A couple of days ago, I asked you to help me with word choice for a revision of what we used to call “Guidelines.” I received many good suggestions, so I thought you might like to see what the current final product is.
I went with Expectations, which was by far the most popular suggestion. I like expectations too because it carries some weight while not feeling as negative or authoritarian as rules. Several suggested great words like covenant and promises, but expectations won!
I don’t know when the idea of a two-part entry hit me, but I thought it might be helpful to separate the principle from the concrete actions. By separating these, it certainly allows us to appeal to the principle even if a corresponding action has not been mentioned specifically. We were desperately trying to avoid any attempt to capture every possible situation or every possible disruptive action that might occur on an LST project. We did not want to become Scribes and Pharisees!
Feel free to ask questions or comment on any of these expectations and commitments. There is a story behind each one. If you will apply to go on an LST project, you will get to hear the story, though I suspect if you read enough of these blog posts, you will hear the stories as well.
EXPECTATIONS AND COMMITMENTS!
| EXPECTATIONS | COMMITMENTS |
| 1) God first! | 1) I will begin each day with my team devotional and put God first in all I do and say! |
| 2) Put others before Yourself! | 2) I will put the needs of my project first and my teammates next. I will not insist on my way! |
| 3) Be affirming, not critical. | 3) I will affirm my missionary, my team members, and the local church. I will not criticize, correct, or debate with anyone, either in person, or in my communication to people at home!
|
| 4) Serve those you came to serve | 4) I will not use electronic access to keep me from engaging and serving. I will not be distracted or disengage from the project to which I have committed. |
| 5) Develop spiritual relationships | 5) I will not get involved romantically in any way with anyone. All relationships will be pure and not perverse, chaste and within God’s boundaries for single and married Christians. |
| 6) Adapt in culturally appropriate ways.
|
6) I will dress, speak, and act in ways that the host church holds to be spiritually and culturally appropriate |
| 7) Protect the integrity of your testimony! | 7) I will abstain from tobacco, alcoholic drinks, illegal drugs, bars, discos, nightclubs, and any other activity or situation which I, my team, LST, or the host church believes will diminish my witness for Christ. |
| 8 Be responsible for yourself! | 8 I will make only myself legally, financially, and morally responsible for my own actions, and I will not blame others. |
| 9) Submit to the local host. | 9) I will cooperate completely with the local host. I will bring all Readers asking about salvation to the local host, and I will only help local people financially through the local host, so that the most good can be accomplished. I will not try to be independent of the local host. |
| 10) Submit to the Let’s Start Talking Ministry | I will cooperate fully with the Let’s Start Talking Ministry by following the letter and the spirit of these expectations, as well as all other instructions given by LST. I will not commit LST funds, LST teams, or the LST ministry unless specifically authorized. |
Mark's Blog 
Can’t wait to train teams with this new wording! Love it!