I've always felt uneasy about short term 'missions' trips. He brings up several good points, and I'm glad I'm not the only one who wondered about them.
I still have half of the article to read however. I can't believe someone asked him for money to go on a cruise... that's a bit absurd. Aside from those extreme examples though, I would have to agree that short term trips have to be carefully guided so that the heart and purpose behind the mission is most serving to God and not to self.
What intrigues me more about this is two things. One that instead of spending a ton of money on plane tickets and other things why don't we just send them the funds if they have the native church that is viable. The second thing is there is a benefit in spoiled Americans to get out to the real world and see how the vast majority of folks live. I think the folks that have been going on the Nicaragua trip do work and help out - much like the Katrina relief efforts over the last few years. So lets send our plane ticket money to the native church to support them and start reaching our own pagan nation.
These are the two things I struggle with when it comes to "missions trips". The money we spend to get there could support work there for months, often years. But I also think it's easy for Christians to disengage in mission when it's not tangible for them. I have no idea what the answer to this delima is???
That said, if our church decided tomorrow that we were going to start sending the money instead of spending it to get there, I'd have a hard time arguing with the decision. We'd just have to work hard to get people engaged at home. I don't think that would be too difficult.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/matthew_parris/article5400568.ece Great article highlighting humanity’s desperate need for a relationship with our Creator written by an atheist.
Rick Reilly recently wrote an article for ESPN about Peyton Manning thanking him for the way he’s done things; not showing up in the tabloids, saying sir and ma’am, not getting in fights, to name a few. Reilly does a great job listing the many ways that Manning is at the very least a great role model for America’s youth. I like the article and like Manning so I’d love for you to go read it. I’m sure most people would agree that Manning has shown himself to be a class act throughout his career and especially now as he transitions to the Denver Broncos (as a longtime Broncos fan I couldn’t be more excited; his press conference photo with John Elway and Pat Bowlen is my current desktop background, much to my wife’s dismay). As much as he’s been in the spotlight over the years I really do not know that much about Peyton Manning’s personal life or beliefs. In a video clip of him talking to kids at a football camp and a small snippet from a radio interview Manning stresses the importanc
This is a link to a great post by one of my good friend's dad. Check it out and I hope you are encouraged by it. http://integrationpoints.wordpress.com/2010/10/21/the-problem-with-church/
Comments
I still have half of the article to read however. I can't believe someone asked him for money to go on a cruise... that's a bit absurd. Aside from those extreme examples though, I would have to agree that short term trips have to be carefully guided so that the heart and purpose behind the mission is most serving to God and not to self.
These are the two things I struggle with when it comes to "missions trips". The money we spend to get there could support work there for months, often years. But I also think it's easy for Christians to disengage in mission when it's not tangible for them. I have no idea what the answer to this delima is???
That said, if our church decided tomorrow that we were going to start sending the money instead of spending it to get there, I'd have a hard time arguing with the decision. We'd just have to work hard to get people engaged at home. I don't think that would be too difficult.
Short Term Missions