How to Craft and Launch Your Personal Missions Research Plan

By Mark Stebbins

1. Ignite Your Missions Conviction
   1. Prayer Through Missions Passages
      1. Day of Prayer and Meditation
   2. Embrace Your Passion
      1. List Preferences/Dreams for ideal target, task, term
   3. Write Your Personal Missions Statement
      1. "Lord willing, by the grace of God, I will.."
2. Diagram Your Missions Configuration
   1. List Top 2-3 Pros and Cons Toward Your Missions Involvement
      1. Narrow and realistic focus on where you are currently
   2. Assess Your Talents, Temperament, Training
      1. Overlay of gifting, strengths/weaknesses, resume
   3. Complete "Mission Interest Survey"
      1. Take to mentors/agencies for feedback/refinement
3. Launch Your Missions Contribution
   1. Ongoing Research
      1. Identify openings with clusters of convergence for you (i.e., where many of your preferences meet)
   2. Negotiate a Fit (Take initiative to start a dialogue)
      1. Two ways of Connection
         1. Responding to published openings
         2. Requesting a proposal based on your preferences and configuration
   3. Establish Your Long-term Plan of Action
      1. Formulate and commit to a flexible do list
      2. Transfer do list to calendar for implementation
      3. Keep consulting with old and new mentors