How effective are short-term mission trips?
Short-term service trips are a common feature of youth groups in churches around the country. But do they accomplish the goals they set out to accomplish—helping others while giving students a chance to grow spiritually?
Kara Powell of the Fuller Youth Institute is promoting a new type of short-term missions curriculum meant to avoid the common problem of mission trips that have little or no impact on the participants’ lives:
In describing the new curriculum, Kara highlights some of the negative aspects of short-term mission trips as they’re commonly carried out: most of the advance preparation for the trip is focused on obtaining funds and parental permission; and whatever they experience on the mission trip itself, few kids seem to experience any long-term, meaningful spiritual growth afterward.
I’ve seen this topic circulating on blogs more frequently over the last year—see a Washington Post article on the challenge of creating short-term missions projects that actually do good, and very good ensuing commentary on the Tall Skinny Kiwi blog. See also an article at the Center for Student Missions about why most short-term missions trip isn’t a waste of time.
What has been your experience with short-term missions trips—positive or negative? The Youth Specialties blog is inviting comments on the topic, so head over there to discuss it, or share your thoughts below.
Many years ago…many lol I was involved in two youth missions. One a home mission one to Puerto Rico. Both we were there to help another church in their own missions. We did vacation school, youth outreach and participated in mission related activies. I learned alot, exposed to people in different social and spiritual backgrounds. I think it depends on the church, mission and the youth minister….
Raye, thanks for chiming in!
Did you find that there were certain things your leader or the group did that made the trip more or less successful?
I have very encouraged from your online missionary. So, I’m so thank to you all who work on this online.
Another great book to prepare you for your missions’ trip to the Arab World is in a novel format “Amir sSalaam;” you learn much of the same principles that you would find in a text book on the subject as you read the story of an Algerian family living in New Brunswick, Canada & of their travels in North Africa.
Get the book from Arab World Ministries – go to: awm.org
available both in Canada & USA