Thanks Jordan for sending this great things to think about

Short-Term Missions

(Tony Meridia, http://tony.tbclife.net/)

I recently read through Engaging the Church: Analyzing the Canvas of Short-term Missions, which is a practical book on short-term mission efforts commonly emphasized in the church. Temple has a number of short-term trips every year, and I was helped by reading some of the selected chapters. One chapter in particular is called "Short-Term Trips Are Great, IF...."

Here are some helpful reminders:

1. Short-term missions are great if volunteers remember that the career missionary knows the field better than they ever will.


2. Short-term missions are great if participants remember that their primary responsibility is to be servants to the missionaries and national partners.


3. Short-term missions are great if they increase the mission spirit of the church back home.


4. Short-term missions are great if they call people into career service.


5. Short-term missions are great if volunteers remember to give God all the glory and the missionary credit for the planning, preparation and labor that made their trip a success.


6. Short-term missions are great if they are never viewed as substitutes for career missions.

I would add a number 7 to the list (mentioned elswhere in the book); namely, that short-term mission teams work great if there is a long-term commitment to an area, and communication is sustained with the long-term missionary. One of the new emphasis at Temple is the fact that are short-term trips are plugging into long-term commitments with various ministries in Ukraine, London, East Asia, East Africa, Puru, and other places.

Another helpful set of reminders is provided by Jim Lo in a chapter entitled "What Have We Done?" Lo shares four reasons why short-term missions have gotten out of hand. We will do will to keep these in mind:

1. Lack of Training - Even though we "are all missionaries" sometimes Christians leave for other countries without adequate training. This includes everything from apologetic training to social customs and physical fitness training. Often Christians go to foreign countries and complain about the food, the amount of walking, etc. They end up being a distraction rather than a help in these cases.
2. Tourists or Servants - Lo is also concerned that mission trips are sometimes "spiritualized vacation trips." Mission teams must go with a mindset of service and help.
3. Self-centeredness - Lo provides some expressions of American self-centeredness like our quest for immediate results in evangelistic presentation, which is sometimes more about personal glory the the good of others. Another example is wanting to go on a trip because it is a new location or other selfish reasons that have nothing to do with the Gospel.
4. "Youth Camp" Mentality - Lo cautions us to guard against taking youth who are unready for the mission field. Granted, many of our students will do well, but unprepared students may create more of a headache for the long-term missionary. If students must be "entertained" then they are not ready for certain experiences.

These are some helpful reminders for us as we seek to make disciples of all nations.

May God be gracious to us and bless usand make his face to shine upon us, Selah2 that your way may be known on earth,your saving power among all nations.3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;let all the peoples praise you! (Ps. 67:1-3)