#35 - Rich Franzen - When Helping Helps - The Church and its View of Missions

After the raise of the book and Netflix documentary "When Helping Hurts" many people have been left wondering if short-term missions efforts cause more harm than good. In today's conversation with Rich Franzen we talk about how short-term missions are the lifeblood of overseas missions work.
About Rich: Michelle Franzen began their missions journey when they both embarked on their first short-term mission trips in their late teens. With hearts wrecked for the nations, they continued to pursue the Lord’s calling as they finished studying at Oral Roberts University in 1993; Rich graduated with a BS in Education and minor in counseling, and Michelle with a BS in Education.  Eager to inspire the next generation with the life-altering call to missions, Rich and Michelle spent the next 13 years working with Teen Mania Ministries as they organized Acquire the Fire youth  conferences for thousands of teens, and simultaneously began to train, recruit, and send thousands of young adults and leaders to over 25 countries throughout the globe.
Through their international travel, a yearning emerged in their hearts for Africa; a plagued continent with 68% of the world’s  HIV/AIDS population. As a result, they moved their family to South Africa in 2004, and established Impact Africa – a non-profit  organization whose mission is to serve, educate, and rescue individuals while provoking them toward a passionate relationship with  Jesus Christ through socially relevant outlets of ministry service; which in turn deeply impact individuals, communities, and nations.  Impact Africa is a South African Section 21 company with an additional U.S.-based office registered as a 501 (c)(3) non-profit.
Since Impact Africa was founded, they have begun multiple self-sustaining, job-creating preschools through Impact Kids. They operate in 4 different locations with 429+ children and teachers being fed daily (4,290+ meals a week!) as they receive high-quality education. They also founded Impact Baby Rescue, which reaches out to desperate mothers through awareness presentations, crisis pregnancy counseling, and rescuing abandoned babies. These precious babies receive life-long family care in our Baby Home until the point of adoption into their forever family! Rich and Michelle have hosted thousands of international individuals/teams through Impact Mission Adventures. Each participant receives high-quality evangelical training and experience during their time with Impact Africa. The  Franzen’s also launched Impact Students, where they educate high school students on the effects of drug/alcohol abuse, premarital sex, abortion, and other relevant issues, while also having the opportunity to respond to the Gospel! Rich and Michelle founded and facilitate Impact Africa’s gap year program; The Missions Experience Program. This is a 3, 6, or 12-month on-the-field missions experience that exists to train and equip young adults to pursue the Great Commission no matter where they are or what they do.
Rich and Michelle are frequent speakers at conferences, churches, and training events world-wide. Rich is on the Board of Directors of the Co-Lab Foundation; a non-profit organization which connects like-minded businesses, churches, and people with projects around  Johannesburg. Additionally, Rich serves as a Board Member and VP of a U.S.-based mission sending agency, Launch International.

Connect with Impact Africa:  https://www.impactafrica.org

Connect with Renewed Leadership Visit the Renewed Leadership webpage: https://allsha.re/p/usO4ggw9HrH Visit The Pastors Round Table PODCAST: https://allsha.re/p/SOcsEEUx5P5 Visit the Renewed Leadership BLOG: https://allsha.re/p/gaAQ22iVtdt Follow Renewed Leadership on FACEBOOK: https://allsha.re/p/cowMYseRp9p Follow Renewed Leadership on INSTAGRAM: https://allsha.re/p/AKUamQCfNxN

---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-pastors-round-table/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/the-pastors-round-table/support