Keeping the passion for God after the trip is over

One of the issues many people face after a short-term mission trip is stepping back into their "world" and losing the passion for God that was birthed in their heart during the trip. I have experienced this and talked to many who experienced the same thing...especially if the trip involved evangelism and discipleship. Seeing God work to birth people into His kingdom is a unique experience. To have Him use you in the process is indescribable.

It is as if God places your heart in an incubator and "hatches" a deeper thirst for Him. This is one reason I recommend that people be obedient to go when God leads. Perhaps God knows that in the midst of our everyday entanglements we will not give Him the time and opportunity to speak to us about our relationship with Him. So He uses the trip and the experiences to do it.

During the recent trip to Romania, God spoke to the team members. It was evident as we talked among ourselves and shared testimonies, that God had done as much in us as He had through us. I don't want to lose the passion, and I don't want to see the team members lose it.

With this in mind, I asked Pastor Teo (pastor of Jibou Baptist Church in Romania) to speak to the Prince Avenue Christian School seniors about this issue during their Bible classes. Brother David Shivar (Bible teacher, interim Headmaster and Romania March 2008 team member), graciously allowed Teo to speak. [Picture above is Pastor Teo and some of the students]

It was very interesting to hear how the people in his church are given opportunities to minister every week in similar ways that they are used while on a short-term trip. He spoke first about being in love with God...and with God's Word. How God uses His word to train us for good works.

The observation was made that when we are not using our gifts and talents for God, we become miserable and our relationship with God suffers. Another part of the discussion focused on our not waiting for someone else to create a ministry opportunity, but to seek God's guidance in what He wants to do through us. We need to be looking at the opportunities around us and joining God in those...whether it is at our school, our church, our home, or our community.

The seniors were encouraged to finish strong, not coast. With only weeks left in their high school career, they can choose if the race they run will continue to be filled with passion or if they will allow the entanglements of this world to trip them up just before their race is through.