• Welcome to the first issue of Synergy Newsletter!
• Young Nak Church's Debrief Plan & Outlines
• Great Ideas / 30+ practical suggestions
• Introducing 8 Brand-New Resources
• Share Your Ideas

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WELCOME!
Here's the first issue of Synergy Newsletter! Thank you for subscribing to this brand-new, monthly publication designed to provide practical ideas and help to local church missions leaders. Subscriptions are free, so tell your friends! And give us your feedback (see "Share Your Ideas" below)

Young Nak Presbyterian Church in Los Angeles, CA, has discovered that long-term impact hinges on a carefully structured team debrief session held within one week of the team's return. Yana Ahn, missions pastor at Young Nak, has a well-developed system.

Ahn herself sets aside three to four hours to meet with each group. Her Short-Term Team Debriefing Schedule & Outline is available on the DualReach website.

Setup
The date for the debrief session is scheduled even before the team leaves for their assignment. After their return but prior to the meeting, Ahn contacts each team leader to ascertain any "heads up" issues she needs to be sensitive to in the group discussion. She also reviews the evaluation from the field missionary.

Personal Reflection
Ahn divides her debrief session into four sections; the first features individual evaluation time. After team members complete the Personal Reflection Questions, they share answers, describing how God worked in their lives and identifying struggles they faced.

Ahn listens for what God is teaching each person and uses this information in three ways: (1) She chooses the most compelling stories to be shared during the report to the church. (2) She notes issues needing to be addressed in the debrief. For instance, if the team leader has failed in some area, Ahn will encourage sensitive confrontation. (3) She identifies individuals who should be followed up, especially those considering future missionary service.

Teaching
In the next period, Ahn teaches short-termers how to process and apply what they have learned. For example, they are introduced to the subject of reverse culture shock and how to properly respond. A primary resource she uses is Lisa Espineli Chinn's manual, Reentry Guide for Short-term Mission Leaders, published by Deeper Roots.

Ahn reminds the group they are stewards of what they have experienced. Stewardship, she explains, involves things like reporting to supporters, praying for the ministry, fulfilling promises and continuing in service. Community and church involvement opportunities are highlighted. Ahn reports that once they have served overseas, many short-termers move from participant to leadership roles back home.

In the "Keeping It Alive" discussion, participants are encouraged to stay together as a monthly support group, attend the Perspectives class and complete a 14-day reentry Bible study entitled Coming Home (also published by Deeper Roots). To further promote the Perspectives class, last year the church offered a 50% scholarship to all short-term alumni as well as an additional 25% rebate if they earned a certificate.

Those who sense that God may be leading them into a longer-term commitment to world evangelism are encouraged to join a missions small group. In addition, Ahn meets one-on-one with those anticipating a missions assignment of six months or more, using the book, Send Me! Your Journey to the Nations, by Steve Hoke and Bill Taylor as a discussion guide.

Intercession
Prayer is the third section of Ahn's debrief. Time is spent praying for each other (keeping in mind the personal reflection comments), people met overseas, missionaries, the country and the mobilization efforts back home.

Logistics
In the final debrief section on logistics, Ahn covers reporting back to supporters and the church as well as the team celebration. She requests a written summary of the ministry, personal testimonies and field prayer requests. This information is used in church publications and distributed when the teams report to the congregation. The missions committee is informed of current prayer needs of the missionaries they support.

Ahn emphasizes a final requirement: the church wants all short-termers to have a prayer partner for at least one month after the trip because they believe this is a spiritually vulnerable time when participants need help in integrating what they learned. This prayer partner has permission to "get into the short-termer's life and hold the person accountable."

Benefits
Ahn believes debriefing pays off in multiple ways.
Short-termers:
1. are "heard" and helped to process their thoughts and feelings.
2. gain insight into how to build off of their experience.

Church leaders:
1. learn how God is calling individuals and teams to future missions endeavors.
2. get updates about the fields where their missionaries serve.
3. connect with members at a time of openness and spiritual growth.

• Deeper Roots / www.deeperroots.com
• Fellowship of Short-term Mission Leaders / www.fstml.org
• Miscellaneous websites / www.mislinks.org/practical/shterm.htm
• Missiontriptools.com www.missiontriptools.com
• National Short-term Mission Conference / www.nstmc.org
• Short-term Missions / www.shorttermmissions.com
• World Christian News & Book (then select Short-Term Missions)/ www.ywam.org/books

• Personal Reflection Questions
• A Short-Term Team Debriefing Schedule & Outline

1. Planning for Long-Term Results from Short-Term Missions
2. On-Site Coordinator Feedback Form
3. Team Leader Feedback Form
4. Team Member Feedback Form
5. Team Leader Debriefing Questions
6. Maintain the Momentum--Missions Team Brainstorming List
7. Don't Stop Now!--How to Extend the Impact of Your Short-Term Ministry
8. Mentoring Guidelines--An Outline of 6 Sessions to Help Returning Short-Termers