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Connecting with
THE GREAT COMMISSION
By Clint Vernoy
world’s population and to connect by teaching,
It is such a blessing to finally start reconnecting.

baptizing, and discipling. To share the Good
During the pandemic, there were so many
News is to connect and change the
barriers to traveling, gathering,
world one person at a time. Thus,
and even talking and sharing with
if we have disconnected for a time,
new people. My wife and I were
how do we change direction and
on furlough during part of the
reconnect to our primary task as a
pandemic and we had to stay on
church? According to Colossians
furlough even though we did not
chapter 1, Jesus is the Great
want to. International travel was
Clint & Rita
Reconciler and we have been given
difficult to impossible. Visiting
Vernoy that same ministry.

churches to reconnect was extremely
difficult. Social distancing, masks, vaccines,
Mission trips change lives. On a mission trip
and symptoms became the main topics of
we lift up our eyes and see what we cannot
conversation. In Paraguay (not to mention
see—truly see—from where we always are.

Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina, among others), if
That is what Jesus did. John described the
one was caught violating the maximum number
ministry of connection that Jesus lived in the
of people to gather in a group, there was the
following way:
legal threat that a church could lose its legal
That which was from the beginning, which we
status, lose the property, and face heavy fines.

have heard, which we have seen with our eyes,
In so many ways we disconnected from “our
which we have looked upon, and our hands have
neighbor” next door, let alone those people on
handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was
the mission field who needed the Gospel. We did
manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness,
try to maintain connection via all the different
and shew unto you that eternal life, which was
internet platforms, but it was very difficult—
with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)
just ask any pastor, teacher, or student.

That which we have seen and heard declare we
unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with
The Great Commission has not changed since
us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father,
Christ delivered it. It was and is a command,
and with his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-3).

a directive to the church to connect with the
12 Colombia 2022



One of the many ways we
have to facilitate connection is
through the short-term mission
trip experience. The language
barrier is the first obstacle to
connection, and for this reason
there are different types of
trips that can be made. We are
not talking about “Christian
tourism.” There is a purpose to
the journey. Part of that purpose
is to lift up our eyes and see—
one cannot do that if he has
not gone to where he can see.

Even a life-time missionary or
pastor can use that. We can get
so shortsighted in our lives and ministries that
we do not even realize there is a need in the
inner city that is a short 20 to 50 miles away.

The love of Christ in our hearts can overcome
any obstacle be it language, culture, economics,
or geographical isolation. We gain compassion
that bleeds from our affected hearts by what we
see. It is too easy to close our eyes, shut our ears
and think only on our problems and ourselves.

Is not the cost of not going and not seeing
greater than the cost of going?
Literature Distribution
My first missions trip was in the Andes
Mountains of Peru after already being a
missionary in Venezuela in the city and a jungle
village for over 15 years. We distributed newly
translated New Testaments to the Quechuan
people. It was a reawakening of my heart.

Medical Evangelism
We hosted such trips in Venezuela with groups
of doctors, dentists, and nurses. Language can
be a barrier but having some who speak the
local language takes care of that. Including
and encouraging national workers and pastors
increase the connection not only to those
in need but also those who will continue
the work of the local established churches. I
recently traveled to Tabatinga, Brazil, on such
a trip with young men from our church in
Paraguay. It changed their lives, opened their
eyes as they shared the Gospel in tribal villages,
and delivered medicine to a needy village.

Team Colombia 2022
It reawakened my heart to jungle ministry
after being forced to leave Chajuraña and the
Ye’wana tribe in Venezuela.

Evangelistic Outreach
Getting youth involved in missions or service is
a challenge sometimes but also a worthy goal.

Trips have been organized where wordless skits
are performed in parks, schools, and plazas.

This removes the language barrier and allows
for those on the trip with no foreign language
skills to be more involved evangelistically.

National pastors preach afterwards and make
certain that the Gospel is understood. We had
two such trips in Paraguay where the Gospel
was preached to over 3,000 students in four
days. Construction
Building or repairing churches, camps,
orphanages, or Christian schools can accelerate
a new work by years. Building maintenance that
would fall further and further behind can be
lifted from the burden that many missionaries
and local pastors carry in their ministries.

BIMI has many such opportunities to connect
with the Great Commission through its
Connect short-term missions trips. These bring
new workers into contact with fields of service
and allows them to experience firsthand the
joy that can only be known through serving.

As they plant the seed, hearts will be open to
the calling of God. W
Number 1, 2023
BIMI 13