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Thoughts on short-term missions

Hi all,

I've been thinking about short-term missions lately and think I may write a short article on them.   But before I do that I want to sound you guys out to try to understand your thoughts on them.   I think I'll be better able to write what I want if I first understand my audience's thoughts on the subject.

I have a bunch of questions which I'd love to get your gut level responses to (don't take too much time and only respond to the ones you have opinions on):

  1. What should your aim be when you go on a short-term mission?
  2. What kind of stuff could/should you do on a short-term mission - what stuff is most important?
  3. How long is a short-term mission?  When does it become medium/long-term?
  4. Who benefits from short-term missions?
  5. What kind of places whould you want to go to on a short-term mission?
  6. What's the difference between a vacation and a short-term mission?
  7. How should it affect you?
  8. How should it affect the people you minister to?
  9. How should it affect the missionary you stay with?
  10. Do you have any other thoughts on short-term missions?

Thanks!
Evan

By Evan Hempel at 01/15/2006 - 10:07pm | General Discussion | login to post comments | previous forum topic | next forum topic | printer friendly version

I only have an opinion on

I only have an opinion on one right now . . . 

"4. Who benefits from short-term missions?"

I think that everyone involved in any way with the mission may/should benefit in some way from it; those you minister to, those you go with, you your self, and those who you speak to when you get back, and possibly even those who observe you ministering.

By Carl Hempel at Mon, 01/16/2006 - 12:13pm | login to post comments

Mission trips

1.I think your aim should be to be a servant to others.

2. I don't think that there is a list of stuff you should do or shouldn't do I think that God will give you direction in what to do.

3. I think a short term mission trip is one where you take a break from what you are doing to go there.  That it isn't pausing your life just a break from it.

4. I think all of the people involved are blessed by it.  Just like in church the elders are blessed, but so are we.

5. I personally would like to go somewhere where it isn't really dangerous and where it isn't cold, but that is just me.

6. I think a vacation is geared towards you and a short term mission trip is geared towards others.

7. Exactly how God wants it to affect you just like anything you do for God.

8. I think the goal is for them to be blessed and for there to be growth in their life.

9.  I think it should be a blessing to the missionary, but then sometimes God might want it to be a challenge for them.

10. I think each mission trip is unique.  We can't put them into catagories we need to just go with God's will and not over analyze what we are doing and if we are doing it right because when we do we lose sight of the real purpose of the trip and that is to follow God's will. 

By Tiffany Hempel at Fri, 01/27/2006 - 1:23pm | login to post comments