Out of Curiosity

[auxcableangie]

Hey all!

Out of my own curiosity, I’m wondering who out if this group are interested in missions? I know that at least the majority of the listeners of this group are Christian so I figure this will not be a foreign idea.

A puuuuuuuuuuun

[Poulet Frit]

I personally have never done one. I think it’s cool, but not feasible for my situation…

[Poulet Frit]

By that I mean the timing never worked out. And tbh, I wouldn’t wanna go with strangers, because I’m very emotionally dependent on my family and friends, plus, only my family and friends know what to do when I faint for no reason.
Oh and randomly fainting is another reason, doctors have no clue why I do.
But we have always supported our church”s mission trips.

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

I’ve never been on a missions trip, but some of my siblings have.

[Brooke AC]

I’ve never been away, but I’ve gotten to help with a VBS sort of thing in my state. My friends have been able to serve in some really cool places, though. What about you, Angie?

[auxcableangie]

I despise missions trips. Like Blimey made a great point of saying- what we call “mission trips” in church the world calls “Spring Break”. No, I’m asking about missions. Reaching out to people either near or far to share the Gospel. Using whatever skill you have to help make someone else’s life more enriched while also sharing that knowledge of the skill and the Lord’s redeeming grace. Ministering to neighborhood children and their families. THAT kind of missions is the one I love. Not the one where I go for a week to feel good because “I made a difference” but the one where the Holy Spirit leads during my life to who needs whatever he wants to do through me for his glory.

Btw: I’m the stage manager for a student mission conference lol I can get a bit preachy/passionate…

[Poulet Frit]

Well in that case.
At work the other day, a lady saw my purity ring and then asked a TON of questions about it and my faith, the rings purpose, what happens if I break the contract etc. I think she was a Christian, if not then she still really liked the idea and said she is going to get her son one.
At work, in my second office, we always have klove on.
When people are rude to me at work, I don’t let them know I’m angry. I still treat them with love and kindness.
There are several homeless people that come in to my work and get their taxes done. We often talk about how God’s grace is good. (They typically start the convo because I’m socially awkward at work)
Kids I babysit often ask me questions when I mention church and whatnot. And, although I can’t full on witness to them unless I know that their parents are Christians, because I don’t wanna possibly lose my babysitting job. I answer their questions.
I…don’t necessarily bring God into every convo. I find it easier for myself to instead, bring love and kindness. Small things that can lead into a convo about why I’m so happy, even when I’m being yelled at…
I co-lead a really small Bible Study for…a few months. So I too can get really preachy.

[Masøn M.]

Every year, my church goes to Mexico for spring break to build a house for a family in need. Last year, I had signed up for the first time, but they didn’t have enough sign ups and therefore not enough money and resources, so I didn’t get to go. That’s as close as I’ve gotten to Missions, really. I wouldn’t really like a long term mission trip, nor one that’s majorly far away, just in case something were to happen, but I’m definitely not opposed to it.

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Angie, you say despise missions trips and like missions, but I’m not really seeing what you’re saying the differences between “missions” and “missions trips” are. Why can’t, say, a week long missions trip be spirit led and involve people using their gifts?

[Brooke AC]

Oh! Well, I serve on my youth group’s worship team and help lead the one at my school. I try to show kindness to everyone and go about my life with joy. I love serving people and try to not let my life be mine and let the love of God shine through me. It’s not about what we do, but what God does through us!
I agree that there can be a lot of problems with short-term missions trips. The most important thing that people seem to miss is that it’s not about our actions. It’s about letting the Spirit lead us and guide us. Not all are good, but not all are bad.

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

I’m still not seeing what the issue with them is… is it just that on them you’re usually doing some work project, and that’s it?

[Poulet Frit]

Personally, the teens that go on mission trips at my church tend to come back all holier than thou. But I don’t think that’s what anybody is meaning. I understand what they are trying to get at, but can’t formulate it into words.

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Okay… I guess I sort of get that… I don’t personally really remember any instances of that, but that’s just me, and I go to a pretty solid church.

[Poulet Frit]

I have been to a lot of churches (southern Baptist, Baptist, nondenominational, contemporary, and several other denominations), and I have to say, Baptist and southern baptists don’t tend to be like that, but the nondenominational and contemporary tend to be (no offense to them).

[Poulet Frit]

I have also been to churches that sang Highway to Hell and Living on a Prayer, during church. Not as worship, but as part of the message…

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Well, I’m a Baptist, sooo…

[Poulet Frit]

Not all nondenominational churches are like that (there is a very nice one in texas), but it does depend on the size of the church. Smaller churches are very tight knit. But I have been to some smaller churches that aren’t good. There is no particular type of church that acts holier than thou, but varies between all churches. And same with how they deal with missions. Some churches can be really giving all the glory to God, while others try to boast their tithes

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Okeydoke.

[Poulet Frit]

I grew up Baptist and southern baptist. But we have been going to nondenominational and protestant for a while

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Protestant is a specific denomination?

[Poulet Frit]

I don’t know if any of that made sense, that is just what I have observed from going to over a dozen different churches…

[Poulet Frit]

I don’t know. In Texas we were friends with the Chaplin, and went to the protestant Chapel on base. That’s what it was called, although he was raised Baptist so it was highly Baptist. The Chaplin after him was a jerk, his family went to a different church that the Chapel

[Poulet Frit]

Than* not that

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Oh, so it was a chapel, and it was just the non-Catholic chapel.

[Poulet Frit]

(And I could’ve guessed that you were Baptist)
We went to a Baptist Church once (for about 2 months) and they saw our cored hair and ripped jeans and dresses and then they did sermons about how all that is bad. “Women shouldn’t wear jeans”, “dresses shouldn’t show the knee”, “colored hair and tattoos are bad”…tbh they seemed more Mormon and pentacostal

[Poulet Frit]

Oh is that what protestant means? See I never bothered to ask or google it.

[Poulet Frit]

Honestly, I am probably more comfortable with nondenominational churches, because (generally, though I have been proved otherwise) baptists don’t like tats and crazy hair and my interesting clothing. But, I like going to a Baptist Church a lot more. It’s what I grew up with (until like age 12). It feels right…if that makes sense.

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

Am I that obvious? Also, not all Baptists are like that, my church certainly isn’t. And yes, that’s what Protestant means.

[Josiah the Carrot Stick]

I’m pretty sure there’s multiple people that go to my church that have tattoos. Probably some with dyed hair, too, though not like anybody with like bright pink hair or anything.

[Poulet Frit]

The Baptist churches I grew up going to weren’t like that either, but the ones we have tried to go to since, have been…
And yes, it’s that obvious. But maybe only because, I have been friends with Baptist pastor’s kids when we went to a Baptist church.

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