Interviewed by a seminary grad student (part I)
One of my best friends is currently in graduate school at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. For one of his classes he has a project where he needs to interview a missionary. Naturally, he chose me. We chatted a little, and he sent me these 11 basic questions. Which I proceeded to answer at length (my answers are so long, I may actually make this a 3 part series). These probably give you a much better idea of missions work and some behind-the-scenes type stuff. As always I appreciate feedback and/or follow up questions. Enjoy 
What is the reason you chose to go to Mexico?
The short answer is one word: obedience. The long answer is that I had a bunch of plans for my life after I graduated college; but God had a better plan. He specifically, and clearly, told me to drop everything and go to Monterrey, Mexico and serve a church called La Iglesia Gran Comisión Internacional. I briefly disagreed, citing personal problems with a specific sending agency/organization, and my own plan – which I thought was a good one (I was planning to go to seminary). But I knew that whatever I tried to do outside of the will of God would fail – even if my intentions were to honor God. So I spent the next year and a half raising the money and doing everything else necessary to get here.
I will also explain what the reason is not. It was not because I wanted a fun vacation, it was not because I was bored with my current city, it was not because I didn’t know what else to do, it was not because I like Mexicans (although I really, really do), and it was not a place that I chose. Because it was none of these reasons, and was only of God, I am all the more confident that God’s hand of blessing will be upon this journey.
What do you intend to accomplish while you are there?
God didn’t tell me exactly why he wanted me to come. I didn’t have a specific dream/plan/goal in mind. I just wanted to do what God told me and serve this church, and further Gods’ kingdom. Before I came I had never met anyone from this city or in this church. Therefore, we formulated a general job description. Some of the broad goals of my job description are: evangelism, volunteer at an orphanage, outreach to poor, help setup church (we rent a room in a banquet facility), teach English, help lead a youth group, and help lead a small group. However, it is a very loose description and subject to change if God leads in other directions. As in everything I do my goal is to honor God, grow closer to Him, and help others do the same. From a more practically/worldly standpoint, I am also learning quite a bit about church planting and church leadership (kind of like an internship). Both of these will be very helpful if God leads me to return to a church in the USA.
Who is helping you to accomplish those goals?
I am under the supervision of both my sending agency (Great Commission Ministries) and the pastors of this church. I have weekly goals that I share with the pastors and we also discuss which of those I accomplished from the previous week. I also have a monthly phone discussion with one of the department heads of International Missions from my sending agency.
In a much broader sense I have a team of several Chicago area churches and dozens of friends and family members that support me financially. In a global sense, I have hundreds of friends all around the world whom I maintain in contact with, that regularly lift me up in prayer. And without this teamwork I would be unable to accomplish anything. Apart from Christ we can do nothing.
[i linked several items above; but take a minute and check out some of more of the links to the right —> for more information or to meet some of my friends, supporters, churches, and fellow missionaries]
