Dear Friends,
Have you ever wondered what the practical, day-to-day lives of missionaries actually looks like in this modern world? Are you curious about how God is moving around the world, drawing people to him who come from peoples that have never heard the Good News of Jesus? Do you want to learn more about how you or those in your congregations can get more involved in missions?
The answer to these questions, for Cate Rivers Shipp, was a resounding, “yes.” As a young adult who grew up in the church, Cate Rivers was not new to the concept of missions, and she served on her church’s missions committee. However, she still hungered to know more. She got connected with EPC World Outreach mobilizers Jesse and Saul Huber and through them she learned about Mission Cohorts (MC).
The MCs are designed for college students and young adults who are passionate about missions. During this year-long program, the MC engages in monthly Zoom meetings where they both study the Bible together and interview WO workers on the field to hear stories and learn what missions practically looks like. The MC also takes two trips together, one within the States, and one cross-cultural.
For some of the MC members, this time is transformational in their discerning their call to the mission field. For Cate Rivers, this experience clarified her call to mobilization: “I knew I was passionate about missions, but knew I wasn’t called overseas. Learning from the amazing WO team, forming friendships with them and being discipled by them, helped me realize that the Lord was calling me to mobilization. Now, thanks to the cohort, I will be joining the WO team as a Mission Assistant in the fall,” says Cate Rivers.
For Cate Rivers, her participation in the MC strengthened her relationship with Christ as well as provided deep friendships with others feeling a similar call. The MC lasts one year, but the relationships with other young adults continue long afterward, with a solid network of cohort alumni. This is an invaluable support system for those looking to enter the mission field in any way.
For those who don’t quite fit the demographic of “young adult,” Cate Rivers encourages, “We as the church pray for the Lord to raise up missionaries, and a great way to answer that call now is to educate the youth in your congregations, your homes, and in your lives. We are the next generation, and we will do great things for the Lord with your support!”
The youth and young adults today are the missionaries of tomorrow, and the church plays a critical role in fostering a heart for missions in young people. The MC can come along side you or the young people of your church to answer the call to go into all the world.
Don’t wait! If you feel the Lord stirring your heart or the hearts of young people you know, click here to learn more and get connected.
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