Friday, November 27, 2009

Short Term Mission Trips - who is up for it?

I love the idea of missions, i have been a couple of short term mission trips myself and i believe they are life-changing. In the last few years we as the Australian Nazarene church, have not had or promoted short term overseas mission trips. I wonder why this is? Do we not value what missions can do in the life of young people? or have we just lost that 'passion' to see people transformed by a stretching experience? or maybe just not enough 'time'.
I am sure it isn't quite as simple as that, but anyway.

When it comes to short-term mission trips, often it is the lives of the missionaries that are impacted the most. The Barna Group recently published research that explores how short-term mission trips affect those who take them. Here are some highlights:

Who takes short term mission trips?

•9% of American adults
>> only 3.5% of American adults went in the last 5 years
•11% of churchgoers
•23% evangelical Christians
•12% of Mosaics (ages 18-24)
•9% of Busters (ages 25-43)
•7% of Boomers (ages 44-62)
•9% of Elders (ages 63+)
How do short-term mission trips affect those who go?

•75% say the experience changed their life in some way
•25% say it helped them become more aware of other people’s struggles
•16% say it taught them more about poverty, justice, or the world
•11% say it increased their compassion
•9% say it enriched their faith
•9% say it broadened their spiritual understanding
•5% say it boosted their financial generosity

How have short-term mission trips affected your congregation?
What would happen to our people if we were a sending church?
Just some thoughts...

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