John McHale has served in international ministry for many years, and he is a faithful partner of Connect 2 Ministries. As we recognize World Humanitarian Day, we asked John to share his thoughts on gospel ministry and serving in an international context.

I first heard about Connect 2 Ministries through my church, Antioch Church in Simi Valley. I’ve been on three Haiti trips over the years, and those experiences have influenced my outlook in some dramatic ways. Serving in an international context puts perspective on church life, our mission as servants of Christ, and the opportunities God places in each of our paths. It’s a reminder that the church is global—that as Christians, we are part of one body of Christ.

All of my C2M trips were focused on facilitating local church ministry. We built physical church buildings to help Haitian pastors care for their congregations more effectively, whether in the suburbs of Port-au-Prince or the outer mountains of Onaville. Christ was always at the center, and we truly had the chance to see how our work would help His church share the gospel with the lost in Haiti.

I also realized that on these trips, we weren’t doing anything extraordinary. We were simply doing what the Bible tells us to do. Showing compassion to the poor, feeding the hungry, helping the widow and the fatherless—that was our method. Christ was our focus. And the result was that we were able to partner with Haitian Christians by supporting them in the unique context where God had placed them.

In my mind, making disciples of all nations means being an active part of the universal church. When you go on a short-term ministry trip, the church’s mission is being fulfilled in some very specific ways. You are going, with the goal of making disciples—and in the case of Connect 2 Ministries, teaching and encouraging Haitian Christians in God’s Word.

There are always some challenges that come with international ministry—staying healthy, carving out time from our busy schedules, etc.—but the blessing of being part of the church is hard to beat. True Christians are not just Sunday Christians. Above all, we are called to be servants. Lovingly serving God and serving others are the two greatest responsibilities in the Christian life, and they are also two of the greatest sources of blessing.

If you want to be stretched in your walk with Christ, go on a short-term ministry trip. In my experience, these trips encourage the local church to be a missionary church, both at the individual and collective levels. The people from my church who’ve gone on short-term trips have been drawn closer together, and that has brought the whole church together as everyone prays and gives for believers outside our local congregation. I remember at one time, Connect 2 needed a bus—so Antioch bought a bus and shipped it to Haiti. All of that started with catching a vision for the global church and developing a practice to live out what it’s meant to be.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who give of their time, energy, and resources to support gospel ministry in Haiti. This World Humanitarian Day, we remember our own call to serve as Christians in the world, looking to Christ as the perfect example of selfless care for others.