AMG invites people to join them on the adventure of a lifetime

Webster's Dictionary outlines a mission as "the business with which a group is charged."

If you put the two together, you have a Mission Adventure, aimed at fulfilling the Great Commission.  Sound exciting? 

Pete Lafakis with AMG International says missions is bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who don't know Him as their Lord and Savior.

They've been mobilizing short-term mission teams for a while now to let people get a feel for a run that will change the way you look at life.

Noted author Philip Yancey noted, "Despite their drawbacks, such trips provide two distinct cultures a taste of the harmony that exists between members of the Body of Christ."

What are short-term missions? Technically, they are the recruitment of Christian missionaries who dedicates themselves to evangelistic service for a short period of time, usually ranging from a week to a year.   

All Mission Adventure teams serve in support of AMG International ministries worldwide and in partnership with the local national church. Because the trips are scheduled in the summer, students make up most of the teams, which serves a dual purpose.  

Not only do mission trips give prospective future missionaries a taste of life on the field, they show them what kinds of needs there are. 

Lafakis says often a mission trip opens doors for direction for a young person. "We have a young girl who went to Africa a couple of years ago, and she's now in the process of trying to go over to Uganda full-time as a missionary. We've had students who have gone on a short term trip, and God has impacted them so much that they're thinking about how they might be able to use their vocation for His glory."

This summer, AMG sent 13 teams (200 team members) out to Greece, Peru, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico, and India. Is everyone cut out for it?  There are a few things to consider. Lafakis says, "You need to be flexible. There's always an adventure: it might be situations you might encounter, or even airline travel these days can be an adventure."

You also need a clear understanding of why you are going and what motivates you to go. Most importantly, be willing. "God can use that to impact their life for full-time Christian service, or to come home to make an impact on their church or their youth group or school, to be a catalyst for sharing Christ," says Lafakis.

As the participants come back home and share their stories, others find themselves intrigued and wondering, "What could God do if I went?"

AMG is giving their 2010 teams that opportunity to share. A Mission Adventures Partner Celebration is slated for September 11th at Concord Baptist Church in Chattanooga. "We just thought it would be a great time to get all these teams together and let them all share what God did in their group," explains Lafakis,  going on to say that some individuals will also get a chance to talk about "how God really impacted their life with a short-term mission trip this summer."