Here’s a question that has been posed to me (and many others, I’m sure).
“Why do you do short term missions?” The implied question is, “Why do you ONLY do short term missions?”
An alternative question is, “Do short term missions work?”
I do believe that short term missions work. That conviction comes both from personal experience and scripture.
Before I start hurling scripture and stories at you, let me first present a challenge. I mean this as a means of encouragement (and the end result should be one of joy, not aggravation) though I understand that it could come off as antagonistic.
Trust in the fulfillment of God’s word. Trust in God’s omnipotence (having unlimited power, able to do anything) and do not allow yourself to believe that our human failure can stop God.
Let me emphasize. Do not allow yourself to believe that our human failure can stop God.
What does that mean, exactly?
It means that if we do in fact believe that an all-knowing, all-powerful God created this universe and wants to have a personal relationship with us by forgiving us of our sins through payment with his son’s life, then we have to believe that he can succeed where we fail. Even better, he can take our failures and turn them into victories (though, that’s a different topic entirely). We cannot stop God. He can take take the smallest of opportunities and turn it into something unbelievable. Even better, he can turn nothing into everything. He’s done it before.
Question one
“Why do you (only) do short term missions?” Often times, people cannot afford to do more than a week-long trip. The reality is that we’re in a very financially dependent and financially strained culture. Yet, God still provides opportunities for us to go out and serve him with what little time we are able to give. If you think about it, that is such a precious sacrifice to God. Reference Mark 12:41-44 (NLT)
41 Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
We do week-long (or short term. I shouldn’t specify length) mission trips because that’s all we can do sometimes, and God takes that little sacrifice of our time and work, is pleased by it, and blesses us with it.
Question two
“Do short term missions work?”
Reference John chapter 4. Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman once, and she is saved. Afterwards, he tells his disciples this,
35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.” John 4:35-38 (NLT)
Short term missions work because the fields are ripe for harvest. There are people whose hearts are ready to receive the gospel, but they need someone to prompt them, or maybe they desire a savior and need to hear about Jesus.
Short term missions work because one person will plant and another person will harvest. If I speak to a man, but he is not saved, God will stay with him and convict his heart and prepare him through conversation and experiences until someone comes through to harvest. Philippians 1:6 says, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (NLT).
God is more invested in the lives of the people you come in contact with than you are. God loves those people more than you. To think that a person will not be saved because your mission group only spoke to them once drastically underestimates God’s capability. I’m sure that there are many people who have come to salvation through Christ because of many unrelated conversations or events, and I believe that God’s hand is in each and every one.
Reference all of Jesus’s works. He often would speak to a person once, and they would be saved.
“But Kyle, he’s Jesus! He can do miracles! Of course people will believe and be saved.”
This is true. Well, let’s look at a passage in Acts 8:26-38 where Philip encounters an Ethiopian eunuch.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter
and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he opens not his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.” (NLT)
Bam. Just like that. God had prepared this man’s heart through the book Isaiah. All he needed was a short investment of time and the news of Jesus. I have no doubt that there are people like this across the world, and a short term mission could put you or me in the exact place for us to be God’s hand in the harvest.
“But Kyle, that’s the bible, and that happened a long time ago. Is there something a little more relevant to me?”
Yes. I was part of a mission group that went to Nicaragua last year, and I met a man named Roger. As a person, Roger is heart-warming kind. He felt no shame and laughed loudly while posing for joke photos wearing a little girl’s tiara. This was in a very conservative culture, mind you. He often joked around and had flex-offs with our associate pastor. Three years ago, he was a belligerent alcoholic atheist standing on the edge of our bible studies with a critical spirit and (seemingly) no interest in the gospel.
Believe in God’s power and the fulfillment of his promises.
