Everyone has a place and role in the Great Commission. God wants to use you for beautiful things! Here are some things you can do right now to start reaching the nations whoever you are, wherever you are.
What works against you in grasping Christ's love for you? When I think about this question, my answers create a long list, sadly. My sin, fear of rejection, not being good enough, not being faithful enough, being a burden, seeing and experiencing broken relationships, feelings of shame.
During my time with Cafe 1040 in Europe, our group navigated the city through a "buddy system," ensuring no one ventured out alone. When a teammate sought a companion for a rendezvous with a girl she had met at a local Korean Festival, I volunteered without hesitation, completely unaware of what God would do from this encounter.
Have you ever wanted to sit down with a Cafe 1040 grad over coffee and hear about their experiences? Each of them has been impacted in a significant way by our overseas mentorship program and has many stories to tell.
As an organization that seeks to mobilize the next generation of missionaries, this frequently asked question is the topic of many conversations.
Is a good candidate for missionary work someone who has the ability to learn a new language? Is it flexibility? Is it a combination of many different things?
As much as we try to provide answers and stories of what Cafe 1040 does, it is the students who have been through the program who provide the best insights.
Every student that goes through our overseas mentorship has a unique story of how God led him or her to Cafe 1040.
Find out how God moved in Bryan to be a part of our South Asia summer program.
In the year before I left for Southeast Asia, I researched everything I should expect during my first months as a missionary. I studied culture shock charts, looked at line graphs of stress levels overseas, asked for advice about how to endure the life of a single missionary, stockpiled my anti-diarrhea medicine, and braced my supporters for a life-altering transition.
Over the years, we have sat down with numerous mothers, fathers, friends, cousins and coworkers talking about international missions. Inevitably by the end of the conversation, we have ventured onto the question of safety.
Is missions safe? Is where you are living safe? Do you feel safe overseas? Will my son or daughter be safe in your program?
The question comes in many forms but the heart of the question remains the same.
Sam grew up as a self-proclaimed redneck mountain man. In the hills of West Virginia, he was always outside learning about the land. While studying agriculture and irrigation in his college years, Sam was drawn to Cafe 1040's mentorship program and spent a semester in North Africa, where he clearly felt God calling him into missions. But he wasn’t sure where. Or how.
Have you ever looked closely at an optical illusion? There’s one in particular that comes to mind. You have probably seen it. It looks like an image of a vase. It’s an illusion because the image of the vase is actually the space between two faces, but most people only notice the vase. It doesn’t matter how long you stare at the picture before you figure it out. Once you notice the faces, they can never be unseen.
An Interview with Cafe 1040’s Executive Director
"Recently, I was invited to attend a seminar at a church for people considering becoming missionaries. The church does this event annually to help its members navigate the process “from the church pew to the overseas location.” Friends, this is a treacherous journey. I have heard many missionaries say “getting there was harder than being here!”
In the last few years, there has been a new wave of opportunities for people to leverage their jobs for gospel advancement. Often called “Marketplace Missions,” this idea refers to taking your career and moving it to a strategic location for the mission of God.
Are you passionate about photography? Do you get excited thinking about a degree in Nursing? Are you pursuing a degree in law?
Do you ever wonder what a day could look like overseas? Each day is full of stories and new experiences. Each part of our overseas mentorship is designed to expose students to different ways to engage culture. This past week, we had a group of students in a home stay, which is where students live with a local family for about a week. This is a tool we use to immerse students in culture and language and to give them an intimate view of different beliefs. For many, this is the first time they have experienced other religions in this way. It’s also a time where God opens the students’ eyes to what He is up to and how they can be a part of it.
Missions is not just a topic that is referenced in specific places in the Bible, but instead is a theme can be found from Genesis all the way to Revelation. “Since creation, God has been interested in redeeming all peoples to himself.” From God’s first command of Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28), God has intended for the earth to be filled with worshippers.
