MSearch

MSearch helps you think through the wide variety of mission opportunities to which God may be calling you. To help you evaluate your options, more than 200 mission agencies and relief and development ministries, Christian graduate schools and seminaries have contributed profiles, options and ministry openings for the MSearch.

The strength and weakness of the internet is information. Options are great, but they can also leave you feeling overwhelmed. Since there is a whole lot of information on MSearch, we suggest you consider the following steps:

Preparing to use MSearch
Structure of the Listings
Ask the right questions

Preparing to use MSearch
God wants to use YOU in reaching the world. But have you taken time to consider the gifts, abilities and sense of direction you have to offer? Before doing anything else, take a few minutes to think through what you have to offer and what stands in your way. Questions like these will help you sift through the options:

1. Which of God's purposes for the world have most challenged you recently?
2. How are they affecting your goals and priorities?
3. What skills, interests or experiences could be used in world mission? (Don't limit yourself to your major. Think more broadly - write down anything that comes to your mind!)
4. What do you perceive as roadblocks to your participation in world mission?

Structure of the Listings
MSearch is structured to help you identify areas of opportunity offered by mission agencies, graduate schools and seminaries exhibiting at Urbana. This listing is not exhaustive, but can be a helpful starting point for your search. Don't be afraid to contact the exhibitors personally! Computers can never substitute for real human dialogue.

Information about mission agencies is grouped according to three main categories - Geographic Preference, Unreached People Groups, and Ministry Preference.

Information about graduate schools and seminaries is grouped according to four categories - mission-related degrees, Bible and missions coursework, language, liberal arts, and sciences, as well as exposure to cross-cultural ministry.

We encourage you to visit the rest of urbana.org. Between the Bible studies, books, articles and the discussion area, you will find resources to make informed decisions about your service in calling the nations to worship. Your eyes may even be opened to things you'd never thought before!

Ask the right questions
You will get the most out of your experience with MSearch if you invest most of your time with some key agencies. If you've limited the scope of your search, you will be in a better position to select the exhibitors that you would like to contact.

Remember, don't limit yourself by your major, but rather consider the whole range of abilities and interests God has given you. Also, check out those organizations that your church or denomination supports.

Here are some questions you may want to ask msearch representatives:
Mission agencies:

1. What is the basic purpose of your organization? What are your objectives in the present and vision for the future?
2. How do you go about working out your purpose?
3. What doctrinal distinctives are particularly important to your organization?
4. What opportunities are available, given my education, interests and experience?
5. What is your management structure? How are decisions made?

Graduate schools and seminaries:

1. What cross-cultural training programs does your school arrange for your students?
2. What cross-cultural experience does your faculty have? Has your faculty produced any mission material?
3. How are your students exposed to mission agency representatives throughout the year? MSearch is just the start of what we hope will be an ongoing dialogue (or participation) with exhibiting organizations.

May God be with you as you work through this guide!

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