Portugal 2010

As Western Christians we often only view missions trips as evangelical in nature. I personally struggled with this as evangelism, in its typically defined role, has never been a passion of mine and I failed to see why I should be the one to evangelize. It was on a trip to South Africa in 2006, and the resulting relationships thereafter, whereby I learned that conversions are not the only thing missionaries and Christians serving elsewhere in the world need help with. They need help with actions surrounding construction, technology, support processes, and even business.

Over the course of the last 18-24 months God has built a relationship between myself and an organization in Portugal called Teófilos. Teófilos is a provider of online learning and a platform and community for students of the Bible for Portuguese speaking people groups. One of the biggest issues Teófilos faces is the transition it is trying to make from being solely the endeavor of one missionary family to that of a sustainable entity functioning as a non-governmental organization (non-profit) in Portugal, Brazil, and beyond. In Portugal specifically there are many other para-church organizations that desire assistance with their organizational advancement. The areas in which they need help are in business methodologies and processes such as marketing, budgeting, constituent relationship management, and even day-to-day operations.

The third week of May 2010, just a few short weeks away, I will travel to Portugal to meet with leadership of such para-church organizations and to work alongside Teófilos for two weeks. As part of this trip God has arranged for me to provide two different seminars. One, at the Portuguese Baptist Theological Seminary (STB) and another all-day three-session seminar to a conglomerate of missionaries, mission organizations, church leaders, and lay-people.

It has been requested that I specifically speak on topics surrounding marketing, re-visioning, and to provide tools to further their ministries from an organizational development and advancement vantage point. In other words, to assist them in transitioning their work to a sustainable endeavor that won’t falter when their personal support dries up. The title of the seminar is “Community and Relationship Building for Self-Sustainability in NPOs/NGOs”.

I would like to invite you to pray about how you, your families, your church, and your friends can be of assistance in this outreach. Here are some ways in which you can support this missions trip:

Prayer- for safety, finances, preparations, and opportunities of service while in Portugal.
Give by check- contact me via the contact page or through email to obtain mailing address.
Give Online- Click on the ChipIn! above and make a donation with your debit, credit, or bank transfer through PayPal.
Follow the trip via Twitter or Facebook.

Note: A giving receipt can be supplied upon request and 100% of your gift will go towards the cost of this trip.

This trip is in partnership with: