For the past few months I have been talking with a friend on the idea of organizing a travel group. I have long had a love of traveling as do many people. While initially I was thinking of this from a travel aspect only today I began to think of this as a way to also minister to people and encourage them. Being a man of strategy and seeing how this could be used to serve many purposes and plugging the concept into the ministry as well I have really began to brain storm on this today.Earlier this week I made a change in the ministry's plan of structure for the vision of DLM in shifting from a local base approach here in Kansas City to a multi city approach. As I have been thinking of how to best start these fellowship groups in other cities and today thinking about the travel group idea it dawned on me that bringing them both together may be just the answer I was looking for.
Traveling for even a short period of time with new people is a great way to start to build a friendship with new people. If these travel groups had focuses on a city each time and brought multiple people together for a trip of like mind and heart they may very well foster an environment for them to establish a friendship. Starting a fellowship in a city with multiple groups of friends may be the best way to get them started.
These travel groups would offer multiple benefits such as:
- Initially appealing to people wanting to travel
- Creating a environment in which people would be encouraged and grow in their faith while traveling with the group
- Changing people's normal vacation time into a spiritual growth trip
- Fostering an environment in which people would form new friendships that may be pivotal in helping them grow when returning from the trip (who we hang around we often become more like - connecting spiritually seeking people with others of same mind in their cities can be a very beneficial thing).
- Helping people not plugged in a church in that city meet others who are and being invited to that church upon returning home this would also benefit local churches
- Helping establish a city fellowship of people interested in the vision of DLM
These are just the initial benefits I have thus far thought of regarding this idea. I initially was thinking of this solely from a travel idea and forming a business on the side, but the more I think about the possibilities to use this to help others grow in their relationship with God and possibly come to faith in Christ to know him personally I am very excited about this idea.
What would you like to see offered with travel groups? What places would you like to see groups organized to go? What cities would you first like to see focused on for a travel group?
This is a great idea! I would love to travel more but often can not find anyone who wants to go to the places I want to go. Plus the idea of traveling with other believers and growing spiritually sounds like a neat idea too.