The Virginia Baptist Mission Board and its international partners have many opportunities for young people to be involved in missions.
Although the target ages are 16 to 26 for these youth-oriented experiences, there is some flexibility in the age expectation. The following are examples and not intended to be an exhaustive list of opportunities. For more information about participating in missions, call (800) ALL BGAV (255-2428) and ask for someone on the glocal missions team.
Impact Virginia!
Impact is a mission experience offering high school students the opportunity to work with students from other churches to do home repairs for needy families.
Students and their leaders do repairs that make owner-occupied homes safer, warmer and/or drier. Impact offers evening worship and times for break out into individual church groups as well.
Summer missions
High school and college students may be involved in a variety of mission service opportunities during their summer breaks. The collegiate missions program of the VBMB's emerging leaders team offers placements and financial assistance for college students.
Both high school and college students desiring more “customized” opportunities, developed with their own sense of call from the Lord in mind, can find assistance in the glocal missions and evangelism team staff.
Summer missions opportunities vary in length from two weeks to two months and are placed throughout Virginia, across the U.S. and around the world.
“GO” teams
Some of the Virginia Baptist's collegiate missions program are short term, typically two weeks, teams known as “GO” teams. GO teams involve participants in hands-on mission service and develop them in discipleship and leadership according to a planned program. International
partnership projects
Currently, Virginia Baptists are working in partnership with Baptist unions in Italy, the islands of the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Austria and South Africa. They also partner with the Amity Foundation, the service organization related to the China Christian Council.
Throughout the year, these partners request assistance from Virginia Baptists in meeting ministry needs within their national context. Individuals and teams are then recruited to meet these needs. Young adults are often important partnership team members.
Disaster recovery teams
When disaster strikes, Virginia Baptists are frequently among the first to become actively involved in attempts to meet the spiritual and physical needs of people in the affected areas. In the days immediately following a disaster, relief teams typically require special training in mass feeding, chaplaincy care or use of equipment to clear debris.
However, as operations move from immediate relief to ongoing recovery, young adults are encouraged to get involved. Young adults can either be blended into a team of older adults, or with appropriate supervision, they can make up a team of their own.
Mission trip planning
Staff members of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's glocal missions and evangelism team are eager to assist leaders of youth and young adults in Virginia Baptist churches to plan and organize mission trips. Often church leaders do not know how to discover contactsor plan logistics. The glocal missions staff will do as much or as little as needed to help church leaders plan quality mission experiences for their people. (For a list of requests for such teams, visit “Mission
Opportunity Points” at www.vbmb.org/glocalmissions/MOPS.cfm.)
Church staff positions for children and/or youth ministries
Each summer, Virginia Baptist churches seek to hire young people to serve on their staffs for the busier season in ministry with children and youth. The VBMB staff is happy to assist in making connections between the churches who seek such staff members and the young adults who have interest in serving in such a way.
Venturers
In the next few months, he Virginia Baptist Mission Board will join with a variety of its partners in placing in mission service assignments for six months to two years. These longer-termed mission ministers will be known as “Venturers.” While young adults, particularly new college graduates, will probably make up the bulk of applicants, the program is not limited to young adults. More mature, seasoned adults-even those in retirement-are encouraged to apply.
Cultural exchanges
From time to time, Virginia Baptists plan cultural exchanges with the Baptist families of our international partners. Virginia Baptist youth travel and spend three weeks as members of a partnering family. And, youth from our partners come to Virginia for three weeks of life with a Virginia Baptist family.
“Virtual” Missions Encounters
When we don't understand others and the cultures in which they live, we sometimes make inaccurate assumptions about them. Although the best way to become familiar with another culture is to go and visit, it is not always possible. So for those who are unable to go, and for those who are looking for a sample cultural experience in preparation for those travel, “Virtual” Missions Encounters have been created. Through a weekend of simulation exercises, Virginia Baptist young people are “carried” from the culture they know so well into the experience of another.
For additional information about all these ministries, please call glocal missions and evangelism at (800) 255-2428 or visit the Virginia Baptist Mission Board's website at www.vbmb.org.