tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post8271156260664035990..comments2024-03-29T04:31:15.219-05:00Comments on Pastoral Meanderings: Who Do Mission Trips Benefit?Pastor Petershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-45861238668317225952012-12-12T21:26:16.826-06:002012-12-12T21:26:16.826-06:00As a missionary to West Africa for four years, I a...As a missionary to West Africa for four years, I agree that poorly planned mission trips can end with less than desirable results. However, I have hosted American teams who were greatly used of the Lord both to the nationals and in promoting spiritual growth in the one going. Americans can be used to open doors that are otherwise closed to nationals. Many Muslims will listen to a visitor who they perceive has sacrificed much to travel such a distance to share this news of the gospel. There are several pitfalls to avoid but let's be honest, how do we get around the command to "go?" God is working in ways that we do not fully understand and we need to be careful condemning an activity ordained by Christ himself....even if we think there is much room for improvement.THE MOODY'Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10931808713851106024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-50993582607146245212012-06-20T22:54:26.965-05:002012-06-20T22:54:26.965-05:00Most of these posts seem to come from the idea tha...Most of these posts seem to come from the idea that money should be spent on the ministry in some other way. But let me translate- it comes from the want to keep our money to ourselves rather than sending to help other overseas missions. The idea that churches will want to continue helping and stay connected to their christian brothers and sisters overseas, without sending short term mission trips every once in a while doesn't work in real life. In fact, I have seen a church "drink the cool-aid" of withholding support via short term mission trips (originally talked about in "When helping hurts"). Eventually, that church simply stopped giving because they no longer had a connection with that ministry. All because they didn't want to support short term mission trips.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-3877792080435121532012-06-12T21:59:46.024-05:002012-06-12T21:59:46.024-05:00except for Tim Boerger's comment it is obvious...except for Tim Boerger's comment it is obvious that most of what is said here is very narrow minded, uninformed, and comes off very judgmental. In fact in the original post it is admitted that He has never been on a mission trip. i am not saying all missions that host teams are doing a great job but i do know that God is doing amazing things through short term missions. with the Nationals they are working with, the people they hope to help present Christ to, and the Church members that are on the trip. I realize that this has been criticized as if the Americans growing in their faith is a small matter. But I notice the positive impact that this has on the sending Church over time. in short dont thumb your nose at someone going on a mission trip help them pray for them and go with them and let God change your heart.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-61468192184259568272011-02-17T12:32:01.977-06:002011-02-17T12:32:01.977-06:00I have some experience with short-term mission tri...I have some experience with short-term mission trips, both as a participant and as staff (I spent the summer after college working as a facilitator/translator with the Latin American Lutheran Mission), so I have spent some time thinking about these things. <br /><br />I guess my feelings about these sort of trips are complicated. They can either be very good or very bad. Most of the problems are, I think, conceptual (and this makes it especially important to be careful in choosing what organization one works with). <br /><br />I recently heard a quote from the founder of the Appalachia Service Project, something to the effect of, "ASP is a relationship ministry with a side of construction." I think that's a good description of the best sort of mission trips. Is it the same as career mission work? Of course not. Are there some inherent dangers and potential abuses? For sure. (Wherever there are Americans abroad, there will be Ugly Americanism.) But there is something inherently beautiful about believers from different parts of the world spending time learning from one another and working side-by-side with each other. I know of situations where the same volunteers have been coming back to a particular site for years---so that the American participants and Mexican hosts have watched each other's children grow up and have formed relationships that are by no means limited to a week each summer. I would argue that the greatest benefit from these trips is received by the American participants (because the material benefits that we bring pale in comparison to the examples of faith and love that are seen in the hosts)--but the mutual consolation of the brethren works both ways.<br /><br />Sure, one could dismiss mission trips as mere vacations, and there's probably some justice in that characterization. But for most of our affluence-soaked parishioners, these trips are not like any vacation they've ever had. I think a better model for conceptualizing mission trips is "retreat": a brief time away from the obligations and distractions of everyday life to live simply, to work, and to pray (ora & labora, anyone?) alongside other Christians (in this case, with Christians from a different part of the world) and supporting the host ministry in the process. There are worse ways to spend a vacation. Hospitality has long been an important component of many Christian ministries.... So perhaps what we're seeing in short-term missions is a very old idea re-conceived for a global age.Tim Boergernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-40657309175715913852011-02-16T22:31:43.733-06:002011-02-16T22:31:43.733-06:00A Mission Field needs to minister
to both body and...A Mission Field needs to minister<br />to both body and soul. If we can not<br />help them with their bodily concerns<br />such as disease, poor nutrition, and<br />other health hazards, then we will<br />not have an audience for Word and<br />Sacrament ministry later on.<br /><br />Haiti is a good example. To help<br />minister to body and soul is simply<br />doing ministry like Christ during<br />His 3 year ministry in Palestine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-73570619392861335282011-02-16T22:19:19.061-06:002011-02-16T22:19:19.061-06:00We have an arrogance/guilt as white Americans to h...We have an arrogance/guilt as white Americans to help these poor souls in 3rd world, when in truth usually a higher percentage of our own backyard people don't go to church. It is of self-gratifying, self-enrichment to call these "mission" trips to sanctify our work to think it is somehow more holy that just going to build a house. I agree, if it's not a Word and Sacrament endeavor, then it isn't "missionary" in the Scriptural useage. It's the old AC XXVII that my vocation is holier than yours.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-13993287889844392612011-02-16T17:05:24.779-06:002011-02-16T17:05:24.779-06:00I have always maintained a difference between miss...I have always maintained a difference between mission vacations and those mission trips where the individuals bring needed skills to the mission field (medical, technological, etc.). But, frankly, what happens most in our congregations are mission vacations.Pastor Petershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10653554256101480140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-33568473376794926752011-02-16T12:50:50.405-06:002011-02-16T12:50:50.405-06:00I heartily agree. As a former "career missio...I heartily agree. As a former "career missionary" with LCMS World Mission I came to describe these as Mission VISION Trips. <br /><br />In a developing nation these trips can't help but consume the time and energy of the missionary. Your qualifications are on the mark, but the educational component is important nonetheless. <br /><br />As Americans it sometimes takes the sort of kick in the pants observing mission work firsthand can provide to get us to move beyond our self-centered consumerism and recognize WE are those of whom much is expected because we have been given much.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-75781696507879747712011-02-16T11:52:35.277-06:002011-02-16T11:52:35.277-06:00Excellent. Particularly in the mainstream evangel...Excellent. Particularly in the mainstream evangelical world I was raised in Mission Trips were treated more like pilgrimages than genuine service activities.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-17162265088085116192011-02-16T09:59:48.617-06:002011-02-16T09:59:48.617-06:00Thanks for writing this.Thanks for writing this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-64624465460669614412011-02-16T08:54:01.230-06:002011-02-16T08:54:01.230-06:00You know, I think if we considered them as simply ...You know, I think if we considered them as simply religious vacations, they could be high profitable -- because we know that vacations are for our good.<br /><br />If I go on a mission trip, I tend to focus on my actions and works. If I go on vacation, I am restored. I get to learn - I am enhanced. And yes, if I see mission work done elsewhere, it can enrich me - it can remind me of my blessings, it is something that I can then use to share and encourage others to support charity and aid to the places. Go for knowledge, not do to your good deed.Rev. Eric J Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17747919365522145094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329600504016968888.post-91201489372235621612011-02-16T08:41:15.656-06:002011-02-16T08:41:15.656-06:00"Mission Trips" aka "Religious
Vaca..."Mission Trips" aka "Religious<br />Vacations" There needs to be a <br />big distinction between these trips<br />made by high school youth groups and<br />mature adult groups. The LCMS has<br />made a cottage industry out of youth<br />groups who want to keep their kids<br />involved in servanthood. However,<br />when adults who are doctors, nurses,<br />dentists, etc. decide to go to help<br />a mission field, then this is not<br />entertainment. It is genuine Christ-live love.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com