3 Jul 2017

Short term missions are not the race

by | posted in: Missions | 89,482

I am always amazed at the excitement and nervousness from those going on their first short-term mission trip, most of the time they don’t know enough to know what they need to be nervous about. There is an excitement in their eyes as they head into the unknown. They prepare testimonies and lessons, not knowing how God will use them or if they will be effective. They pack what is recommended and wonder if it will be enough. They comfort their parents and loved ones, and try to reassure them everything is going to be alright, while at the same time not knowing what the future holds. But through leading and prayer, the journey begins.

 

A lot of mission team members, especially those who have never been on mission before usually become broken spiritually sometime during the week of the trip. They discover a new outlook on sharing, faith, trust, and God. Why is this? It is simple, during the week they are constantly hearing the word of God either from others sharing or through the preaching or their own study. They also see the word of God come to life. That doesn’t mean that the bible gets up and starts walking around. But they see the Spirit of God begin to work in the lives of the people they come in contact with. They walk the streets with a single purpose, to find the person of peace with whom they can share the good news of the gospel. Some are hit with the hard truth that not all will accept the gospel, so they plant a seed not knowing the condition of the soil. Other times they begin to pour out water onto unknown soil, unaware that a seed exist and has been waiting for the moisture that God will use to bring it to life. They get excited and don’t know what to do when out of the ground springs forth life. A miracle, they get to see cold dead bones come to life. After that experience, they have a drive to share and no longer need to be pushed in front of people to share with. Oh what it would have been like in Acts to walk the streets and see God work, bringing people to life through the proclamation of the Gospel. But wait, could that still happen? And could it happen here?

After returning home and a couple weeks of rest, life returns to normal. The mission was accomplished, people were saved and now we are back comfortable, safe, fed, and loved. Or are we? There is always a sense of completion at the end of a mission trip. Not that that would be wrong in the short term, but there is a since of that was where we were on mission at, but now we are back and we have things to get done. Real stuff, school, work, friends, problems, and you know life. Right?

One of the greatest tragedies we have is short-term missions. I know you saw a bunch of people get saved, and God really “showed up”, but stay with me. There is a since of awe and wonder during the week of a mission trip. And we look forward to the next year when we can go and feel that same since of awe and wonder. But let’s compare it to a race shall we. Anyone who runs foot races understands that you have different splits. These are markers throughout the race to gauge your progress, and to ensure you are on pace. A short-term mission trip is sort of like a split. It is a time to see if you are where you need to be in your spiritual life, in your reading and study of the word, apologetics, doctrines, and if you can articulate them to the world around you. The shortness of the week gives you the opportunity to push yourself hard and to evaluate yourself. The tragedy is that the short-term is looked at, as the race itself. We return with a sense that we ran and will rest up to run again next year.

The race however is not over. In fact it is just beginning. When you return home, it is like passing the first mile marker. The street is no longer filled with cheering fans, the road narrows, and the reality of the race sets in. Here is where we must work our hardest. This is where we must pull from prayer and scripture, the strength to press on. Where most might sit and rest, we must run to win. We don’t just return to normal life, we return with a renewed sense of awe for what God has been doing and we must now trust even more so that He will continue His work. We saw on foreign soil God work in others lives. Now we must trust that He will work in ours for His glory and to reach those around us. We are home; this is where we must turn from our sins, where we must love God more than mother and father, more than friends and things. This is where we live out what we preach, if we believe that which we have taught. Did we believe it? Do we believe it? If so, then are we disciplined for the miles ahead? Paul tells the church at Corinth “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”. Are we disqualified or are we still in the race?

There are no short-term missionaries; there are only missionaries in different context. When we return to our Jerusalem, let us seek the hope that is only found in Christ. Let us not lean on our own understanding, our own wisdom, which is foolishness. Let us not fall victim to busyness and the lure of shiny objects that promise fulfillment. Let our knees be worn out for those nearest to us. Let our time be determined by the cross and His call, trusting that He will provide the time for work, family, fun, and ministry, as we continue the race. We have found our greatest joy in walking by faith; let us not check our faith with Homeland Security as we return home. But let us be reminded daily where our ultimate security is found and where our joy is greatest. Wherever you woke up at, wherever you find yourself, wherever you stand today, then that is your mission field. Time to get running.

89482 Responses

  3. Earnestine
    | Reply

    First off I want to say great blog! I had a quick question that I’d like to
    ask if you don’t mind. I was interested to find out how you center yourself and clear your mind
    prior to writing. I’ve had trouble clearing my thoughts in getting my ideas out there.
    I do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10
    to 15 minutes are generally lost simply just trying to figure out how to begin. Any recommendations or hints?
    Appreciate it!

  8. Aisha Mueller
    | Reply

    I do agree with all the concepts you’ve presented on your post.
    They’re really convincing and can definitely work.

    Nonetheless, the posts are too brief for starters.
    May just you please prolong them a little from next time?
    Thank you for the post.

  10. Saundra
    | Reply

    Howdy, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam responses?
    If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can recommend?
    I get so much lately it’s driving me crazy
    so any support is very much appreciated.

  11. Hellen
    | Reply

    Heya i am for the primary time here. I came across
    this board and I to find It truly helpful & it helped me out much.
    I hope to give something back and aid others like you helped me.

  13. Megan
    | Reply

    hey there and thank you for your information – I have certainly picked up anything
    new from right here. I did however expertise several
    technical issues using this website, as I experienced to reload the site
    many times previous to I could get it to load correctly. I had been wondering if your web hosting is OK?
    Not that I am complaining, but sluggish loading instances
    times will very frequently affect your placement in google and can damage your high-quality score if advertising and marketing with Adwords.
    Anyway I’m adding this RSS to my email and could
    look out for a lot more of your respective fascinating content.
    Ensure that you update this again very soon.

  14. Hermine
    | Reply

    Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering if you knew
    where I could locate a captcha plugin for my comment form?
    I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one?
    Thanks a lot!

  16. Kent
    | Reply

    It’s great that you are getting ideas from this article
    as well as from our argument made at this place.

  19. Cliff
    | Reply

    Hi there, just became alert to your blog through Google,
    and found that it’s truly informative. I am going to watch out for brussels.
    I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. Many people will be benefited from your writing.
    Cheers!

  22. Beth
    | Reply

    Hello! This is kind of off topic but I need some help from an established blog.
    Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty quick.
    I’m thinking about setting up my own but I’m not sure
    where to begin. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Thank you

  23. Terrell
    | Reply

    Everything said made a great deal of sense. However, what about this?
    what if you composed a catchier title? I mean, I don’t wish
    to tell you how to run your blog, but what if you added a title to maybe grab a person’s
    attention? I mean Short term missions are not the race – The Hus
    Report is a little boring. You could peek at Yahoo’s home page and note how they create news headlines to grab viewers to
    open the links. You might try adding a video or a related picture or two to get readers interested about what you’ve got to say.
    In my opinion, it could make your posts a little livelier.

  24. ww88sevents
    | Reply

    I do not know whether it’s just me or if everyone else experiencing issues with your website.
    It appears as though some of the written text in your content are running off
    the screen. Can someone else please comment and let me know if this
    is happening to them as well? This might be a problem with my web browser because I’ve had this happen previously.

    Many thanks

  25. Damaris
    | Reply

    Thanks for some other informative site. Where else may just
    I get that kind of information written in such a perfect method?
    I have a venture that I’m simply now working on, and I have been at the glance out for such info.

  26. fastest payout online casinos
    | Reply

    Hi would you mind letting me know which hosting
    company you’re using? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different browsers and I must say this blog loads
    a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good web hosting provider at a fair
    price? Kudos, I appreciate it!

  27. PeotariumInfo
    | Reply

    Poetarium Info Sebagai portal berita seputar Teknologi, Game, Internet, dan Media Sosial Terbaru.

    Dapatkan informasi terbaru dan terpercaya hanya di Poetarium info.

  33. ras el hanout - top of the shop
    | Reply

    Hello! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me.

    Nonetheless, I’m definitely glad I found it and I’ll be
    book-marking and checking back often!

  34. Anthony Howard
    | Reply

    Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your blog and in accession capital to
    assert that I get actually enjoyed account your blog posts.
    Anyway I’ll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.

  36. Ferne
    | Reply

    Now I am going away to do my breakfast, after having my breakfast
    coming yet again to read additional news.

  37. Maggie
    | Reply

    I think the admin of this web page is truly working hard in support of his site, for the
    reason that here every information is quality based information.

  38. Verla
    | Reply

    An intriguing discussion is definitely worth comment. I believe that you need to write more on this issue, it might not be a taboo matter
    but usually people don’t speak about such topics.
    To the next! Best wishes!!

  39. Earlene
    | Reply

    Pretty section of content. I just stumbled upon your site
    and in accession capital to assert that I get actually enjoyed account your
    blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your augment and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.

  40. bathroom fitters cardiff
    | Reply

    I’m not sure exactly why but this weblog is loading extremely slow for me.
    Is anyone else having this problem or is it a problem on my end?
    I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.

  44. Audry
    | Reply

    Everyone loves what you guys are up too. Such clever work and coverage!
    Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to blogroll.

  47. truffes de Bourgogne
    | Reply

    Heya i’m for the first time here. I found this board and I to find It truly helpful &
    it helped me out much. I am hoping to present something
    again and aid others like you helped me.

  49. казино комета вход
    | Reply

    Бездепозитный бонус онлайн казино
    Современный мир азартных развлечений предлагает уникальные возможности для каждого, кто хочет попробовать удачу.
    Люди все чаще ищут пути, чтобы погрузиться в атмосферу волнения, не прилагая больших усилий и
    затрат. Это вдохновляет на новые открытия и эксперименты,
    позволяя не только насладиться процессом, но и испытать его вкус на
    собственном опыте. В такие моменты важно уметь правильно использовать доступные инструменты,
    которые значительно упрощают
    путь к успеху.
    Разнообразие предложений, гарантировавших увлекательные
    впечатления и шанс на выигрыш, делает взаимодействие с игровыми платформами особенно заманчивым.
    Особенно выделяются различные возможности,
    которые не требуют вложений,
    что позволяет начать свой путь, не рискуя своими средствами.
    Когда у вас есть возможность попробовать что-то новое и стать частью захватывающего
    события, стоит задуматься, как извлечь из этого
    максимум благ. Имея легкий доступ к множеству
    привлекательных предложений, пользователи могут сосредоточиться на игре, избегая лишних волнений, связанных
    с денежными вложениями.

    Разумеется, условия, предлагаемые такими
    платформами, варьируются, и важно внимательно изучить каждую из них.
    Многочисленные аспекты, такие как временные рамки, требования к ставкам и другие нюансы, могут существенно повлиять на общий опыт.
    Поэтому так важно всегда быть в курсе
    всего, что связано с вашими возможностями.
    Это даст вам полное представление о том, как максимально эффективно
    применять свои навыки и стратегии, а также позволит извлечь пользу из
    предложений, которые кажутся наиболее интересными.

    Постепенно взаимодействие с
    азартными играми превращается в
    искусство, требующее огромного внимания и сосредоточенности.

    Каждый шаг на этом пути требует не
    только удачи, но и грамотного подхода, который поможет
    достичь желаемых результатов.
    Важно знать, как правильно
    использовать каждый шанс, чтобы наслаждаться получаемыми впечатлениями,
    не опасаясь потерь. В этом контексте свободные предложения становятся не просто вспомогательным инструментом, а важной частью общей стратегии
    игры, которая поможет достичь желаемых успехов.

    Что такое предложение
    без депозита в азартных играх?

    Когда речь заходит о таких предложениях, важно понимать, что это не просто подарок.

    Это действительно заманчивое предложение, позволяющее
    пользователям познакомиться
    с платформой и её возможностями.
    Игрокам предоставляется возможность получать выигрыши, что делает этот опыт ещё более привлекательным.

    Однако стоит отметить, что для получения таких предложений существует ряд условий, о которых желательно
    знать заранее. Например, отыгрыш доступных средств может оказаться не таким простым,
    как кажется на первый взгляд. Да
    и ограничения по времени могут создать дополнительное напряжение.

    Всё это в итоге приводит к смешанным чувствам у
    игроков: с одной стороны, это отличная возможность,
    а с другой – поток условий может
    заставить задуматься. Так что изучение и понимание всех нюансов,
    связанных с такими предложениями, станет обязательным шагом на пути к успеху в азартных играх.

    Выбор стоит совершать обдуманно, так как понимание всех аспектов может значительно повлиять
    на ваш игровой опыт.
    Что такое бездепозитный подарок в азартных играх?

    Существует несколько ключевых моментов, которые стоит рассмотреть.
    В первую очередь, они предназначены для привлечения новых
    участников. Такие акции могут включать небольшие суммы,
    которые можно использовать для ставок.

    Участники могут испытать популярные игры и узнать о
    механиках их работы. Кроме
    того, важно помнить о требованиях к отыгрышу,
    которые нередко сопутствуют таким предложениям.

    Не стоит забывать и о сроках действия предложений.
    Многие платформы устанавливают ограничения на использование подарочных средств, поэтому важно ознакомиться
    с правилами. Ограничения могут
    касаться как времени, так и
    конкретных игр, в которых разрешено использовать
    полученные средства. Это помогает поддерживать честность и абсолютно прозрачные условия
    для игроков.
    Хотя такие предложения кажутся весьма привлекательными, важно взвесить все за и против.
    Во-первых, вам будет предоставлена возможность познакомиться с платформой, проверив ее функционал.
    Во-вторых, вы сможете понять, какие игры вам нравятся больше
    всего. При этом, надо помнить о рисках, связанных с азартом.
    Легкость, с которой вы можете открыть
    новый аккаунт и получить доступ к средствам, иногда
    приводит к неосознанным
    расходам.
    В завершение стоит отметить,
    что использование подарочных средств
    в азартных играх может быть захватывающим процессом.
    Если вы подходите к этому разумно и осторожно, можно отлично провести время, открывая новые горизонты и впечатления.
    В конечном счете, это всегда остаётся
    на усмотрение каждого конкретного игрока.

    Какой бы путь вы ни выбрали, ключевое значение имеет чувство меры и понимание своих возможностей.

    казино комета вход

  50. 토토사이트
    | Reply

    It is appropriate time to make some plans for the longer term and it is time to be happy.

    I’ve read this publish and if I may I wish to recommend you
    some fascinating things or tips. Perhaps you can write
    next articles regarding this article. I desire to read even more issues about it!

    Also visit my blog: 토토사이트

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *