Christ the Redeemer by Kay CharlotteRecently I spent a few weeks in Brasil learning from our Mission Adventures partners there. I spent a week in Maringá in the south with Gustavo Nicolau. He’s the base director and he has pioneered the Mission Adventures ministry there. I also spent a week in the Amazon with Genim and Helaine Rezende of YWAM Porto Velho. They’re on the leadership team there and have pioneered Mission Adventures in the north of Brasil. One of the reasons I went on this trip was to find out what it was these guys are doing to grow their ministries. See, Mission Adventures is taking off in Brasil. Each year they’re seeing growth in the number of bases that do Mission Adventures and the number of kids that go on a Mission Adventures outreach. I asked Gustavo and Genim, “What are the top two or three things you’re doing to see your Mission Adventures ministry grow? Here’s what they told me:
Facing the Dust
Both Genim and Gustavo described to me how they are relentless in pursuing pastors. Of course, they’re doing things like sending emails and calling on the phone. But what struck me the most was the amount of time they’re spending actually going to churches, meeting with pastors, and speaking in services. Both of these men are getting out of their offices, off of their bases and sacrificing their time and energy to be present with youth workers, pastors and parents.
When was the last time you set up a meeting with a youth worker?
You might be thinking to yourself, “Well, that’s all good for those Brasilians, but I just don’t have any budget for that. I can’t afford to visit churches.” Let me tell you a secret—Gustavo and Genim don’t have a budget for this either. They’re paying for these visits out of their own pockets! They’re personally sacrificing their hard earned support money for the sake of the ministry God has given them. I believe this is why God is blessing their efforts and giving them more teams.
As if that weren’t enough, keep in mind it’s not easy to do this. Gustavo is driving all over the country recruiting teams. He’s not just in his own city, but he’s going hours out of his way to have these meetings. And don’t get me started on what it’s like to visit churches in the Amazon! Genim and Helaine prayed and prayed for God to provide transportation for them. And for the last few years they’ve been riding around on a dirtbike to do this. Imagine driving through the dust and mud to share about Mission Adventures! Genim even used the phrase, “to face the dust and run after them!” (Praise report: God just provided a sweet little car for the Rezende family—rejoice with those who rejoice!). So I don’t want to hear any whining about whatever challenges you face in this—your Brasilian partners have overcome bigger challenges than that already! So buck up and go for it!
Capture the Hearts of the Kids
Here in North America, I’ve focused almost all my efforts on signing up youth workers and letting them worry about recruiting kids. But Gustavo shared with me that he has the opposite strategy. When he visits a church, he seeks to speak to the youth and share with them a vision that they can grab a hold of and dream about. He then encourages them to convince their leaders, their pastor and their parents to let them go change the world. Of course, Gustavo also spends a lot of time and energy meeting with pastors too. And he often speaks to the whole congregation. But his focus on the kids is unique, and it may be a key component that you’re missing as you try to promote your own Mission Adventures ministry. What would it look like if you were to create a message for kids? What would you say to them if you suddenly had a chance to talk to a hundred teens about your ministry?
Cultivate Word of Mouth
Finally, both Gustavo and Genim shared with me about how important word of mouth is to their efforts. As they’ve hosted teams, they’ve been super-intentional about asking the youth leaders to tell their friends about Mission Adventures. And as the kids have gone home with changed hearts and stories to tell, the word gets out. Gustavo admitted to me that he still struggles recruiting pastors—that he still hasn’t found the keys to motivating them to getting involved in the Great Commission. However, when another pastor shares about their experience with Mission Adventures, it’s so much more meaningful—this is why word of mouth is so important.
In Summary, It’s All About Creating Relationships
I think it’s easy to have the idea that marketing is all about postcards, web sites, and trade shows. But I think the Brasilians are showing us that it’s really all about cultivating relationships. Sure, they have web sites, and postcards, and they want to do a good job with them. But the majority of their efforts are spent on meeting new pastors, going to churches, and telling kids that they can change the world. Yes, they try stuff like, “Bring 10 Kids, Get 1 Free!” But the focus is on “facing the dust” and chasing after the church.
With all this in mind, what are you going to focus your efforts on? Will you make any changes to how you recruit teams? Take a minute to be quiet before God and see if he brings any ideas to your mind. And of course, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.