Amsterdam, Holland

Date: October 21-29, 2010 (tentative dates)
Trip Leader: Jeff Adams
Trip Type: Cultural Discovery
Approximate Cost: $1,250 plus airfare (estimated $800). A $500.00 non-refundable deposit is due by July 18, 2010.
Passport Required: Passport Information
Required Paperwork: Short Term Missions Application
Contact: Donna Bruce
The Amsterdam Discovery trip is designed for anyone desiring to learn and experience a taste of missions firsthand in a cross-cultural setting. Amsterdam is a beautiful city filled with tremendous history and art. You’ll find that most Dutch speak English as a second language, making it easy to communicate. It is an ideal, structured time of teaching and exploring the city together with a team of people who will learn more about what is like for the missionary on the field.

Jeff Adams, KCBT’s senior pastor, will teach each day and share from the wealth of missions and ministry experience he has acquired over the last thirty-three years. He has lived in four countries, pastored a church in Latin America for 10 years, and has traveled extensively. This is an opportunity to learn about adapting to a new culture, dealing with language challenges and multiple-people groups.

Annual Amsterdam Discovery Trip

WHO NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MISSION?

Members of KCBT wanting to learn biblical truths concerning missions and cross-cultural ministry to serve as a foundation for future involvement in ministry.

Pastors and leaders of other churches wanting to improve their own understanding of missions and cross-cultural ministry.

WHAT WILL WE LEARN?

We will study material taken from the first year missions course of the Shepherd School of Ministry, approximately 15 hours of classroom instruction covering topics such as:

• Biblical definitions and instructions concerning our responsibility to minister God’s Word to the world.
• Understanding key events and trends in missions history with special emphasis given to the history of Europe.
• How to understand cultures and penetrate them with the Gospel message.
• Learning to use art and other cultural expressions to determine a society’s attitude toward the Bible.
• How to deal with personal responsibility in missions and the biblical steps to discover God’s plan for your life.
• Definitive biblical models for missions.

We will explore, first hand, another culture and be trained how and what to observe so as to develop cultural sensitivity and understanding.

We will have a time of guided discussion with questions and answers to better assimilate what we are learning and experiencing.

We will have the opportunity to develop friendships that can last a lifetime.

The small size of the group encourages the relationship between the teacher and participants, allowing every individual to receive personal clarifications and attention to questions.

WHAT WILL WE ACCOMPLISH?

Each participant should return home with a satisfactory understanding of what the Bible says about missions,

what God is doing in the world, and his or her own role in that mission.

Each participant should return home with a better understanding of culture and the various people groups

of the world.

Each participant should have an increased understanding of his own culture.

Each participant should return home with a renewed burden to be obedient to the Great Commission.

WHO WILL BE OUR TEACHER?

Jeff Adams has lived in four countries and received formal training in five languages (fluent in two of them), qualifying him to give firsthand knowledge of other peoples, cultures, and languages. He pastored churches in Latin America for ten years, learning to find cultural bridges for the Gospel. He has traveled extensively in over 40 countries and is recognized as an expert in the areas of missions and cross-cultural ministry. Under his leadership the Baptist Temple has trained and involved literally hundreds of laymen and pastors in international ministry. Jeff will be the principal teacher of the study course and lead the discussion each evening.

WHY AMSTERDAM?

Amsterdam is a beautiful city with a rich history and has much to offer that will serve to illustrate the biblical truths we are learning. You will explore some of the important historical sites, as well as several of the area’s world-class museums, while learning to implement what you learn. Just a few blocks from our hotel is the Anne Frank house. A few blocks in the other direction, the first English Baptists were baptized by their Dutch brethren. In the same area, our Pilgrim fathers gathered before venturing across the Atlantic to the New World. Not far away in Rotterdam, Erasmus prepared the text from which our King James Bible was translated. You will see castles, windmills, cheese, chocolates, and more bicycles than you could possibly count. Probably the most moving experience of your time in Holland will be your visit to Corrie ten Boom’s Hiding Place in nearby Haarlem, Holland. It’s an experience you will never forget it!

Amsterdam is a melting pot of various peoples, which will illustrate other biblical truths we will be learning.

Amsterdam is a city whose open wickedness in certain areas graphically illustrates the problems of modern Western civilization. Many Americans are shocked by some of Amsterdam’s liberal attitudes about sex and drugs, yet the city provides great insight into where we are headed in America. We’ll help you understand why.

Amsterdam is a medium sized and safe city with an excellent public transportation system, enabling us to move around easily and get a complete survey of the area. Amsterdam is a city where English is frequently spoken, providing a chance to explore another culture on your own without ever feeling intimidated. Dutch people are genuinely friendly and the food is first class. You will have so much fun and see so much you’ll think you’re on vacation, but you will be very much a part of a structured learning experience.

Amsterdam serves as a site to teach truths that you could study at home, but never understand them to the same degree as studying them in the context of a foreign culture.

WHAT ARE THE ARRANGEMENTS?

Air arrangements are always tentative at this point. Once we have an idea of the size of the group, we will negotiate for the best fare. We will stay at one of Amsterdam’s best hotels. In past years, we have stayed at the four-star Memphis Hotel. Final flight schedules, hotel accommodations, and price will be announced at a future meeting.