need some input
 

We are coming to the states to do some more deputation...if missionaries visit your church what do you expect of them? Do you enjoy missionary stories, sermons, do you like displays, and do you like PowerPoint presentations? Just what do you enjoy for the missionary service and what are your likes or dislikes about a missionary service...

Please help me....thanks....

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I like everything about missionary services-can you do a little of everything?? :)

I like missionary stories, and I love to hear missionaries preach... especially if they come and preach but their heart for their people shines through and shows their love for the people in their country. Some songs or testimony in the language of the area and some real info about the area (not statistics, like population and such, but really this is what these people are like, these are their needs, their hopes, etc). Displays work well in some churches, but the bigger the church the more difficult it is to really look at a small display to my satisfaction, so powerpoint is probably better in that way. But powerpoints are hard for the deaf to understand and if the church doesn't have the right equipment already set up can be difficult for the missionaries and the staff. I don't know how often you would know if the church would accomodate the power points, but if you did and could fit that in, I really enjoy them.

I just like missionaries to be real. I would enjoy any of your services, I think. :heart

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We want to see a scorpion-like creature. (In a cage!)

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We? Speak for yourself, Timmy!!!

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My neck still hurts from the scorpion-like creature bite....no kidding...

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BTW, Sis Alvear, since Timmy has made his request, I assume he will be coming to one of your services...
Timmy, let me know which you'll be attending...
Sis Alvear, I like missionary services with really long altar calls. I'd like to come to the same one Timmy does; can you accomodate both his and my requests for that service, please?

:heeheehee

(j/k, Sis Alvear. Not to sound like a preschooler, but "He deserved it!!!" :winkgrin)

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It'll be at my own "church". I'm the pastor and the congregation. :heeheehee

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So (not to hijack this thread) but do you have any problems at your church, Timmy, or is it the perfect church? :winkgrin

Really Sis Alvear, if your newsletters and comments here are any indication, I would enjoy any kind of missionary service you all had. :heart

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Food. Lots of pictures.

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I enjoy every aspect of a FM coming to service.
I like to see pictures of the people & the work.
I am usually balling my eyes out & would give a million bucks if I had it!

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The preaching is somewhat lacking, but the coffee's great! :lol

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I love to hear stories of what God is doing in the work the missionary is involved in and I love to hear anointed preaching. If you don't have anointed preaching then stick to the stories.

For me I can't imagine the Alvears not having anointed preaching and I KNOW they have great stories to share.

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just wondering what americans expect from the missionary....

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Hope you alright! In Jesus name!

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Imo, now this is just me, but I like stories and pictures! But I know you can preach and good preaching is great too-

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Yeah that's what all your congregation says!



Gotcha

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You don't wonder about Canadians?:sad

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Everyone wonders about Canadians!


Can Canadians even be saved?



LOL

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Lord, thou knowest!

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Can you sing? And dance? LOL! j/k

I love your stories, Sis!

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I don't know if SHE can sing, but she can speak - she shares her love of the people of Brazil in a way that would make even someone with a heart of stone weep.
And BRO ALVEAR - HE can sing!!!!!

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I'm not an International Missionary and could never pretend to know what it takes to be one. I only have admiration for those who do it.

You can feel a "but" coming, huh? :lol

I love your question. I'll be honest, I haven't been in one of these services since high school, but I would dread them every time. I always got the sense the missionary was trying to make us feel bad....guilty, for not doing what they were doing.

I'll tell you what would make me respond, financially, would be if a missionary's approach was a positive one, such as, "Hey folks, look what God is doing! You help make this possible! Come on, be a part of the team!!", rather than, "How do you people sleep at night when people are going to hell with no food."

It's possible you all do this, but since you asked, and I think it's great that you did, I thought I'd respond.

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I always thought it would have been amazing to meet someone that they had been a missionary to. Like if they could bring along a willing volunteer they had been missionarys to and that person tour america with them. I'm sure this isn't realistic but I think it would be really great.

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How about bring one of those fish that eat the fruit off of fruit trees when the Amazon floods?

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I guess I could bring an anaconda to squeeze money from the tightwads....ha....


thanks for the replies I am going to read them to my husband...we are praying for a fruitful trip as we have several areas asking us for help.

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Oh, don't get me started on that congregation, ugh! :lol

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Timmy only has one person in his "church" and he still has trouble with the... ah, saint (?) there...

Sis Alvear, Timmy's church should have a rrreeeeeaaaaaallllllllyyyyyy rrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaallllllllllllllyyyyyyyyyy llllooooonnnnnnggggggg altar call.

His "church" could be first on your agenda; that altar call might take a few days. :winkgrin

:haloplug

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ROFL!

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I shall preach a long revival for Timmy and he shall give me blank signed checks to take care of world needs...

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I'd have to dig through boxes to find it, but I have a cartoon somewhere that shows a singer on a platform, a hundred people at the altar-area of the church, and one guy sitting in the seats holding a songbook over his head as if he's trying to hide. The singer says, "Let's sing the 714th stanza of 'Just As I Am' and see if there's one more person that wants to respond." The guy in the seats must've been Timmy! :lol

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I fell out of my chair! ROFL!

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I enjoy good and solid bible preaching with encouragement for folks to rejoice over the works God is doing, with testimonies inside the message of great conversions and miraculous events, amongst some, but not too much, presentation of the country's info. -- short powerpoint, etc. I have cringed at too much secular info about the missionary's country in a service. Boring. lol.

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There's also the "You have 30 seconds left to respond" method, where the guys starts counting down and in the last 5 numbers takes FOREVER to finish. I'll try that one on you.

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:lol

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love it!!! Lololol

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You didn't happen to hit your knees in prayer when you fell out of your chair, did you, Timmy?? :heeheehee

NoW, if you find that cartoon, Timmy could have a new avatar!!

:friend

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Sister Alvear,
I love the stories and then pictures of people receiving the Holy Ghost. I love the stories of all the wonderful things happening. I love the preaching as well but mostly the
instances of mighty things Jesus is doing is what I love to hear the most.
In Jesus,
Sis.Dana

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I never get tired telling what God has done in Brazil...

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Not yet! Keep praying for me -- it's gotta work, eventually! :toofunny

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Really? Wow. Sorry about that. My experiences have been the complete opposite! I've been in some very POWERFUL missionary services! (One was so moving I wanted to go back with the people!)

And although there was a collection taken at the end, it was never the focus of the service...God was.

Sis A, you just do what you do. It will be great!