Why Should I Consider an International GO! Trip?
Nate Schmidt | 12.06.17
Life is short and we are not guaranteed tomorrow (James 4:14, Psalm 90:12). In this short life, many things—both good and bad—grapple for our attention and fill our days. With our calendars already so full, why should we consider allocating precious time towards participation in an International GO! Trip? Here are three reasons for considering participation in one of these trips this year:
To Serve
Our brothers and sisters around the world are laboring, in obedience to the Lord, in order to see the fulfillment of the great commission in their communities (Matthew 28:19–20). International GO! Trips allow us unique opportunities to serve our brothers and sisters in hopes of helping them on their mission to reach their neighbors with the gospel of Jesus Christ. God graciously and uniquely gifts each of us and international trips offer us the privilege to use those gifts to serve the Lord by serving our partners where they identify specific needs (1 Peter 4:7–11). We get the pleasure of joining God in what he is doing around the world by serving believers in other places.
To See
The Lord is at work around the globe drawing people to himself and ransoming them from “every tribe and language and people and nation” for his glory (Revelation 5:9-10, Matthew 16:18). International GO! Trips allow us the joy of seeing how God is working in and through our brothers and sisters around the world. It is an indescribable experience to worship our great God for who he is and what he is doing alongside other believers. Seeing God at work for his glory among people in other places encourages us in our faith and deepens our worship. It stirs us to pray more fervently and with greater clarity for them. It gives us the delight of returning and sharing with our church family what God is doing and then responding together in worship (Psalm 66:5).
To Strengthen
In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul wrote, “I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:11–12). Paul not only hoped to be encouraged by the believers in Rome, but also to be an encouragement to them and to strengthen their faith. Likewise, we get to come alongside and encourage believers in other geographic locations (Hebrews 10:25). We call them to keep the faith, we hold up their weary ministry arms, and we cheer them on towards the finish line (2 Timothy 4:7). International GO! Trips provide various ways throughout the year to strengthen and encourage our friends in their faith and mission.
International GO! Trips allow opportunities to serve believers around the world, to see how God is working in and through them for his glory, and to strengthen and encourage them in their faith on God’s mission. Will you consider participating in a trip this year?
