PAUL YANOSY: ARE "SHORT TERM MISSION TRIPS" WORTHWHILE?

When I was involved in a fellowship group in college, I was continually reminded of God's heart for missions.  While not entirely sure what this meant for me, at the very least I knew it meant I should go on a short-term mission trip.

On October 10, 2008, Evan Sparks published an article in the Wall Street Journal (“The ‘Great Commission’ or Glorified Sightseeing?”), questioning the value of short term mission trips.  His chief critiques include: the tendency of some trips to include large sight-seeing components (creating “vacationaries”); that capital spent on short term mission trips could be used more effectively as direct investment in the local communities (e.g., local home builders rather than 6 week trips to rebuild disaster areas, or supporting longer-term missionaries); and that such trips rarely have any measurable, lasting impact on those who go (the “service learning” justification). 

As to the final critique: 

Calvin College sociologist Kurt Ver Beek surveyed U.S. missionaries who built homes in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. After coming down from a post-trip ‘high,’ the short-termers did not evince much change in their lives. Only 16% reported ‘significant positive impact,’ including in prayer, friendships and financial giving. Then Mr. Ver Beek surveyed those whose homes were rebuilt by missionaries and those whose homes were rebuilt by local nongovernmental organizations. He found that there was ‘little or no difference’ in the spiritual response of the beneficiaries.

The critique is troubling, but it is also consistent with my own experience, and my own questions.  I have personally been on a number of such trips, some more satisfying than others.  Some were geared toward raising up missionaries (trial run).  I knew this wasn’t my aim, so I felt pretty out of place.  Others were geared toward service – e.g., rebuilding homes.  These trips were great, but I am no carpenter and felt a bit odd pretending to be one.

The most satisfying trips were those organized by my own church through its partnership with a church in another country.  These were intentionally designed as “vision” trips – allowing those going to be exposed to various endeavors with the opportunity to “think outside the box” on how they could help next time.  These trips led to lawyers connecting with the work of International Justice Mission, doctors connecting with medical clinics, and teachers volunteering to serve in schools in the slums for one year engagements.  This is the best model for short-term missions I have experienced. 

At bottom, then, I think the article treats well this “elephant in the room” question.  Even so, I do want to push back on the assessed value of these trips.  Specifically, and even with their flaws and inefficiencies, these trips are often the best avenue for Christians to be exposed to the world.  Backpacking trips through Europe or Southeast Asia do not provide the exposure to multiple cultural layers that are seen on a short-term mission trip.  Such post-college journeys affirm the value of history and friendship, but not necessarily of people (made in God’s image) at every strata of life.  Family trips can skip over the slums to hit only the hot-spots on journeys to the less-developed world (land in Nairobi, private plane to the Mara, jet off to Vic Falls and then down to Cape Town).  (Disclaimer:  having done most of this trip myself, these are some of my favorite places in the world, and I am not judging).      

The challenge is knowing how the world would be different if short term mission trips did not take place.  Let me posit three possible test cases:  Darfur, debt forgiveness (Jubilee 2000), and the shift in political priorities of the next generation of Christians in the U.S. beyond abortion and gay marriage and to embrace the broader issues of  global justice and the environment.  The measurables of Mr. Ver Beek do not capture the simmering culture changes created by the exposure of such trips.  When Christians have tasted poverty and suffering, they can connect with – and rally around – Darfur and debt forgiveness. They can picture what it means.  They can shoulder the responsibility and opportunity of citizenship in a new way.  When they have seen injustice, they can see what it means to be engaged in the work of justice.   

So while largely agreeing with the critique, I still wonder if the article misses at least some of the value of such trips, and specifically how the world would be different in their absence.  Thoughts? 

Comments

[Pam Schoessling]

This question keeps coming up and I believe that there is value in short-term mission trips as long as they are properly planned with intent of content and applicable reflection time. Aspects of this topic are the subject of my masters thesis to be completed this fall. Intentionality is key to the "what" people take with them as emotions do come and go. My research covered historical short-term trip motivations from high school and college mission trip companies, as well as material from other short-term organizations that offer support for alternative breaks for college students. Educational theory adds to the foundation for success. It was in the on-going growth of high school programming when I was in youth ministry that prompted research at the higher education level and specifics for service-learning or learning during a service trip.

[Mark Upton]

I've always thought that the great benefit of short-term trips was getting American Christians outside of American culture. At Hope we consider it an important step in their spiritual development. After all we live in one of the most seductive cultures the world has ever seen.

Consumerism, materialism, and self-reliance are so pervasive that a formerly imprisoned Chinese pastor visiting the States once told me that he thinks ministering in China is easier than ministering in "Babylon" (his analogy for America at the time).

We tell our congregation that one of our goals is for each of them to go on a short-term trip at least once in their lives. Of course discipleship is often a three steps forward, two steps back process. But we think short-term trips are an important and helpful part of that herky-jerky forward movement out of the American Dream and into the Kingdom of God for our people.

[Maury Buchanan]

It seems easy lately to measure effectiveness by dollars. Once that is the standard, that becomes god. Scripture tells us to go and make disciples. No mention of cost effectiveness. Money is just a tool...and not to be worshiped.