!
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If any of you readers have some specific questions you would like to know about Slovakia, us, or the ministry here please don't hesitate to ask!
