Last week I watched a video, Windtalker, which fairly accurately portrayed World War II battles on the Pacific island of Saipan. The video was so realistic that it was hard to watch. But the most fascinating part of the video for me was the extra recording that showed how the producer prepared over 100 actors for this war movie by putting them through an intensive 72 hour boot camp! These actors lived in army barracks, ate army food, wore army attire, had to be up in the middle of the night to march or to be on patrol, and had vigorous physical training on an obstacle course.

While I watched that movie I was thinking about what tremendous planning, expense, and time were put into preparing people to produce a 90-minute movie that will never change the world! I asked myself if we as missionaries put such intensive planning, effort, and time into preparing ourselves and our staff for reaching the unreached with the Good News for eternal results? What can we learn from John Woo, the producer of this movie?

First of all, he sat down and determined what his goals were for this movie. He determined a standard of excellence that he wanted to produce. I have been challenged to visualize the kind of staff I want to see 'produced' out of YWAM Africa for the challenge of reaching the unreached. We have even more motivation to have a standard of excellence because we are working for eternal results in eternal souls.

Secondly, the producer identified the kind of preparation his actors needed in order to produce the standard of excellence he envisioned. His approach for preparation was very creative. None of the 100 actors had ever been prepared in such a way to act in a movie! By God's grace let's visualize creative approaches for promoting professional, ministry and spiritual growth in our staff. Lets write out detailed plans for developing our staff, including goal and methods.

Thirdly, the producer invested time and resources into this preparation. He actually recruited personnel from the armed forces to train his actors! He set aside valuable time for intensive training and expected results. Staff development should not be an option, it should be a priority because of the long-term eternal task we've been given. Staff development should be given priority in planning, in time, and in resources.

Lastly, the prepared actors produced a realistic movie. Our staff development efforts are to produce productive staff equipped to competently and confidently share the Good News in contextually appropriate ways, to disciple people, and to see nations transformed. May we each catch the vision and strive for excellence in planning to vigorously prepare ourselves and our staff to fulfill our role in the Great Commission.

By Randy and Jane Rhoades