On Jan. 12th, we will hold our first Zoom meeting with Conveners from the MPTs that serve our global servants. MPTs are Mission Partnership Teams. They are one of the many ways that International Ministries and volunteers support and care for our global servants. *

In general, there are from 4 to 8 volunteers on each MPT consisting of a Convener, Financial Advocate, Communication Advocate, Pastoral Care Advocate, MK Advocate, Energizer, IT, Prayer Advocate, Logistics Coordinator, and other roles as needed. This team is like the pit crew on a NASCAR speedway, always encouraging, recharging, and supporting their global servant(s). Global servants are required to have an MPT before they go onto the field.

MPT members commit to the first term of their global servant’s service and then can recommit to more terms or step down from their support role. When necessary, new MPT members are asked to join the MPT so that global servants always have a steady stream of support from a close-knit group of often friends and family. MPTs are commissioned at the same time as their global servant(s). I have had the privilege of training and commissioning several MPTs over the past few years. I thought now would be a good time to get together with all the MPT’s leadership.

The purpose of our joint convener meeting on Jan. 12th is to get to know each other and also to think about ways we can encourage one another with ideas and resources. I also wanted to meet in order to ask how I might be of better service to the MPTs. My role at International Ministries is to serve as the Mission Partnership Coordinator. My background has been as a pastor, missionary, and now home office support person. As a pastor I learned to work with people, churches, regions, budgets, and to do local outreach. As a missionary, with my family pictured above, I learned to do cross-cultural mission, raise support, work for a mission agency, and collaborate with other missionaries around the world. As an IM home office support person, I have learned to work with other home office colleagues, global servants, U.S. Regions including Puerto Rico, and all of our MPTs. Teamwork has been essential in all of my above roles.

Someone once told me when I started working at IM that it could take as many as five years to really understand the inner workings of our agency. (So far I have been at IM for 3 years and 7.5 months). Another person told me that building relationships early on will help to ensure a better working environment at IM. I try to follow these two pieces of advice i.e., being patient as I learn about IM and my job, and taking time to build trusting relationships with all that I meet in and outside of IM. I am looking forward to meeting and working with many of you in the future and also to the upcoming MPT Conveners meeting on Jan. 12th!

*IM also has Member Care, HR, Area Directors, Administrative Assistants, and a team of other home staff that care for the needs of our many global servants.

God bless you and your families and I hope you have a Happy New Year in 2024!

Sincerely,

Dwayne M. Doyle
Mission Partnership Coordinator
P.S. I am also looking for someone to work with me as a Special Assistant. This person will be a volunteer that can work from home on their computer, but ideally is someone from the King of Prussia, PA area who could come into the IM Office one day/week. Contact me at: ddoyle@internationalministries.org if you are interested in this position or call my Office Ph at: 610-768-2210.