“Ministry of presence” is an important part of 127 Worldwide’s ministry philosophy and plays a huge role in our GO Teams. It also is integrally linked to our distinctive of partnering with local leaders because our teams focus care on our partners and their staffs who shoulder the burdens of ministry year-round. While we aren’t all engineers or doctors or pig farmers, we all can humbly offer our time and energy to serve local leaders. While some short-term mission trips might highlight rocking babies and playing with children, our ministry of presence is focused intentionally on our partners and their staffs. We have concerns about the potential impact volunteer teams have on orphaned children, but we recognize great power in the body of Christ serving and encouraging one another to press on in the work God has called us to do.
As an extension of 127 Worldwide, a GO Team’s presence can be a breath of fresh air to our partners that helps them feel heard and understood, that provides encouragement and rest, and that tangibly represents the global body of Christ. Unfortunately, our presence can also be a display of our arrogance and ignorance when we arrive unprepared or with a list of ministry demands. Read more about 127’s emphasis on ministry of presence here:
Who Are You Ministering to with Your Presence?
Reflection Questions:
- What are some specific ways 127 Teams can channel excitement and work ethic toward being present in a healthy way? How might that same excitement and work ethic undermine Connect Teams if directed toward something other than 127’s goals of exposure, equipping, and encouragement?
