3 Jul 2017

Short term missions are not the race

by | posted in: Missions | 163,216

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.

163216 Responses

  1. sumo138
    | Reply

    Wow, that’s what I was seeking for, what a data! existing here at this webpage,
    thanks admin of this website.

  5. exness
    | Reply

    The author is called Roseline and he or she totally loves this user name.
    Hiring is where her primary income arises from.

    Maryland has always been my home and Dislike plan on changing the concept.
    One of the things I like most will be always to keep birds but I
    never made a dime with the item.

  14. قیمت جهانی طلا
    | Reply

    {
    امروز بیش از {سه|3|2|4} ساعت به صورت آنلاین
    {سرفنگ|مرور} بوده‌ام، اما هرگز مقاله
    جالبی مانند مقاله شما پیدا نکردم.
    {این|این} برای من به اندازه کافی ارزش
    دارد. {به نظر من|شخصا|از نظر من}، اگر همه {مستران|صاحبان سایت|صاحبان وب سایت|صاحبان وب} و
    وبلاگ نویسان محتوای خوبی مانند
    شما تولید کنند، {اینترنت|نت|وب} {خیلی بیشتر| بسیار مفیدتر از همیشه.|
    من {نتونستم|نتونستم} از اظهار
    نظر {مقاومت کنم|خودداری
    کنم. {خیلی خوب|کاملا|خوب|بسیار خوب} نوشته شده!|
    {فوراً|فوراً} {بگیرم|بگیرم|کلاچ|بگیرم|مصرف|بگیرم}
    {rss|ss feed} شما را چون {نمی‌توانم|نمی‌توانم} {در یافتن| یافتن|برای یافتن}
    خدمات اشتراک {ایمیل|ایمیل} خود {link|hyperlink} یا {خبرنامه|خبرنامه الکترونیکی}.
    آیا {داری|داری}؟ {لطفا|لطفا} {اجازه|اجازه|اجازه دهید} به من {متوجه|تشخیص|فهم|شناخت|شناخت} {تا|برای اینکه} من {ممکن است|ممکن است|می‌توانم} مشترک شوم.
    با تشکر.|
    {این|این است} {مناسب|کامل|بهترین} زمان برای
    برنامه ریزی برای آینده و {این|وقت}
    است که شاد باشید. {من|این پست را خوانده‌ام
    و اگر بتوانم {می‌خواهم|می‌خواهم|می‌خواهم} به شما {چند|چند} چیزهای جالب یا
    {توصیه‌ها|پیشنهادات|نکات} را
    پیشنهاد کنم. {شاید|شاید} بتوانید
    مقالات بعدی را با اشاره به این مقاله بنویسید.
    من {می‌خواهم|آرزو|می‌خواهم} مطالبی درباره آن {بیشتر|حتی بیشتر} بخوانم!|
    {مناسب|کامل|بهترین زمان} برای {چند|برخی} برنامه ریزی برای
    {آینده|درازمدت|درازمدت} {مناسب|کامل|بهترین} است و زمان
    شاد بودن است. این {پست|ارسال|انتشار|قرار دادن} { خوانده ام | |مشاوره} به شما {چند|بعضی} {جالب|جذاب|جذاب} {چیز|مسائل} یا {توصیه|پیشنهادات|نکات}.
    {شاید|شاید} بتوانید مقاله‌های {بعدی|بعدی} {مربوط به|اشاره به|درباره} این مقاله بنویسید.
    من {می‌خواهم|می‌خواهم|می‌خواهم} {بخوانم|بیاموزم}
    {بیشتر|حتی بیشتر} {مسائل|مسائل} {تقریبا|درباره} آن!|
    {بیش از|بیشتر از} {سه|3} ساعت {این
    روزها|امروز|امروز|اخیرا|از اواخر} {آنلاین|مرور}} {آنلاین|درحال} مرور} با این
    حال|اما} من {هرگز|به هیچ وجه} مقاله {جالب|جذاب|جذاب} مانند شما را {نیافتم|کشف کردم.
    {این|برای من} {دوست‌داشتنی|زیبا|زیبا} {ارزش|ارزش|قیمت} {کافی|کافی}
    است. {به نظر من|شخصا|از نظر
    من}، اگر همه {مستران|صاحبان سایت|صاحبان
    وب سایت|صاحبان وب} و وبلاگ نویسان {درست|خوب|عالی} {محتوا|مواد
    محتوا} را همانطور که {شما انجام دادید|محتواً} درست کرده‌اند.
    انجام داد}، {اینترنت|شبکه|وب} {will|shall | ممکن است|احتمالاً خواهد شد|میتواند|احتمالا خواهد بود} {خیلی بیشتر|بسیار بیشتر} {مفید|مفید} از قبل.|
    آها، این {بحث|مکالمه|گفتگو} {بحث|مکالمه|دیالوگ} بسیار خوب است در این {وبلاگ|وبلاگ|صفحه وب|وب سایت|وب سایت}، همه اینها
    را خوانده ام، بنابراین {اکنون|در این زمان} من نیز {اینجا|در این مکان} نظر می دهم.|
    مطمئنم این {مقاله|پست|قطعه نوشته|پاراگراف} همه {کاربران|مردم|بینندگان|بازدیدکنندگان} اینترنت را تحت تأثیر قرار داده است، واقعاً {خوب|خوشایند|خوب|چقدر} {مقاله|پست|قطعه نوشته شده است.
    | پاراگراف} در ایجاد {وبلاگ|وبلاگ|صفحه وب|وب سایت|وب
    سایت} جدید.|
    وای، این {مقاله|پست|نوشته|بند} {خوب|خوش|خوب|خوب است}، {خواهر|خواهر کوچکتر} من
    در حال تجزیه و تحلیل {چنین|این|این
    نوع} چیزها است، {پس|بنابراین| بنابراین} به او {بگویم|اطلاع دهم|به او
    برسانم.|
    {ذخیره شده به عنوان دلخواه|بوکمارک شده!!}، {خیلی دوست دارم|دوست دارم|دوست دارم} {وبلاگ
    شما|سایت شما|وب سایت شما|وب سایت شما}!|
    خیلی باحال! چند نکته {بسیار|بسیار معتبر}!
    از شما سپاسگزارم که {نوشتن این|نوشتن این} {مقاله|پست|نوشتن} {و|و همچنین|به علاوه} بقیه {سایت است|وب سایت} {همچنین بسیار|بسیار|بسیار|بسیار|بسیار|هم واقعاً |واقعا}خوب است.|
    سلام، {من معتقدم|فکر می‌کنم} {این
    یک عالی است|این یک سایت عالی است} {وبلاگ|وب‌سایت|وب سایت|سایت}.
    من اشتباه می کنم 😉 {می خواهم|می روم|می روم|می توانم} {برگردم|بازگردم|بازدید کنم} {یک بار دیگر|باز هم} {از آنجایی که دارم} {نشانک‌گذاری|کتاب علامت‌گذاری
    شد|کتاب علامت‌گذاری شد|به‌عنوان مورد
    دلخواه ذخیره شد} آن. پول و آزادی
    بهترین راه برای تغییر است
    وای من واقعاً از الگوی/موضوع این {سایت|وب‌سایت|وبلاگ}
    {دوست دارم|لذت می‌برم}. این ساده و در عین
    حال موثر است. بسیاری از مواقع
    {بسیار سخت|بسیار دشوار|چالش‌انگیز|سخت|سخت|سخت}
    ایجاد «تعادل کامل» بین {کاربری فوق‌العاده|کاربر پسندی|قابلیت استفاده} و {ظاهر بصری|جذابیت بصری|ظاهر} است.
    باید بگویم که با این کار {عالی|حیرت‌انگیز|بسیار خوب|عالی|عالی|عالی|عالی} کار کردید.
    {علاوه بر|به علاوه|همچنین}، وبلاگ برای من
    در {Safari|Internet Explorer|Chrome|Opera|Firefox} {بسیار|بسیار|فوق العاده} {سریع|سریع}
    بارگیری می‌شود. وبلاگ {عالی|بسیار استثنایی|عالی}!|
    اینها {واقعا|در واقع|در واقع|واقعا|واقعا} {عالی|عظیم|عظیم هستند

  18. which escape room
    | Reply

    Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search Engine Optimization? I’m
    trying to get my website to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m
    not seeing very good gains. If you know of any please share.
    Kudos! You can read similar article here: Choose your escape room

  23. Time travel
    | Reply

    Thanks for your whole hard work on this site. Betty delights in getting into
    research and it’s really simple to grasp why.
    My spouse and i notice all regarding the lively means you present both
    interesting and useful tips and hints via this web site and even boost contribution from
    some other people on that concept and our princess is in fact being taught a whole lot.

    Have fun with the rest of the year. You are carrying out
    a dazzling job.

  24. Mashpee MA Realtor
    | Reply

    My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find a
    lot of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for.
    Does one offer guest writers to write content for you personally?
    I wouldn’t mind publishing a post or elaborating on some of the
    subjects you write regarding here. Again, awesome website!

    My blog post: Mashpee MA Realtor

  30. bokep indo
    | Reply

    Hi my family member! I want to say that this article is awesome, nice written and include approximately
    all significant infos. I would like to see more posts like this .

  36. scam
    | Reply

    It’s going to be ending of mine day, however before ending I am reading this great
    paragraph to increase my experience.

  38. home interior remodeling
    | Reply

    This design is wicked! You certainly know how to keep
    a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start
    my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Wonderful job.
    I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that,
    how you presented it. Too cool!

  46. Dog Society
    | Reply

    Very quickly this site will be famous among all blogging and
    site-building viewers, due to it’s fastidious articles or reviews

Leave a Reply

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