2009 Pre-Conference

Pre-Conference workshops are designed as extensive two-day seminars for specialized selected topics. Participants are expected to attend all of the same workshop topic.

Option A: Seeing Through Other Eyes: How to Train your Team to Cross Cultures Successfully

Taking people on a short term mission trip is more than ministry plans, spiritual readiness and logistics. Team members need to learn how to be cross-culturally sensitive to develop authentic relationships with the people they serve. There are some creative things you can do to help your team members learn how to adequately and appropriately interact with those of other cultures. There are resources to help train your team right in your own neighborhood. This workshop will offer fun exercises, insight and tangible ideas for you to use in training your team to be prepared to go and develop relationships across cultures.

Kim Hurst (along with her husband Rich) helped found the NSTMC, and was at the first conference in Miami in 1990, and the next 15. She holds a Master’s Degree in Cross-cultural Studies from Fuller Seminary and was co-author of Vacations with a Purpose, a guide for STM team members and leaders.

Option B: Urban Short Term Missions−Panoramic View

Find out how short-term mission teams can fit into the urban ministry scene. During this workshop you will have a guided tour of several different urban ministries in the Atlanta area and discover first hand how short-term mission teams can meet needs in the urban setting and make a meaningful impact.

Paul Palmer is the founder and pastor of the Atlanta Dream Center and Church Planter. He is a U.S. Missionary leading and hosting hundreds anually on STM trips. Paul has published over 150 articles, and is an international teacher, preacher and evangelist. He has been featured on the 700 Club and in a number of Christian magazines.

Option C: Reaching Your Muslim Neighbor

This pre-conference session will focus on helping participants to understand the lure of Islam to American youth (black and white alike) and provide strategies to confront it with love, faith and courage. Participants will be equipped with resources, tools and techniques to reach Muslims and other non-Christian movements in our communities.

Dr. Carl Ellis Jr. is the President of Project Joseph, a ministry devoted to equipping Christians to minister to Muslims. He is also the Dean of Intercultural Studies at Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Ellis holds a B.A. from Hampton University, a M.A. from Westminster Theological Seminary, and a D.Phil. from Oxford Graduate School. Carl is a sought-after speaker on the subjects of Islam and Racial Reconciliation. He has pastored in Tennesee, taught seminars for prison ministries and theological studies and authored several books.

Option D: Standards Introductory Workshop (SOE)

This NSTMC pre-con option is actually a requirement for key STM personnel from U.S. Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission (SOE) Provisional Member organizations—churches, agencies and schools which are members of the SOE. This session will help you understand how to achieve all seven standards, and how to form and manage your own peer review teams. The workshop will be interactive, using case studies, small group discussions, several presenters, and will provide training in MISTM theory to help you proceed to SOE Covenant Member status. A lot of good stuff in one day and a lot of fun working together, helping you achieve STM excellence in all your short-term mission work!

Brian Herwaggen is the Executive Director of Delta Ministries International. His first short-term mission was on a Delta team in 1980 and he was hired as Executive Director in 1985. He has been to mission fields in 17 countries and has led or been on countless short-term teams. Brian is also a member of the National Standards of Excellence Committee. He is the author/collaborator of the Next Mile.

Wayne Sneed is the founder and director of Orphanos Foundation, and its president since its inception in 1997. Wayne began his mission career in 1981 and has led more than 85 STMs. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Excellence in STM, on the steering committee for the Standards of Excellence in STM, and was on the steering committee for the Fellowship of STM Leaders for nine years. He is also the co-author of Maximum Impact Short-Term Mission.