3 Jul 2017

Short term missions are not the race

by | posted in: Missions | 101,483

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.

101483 Responses

  10. slot gacor
    | Reply

    What you said made a great deal of sense. But,
    what about this? what if you wrote a catchier post title?
    I am not saying your information is not good., however suppose you
    added a headline to maybe grab folk’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 watch how they write news titles to
    grab viewers interested. You might try adding a video or a
    picture or two to grab people excited about what you’ve
    got to say. Just my opinion, it might bring your website a little livelier.

  14. 買 like
    | Reply

    Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the pictures on this
    blog loading? I’m tryying to figure out if its a problem on my end or if it’s thhe
    blog. Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
    買 like

  15. CryptoTact
    | Reply

    I feel that is among the most significant info for me. And i am happy
    reading your article. However want to remark on few basic things, The web
    site taste is ideal, the articles is truly excellent :
    D. Good process, cheers

  16. เรียนดำน้ำลึก
    | Reply

    My developer is trying to persuade me to move to .net from
    PHP. I have always disliked the idea because of the costs.
    But he’s tryiong none the less. I’ve been using Movable-type on a number of websites for about a year and am anxious
    about switching to another platform. I have heard good things
    about blogengine.net. Is there a way I can transfer all my wordpress posts
    into it? Any help would be really appreciated!

    my page; เรียนดำน้ำลึก

  17. bảng hiệu alu
    | Reply

    Hello There. I found your weblog the usage of msn. This is an extremely neatly written article.
    I will be sure to bookmark it and come back to learn more of
    your useful info. Thanks for the post. I’ll certainly return.

  18. Betgaranti
    | Reply

    Thanks for the marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you are
    a great author. I will always bookmark your blog and will eventually come back later in life.

    I want to encourage you to definitely continue your great work, have a nice morning!

  19. 리니지 투데이
    | Reply

    Please let me know if you’re looking for a article author for your weblog.
    You have some really good postts and I feel I would be a good asset.
    If you ever want to take some oof the load off, I’d lovbe to write some materiall for your blog in exchange for a
    link back to mine. Please shoot me an email if interested.
    Kudos!
    리니지 투데이

  20. казино 7к бонус
    | Reply

    Зеркало официального сайта 7к казино оформлено в
    приятных темных тонах, что позволяет выигрышно смотреться
    на площадке ярким обложкам
    азартных игр и рекламным баннерам.

  24. Blog No
    | Reply

    I got this web page from my pal who told me concerning this web page and at
    the moment this time I am browsing this website and
    reading very informative posts here.

  28. Truffe noire de Bagnoli
    | Reply

    Hmm it seems like your website ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess
    I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly
    enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to
    the whole thing. Do you have any tips for novice blog writers?

    I’d certainly appreciate it.

  31. sofilmeshd
    | Reply

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

  32. home building jobs
    | Reply

    In the competitive and fast-paced world of new home
    sales in the United States, experts need a distinct set of skills to succeed.
    Navigating the complexities of the housing market demands more than knowledge of property values; it calls for a blend of abilities, qualities, and specialized industry insight.
    In this blog, we’ll explore the top attributes that set apart successful professionals in the
    new home sales field in the USA.

    One of the key traits of a successful new home sales professional is a comprehensive understanding of
    the market. This includes expertise in local property trends,
    market values, and the various factors that influence them.
    Professionals who stay informed about market changes are better equipped to provide clients with accurate,
    essential information, thereby building trust and credibility.

Leave a Reply

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