Published Tue, Dec 02, 25.
Written by Sondra Dellaripa.

 

Nelsons and Sponsored Student.jpg

I was listening to Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church this month. His three part series "Succeeding in Your Mission" caught my attention - and I am so glad I listened to all three parts!  It made me think of our upcoming mission year for Partners in Christ and all of our mission team members joining us or considering joining us in 2026. 

Whether you are already planning to come on mission in the Dominican Republic or are considering it, Pastor Ricks podcast is worth the listen - I highly recommend it!


If your short on time, I have summarized it here. I pray it brings you insight and inspiration for the coming trip!

 

Succeeding in Your Mission: Three Lessons from Rick Warren for Every Mission Team

When we send mission teams into Juan Tomás or step into the schools, churches, and homes of our partner communities, we aren’t just traveling across countries, we’re stepping into God’s mission. And the way we step into that mission matters.

Pastor Rick Warren’s three-part teaching series, Succeeding in Your Mission, offers a powerful, clear reminder of what it means to serve with purpose, humility, and spiritual insight. His lessons feel tailor-made for the work our teams do in the Dominican Republic and for everyone who supports that work through prayer, giving, or going.

Below is a look at the key themes Rick Warren shares, along with how we can live them out as a mission-driven community.

1. Travel Light — and Never Alone

(Succeeding in Your Mission, Part 1)

Rick Warren begins by reminding us that when Jesus sent out His disciples, He instructed them to travel light. Not because packing is sinful, but because baggage—emotional, spiritual, or relational—can slow us down in ways we barely notice.

Mission work is not a performance. It’s not a platform. And it’s certainly not about proving ourselves. It’s about showing up with open hands, open hearts, and the freedom to follow where God leads.

Warren also emphasizes that mission is not a solo venture: we are meant to serve in community.
Whether we are teaching English to children, supporting the Fountain of Life School, or walking beside families who are navigating hardship, we succeed when we work as a unified body.

For our mission teams, this means:

  • Leaning on each other’s strengths

  • Praying together regularly

  • Leaving personal agendas at home

  • Staying flexible when things change (and they always do!)

Mission becomes fruitful when we release control and embrace community.

2. Lead with Blessing, Peace, and Presence

(Succeeding in Your Mission, Part 2)

In the second episode, Warren returns to Jesus’ instructions: “When you enter a house, say peace be on this home.” In other words, before you do anything, bring blessing.

Mission begins with posture—not programs.
Before we teach, build, repair, counsel, or pray, we are called to be a presence of peace.

Warren also highlights that Jesus invested in people long before He asked anything of them. He listened, He cared, He built relationships—and those relationships became the soil where transformation grew.

For our teams, this means slowing down enough to:

  • Ask questions

  • Listen deeply

  • Understand cultural context

  • Respect local leadership

  • Build trust before offering solutions

Our partners in the Dominican Republic, and especially the Haitian-diaspora children we serve, do not need quick fixes—they need long-term friendship, dignity, and genuine love. Warren’s message is clear: If you want to make a difference, start by making a relationship.

3. Find the Key to People’s Hearts: Hurt, Need, or Hope

(Succeeding in Your Mission, Part 3)

The final episode offers one of the most important insights for anyone doing ministry:
The door to someone’s heart is often unlocked by a hurt, a need, or an interest.

People open themselves spiritually when they feel seen, understood, and valued.
When Jesus met people at their point of pain—physical ailments, loneliness, grief, rejection—He didn’t begin with doctrine. He began with compassion. And that compassion created a bridge for truth.

Warren urges us to pay attention to:

  • What burdens people carry

  • Where they are hurting

  • What dreams they have

  • What real needs are pressing in on their lives

In Juan Tomás, some of those “keys” include:

  • Children who want to learn English to access better futures

  • Parents longing for stability and safety

  • Students who crave encouragement and mentorship

  • Teachers who need support and guidance

  • Families navigating poverty, displacement, or broken systems

When we respond to real needs—not perceived needs—we minister with relevance and authenticity. Transformation grows when people know we’re not there to check a box but to walk beside them.

Why These Lessons Matter for Us

Taken together, Rick Warren’s message is simple but stirring:

Mission succeeds when we:

  • Let go of ego and expectation

  • Serve in unity and humility

  • Lead with blessing, not busyness

  • Invest in relationships, not results

  • Address real needs with real love

This is exactly the type of mission culture we aim to build through Partners in Christ. Whether someone joins a week-long Medical Mission or English camp, helps repair school facilities, mentors students, or supports our programs financially, we want every act of service to reflect Christ’s heart for people.

Mission isn’t primarily about the work we accomplish—it’s about the people we accompany.

A Final Word of Encouragement

If you are preparing to serve with us, thinking about joining a mission trip, or supporting from home, let Rick Warren’s teaching be a reminder:

God doesn’t call the equipped—He equips the called.
And He equips us not with perfection, but with presence.
Not with certainty, but with faith.
Not with all the answers, but with love that listens, notices, and responds.

Our mission in the Dominican Republic is not just about programs; it is about people, peace, and purpose.
And with those, we will continue to succeed in the work God has entrusted to us.