The first consideration in organizing a medical mission from within your home church is to obtain the approval and blessing of your church leadership. Determine what the appropriate steps are in your church’s leadership structure.
The following are suggestions to consider and may also be viewed as a checklist.
1. CHURCH APPROVAL AND SUPPORT
- Pastoral / Elders / Mission Board or Committee
Respect your church leadership and structure & obtain their approval before recruiting people Your church leadership may have another vision for the church and so you would want to be respectful of their vision
Request prayer & spiritual guidance as you embark on your mission & planning As the departure date draws near, set a date for a team prayer with the leadership
- Financial support and possible fundraising guidelines
What is your church policy on fundraising within the church? Is fundraising allowed outside of the church also?
- Partnerships with parachurch organizations
What is your church policy on partnering with parachurch organizations, such as AIM? Would your church allow to be on the website of these groups?
- Team member recruiting
Who do you have in the church with medical or dental training?
Who do you need outside of the church to make this medical mission possible? Does the church have a policy for allowing team members outside of the church? How do you go about obtaining additional essential team members?
2. TEAM LEADERSHIP / SUPPORT
Suggested team leaders you may consider so that as the overall team lead, you have support as well as organization within your own team, should something unanticipated happen on the mission.
- Spiritual Team Leader – usually one who is respected as a spiritual leader or prayer warrior. For a person spiritually struggling and needing prayer, the team would go to this person. This person may also lead the organization in the team morning devotions. All team problems are also shared with the team leader
- Logistics Team Leader – usually handles the planning and details of the mission before and during the trip. This person allows you, the leader, to focus on the mission itself and focus on people and relationships while the details are cared for by this leader.
- Overall Team Leader – you. All problems or conflicts should come to you first, unless they are spiritual or logistics in nature. Personal issues or conflicts come to you rather than other team members, which could create divisions and gossip.
3. ESTABLISH TEAM VALUES / CHARACTER
- Determine what qualities before and during your mission you want to emphasize and expect of your team.
- Print them out and review together as a team.
- Option to have team sign their names of agreement to the values – gives you as the leader a basis to correct unwanted behavior while on the trip, if necessary.