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September 7, 2022

Mission Teams

For many years, Josiah Venture has been partnering short-term mission teams with local churches in Central and Eastern Europe to do English, Fusion, and Edge camps. Their mission involves doing evangelistic camps with the local leaders and empowering them in their service and leadership for the gospel. Rachael Davison, a Josiah Venture missionary and the International Summer Ministry Director, comments on the role mission teams play and their mission during the summer.

“Mission teams are a crucial part of what we do as Josiah Venture! Each summer we get to come alongside young Josiahs in local churches as they reach out to their peers and communities with the gospel; they bring so much energy, joy, and encouragement. Time and time again we hear from students at camp that seeing how Christians from many different countries love each other, and the unity they have, really challenges what they thought about faith, God, and the church.” 

During this summer, the International Communications intern Hannah Hartman hosted episodes 31-33 on the “Josiah Venture Stories” podcast. Ryan Palmer, a member of a mission team serving in Slovenia was one of the guests (episode 33) and shared about the ministry that comes with mission teams, why they are so crucial to Josiah Venture, and how they have a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

“A huge part of mission teams is supporting the local church and the work they are doing. Our job is to participate and serve them in whatever they need. We also want to help establish the environment so that they can have deep theological conversations with students.” 

Although coming to camps and serving the students is certainly crucial, the support that mission teams bring to the leadership staff at camp is invaluable. Because mission teams are only in the country for a week or two, their impact is even more significant because it shows the campers that they took a week out of their lives to come and serve. It’s a huge example for them of what it is to love Jesus, and that initiates several conversations about the love of Christ.

Not only are mission teams a ministry outward, but they’re also a ministry inward. In his episode, Ryan talks about having the opportunity to minister to the members of his own team and see how the trip impacts them long-term. He mentions that many of the students volunteer at their church or local ministry after returning home from the trip. Several decide to support missionaries, become an intern with Josiah Venture, or end up working for a missions organization.

“It helps them frame their thinking process of what it is to serve the kingdom of God and it raises their awareness of what God is doing globally. Another huge thing is just being available to be used for God’s kingdom—through actively serving in the country for a week or supporting financially and through prayer.” 

Not only is the mission of mission teams outward and inward, but it also leaves a lasting impact on the students served, the local leaders, and the team themselves.

If you’re interested in hearing more of Ryan’s story and the impact of mission teams, feel free to listen to episode 33 of the Josiah Venture Stories podcast here. If you have served with us on a mission team, thank you so much for your service and for pouring into the lives of youth across this region.

Hannah Hartman

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It is the human condition to dream. Five years ago, I dreamed of starting a podcast for Josiah Venture. I approached the then-director of the International Team, Kyle Evans, and told him of my idea for a Josiah Venture podcast. He asked, “Who do you imagine hosting this podcast?” After a short pause, I replied, “Um…me?” To which he said, “My thoughts exactly.” I knew this was what God was asking me to do.  The podcast, “Josiah Venture Stories,” was officially launched on April 6th, 2021, roughly a year after this initial conversation. It took a little while to get the ball rolling. I needed time to research the best equipment, come up with the name, decide on the format and structure, and everything else that goes with starting a podcast. I enjoy thinking through the strategy and practical steps for a process, and it’s exciting to see a dream become a plan and a plan become reality. A common statistic in podcasting is that 90% of podcasts don’t publish more than three episodes. Many dreams come crashing to a quick end due to the lack of traction and momentum. Some podcasts fail because there isn’t a clear content strategy, episodes are released sporadically, the quality is poor, or proper marketing and promotion are lacking.  To be in the top 1% of podcasts in the world, you only need to publish 21 episodes. This month, the “Josiah Venture Stories” podcast has published 121 episodes featuring various missionaries, Josiah Venture kids, interns, short-term missions team members, alumni, and more. That is something to celebrate! My favorite part of hosting the podcast is hearing about God’s faithfulness, journeys of faith, and the unlikely stories of how people became missionaries. Multiple responses to the question, “How did you know God was calling you to full-time missions?” start with, “Well, I never thought I would be a missionary.” This proves that we never know what God is going to do with our lives or where the roads of life might lead. God simply asks us to trust him. I have repeatedly asked guests on the podcast, “What message of hope would you give to young people today?” The responses are always insightful and inspirational.   Baška from Slovakia said, “I usually tell them to trust God and his plan. I know it’s really difficult, and it seems easy to say but harder to live, but every time that I trusted God, it was better than I expected. Trusting God gave me so much hope and so much peace.” Mark Krupa, a missionary who has lived in the Czech Republic for 26 years, said, “ I would encourage them to look into the living water. Jesus went around saying, ‘I am living water. Come to me and you won’t thirst again.’ Spiritually, young people are hungry, and Jesus can fill them. I would encourage young people to look into what the secret of Christianity is. Colossians 1:27 says, ‘To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.’ The secret of Christianity is actually Jesus in you.” Not only does this podcast exist to tell long-form stories of the movement of God among the youth of Central and Eastern Europe, but it also encourages the listener as they hear stories for all ages. If you have listened to the podcast once or to every episode, thank you. Would you please consider, not just listening, but also sharing an episode or two with a friend or on your social media? Another thing that truly goes a long way in the podcasting world is reviews. Do you enjoy our podcast? Help more people discover our podcast by following us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts and writing us an honest review. Here’s what people are saying about the podcast: “What a rich podcast—full of encouragement, new insights and perspectives about what God is doing in central and Eastern Europe.” -Ben_Rob_27 “Last summer, I went with a group from my church in Colorado to stay in Albania for a month and help with summer camps. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! One of my favorite parts about this experience was hearing the life stories of the people in charge, how they came to be a part of this amazing organization, and their hearts behind the ministry that they are doing. This podcast gives you an even deeper and wider insight into the organization as a whole. You are able to hear what is truly going on in different countries from those living there. It’s so inspiring as a young adult to hear the ways God is moving through the faithful servants he has called to make an impact on people my age and younger. Thanks for sharing these stories!” -Kiko1170 Thank you for listening, investing in the ministry of Josiah Venture, and hearing the stories of our missionaries.
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