Zambia Team has landed

Earlier this evening the Zambia team safely landed in Lusaka and is with our partner organization Hope Ministries. Please pray that God will work with them and through them during this trip. To learn more about our partner go to www.sparkventures.org.

Mexico team has landed

The Mexico team landed safely in Oaxaca on Saturday afternoon. They will be serving at Foundations for His Ministry through next Saturday. Please pray for them while they are away.

Important Dates September through January

· Wednesday, September 10^th 4:00-5:00 or 6:30-8:00 GP Leader meeting on Recruitment and Interviewing

· Sunday, September 14^th 9:00PM –GP Expo Hamming Hall

· Monday, September 15^th-Monday, September 28^th—Winter Trip Interviews

· Wednesday, September 17^th-Winter Trip Leaders Meeting 6:30 PM

· Friday, September 19^th-Diversity Training with Terry Lindsay (optional)

· Sunday, September 21^st-Winter Trip Applications DUE

· Wednesday, September 24^th-GP Leaders Meetings at 4 or 6:30 (Fundraising)

· Friday, September 26-27—SVM2 Chicago Retreat (5-6 reps optional)

· Saturday, September 27^th-Homecoming Block Party (fundraising opportunity)

· Wednesday, October 1^st—Winter Team Leaders 6:30 PM (Final selection of teams)

· Saturday, October 4^th—All day mandatory retreat for Winter Teams (make sure you get off work for this day)

· Wednesday, October 8^th—Winter Team Leaders 6:30

· Wednesday, October 15^th—N0 MEETING

· Friday, October 19-21-Fall Break

· Wednesday, October 22^nd—Winter Leaders 6:30

· Friday, October 24-25-Women’s Retreat

· Wednesday, October 29^th—Winter Leaders 6:30

· Tuesday, November 4^th—National Election Day (Go VOTE!)

· Wednesday, November 5^th—All GP leader Meeting 4:00PM and 6:30 PM

· Monday, November 10^th—Spring and Summer Applications DUE

· Wednesday, November 12^th—Winter Team Meeting 6:30PM

· November 16-22-Global Partnership Auction online

· Wednesday, November 17^th—Spring and Summer Leaders Meeting 4:00PM & 6:30 PM-Teams Chosen and Announced (please come with your co-leader if possible)

· Sunday, November 23^rd-College Life GP commissioning for Winter Trips

· Wednesday, November 26^th-NO MEETING

· Monday December 1^st-All Money Due for Winter Mexico

· Monday December 8^th-All money due for Winter Trips

· Wednesday, December 3^rd—Fundraising Meeting for Spring and Summer Participants 4:00PM

· Wednesday, December 3^rd—Winter Leaders Meeting 6:30PM

· Tuesday, December 9^th—UMin Leaders Christmas Party 5:30PM? Hamming Hall

· December 13-20—Mexico Trip

· December 28-January 10—Chile, Thailand, Zambia

· January 3-10—Gulf Coast

· January 17^th—Mandatory All-day Retreat for Spring and Summer Trip Participants

Church support

How local churches can help you raise funds:

Give official blessing or sanction

• Provide letters of endorsement on church stationery
• Let individuals share with the congregation in services
• Allow pleas for donations during services
• Host informational meetings about the trip

Publicize the trip

• Information in the congregation's monthly newsletter
• Inserts in the weekly church bulletin
• Call attention to those Who get involved in local ministry when they return or decide to go long-term as a result of going short-term

Provide direct support

• Provide partial funding from the church budget
• Help in getting out a support raising letter
• Organizing prayer support

Organize fund raising events within the church

• Rummage Sale/ Bake Sale
• Auction off 6 hours of the trip participant's time
• Hold dinner/auction of baked goods
• Car Wash
• Penny drives

Creative Fundraising Ideas

Creative Fundraising

Equal Exchange Coffee:Fundraise for your trip by selling equal exchange products. Equal exchange fundraising will not only help you, it will help the farmers and producers, because equal exchange products are fair trade. Ask your leader for more information.

Auctions: Partner with local business to donate gift cards, free services and merchandise (ex: ipods, watches, dinner with a local celebrity, tickets to theater shows, etc.) If you are a part of a winter trip you can add these items to the GP auction, and receive 50% of the proceeds. The other 50% goes to Global Partnership teams overall. If you are a part of a spring or summer trip, you could hold your own silent auction, raffle, or sell the items on eBay.

Raise Your Own Money: Sacrificial giving is often the most rewarding. In order to get some of the finances you need for your trip, you may want to sacrifice some of the activities that cost you money like weekly trips to Starbucks, movies, eating out, or new clothes. Instead of getting presents for Christmas or your birthday, why not ask for financial support for the mission trip? Also, you can do odd jobs like babysitting, chores, mowing lawns, and more to raise money.

Week of Restaurant Fasting:Designate a week for church or organization members to save the money they would spend eating at sit-down and fast food restaurants and donate it to your international mission project. Promote the "Week of Restaurant Fasting" through church media outlets including bulletin and pulpit announcements. Provide pledge cards in pews for members to fill out and place in offering plates, pledging to participate. At the end of the fasting week, have a church-wide potluck dinner; or, have a popular local restaurant cater a meal into the church. If your church is small enough, you can book a banquet room at a restaurant. At this meal, collect the proceeds from members and announce the accumulated amount.

Parents' Night Out: Offer one night (or several nights) for parents to let you watch their kids. This is a great way for parents to have a date night, do Christmas shopping, or just escape their usual responsibilities for an evening. It would be best to have your team as a whole cover a night for the parents, in order to watch a group of children at once. All proceeds will go toward the cost of the trip.

Take an offering:Take an offering at each Global Partnership meeting to raise money for your team or another team, or for your partner location.

Loose Change:Go door to door in the dorms and ask for people’s loose change.

Car Wash: Sell car wash coupons: Sell car wash coupons ahead of time. Some will buy just to support and not show up and others will show up along with any you happen to draw in from advertising. Doing it this way raised more money for us than just doing a regular car wash.

Host a Dinner: Host a nice dinner and charge people $15-50 to come (depending how fancy the dinner is.) Connect the meal with your partner location, so that people can learn about your trip and where you are going.

Bake Sale/Auction: Host a baked goods silent auction for cakes, pies, brownies etc.

Offer classes: Organize and teach a beginners' computer course (in Photoshop, web design, etc)

Offer fitness: Are you athletic? Become a personal trainer for a season, for a donation of $15-25 a session.

Restaurant sponsorship: Get a restaurant or ice cream shop to sponsor your team for a day. The Thailand team did this in 2008 and received $400 in donations from Cold Stone Creamery, who donated a percentage of each sale to the team.

Corporate Sponsorship: There are a lot of corporations and businesses that set aside money each year for philanthropic use. Try checking with some local companies to see if they will sponsor or contribute to your mission trip. Remember, a person or company does not have to be Christian to give to a Global Partnership trip.

Craft Night: Provide everything they'll need to make something. Charge enough to cover your costs, with a bit of profit. Ask for donations.

Movie Night: Host a big-screen movie at your church or in Java Haus and charge for popcorn, candy, and soda. Connect the movie with your partner location for added educational value. Sometimes professors may be willing to offer extra credit if students go watch the film.

Krispy Kreme offers various methods of fund raising, from selling individual doughnuts to selling "buy one, get one free¨ cards. Contact your local Krispy Kreme for information.

T-Shirt Sales: Create a team t-shirt using a team logo, picture or slogan. Keep the design simple and one or two colors to keep your costs down. Take pre-orders for the shirts up until a set date. The shirts should not cost more than $5-$8 per shirt and if you charge $15-$20 per shirt (a typical price) the potential for profit is great. If a team of 10 people each sell 15 shirts the total profit will be $1200 (at an $8 profit per shirt).

Garage Sale: This is a great way to get particular North Park organizations involved with an area they may not be connected with on a regular basis. Approach the teachers/leaders and ask them to donate items toward a garage sale. Then, organize shifts of people to help set up the garage sale items, run the cash register, and help with carrying the items to the designated location. Advertise this in on campus, at churches, or on Facebook in order for people to not only donate items, but also to purchase things. Local ice cream shops or grocery stores could be approached as well, because they might be willing to donate snacks and refreshments. All of the money will be donated toward the cost of the Global Partnership trip.

Santa's Helpers Child-care Service: You can help eliminate holiday stress and motivate giving by organizing a Santa's Helper program either within your church or in volunteers' homes. Parents may drop off their children at the designated place and go Christmas shopping or attend parties. In larger churches, this may be most effective as an eight-hour-a-day service. Provide a schedule for parents (distributed as a flyer in the church bulletin) of who is offering Santa Helper duty and when and where they're offering it. Provide a contact number for parents to call to sign up and register for a fee. It is up to volunteers to determine how many children they can keep, how long, and how many times. You may wish to provide Christmas videos or other holiday activities to help volunteers entertain children during the time their parents are gone.

Year-End: Use the fundamentals of the above strategy to gain partners in ministry by highlighting the benefits of a year-end donation. The holiday season is a great time to offer friends and family the opportunity to partner in the mission project you are organizing. Letters are a fine way to raise support, but while you are home for the holidays, make presentations to church groups, businesses, and family gatherings. Highlight that all donations are tax deductible and donors will receive a gift receipt for tax purposes.

Fundraising: Frequently Asked Questions

Global Partnerships

MONEY AND FUNDRAISING ISSUES: FAQ’s

What is the trip payment schedule?

• A $30 application fee is due with the application. This is used to fund your orientation. If you decide not to go on the trip the application fee is forfeited. If for some reason you were not accepted to a GP team, we will reimburse your application fee.
• 10% of your trip costs are due within 10 days of your acceptance to the team. This is a non-refundable down payment. We encourage you to use your own money for the down payment.
• Another 40% is due one month before your final payment.
• Final winter trip payments are due on December 1^st for Mexico, and December 8^th for all other winter trips. Final spring trip payments are due February 27^th. Final summer trip payments are due May 1^st.

Can I raise financial support for my trip through NPU?

Yes! We encourage you to do so! However, there is a system and a process devised by the Development Office and University Ministries that needs to be followed. The Global Partnerships program has a special support card that should be included with all letters, checks are made out to North Park University, donations are tax deductible, and are sent to and managed by University Ministries Global Partnerships Program. Letters should only be sent after being officially accepted to a team and attendance to the group orientation. Thanks!

Is there any part of the trip costs that shouldn’t be a part of fundraising?

We encourage students to pay for at least 10% of the trip themselves. If you are able, you can fund your entire trip through donations, but money needs to arrive by the dates listed above. This encourages personal responsibility towards the trip and your partner organization, and demands that you also steward your finances wisely. We also ask that you pay for your own passport and immunizations. We will not refund expenses for postage, supplies, passports, immunizations or doctor’s visits.

Am I raising money for myself or my team?

You are working as a team to raise support, but money donated to you for your trip will first and foremost go to your basic trip cost. Any additional money will spill over into your team fundraising and to Global Partnership trips overall.

Can I apply for a scholarship?

Yes! Limited scholarships are available for students who have limited networks or serious financial need. This money is pulled from a grant and from the proceeds of the Annual Auction and other fundraising events. Maximum scholarship awards are 35% of your basic trip cost. Matching grant applications are available on-line at www.npumin.com. Apply before October 13^th for winter trips and before February 13^th for spring and summer trips. Applicants will be notified by the end of October or February on whether their grant was awarded.

What are options for individual fundraising?

We encourage students to write support letters to friends, family, and their church as soon as they are accepted to the GP trip. You should follow up with phone calls or individual visits to those you have written. Other options for fundraising include Equal Exchange coffee products fundraiser, donating items to the GP auction, or working for donations (i.e. cleaning apartments, gardening, tutoring, selling art or baked goods, etc.) Be creative and involve God and others in your brainstorming on how you can raise money.

What is a matching grant?

A matching grant is a scholarship that increases as you raise money. For each dollar donated to your trip, we will double or match the amount. We have decided to do scholarships this way to encourage students to raise support in other ways as well.

How does the GP Auction work?

This year the auction fundraising will go primarily to winter trips, since it will happen in November. Participants donate items to the auction, and receive half of the proceeds from their items. The other half goes to your team. Leaders and advisors for spring and summer trips will also be able to participate. This gives winter participants the opportunity to receive donations that aren’t financial—such as hockey tickets, piano lessons, sports equipment, and other valuable items we can auction off. It also encourages creativity and ingenuity of participants.

Will my team do fundraisers?

Many teams choose to do a team specific fundraiser to help raise money. If you and other team members are interested and in need of all the help you can get, please talk to your team leader and share creative ideas! GP also encourages team members to be generous and give to others on their team. (You probably have more money in your pockets and in your couch cushions than you realize.)

What happens if I raise money over my trip basic cost?

All donations will first be applied to your basic team cost. Support raised above your basic trip cost will be applied as follows:

1. Since you are raising money as a team, any additional monies will be applied to other team members on your team who are not as successful in their fundraising efforts.

2. If any additional monies raised still remain, they will then help students on other GP teams.

Are there any special scholarships for leaders?

• After paying for 10% of the trip, leaders will receive a leadership scholarship of 10% off their trip costs.
• GP leaders may be awarded another 10% of their trip costs (or up to $100 for domestic trips) if they get in all paperwork for the team, attend regular meetings, and follow through with assigned responsibilities. This scholarship will be awarded at least a month before travel.
• GP leaders could potentially receive another 25% for recruiting a seminary student to participate in their trip.
• GP leaders are also eligible for the matching grant and auction scholarships.

Do advisors need to pay for their trip?

All participants pay for their trips, including leaders and advisors. However, there are grants available through the seminary for seminary students. Advisors can receive up to 85% off their trip, and seminary participants can receive up to 50% off their trip. Go to www.npumin.com to apply for the grant. All staff, faculty, alumni and graduate students are expected to raise the full amount for the trip. We do encourage you to ask your department if they would like to donate to the trip, but we don’t have money set aside for advisors.

Do leaders have any special responsibilities towards their team in regards to fundraising?

Yes, leaders are responsible to make sure all participants pay for their trip. Participants will not be able to go on the trip without paying. It is important that leaders enforce the payment plan, as mentioned at the beginning of the FAQs. It is important that leaders select participants that are both willing and able to pay/fundraise for their trip. If leaders choose participants that have difficulty fundraising, leaders should offer extra support to that person by encouraging them to apply for the scholarships, write letters, and encourage the team to raise money for the team, and not just individually.

What if I am raising support and I am still under the balance I need at the time of departure?

All money for your trip is due before you leave. We really hope and pray that God will provide the money you need. This can happen in various ways:

1) If you are working, consider asking for additional hours for a period of time.

2) Think about how you spend money. Is there anything you can forgo? Such as a coffee, new clothes, nights out on the town? Brainstorm ways you can save money.

3) It is possible that another team member (from your team or another team) may have an excess amount that can be applied toward your balance.

4) If several of your team members are having trouble with fundraising, you may want to consider doing a team specific fundraiser (talk to your trip leader).

5) Is Christmas or your birthday coming up? Consider asking for money to go towards your mission trip.

6) If friends and family are not interested in donating money, ask them to donate items, time or talent to the GP auction.

7) Apply for NPU’s matching grant at www.npumin.com

8) Follow the time line. We have set up a three tiered payment plan to help you reach your goals in a timely manner.

9) The Bottom Line: The Trip Needs To Be Paid In Full Prior To Departure. NPU is a non-profit organization, so we need the trip to be paid in full prior to departure. Therefore, we ask that all trip participants write a check to cover the remaining balance due at their final team meeting.

What happens if I can no longer go on the trip (financial consequences)?

Obviously, we would want anyone who committed to a team to fulfill their commitment and participate. However, situations have arisen where this is not possible and we try our best to extend grace for extenuating circumstances. If a student withdraws before anything has been purchased, they will be refunded for any monies except costs figured in that team members split (i.e. van gas) and it is too late to have another student take your spot.

However, students are responsible for any non-refundable expenses that have been purchased such as airfare, organization fees, international travel insurance, etc. even if they must cancel for illness, a death in the family, or a timing conflict as NPU is a non-profit organization.

Fundraising Guide

A Guide for Individuals Preparing for a Short Term Mission Experience

This is a guide put together by International Teams. It is a great resource, and I encourage all participants and leaders to read through it.

When we talk about building your support team, we are not just talking about money! We are also talking about gathering a team of people who commit to pray for you during the whole mission experience. A prayer team is essential for your ministry to be effective.

As you begin the adventure of building your support team, you will probably feel a range of emotions (anticipation, fear, excitement, dread…). Remember, though, if God has called you to join Him in His work around the world, finances will never be an obstacle that cannot be overcome. Maybe a challenge, but never a barrier!

Getting Started…

Step One: Prepare

Pray! Begin by recognizing that God owns all the resources in the universe (Psalm 24:1). Believe that he wants to use you and will help you get there (Psalm 23:1). Commit yourself to making personal sacrifices along the way.

Brainstorm all the ways you can save or raise money. Although you may be able to raise the full amount through free-will gifts from others, you should be prepared to forego some of your own personal luxuries in order to follow God’s call to the mission field. When others see you making sacrifices and saving, they may be more apt to contribute.

Identify a list of people you could ask to partner with you financially. Don’t rule anyone out! You may find financial and prayer support where you least expect it. God has already provided all those who will participate in your ministry as supporters. You only need to discover who they are! Telling others about your ministry and allowing them to invest in it, lets them share in your work for the Lord. They can experience the challenges, joys and victories of your ministry. Developing a support team is an opportunity to see God work. Here are some ideas to help you get started on your list.

• Family members
• Relatives
• Teachers/Professors
• Co-workers
• Friends from church
• Friends from school
• Friends of parents

Tip: List everyone you know, and then highlight those who know you and care for you the most. Start with them!

Step Two: Present

Ask individuals. Let’s think a bit outside the traditional support-raising box. Although letters can be an effective tool for fundraising, phone calls and personal visits are much better in developing a support team. Studies show that people give to people they know, trust and care for. Try to use all three methods to build your support team. If you aren’t getting a big response from the letters you send out, get on the phone and schedule some appointments.

What do you say when you ask for an appointment? Try this: “Have you heard the news about my short term mission opportunity? I’m excited about it! I’m in the process of developing my financial support team and wonder if you’d be willing to meet with me so I can tell you all about it. At some point, I’d like to ask you to consider joining a team that will surround this ministry with prayer and give financially to make it happen. Would you like to get together?” This way, if they agree to meet with you, they won’t feel blindsided if you suddenly start talking about your need for financial support. In fact, if they agree to meet with you, you’re already more than half-way there. They expect you to ask them to support your ministry!

Keep in mind that you should be as enthusiastic and specific as possible when describing your ministry opportunity and your funding needs. However, there is never a need to make people feel guilty or pressure them into giving. You should also try to present your ministry opportunity in 15 minutes. What you should tell people:

• Something about the ministry you will be involved with (even though you may not know all the details yet).
• What you hope to accomplish.
• How you expect to see God work in your own life.
• The total cost of your short term experience.
• The deadline for raising your funds.
• How the supporter can be specifically involved through prayer and giving.

After you ask someone to give financially, be quiet. Don’t try to fill the “awkward silence” by talking more. Allow the person to respond in whatever way they choose.

Think about how you can inform others about your ministry. What about short email updates for your growing support team? Or building a web site? Get a web-savvy friend to help you. How about hosting a dessert or coffee night to share your mission opportunity? Throughout the support raising process, make sure to keep people up to date with how much you are raising and how much you still need. Your goal is to help them feel connected to your ministry even before you leave for the field. Make it a top priority to be a blessing to them, even if they don’t end up giving. One way to be a blessing is to pray for them and their needs.

About Support Letters…

If you decide to raise funds through support letters, here are some basic guidelines.

• Be brief. People get a lot of mail these days. Keep your letter to ¾ of one page.
• Be personal. Write a short handwritten note on each letter.
• Be clear and accurate. Have someone read your letter. Even small errors can make a poor impression. Get it perfect before you send it out!
• Provide people with a convenient way to respond. Please direct donors to make their checks out to your church or group. Ask them not to write your name on the check, but to include a separate note or response slip that indicates the money is for your ministry. You should provide them with a response slip and return envelope with your group’s address.

Ask your church. Talk to your church leadership or those who handle the money allocated for missions. Try to present your opportunity to the missions committee. They will want to know specifics, so be prepared to answer their questions. Even if your church is not able to support you financially, you need to ask them to support you with prayer.

Step Three: Properly Express Your Appreciation of Supporters

It is vital that people know how much you appreciate their support for your ministry. When someone indicates a willingness to support you, write a note or call to thank them personally. Don’t wait until after your short term experience is over to express your gratitude. Do this as soon as possible!

After your return home, it is important to follow up with a report of your ministry experience. This should be done as soon as possible after you return. Your supporters need to hear what happened, but don’t be too wordy. Include some personal stories or tell them about lives impacted by your ministry. This is an excellent way for you to review your experience and put what you learned into words. Don’t try to squeeze several weeks or months of ministry (if that is the case) into a two page letter! Just give the highlights. Some supporters may want to get together with you to hear stories and see pictures. Perhaps your church would allow you to share your experiences with the congregation. Allow God to use you to be the catalyst to get others engaged in missions.

Raising support can be both an intimidating and exhilarating experience. It can be intimidating when we look to our own strength to meet our needs. But when we look to God, who is all sufficient and holds all the world’s resources in His hands, we need not fear! It can be exhilarating to see how He provides in ways and through people we would not expect. He is able to do far more than we could ever ask or imagine…!

Trip Information

Below is the list of trips to date. As you can see we have some empty spots and most advisors have not yet been chosen. Please pray for GP, leaders, advisors, and the trips. Also start fundraising. The estimated cost of your trip is listed. All trip leaders will receive 10% off their trip. You will receive another 10% off the trip by handing things in on time, attending meetings, following through with responsibilities. Other possibilities include: a matching grant, if you raise a certain amount we will double it; seminary grant, if you get a sem student to participate in your trip each leader will receive up to 25% off their trip; the GP auction, if you donate something to the auction, you get half the proceeds; coffee fund raising, if you sell Equal Exchange coffee you get to keep the profits. I also want you to send out letters and talk to your church and friends and family back home. I encourage you to start fundraising now while you are still at home. I will be posting more fundraising information soon, so check back often.

TRIPS

Winter
Mexico-Dec 12-20
Leaders: Kevin Stribling & Stephanie Lee
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $1100
Group Size: 13

Zambia-Dec 27-Jan 10
Leaders: Hannah Schultz and Matt Enquist
Advisor: Paul Johnson
Cost: $3100
Group Size: 15

Gulf Coast-January 3-10
Leaders: Hannah Tumblin & Keniv Gathje
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $350-$400
Group Size: 20+

Spring (March 7-15)
Appalachia
Leaders: Amy Russell & TBA
Advisor: TBA
Cost-$350-$400
Group Size: 10-14

Mexico
Leaders: Vanessa Braasch & TBA
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $1100
Group Size: 13

Gulf Coast
Leaders: Amber Gerhart & TBA
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $350-$400
Group Size: 20+

Summer

Zambia-May 11-June 26
Leaders: Dan Spellacy and Lauren Brooks
Advisor: Keon Long?
Cost: $3100
Group Size: 15

Bolivia-May 10-21
Leaders: Michael Forsberg & Nicole Taylor
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $2000
Group Size: 15

Gulf Coast-May 10-17
Leaders: Matt Rose & Sarah Thontwa
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $350-400
Group Size 20+

Thailand-May 10-May 27
Leaders: Chelsea Redding & Sandy Carlson
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $2300
Group Size: 7-10

India-May 10-27
Leaders: Prajakta David & Justin Prevost
Advisor: Julia Styles Hastie
Cost: $2300
Group Size: 7-8

Alaska-May 21-June 21
Leaders: Tommy Smith & TBA
Advisor: TBA
Cost: $700 + airfare

Mavericks:
Dan Kasnick, Alissa Czasonis, Andy Carlson, Maria Cathcart, Rebecca Erickson

Kingdom Come Study Guide (Parts 3-6)

PART 3-THE MISSION OF THE KINGDOM

Chapter 8—Seeing Stars

1. Have you ever “seen stars” or viewed evangelism or the gospel the way the author did? Write about it.

2. Check out pages 87-88. The author asks lots of reflective and convicting questions about seeking a holistic approach to the kingdom. Spend some time answering these questions and brainstorming about specific interests and activities and what is would look like to have those under God’s reign.

3. How can you get more involved in opportunities to seek God’s kingdom agenda of peace, justice and reconciliation? What can you do within Global Partnerships to seek this agenda?

Chapter 9-Rethinking the Mission

1. The author comments on our need for not only individual change, but systematic and cultural change as well. Think about your GP location; what systematic issues does your partner face that oppress them or hinder them from experiencing the kingdom? Think of some professors, books, websites or other students that can help explain or teach about some of these system challenges? What are some of the unjust systematic issues that we face in America?

2. How does American culture affect the way you live? What are typical American values, dreams and assumptions? Do these shape the way you live? How so?

3. How do the university and media shape our values?

4. The author talks about religious relativism. How has the American value of religious relativism shaped the way you live, act or think?

5. How can you be “salt and light” on this campus?

6. Read the conclusion on pages 107-109 to get a holistic view of what the Gospel means. Summarize the author’s 4 points. What have you taken away from this chapter?

PART 4—THE KINGDOM AND EVANGELISM

Chapter 10—Living in the Matrix

1. If you are anything like my, traditional evangelism make you uncomfortable, but at the same time you want to share what you have experienced through Christ. Read pages 121-124. Summarize the points of the gospel that the author lays out. Is this message different from what you’ve heard in the past? How so?

2. As strong as facts and propositional statements can be, the author emphasizes that story is what connects to our hearts. What is your story? How does Jesus fit into your story? Spend time sharing stories in your Global Partnership team.

Chapter 11—Conversion?

1. Compare the two ideas of conversion/salvation noted by the author on page 134. What is the traditional evangelical concept of conversion (salvation)? Explain the author’s view of conversion/discipleship?

PART 5—THE COMMUNITY OF THE KINGDOM

Chapter 12—It’s a community affair

1. What are Wakabayashi’s 4 main points concerning the church?

2. The author asks a handful of challenging questions on page 144 about your relationship with the church. Spend some time reflecting and answering those questions.

3. How can you help your Global Partnership team be a spirit-filled community and a witness to God’s Kingdom both here on campus and in your partner location?

Chapter 13—The Kingdom Community

1. What does it mean for the community of faith to serve as a witness to its God in the light of the kingdom of God?

2. Wakabayashi challenges our individualism and calls us to commit to community. How do you commit to your worshipping community? Reflect on your previous GP and mission trips. Did you take a corporate (communal) view of an individualistic view of the trip? How will you create a community of fellowship, compassion and love within your GP team? How will you challenge your team to work as a community?

PART 6—THE WAY OF THE KINGDOM

Chapter 14—The Way of the Cross

What does it really mean for us to follow in the way of the cross as we seek the advancement of God’s kingdom? Expand on the following themes and then respond to the reflective questions put forth by the author. Then think about what these “cruciformities” could look like in Global Partnerships.

·

· Trust & Self Sacrifice (?s on pg 163)

With our lives looking up to the Father, the way of the kingdom is to say Jesus’ prayer “Not my will but yours, Father”

· Will you trust God with your life and take steps toward obedience?

· Will you trust that God loves you and will protect you as you follow his purposes?

· Will you trust God with your career choices even at the cost of apparent financial security?

· Will you trust God with a spouse even if it means remaining single?

· When facing choices of integrity at work, will we trust God even if that means risking possible promotion or economic advantage?

· As you consider your life today, what does it look like for you to put your complete trust in God and give yourself completely to his plan and mission? What is the Spirit of God highlighting right now?

· Love & Service (?s on pg 165)

With our eyes looking to the people around us, the way of the kingdom is to serve others rather than ourselves.

· As you look around at your relationships and your church or fellowship community, where are you tempted to make yourself the focus rather than the needs of others?

· How can you retrain your mind to think about serving others rather than seeking your own welfare and prestige?

· In which situations and relationships do you need to invite God’s help so that you live out a “cruciform” love?

· Downward Mobility (?s on pg 166-167)

With our eyes looking out at those less fortunate, the way of the kingdom is to let go of rights and privileges in order to lift up those in need.

· As you look at your own status, whether at work, in church or in social circles, how can live out a cruciform love that is downwardly mobile?

· Where are you tempted to impress those higher on the scale than you (socially, economically and hierarchically) rather than to serve and empower those below you?

· What opportunities do you have to advocate for those less fortunate than you?

· Inclusion and Forgiveness (?s on pg 167)

With our eyes fixed on our enemies, the way of the kingdom is to say Jesus’ prayer “father, forgive them, for the know not what they do”

· As you look around at the people you relate to and your relationships, do you have a tendency to exclude?

· Are all of your friendships with people of the same ethnicity or socioeconomic status?

· Invite the lord to help you take steps to live out the inclusive love of the cross toward people it is hard for you to love or relate to.

· Are there enemies in your life that you need to be reconciled with?

Chapter 15—Hope/Conclusion

1. The author reiterates that sometimes life seems dark and bleak and that we need to hold fast to the truth of the Kingdom. Please feel free to talk to your GP coordinator, advisor, co-leader or other UMIN staff about your struggles, so that we can help you hold onto the Hope.

2. What 3 things have you taken from this book that you hope to apply to your life?

3. What 3 things have you taken from this book that you want to share with the GP team/apply to GP?

4. Do you have any questions for the author?

5. Is there anything you want to discuss with the other leaders?