8 Reasons You Should Consider Leading A Disaster Recovery Team

Poured Out is mentioned in a recent article posted at LawrenceWilson.com titled “8 Reasons You Should Consider Leading a Disaster Recovery Team“.  His top 8 list is below:

1. It meets a genuine need. These days you can find as many people arguing against short-term mission trips as arguing for them. Critics claim they amount to adventure tourism and perpetuate a culture of dependence.

That is not the case with disaster relief. Sure, there are some who take advantage of generosity, and there is a bit of inequity in every delivery system. But relief work is a genuine opportunity to aid people who are struggling to get back on their feet.

2. It is leadership by example. The best way to lead people into compassion, generosity and servanthood is to display it yourself. If you go, others will join you. If you don’t lead, no one will follow.

3. It resets your self clock. “Me first” is the default setting on the human heart, and all of us revert to it eventually. Nothing corrects that quicker than serving others. When you see a man whose home has been destroyed smile and say that every day is a gift, it becomes very hard to gripe about being stuck at a traffic light or dinner being five minutes late.

4. It is spiritually enriching. Working with a team, meeting new people, sacrificing personal comforts—these are ideal conditions for spiritual growth. And serving others is one of the surest ways to experience God’s presence. You will be personally enriched by this experience, regardless of how much you accomplish.

5. It is an opportunity for discipleship. As a pastor, I was grateful for the teaching opportunity afforded by this trip. The entire experience was a teachable moment, and there were opportunities to sharpen those lessons during conversation, devotional times, and daily debriefings. I had more intensive discipleshp time with these 10 men if five days than I have had in the previous five years.

6. It allows others to participate in the mission. I am grateful to The Wesleyan Church and Poured Out for partnering on this opportunity. Because of their efforts, I was able to directly help with an important task. When you lead a team, you’ll open up that same opportunity to others who are eager to help but don’t know how.

7. It is an invaluable learning experience. When you go, you will learn firsthand the damage caused by the storm, how disaster relief really works, how to live in the moment, the difference between loving people and performing tasks, how attached you are to your personal space and creature comforts, how to deal with culture shock—and many more lessons. The experience will change you for the better.

8. It furthers Jesus’ mission. Jesus began the work of reconciling the world, then he said, “Your turn.” It is our turn to step up for those who are helpless and harassed. By doing so, we extend the love of Christ into a broken world.