Missionary Helps

As a missionary, what are we doing in making a missionary presentation? Perhaps to answer the question, we need to look at this from the opposite angle, why should people listen to missionary presentations? I came across an interesting post here Why hear a Missionary Presentation? which got me thinking.

I think one of the most biblical reasons I have come across is from

Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.  

The presenting of what a missionary does on the mission field is very important. But beyond just important to the missionary because he needs more prayer and money, or important to the church  because they don’t know where their money is going and want information, it is important because God says it is important. Without a clear deep rooted belief that this is necessary AND BIBLICALLY COMMANDED, a missionary will not fulfill God’s purposes and objectives in giving their missionary report.

1. Engage in world missions.

Jesus told His disciples to “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields” (John 4:35b), and hearing a missionary presentation is one good way to obey that command. (Barbara’s observation)

I think that this is very true. This passage reveals the biblical command for us to “disengage” with our local ministry for a spell, and engage with world missions. This is what the Great Commission is all about, “Go out and teach ALL NATIONS” Mat. 28:19. We cannot get away from this command, and somehow, through the proxy system know as missions, we are to fulfill this part of God’s command as equally as we do locally in our home church where we live.

Prayer

This “engaging” is much more than sending a check or praying a prayer. It is getting involved with the work of missions outside of the United States (or wherever your home country is). This means first of all praying for the work there. Without information on what is being done, how it is going (frustrations, set-backs, and victories) as well as plans, you cannot pray intelligently. The most important part of praying is being accurately and timely informed of prayer needs and answers.

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In “the olden days” a storyboard was made on 4×6 note cards, drawn in pencil, and arranged freely. This is still a valid method of doing things, although I am getting the impression that with each new generation, these people physically cannot pick up a pencil and write on paper. That “art” apparently has gone the way of the dinosaur. So I will suggest some storyboarding software for the modern generation. But before I do, please take the time to read how we do this with paper and pencil. It is important, and you will get the essentials here, before you go to software.

First thing, you are “brainstorming” here, taking what you have, getting ideas, trying to get some kind of direction (end goal, objective) in sight, and also getting some flow (select elements and put them in order).

The absolutely essential element in your brainstorming is that the means of doing this must be flexible where you can take two “slides” and insert a new one or ten in at that point, and also take a single slide or slides and move them to another place. You can do this with word processing software, or even with presentation software like PowerPoint which is probably the most well-know and serious presentation software.

Secondly, realize that what is on the paper is not the key. It is a representation of a reality in your head. It is a placeholder at this point. So arrange your presentation, and write down things as much or as little as needed depending on how ideas are flowing. You will go back and review what each slide has, and how to get images or design a slide to present that idea.

Again, flexibility is the key. You want your ideas “on paper” so that once there you can analyze them, change them, amplify them, reduce or delete them, or rearrange them. All of this is the brainstorming and storyboarding part of making a presentation. I don’t like the idea of using a big powerful program like Powerpoint for this. Microsoft has a program called Visio to do this before you start in PowerPoint, so PowerPoint really isn’t designed for this either.

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This post was provoked from my reading this post on “TEDS talk takeaway: 8 ways to Hook your Audience” by Gavin Mahon.

Great hooks, like McGonigal’s provocative opening statement, get audiences on the edge of their seats and give them a sense of what’s coming. They allow you to win a crowd’s attention right away and give you a legitimate chance to have a lasting impact.

Note that these “hooks” are excellent elements around which to build your presentation.

1. Tell a story.

Well, I messed that one up from the start. It should be “with great enthusiasm, tell AN INTERESTING STORY!”

2. Use Video or Graphics.

Some things are best told, and others are best shown. With the possibility of pictures and videos, use them if the subject matter lends itself to that.

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