At AIM, we believe that short-term mission trips are one of
the best discipling tools the church has today.
They’re kinda like the Slap Chop of raising up world-changers, you know? Many churches and youth groups (maybe even yours) across the country have experienced the power of short-term missions firsthand.
And yet, there’s also an attitude that short-term missions just another fad. They’re something a group does once a year, sandwiched around summer vacations or the annual spaghetti dinner. Instead of viewing a trip as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and something that takes time for spiritual preparation, these trips become just another project or program that fills up a week on the calendar.
Unfortunately, there are some organizations that cater to this mentality that accept participants without screening them, don’t emphasize discipleship, and “sell” trips based on sightseeing opportunities.
Seth Barnes, founder of AIM, writes:
done poorly… Robert
Priest estimates that as many as four million a year go on STMs. You
do the math on the waste there.
Those going are increasingly
ill-prepared and what they do
is of questionable value given the resources invested. Sadly, many
participants are
narcissistic, they have little cross-cultural perspective, and often
their
experience does little to advance the Kingdom.
Missions organizations and church leaders should be held accountable for the trips they participate in. While there is no overall governing body for short-term missions, there are seven Standards of Excellence that groups can adhere to as they keep the Great Commission the central focus of their work.
Before choosing an organization to travel with, make sure their priorities are in line with what you’re trying to accomplish. The trip should be beneficial for the travelers, yes, but the ultimate focus should be to bring glory to God. T-shirts, photos, and souvenirs are nice, but they’re not the goal.
Image via Flickr user tengo gusto de suenos.
