Why Should You Do Short-Term Missions?
Like most things in life, short-term missions (STM) can be done well and not-so-well. We’ll discuss some of the not-so-well mindsets and methods on another page. Here, we’ll consider the healthy side of things. When done well, STM can be a very effective way for people to connect with the long-term work that God is doing around the world. There are benefits for all three key players involved:
Benefits for You
By participating in a STM trip:
- You’ll be following in the ways and teachings of Jesus. In John 1:14, we read that “the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and in John 6:38, Jesus says, “I have come down from Heaven.” He also told his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Jesus modeled leaving one’s own home/culture to bring good news to others, and he tasked his church to be about that same work.
- You become a part of something the church has been doing since its inception, walking in the tradition of countless men and women over the centuries who have left their homes to be a part of what God is doing among the nations.
- You will gain new perspectives and widen your worldview.
- It’s not possible to truly become friends with someone from another culture and keep your same worldview. It helps you see things from another perspective, you’re better for it.
- You will see God’s character reflected in unique ways. As you get to know more cultures, you’ll see how each of them reflect different parts of God’s character.
- You can develop and sharpen skills for connecting with people and sharing the good news of Jesus – skills that you can use anywhere in the world, including your hometown.
- You can get helpful insight in discerning if you’re called to full-time missions. A good way to find out if something is right for you is to dive in and try it out.
Benefits for your Church
- Participating in STM helps churches keep a global perspective. Healthy churches are interested in participating in what God is doing both locally and globally. Being connected to overseas mission work helps churches see how their local work fits into what God is doing among the nations.
- It is a blessing for churches to partner with other believers, churches, and organizations to strive towards the same goal. Everyone involved gets to see how God amazingly brings together all of the pieces together for his purposes and his glory.
- As churches help train and prepare their members for STM work, they also learn to train members for local gospel engagement (hint – the same biblical principles apply to both). Also, church members that participate in STM trips teams (if they’re done right) return with a mindset and newly sharpened skills that are effective
Benefits for the Field Team
- You will add tremendous value to the strategy and work of the field team. Although it’s absolutely true that God’s ultimate plan does not depend on your (or our) participation, He delights in allowing us to play a part. STM teams can greatly advance front-line work, expanding the reach of the field team, exploring new areas, and connecting with new people.
- Field teams benefit from the energy and excitement that STM teams bring to the field. It’s a breath of fresh air for long-term workers to have a group of folks come to their city excited to dive into life and work there.
- Field teams see it as a privilege to pour into the next generation of church. They enjoy seeing you grow in your faith and are excited to see what God does in your life after your time with them. They become big brothers and sisters who are cheering you on in the faith and willing to help in any way they can.