In Walt Disney’s Aladdin, a young teenage boy is faced with making three choices. While the story is absolutely fic-tional, it noteworthy that Aladdin chose carefully and wisely. Especially noteworthy is the fact that he was not only thinking of himself when he chose but also the good of others.

As believers, we must always be conscious of the truth that the deci-sions we make today influence what may happen to us in the future, which may in turn affect the lives of many others. The Lord brings cer-tain people and specific circumstances into our lives for a purpose. By means of these, He often brings us to a moment of decision that might not have come about in any other way. This often occurs in the lives of students who consider participating in short-term missions trips. They are brought face to face with questions that demand an answer they’ve never had to give before. We encourage you to read carefully this edi-tion of Vision and learn how to make wise decisions as they relate to short-term missions trips. We believe you’ll be glad you did.

Since the world has become “smaller” due to technology and advanced means of travel, the possibility of visiting a mission field today is far greater than even just a few decades ago. However, just because such trips are readily available

does not mean that ev-eryone should go. There

are certain questions one should ask

before embark-ing on such an endeavor.

For example,

doors. All of the opportunities for the following summer are then posted on our website each October 1. On the BMM site you can click on each op-portunity to see what it entails and the costs involved. We endeavor to keep our costs down to make it possible for students to go.

Several of the opportunities are group trips, normally open for three to five students. Participants have the chance to visit various regions of a field to get a broad perspective of the kinds of ministry going on there. We currently have group trips to England, Spain, Germany, and France. These trips are especially attractive to those who may have fears of traveling alone to a foreign culture.

Many of our opportunities permit an individual student to come alongside a veteran missionary and work shoulder-to-shoulder with them. This has proven to not only be a time of observation and participation but a time of mentoring as well, since the student has plenty of time to ask questions about how the Lord led in that missionary’s life. This type of trip is a great way to meet your missions internship requirement. Many

schools work with us in this way.

The third kind of trip available through BMM is our !Arriba! program. This is an

11-month internship in Peru, where college students are able to continue their studies and gain valuable ministry experience. You can

learn more at this link: www.faith.edu/academics/arriba

For more information on the requirements for partici-pating in BMM’s FirstLook trips and how to make application, visit our website at:

www.bmm.org/BMM/Opportunities/College

Try Out These Options, continued from inside

A missions program designed especially for college students!

New FirstLook opportunities are posted on October 1 each year.

A wide-open view of missions opportuni-ties, a front-row seat to God’s work in the world, and a wealth of experience—First-Look offers it all.

To learn about FirstLook, visit www.bmm.org and click on Opportunities>College Students.

Make an Informed Decision

Sarah Lounsbrough (at right) learned much during last summer’s FirstLook trip to Malta, hosted by Joe and Jenny Mifsud.

Kevin Greene served in a summer trip with mission-aries Mike and Neva Bardon in Santaquin, Utah.

continued inside

Also on the ¡Especially Spain! trip, David Love preached in Azuqueca, Spain, with an interpretor.

Decisions, Decisions! by Steve Fulks, Editor

Find Baptist Mid-Missions on Facebook: www.facebook.com/baptistmidmissions

Melissa Creel (in photos above and below) with new friends in Spain.

For us as believers, the Bible should be our guide in all areas of our lives. As we have been speaking of short-term trips, we need to ask ourselves if we see some precedent or example in Scripture. I believe we do. In Matthew chapter 9, the Lord encouraged His disciples to pray that the Father would send forth laborers into His harvest. In chapter 10 we find the names of the Apostles (sent ones). It is interesting to note that the disciples ended up being the answer to their own prayer. I’ll say more about that a little later.

First, I’d like to focus on the fact that before the Twelve became the full-time Apostles of our Lord, He took them on a series of short-term trips beginning in Matthew chapter 4 as he invited Peter, Andrew, James, and John to accompany him on a preaching tour of Galilee. As time went by, others were invited to join

in and observe His ministry. They heard him preach, saw him cast out demons, confront the Pharisees, heal the sick, and calm a storm. He was giving them insight into what it would involve to be a follower of His. When they became the Apostles and full-time companions, it was with open eyes and a clear understand-ing as to what it meant to be a disciple of Christ.

I mentioned that as they prayed they became the answer to their own prayer. That was my case as well. As pastor of a small church in Iowa, I prayed daily for the missionaries we supported, and I lifted up the request that more labor-ers would join them. My wife’s parents were then serving in Peru. While I had been open to missions, I have to admit I wasn’t

open to serving there. However, through a series of events that space does not permit me to share, I had the opportuni-ty to visit them. It was that trip that God used to seal in my heart that Peru was where He wanted our family to serve Him. Could he have led me another way? Of course, if He wanted to. But it was the trip that he used to help me under-stand His will.

As God’s children, we are commanded to know what the will of the Lord is. When next October comes around, if the Lord tarries, let me urge you to visit BMM’s website and look at the short-term opportunities that are available to you. Prayerfully consider if a missions trip is in

God’s plan for you during the summer of 2012. It may just change your life.

Til next time,

Rev. Steve FulksAdministrator for Church Relations & Enlistment

Make an Informed Decisioncontinued from page one

continued on back page

The Short-Term Trips Jesus LedEDITORIAL

why do I really want to visit this far-off place? Do I want to go just to see a new place, to be able to simply say I’ve visited that country, or I am seriously consid-ering the will of God for my life. One can expect to spend between two and three thousand dollars to visit most mission fields. Since the funds will come mostly from churches and individuals interested in missions, we must make certain that we are spending their money wisely.

Short-term trips offer an indi-vidual who is seriously consid-

ering missions a tremendous opportunity to learn many things. First, as you raise the funds needed to make the trip, you will learn how God provides in ways you never thought possible. While trav-eling to the field, you will learn what it’s like for missionaries

to leave their families behind and enter new cultures. You’ll be

able to see what difficult circum-stances missionaries face as they

take the Gospel to places where Satan has held sway for centuries on

end. You’ll also learn what missionar-ies go through to make it possible to live and serve on their chosen field.

Many times students ask, “Well, which would be the best trip for me?” There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a missions trip. First, will the place you desire to visit give you an opportunity to use the gifts the Lord has given you? Second, will your visit be of benefit to the missionary who is willing to host you? Third, has the Lord been speaking to you about a particular field or people group? Fourth, but very important, have you settled in your heart if the Lord should call you to this place, that you would be willing to serve there?

Over the last decade, over 90% of all new missionaries joining Baptist Mid-

Missions have made some type of short-term trip. They have indicated that God used their time on the field to settle in their hearts exactly where He wanted them. Not everyone ended up in the country they visited, but the Lord used their time there to guide and direct them.

So, if you have any inclination that the Lord might be leading you into missions, we encourage you to con-sider a short-term trip with BMM. On the back you’ll see how we go about making these opportunities available to you, and how you can apply. Many have already done so, and their testimonies attest to the fact that their lives will never be the same. Are you willing to try it?

Here at Baptist Mid-Missions, we have been involved in providing such prospects for many years. We realize that each person is unique, and God leads each of us in dif-ferent ways. That’s why we’ve developed a variety of opportuni-

ties for college students through our Firstlook and ¡Arriba! college

programs.

Every August, all members of the BMM Mis-sionary Family are asked to consider having college students visit and participate in their ministry. For some missionaries this is not feasible, but many readily open their

Try Out These Options

The VISION newsletter offers missions information and direction for students seeking God’s will for their lives. The VISION is published two times a year by Baptist Mid-Missions, © 2011. There is no subscription fee.

Baptist Mid-MissionsPO Box 308011 • Cleveland, OH • 44130-8011Phone: 440.826.3930 • Fax: 440.826.4457E-mail: sfulks@bmm.org • Please visit www.bmm.orgSP

rinG

201

1

Emily Kopp (center) with two Christian teen girls at Stan and Paula Boelman’s church in Luton, England. Experience England allows students to sample all our ministries in England.

FirstLook participants Bethany Spink and Sarah Lounsbrough were a great encouragement to the Mifsuds’ church in Malta.

Melissa Creel (at left) and David Love (at right) enjoyed interacting with teens on their ¡Especially Spain! trip, and working with Jonathan and Rachelle Lyons’ church in Azuqueca, Spain.

In Walt Disney’s Aladdin, a young teenage boy is faced with making three choices. While the story is absolutely fic-tional, it noteworthy that Aladdin chose carefully and wisely. Especially noteworthy is the fact that he was not only thinking of himself when he chose but also the good of others.

As believers, we must always be conscious of the truth that the deci-sions we make today influence what may happen to us in the future, which may in turn affect the lives of many others. The Lord brings cer-tain people and specific circumstances into our lives for a purpose. By means of these, He often brings us to a moment of decision that might not have come about in any other way. This often occurs in the lives of students who consider participating in short-term missions trips. They are brought face to face with questions that demand an answer they’ve never had to give before. We encourage you to read carefully this edi-tion of Vision and learn how to make wise decisions as they relate to short-term missions trips. We believe you’ll be glad you did.

Since the world has become “smaller” due to technology and advanced means of travel, the possibility of visiting a mission field today is far greater than even just a few decades ago. However, just because such trips are readily available

does not mean that ev-eryone should go. There

are certain questions one should ask

before embark-ing on such an endeavor.

For example,

doors. All of the opportunities for the following summer are then posted on our website each October 1. On the BMM site you can click on each op-portunity to see what it entails and the costs involved. We endeavor to keep our costs down to make it possible for students to go.

Several of the opportunities are group trips, normally open for three to five students. Participants have the chance to visit various regions of a field to get a broad perspective of the kinds of ministry going on there. We currently have group trips to England, Spain, Germany, and France. These trips are especially attractive to those who may have fears of traveling alone to a foreign culture.

Many of our opportunities permit an individual student to come alongside a veteran missionary and work shoulder-to-shoulder with them. This has proven to not only be a time of observation and participation but a time of mentoring as well, since the student has plenty of time to ask questions about how the Lord led in that missionary’s life. This type of trip is a great way to meet your missions internship requirement. Many

schools work with us in this way.

The third kind of trip available through BMM is our !Arriba! program. This is an

11-month internship in Peru, where college students are able to continue their studies and gain valuable ministry experience. You can

learn more at this link: www.faith.edu/academics/arriba

For more information on the requirements for partici-pating in BMM’s FirstLook trips and how to make application, visit our website at:

www.bmm.org/BMM/Opportunities/College

Try Out These Options, continued from inside

A missions program designed especially for college students!

New FirstLook opportunities are posted on October 1 each year.

A wide-open view of missions opportuni-ties, a front-row seat to God’s work in the world, and a wealth of experience—First-Look offers it all.

To learn about FirstLook, visit www.bmm.org and click on Opportunities>College Students.

Make an Informed Decision

Sarah Lounsbrough (at right) learned much during last summer’s FirstLook trip to Malta, hosted by Joe and Jenny Mifsud.

Kevin Greene served in a summer trip with mission-aries Mike and Neva Bardon in Santaquin, Utah.

continued inside

Also on the ¡Especially Spain! trip, David Love preached in Azuqueca, Spain, with an interpretor.

Decisions, Decisions! by Steve Fulks, Editor

Find Baptist Mid-Missions on Facebook: www.facebook.com/baptistmidmissions

Melissa Creel (in photos above and below) with new friends in Spain.