Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
As we enter 2008, we are all looking forward to the new things that God has in store for the this year! So many changes are happening in world missions. We are truly excited to see what God has in store.
I am sure that you have already heard of many of the changes that are happening with the summer programs. Candidate School (CS) is being reduced from three weeks to two weeks, and School of Missions is being renamed to Missionary Renewal and is being shortened from 7 full days to 4 full days.
I want to let you know that the MK department is excited about the changes that are happening, and we are looking forward to these new challenges. I believe that the changes being made are truly with the missionaries best interest at heart!
ISMK was a part of a committee looking at the summer schedules. During CS our Missionary Associate (MA) MKs were on campus only for the first two weeks and the Candidate MKs stayed on for the third. It was always a let down for the Candidate MKs to say goodbye to their friends, and then have only half the number of MKs for the last week of CS. I have always felt that the MA kids walked away with just as much of a passion as the Candidate MKs! The bulk of the MK identity training was done in the first two weeks, to make sure that all of the MKs had the same training. The third week was always fun, but not as much instruction. I believe that we will still be able to have a quality Pre-Field preparation for our MKs in two weeks. We will continue to have MuKappa. Candidates coming through the summer programs can expect to have the same level of quality that ISMK has always given our missionaries!
Missionary Renewal (MR) certainly will have a new look for the MK program as well! However, I believe that the changes in the schedule are a positive thing for the MK program as well. While we are losing three days of ministry, we are able to adjust some of our activities so that we minimize the effect of that. We are adjusting some of the schedule, and will have a very powerful week. I believe that the changes in schedule force us as a ministry to be more effective, and more purposeful in everything we do. That is definitely a great thing for us! We will still have a day at Silver Dollar City with all the programs, as well as four evenings of powerful services. Pray with us that God will continue to touch lives and baptize MKs in the Holy Spirit during MR! I know that God has great things in store for next summer, and I am excited about the positive changes that are happening! We will still have a great, fun time with the MKs - and God will move in the services.
I am also very excited about REENTRY. Because of the change is schedule, we are able to be much more focused on the entire reentry program. Immediately following MRW, Caring Connection will lead the annual Reentry program. ISMK will be doing a bulk of our cultural adjustment sessions during Reentry! Some of those sessions were during SOM last year. I would encourage you to make sure you REGISTER for Reentry!!! Our program for those about to enter college is continually getting better, and these changes will help us even more!
Thanks for taking the time to read this letter. Needless to say, I am looking forward to next summer. The ISMK program is a part of World Missions, and I believe we need to morph and make ISMK what it needs to be for this generation of missionaries and MKs! We will not accept anything but the best possible program for our MKs. We pray that you have a great winter/spring (summer/fall depending on where you are)!
