Missionary Helps

Missionary Software Recommendations

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Note: This page will be updated regularly with new recommendations.

I (David Cox) have been a missionary for about 28 years now, and if you count the years on deputation, around 30 years. In my lifetime, I have gone from nothing electronic to speak of to using powerful desktop computers now. When I was in my schooling years (1964-2002) computers hit the scene and are now common. My education (much after school was self-taught about computers, and I even taught myself Foxpro relational database, and programmed my own software) has spanned both no-computer, and computer. So let me start off by a couple of much needed points that people need to understand.

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Using Color correctly in Slide Prentations

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First of all, these principles are basic art class principles. Color is extremely useful in presentations, but note that there are some rules to observe.

Most missionary presentations use very few title slides, but some use a background kind of effect with an image within that “frame”, and a title. The frame and title would be where you would apply the principles in this post.

There is a very useful and nice program called VideoScribe that allows you to make a whiteboard type video, where a hand actually draws the image. These color balancing tips come from their website (you don’t have to use their program to follow this tip). I will use there images and add logos of companies to illustrate what they say.

http://www.sparkol.com/blog/captivate-your-audience-with-these-pro-colour-tips/

I will summarize the rules here.

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Missionary Calling: 7 Ways to Identify your Calling

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In this brief video, Tara Sophia Mohr (not identified as a Christian) speaks in general about identifying your calling in life.

See video at end of this post…

I would note that this is just a simple motivation type talk where Tara speaks in general to anybody about their calling in life. What I took away from this is that this is exactly what you as a missionary need to understand and present to your potential missionary partners so that they understand your calling. One thing is that you are called (not all missionary candidates are called by the way), and another thing is to communicate that calling to others, especially those that support you, and those that potentially are considering supporting you. This means that you need to highly persuade them of your calling. The elements that Tara presents are very useful in this task.

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Missionary Calling: Processing a call into Ministry

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10 Steps to Processing a Call into the Ministry

1. Spend adequate time evaluating what you are sensing.

2. Be patient. Clarity takes time.

3. Seek the counsel of a pastor or professional minister that you respect. Seek honest impressions about the ministry, and your dealing with it.

4. Get involved in ministry right now where you are.

5. Seek affirmation of your calling from others around you.

6. Involve your family in the discussion and the decision.

7. Consult books that can assist you. Books on the philosophy of the ministry. Biographies of respected ministers.

8. Face the tough questions. What are your deepest motives? Why are you really in this?

9. Meet regularly with a mentor. Choose a good trustworthy mentor that believes in you, that knows what you are going to do, and believes in you.

10. Embrace it with everything you’ve got!

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Missionary Persistence

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This article is for missionaries who are under duress and stress in their ministries and are seeking advice and consolation in how to endure.

The idea of going out and conquering the world is a common thought among many people, but the reality of it is very uncommon. People who want to be missionaries are idealists, which want to extend the kingdom of God. I have met many missionaries in my 40 some years of being involved in missions, and I have even met a number of “missionaries” from other groups and mind-sets, including mormon missionaries, Jehovah’s Witness missionaries, and other “off the wall” brands.

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