Short -Term Missions?

On Short Term Missions

“….After all, countless individuals were going on overseas mission trips through their organization. It made the organizations feel as though they were involved in a new movement toward overseas mission work. Yes, hundreds of thousands of people have gone overseas; yet, it has not resulted in a completely new movement.

This is not to say that things are not happening as a result of short- term mission work. There have been thousands of people who have be come either long-term missionaries or long-term mission supporters. Their short-term experiences created doors of opportunity. These trips changed and moulded their lives.

However, for many they have not. Like many things in our Christian faith, we have made short-term mission trips too easy. There are few complications, little responsibility and a lack of accountability. When involvement in overseas missions does not require much from people, little long-term fruit will result. These young people who we were so excited to sign up were searching for an outlet for their faith. Sadly, these same people left their short-term mission experience behind……

I am the first person to rave about the potential and impact of a short-term mission program. The problem is that we have not thought enough about the hows, whats and whys of what we are doing. There are tens of thousands of ex-short-term people who have done very little to build on their short-term mission experience

And mission agencies have let it happen. Much money, time, prayer and support has gone into getting individuals out there – and there has been so little practical return…

The facts tell us that the majority of people praying and giving to overseas missions are people over fifty years old. The hope is that they younger people having done a short-term mission trip would have taken over the baton from this older generation; this has not happened.....

Admittedly, I have helped to create this sad situation. When I was working in a church, I led many short-term mission teams overseas; to this day I am not sure what the long- term benefits have been. I had all the right intentions. I wanted young people to experience the spiritual and physical realities of the world. I wanted them to step out for God; I wanted them to be used by God. Indeed, we had some amazing times and God did work in us and through us. The problem was that I saw the short-term mission as an experience in itself; I did not consider how to build on this experience so that the people who had gone would have a long-term commitment to overseas missions. ….

We have not fully understood the emerging generations. We have made it easy for people to get into and out of their short-term mission experiences. Short-term missions builds on what is good and bad about the younger generation. It builds on their desire for adventure and spontaneity; at the same time it is instant, easy and includes little accountability……”

(“Seeking that Missing Person” Sean Marston, EMQ . April 2007 Vol. 43, No.2 Page 238-242)