The REAL Purpose of Short-Term Foreign Missions

As I hope would be apparent, there is no such thing as a short-term or part-time Christians. Either you are for God or against Him. You are a full-time Christian or not a Christian at all.

So, if there are no short-term Christians, why are there short-term missions? Surely, God doesn't want the Gospel going to every tribe, tongue, and nation only part of the time. God wants the Gospel to go to every tribe, tongue, and nation all the time.

If there is no such thing as a short-term Christian, and God wants the Gospel to go to every tribe, tongue, and nation all the time, why are short-term foreign missions a thing? 

While there is no easy answers to this question, I believe there are several good reasons that short-term missions should exist.

Reason 1: To Confirm a Long-Term Calling.

Back in the day, mission trips were much more costly. You only went on a mission trip if you were pretty sure God was calling you to that place. Because of the "popularity" of short-term foreign missions, it is very hard to find a mission trip that's purpose is to confirm a long-term calling that is not planned by the person in question.

Really, what you should look for is an intern position. Generally with intern positions, you are able to do what the long-term mission team does on a daily basis--basically live and be a missionary in that country. In addition, you will work along side the long-term team and find if you can work together well. The long-term team takes you seriously and you seriously consider life-long missions. It really is a win-win situation. And one that glorifies God!

As for intern based missions, generally you have to look at the mission organizations within the country you are looking at. That's just how the cookie crumbles.  But if you are looking at a more general internship that lasts only a summer, I recommend ReachGlobal's Trek7 teams. (Read more at https://go.efca.org/ministries/reachglobal/trek7) I went on their 2015 Tokyo trip, and I believe that God has called me to Japan for possibly life-long missions.

Reason 2: You Can Offer a Needed Skill Set.

For this one I think it's easier to just give examples:

Giving medical care in a place with no medical access.
Being a native speaker of English (as it is [for some unfathomable reason] the new business language).
Hosting some sort of English camp (with the camp in English!)
Assisting under-trained doctors with operations so that they will learn how to operate better.

Basically, is is something that you can do that couldn't be done without you. 

It is NOT, I repeat, it is NOT building some building. Every country that I have ever heard of (and I've take college geography) has people that can work as unskilled laborers. And by having the people around the church help build something for the church (or town) you have a chance to not only boost the economy, but also so share the gospel. Unless you are working with some fancy material that is not native to that area, or needs special training to work with it, under no circumstances should you build anything! End. Of. Story.

But, back to what short-term missions is.

Reason 3: To Build Relationships Between Churches (Vision/Prayer Trips). 

The relationship between a missionary and their supporting churches is paramount! Without the supporting churches, there are a lot less missionaries and God (literally) knows that we need more missionaries!

What happens usually in a Vision Trip (I have also heard them called Prayer Trips) is a group of Christians go around a country(s) and meets the long-term teams that are serving. They pray with and for the long-term teams, and then (once back in the States) gather support and raise awareness for the long-term team and their needs. While fun things happen on these trips (think tourism), the point of these trips it to be an advocate for the people there.  Just like how Jesus is our advocate, these team strive to support those far from home.

What Does This Mean? 

In the most basic terms, I believe that if you are going on a mission trip, it must be for at least one of those three reasons. For any other reason a more accurate term would be "Christian Tourism." The goal of missions isn't to make you feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. It isn't to let you see the world. It isn't because other Christians are going on mission trips. It isn't so that you can get away from your boring life.

But most of all, the goal of mission trips are not to make you look spiritual.

The goal of mission trips is to bring GLORY TO GOD and PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL!

Nothing more.

Nothing less.