It seems that it is quite fashionable to bash the effectiveness of short term missions…
While Blimey Cow does make some good points in that rather sarcastic video, painting all short term missions as a waste of time and money is rather narrow minded …
What actually prompted this post was reading the missions statement of a church planting team going to Nicaragua. Their goal is to be in a location in Nicaragua for a short period of time, replace themselves in the newly planted church with local leadership, and then move on to another location.
I found that team’s mission and goals to be quite inspirational in it’s ability to be multiplied, and the heavy emphasis on training and mobilising local leadership.
Biblical Models of Short Term Missionaries
While I completely understand the need for long term missionaries to serve in missions organisations around the world (I have been in YWAM now for 14- years, which I guess would be considered long term) there is also a place for short term missionaries.
Jesus’ ministry on earth only lasted 3-years. During that time Jesus never stayed in one place long, and never established a permanent or “long term” ministry location. By many people’s definitions that would be considered “short-term”, but no once can deny the impact and effectiveness of his ministry, can they?
Paul never stayed long in any one location. During Paul’s many years of ministry he never stayed long in any one location. His travels took him all over the Mediterranean and most of what we now know of Paul is his letters written to churches after he had left them. Would current short term missions critics consider Paul’s travel to be joy riding, an excuse to travel the known world, or a “vacation”?
Short Term Missions Can Serve God’s Kingdom
A well thought out short term missions trip can do great things to help in the advancement of God’s Kingdom. Whether building homes in Haiti, restoring eye-sight in Papua New Guinea, or serving and loving AIDS patients in Africa, short term missionaries have an important role in God’s plan to show his love and compassion to the nations.
Let’s not, as long-term missionaries or critics of short-term missions, dismiss the idea out of hand. Instead let’s look at how God wants to use short term mission and what our role is in making it effective for the nation or location being served by the short-term missionaries, and also something that can inspire the participants to desire a long term role in missions…
Excellent blog post, Bill! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks the feedback Alison, I’m glad you enjoyed the article.
I think both you and Blimey Cow (???) make really good points. I’ve seen the impact of thought-out, loving, intentional short-term missions – and been frustrated with the “it’s a sacrifice for me to raise money and travel to Mexico in the winter” mentality. There is no question that short term missions can have a long term impact (especially on the “go-er”) and that both Jesus and Paul made substantial sacrifices (um, ultimate ones) in their short-term-in-one-place yet life-long ministries. A good post. Made me think. Thanks, Bill.
Always happy to make people think Crystal! I’m glad you liked the post.
@BillHutchison Thanks. Hmm! Will read that blog piece today. I do think it is time for “next level” short-term missions! There’s more to it!
Thanks for the post @BillHutchison. The Blimey Cow clip can be misleading. Are we headed for a decline in STTs (Short-Term Trips) in the future? I hear more and more people questioning the value of STTs.
Well, my thoughts on that one would be, if we keep up the ‘high expense-no message-low expectation-little Jesus presence’ content to STTs, then … good riddance! That’s what this clip rightfully was attacking.
BUT … how can anybody, with the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead within them, possibly go overseas and NOT have an eternal impact? A lot of it, in my opinion, is due to training & preparation for going. We don’t build faith in our youngsters going overseas. Often, when sending them to tough places/nations, we do the opposite. We condition the expectations to be low.
Where are the risk taking, laugh-at-danger ambassadors of Jesus?
I have seen when you train and prepare people to go plant churches they will! You saw my story on another blog comment about a team of 45 (non-Spanish speakers) we sent to Mexico for a three day outreach that resulted in a LOCALLY led church planted with 60 brand new Christians led to Jesus in one neighbourhood (none transferred from other churches), and how that church grew to 100 in a year.
I think your points about Jesus and Paul are important. It points to biblical nature of STTs. I would add to your last section (2nd last para) ‘Kingdom stuff’ like church planting, disciples made, healings and deliverances – the kind of stuff the disciples did when Jesus sent them out.
My opinion … if we see prepare world changers with faith and expectation for God showing up on our short-term mission trips and this and some God-encounters happen, then local churches back home will be less worried counting pennies and more behind sending their people out on Kingdom advancing mission!
Perhaps too a follow-up piece about a STT story that you were on or involved with, Bill, would add more impact to this thread. That personal touch needs to be in there to underline your point. (My two cents).