“If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.”
― Steve Jobs

What is preparation? We have focused on five different posts on preparation but I have failed to really define the term. Preparation is the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration.

The “what” of preparation has been defined, we have spent a few posts on the how and where, but for this post, we will look further at a great place to prepare for the mission field.  The Our Generation Training Center (OGTC) is a great place to prepare for the mission field.  I know very few places like it. It is all about training for missions. Here are a few things that makes OGTC different and ideal for preparing to be missionaries.

• One on One time with veteran missionaries.  At Our Generation Training Center, we have men you will spend time with every week (beyond just a classroom setting) that have been on the mission field, planted multiple churches that are continuing to grow, trained and sent out nationals to plant churches, and started Bible colleges on the field that continue to train men.  This alone makes OGTC worth seriously considering.
• Time in a strong local church. While at OGTC, you will attend Vision Baptist Church in Alpharetta, GA.  Pastor Austin Gardner (founder and President of OGTC) has planted churches here in the States and on the mission field. Vision is active in training and sending men to the mission field. This is an optimal time for any student to see the inner workings of a model church.
• Internship on the field with a proven missionary. You will spend 6 months of your time with OGTC on the mission field with a proven missionary.  We have missionaries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America. You will learn the language, be involved in a church on the mission field, and learn from a missionary who is actively training men and planting churches.
• Mentorship. We all need mentorship. You will be mentored by Pastor Gardner at OGTC. This goes beyond just being an instructor or Pastor.  Pastor Gardner will help build you to become the man you need to be to take the Gospel of Jesus to a people who have never heard it.
• Get an education. You will have Bible courses where you will learn doctrine and get an understanding of what the Bible specifically teaches.  You will also have ministry courses. These courses are more practical “how to’s” like learning how to preach, operate a church, how to disciple and train men.
• Get Experience.  You will preach and serve in different ministries at Vision Baptist Church. You will be involved with the staff in special days, outreach, and day to day serving in the church.  You will baptize and lead in the Lord’s Supper.

These are just a few of the highlights to prepare at Our Generation Training Center. For more information, or to register as a student of OGTC, please click this link.

Preparation is time. You can invest by attending the Our Generation Training Center to be prepared for the mission field God has called you to.

“Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.”
― Abraham Lincoln

Preparation is an important step on the way to success.  For the last few posts we have focused on preparing for the mission field.  As we continue this series of preparation we will focus in on preparing by actively serving.  I do not think it is a wise move for someone to go from Sunday morning church attender to instantly becoming a church planting missionary.  Men who surrender to the  mission field ought to already serve in active ministry in some way.  In my opinion, there is no better place for this than a Bible believing church that is involved in reaching their community and the world for Jesus.  Simply put, get involved in the ministry of your local church.  Volunteer as an assistant teacher of a class or teach a class.  Ask the pastor to go on hospital visits with him, attend any outreach visitations that the church may have.  Get involved in the teen ministry, offer to set up and clean up after special events.  Arrive early in preparation for the services and stay late to turn off lights and lock-up the church building.  Ask your pastor for any opportunity to preach and teach the Bible whether filling in for him, preaching a short five minute devotion before the offerings, or in some other venue.  Offer to keep the church up to date by highlighting supported missionaries during the midweek service.

Serving in your local church is an excellent way to get prepared for the mission field.  When a man publicly announces his call to the church, the church’s response ought to be excitement and agreement.  Common remarks should be made like “we knew God was going to do something with you” or “we knew God was going to lead you somewhere”.  Something is wrong if remarks like these are not made.  Get involved serving in your local church.

Back Home…Back On The Road

We were in 13 meetings in seven different states from Texas to our home state Georgia. We are at 60% of our needed support and increasing each month. God has blessed in every meeting! We get back home and have meetings closer to home, and then get right back on the road again.

On August 01st, we will be back out on the road for a 20 day trip that will take us to meetings in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. We are praying for each of these meetings. Please pray for our safety as we travel and for each meeting that we are in that God would be glorified, believers encouraged, and that God will continue to increase our support. Whether in churches on the road far away or close to home our desire is to share our burden with churches that seek to win the world to Jesus!

Serving Together,

Patrick, Leslie, Lily, Piper, and Ivy Henry

Happening In Argentina

In the picture to the right there is building being constructed. One year ago in La Plata, Argentina, the building of Lighthouse Baptist Church burned down to the ground. Today they are continuing to build their church building back.  The church has rallied together in this tragedy and has overcome. Although they have gained much ground, there is still a lot to do before the building is complete. Please pray for them as they continue in this rebuild. Also remember that while this is tragic, the real tragedy is that millions of Argentines do not have any church like Lighthouse Baptist Church in their neighborhood or city. Pray with us that God would raise up many more laborers to help in reaching this mission field!

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”  ― Benjamin Franklin

We have taken two posts on the subject of preparation. We continue with this post about language learning. It is our belief that you cannot make any lasting impact on a people without being fluent in their language. Learning the language is not an option, it is a necessity!

Monday and Tuesday I took a class on this very subject. We read “Language Acquisition Made Practical” in preparation for the class. I was with two other missionaries in the class, one to Japan and the other to North Africa. Brother Gardner taught the class.  We not only discussed the importance of language learning but also the practical “how to’s” of learning the language.  Here are a few of the practical guidelines we will use in learning the language…

• Spend 60 hours per week in the language.
  • 20 hours of formal language school.
  • 40 hours practicing the language by conversing with nationals.
• Memorize two Bible verses in the national language per week.
• Read in the national language.
  • Start by reading children’s books.
  • Read the newspaper 15 minutes per day.
• Watch 30 minutes of local news on the television.
  • At first, write down any words you recognize.
  • As you learn, you will gradually transition to writing down words you don’t recognize.
• Read the Bible in the national language and write a brief description of what you read. Go over what you wrote with your language teacher.

The language in Argentina is Spanish. We took 6 months of language school in Arequipa, Peru during our internship. We will be completing our language school when we arrive in Argentina. If you cannot communicate with people, you will not reach them!