Thanks for sharing the Switchboard message. This article is part of a series of three guides where we give you the tools you need to tell the story.
- Connect your friends to the Great Commission.
- How to sign your church up for Great Commission engagement.
- Find help for your missionary friend.
Each article provides you with best practices, helpful resources and some FAQs.
We all have a personal network and know who to call when we need help with specific topics.
Focus the connection.
Many believers want to be a part of the Great Commission but don’t see a clear path to meaningful engagement.
What friends do you know who would want an opportunity to make a Great Commission impact?
Take a second and write down some names.
Now that you have a list write down the topics about which you could imagine them connecting with a missionary.
When people make themselves available to fill critical gaps, they make the mission possible.
Pray over your list that God would connect them to mission opportunities around the world.
Now decide when you're going to talk to them about it.
It may be this Sunday at church. You could also schedule a time to grab coffee. Or it might be just calling them on the phone. Whatever method makes the most sense, decide now what you will do.
Have the conversation.
Sharing with someone about how they could use Switchboard to connect with Great Commission opportunities is easy when you remember the 3 Ps.
- Problem
- Possibility
- Participation
What's the problem?
People are serving in ministries around the world who need help. Consider these three examples.
- A non-profit that knows they need help to communicate about its ministry but needs help figuring out where to start.
- A missionary family who is homeschooling for the first time and wants to learn from someone else who's done it before.
- A ministry that is growing and might be about to overspend on enterprise software because they don't really know what they need.
Look back at your list and how you imagined your friend my best contribution to Great Commission work. Is there a problem they can help solve?
Share some possible challenges with your friend to help paint the picture.
What's possible?
What if someone could come alongside these Great Commission workers? What would become possible in their ministry that wasn't before?
Maybe the ministry is able to save on its software solution and use those funds to provide for local needs in their community. Or perhaps the family now feels confident in homeschooling, allowing them to thrive and serve for the long term.
When people make themselves available to fill critical gaps, they make the mission possible.
How could they participate?
Think back to your list and how you imagined this person could contribute. Think of 2 or 3 talents, skills or experiences you believe they could offer to Great Commission workers.
Share these with them, citing their specific skills.
Help them get started.
Many people have great intentions but need some help following through.
It only takes a few minutes to signup. So if they are interested in signing up, share the link and help them sign up right then.
Mission is better together.
Is there a small group you could mobilize together?
Maybe it's your community group, Christian friends from work, or even your family. You can each sign up, pray for each other and share about your connections.
When you invite the group, cast a vision for your collective impact and share stories from conversations you've had on the platform.
FAQs
How do I concisely describe Switchboard?
Switchboard connects everyday believers to the mission field so everyone can bring their best to the Great Commission.
What if they have skills that aren't on the site?
We’re constantly adding new categories to Switchboard. If you or your friend has skills you think would be helpful to Great Commission Organizations or individuals, reach out and let us know. We’d love to hear about it.
What if they have questions I don’t know the answer to?
Don’t worry. We’re here to help. You can always reach out here on the site.
