The Rise of the Short-Term Mission Team...

The latest movement among many contemporary American churches is to minimize the use of short-term mission teams on the mission field. Many denominational leaders around the country are leading their schools, seminaries and churches to focus less on the short-term mission team. I believe this is a fatal mistake of the American church that may cause the USA to become the focus of missional efforts by international Christ-followers who are seeking to go into all the world and reach all nations!

Many of the current pastors of the contemporary evangelical churches across this country were led to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ through revival meetings. Once held as a regular event in the life of a local church, revival meetings were designed to stir the hearts of the congregation and call them back to a place of obedience and faithfulness to the Great Commission and to "making His ways known on earth and salvation among all nations." - Psalm 67 During such events many of the believers who sit week after week in the pews of the churches across this country were introduced to Jesus and came under conviction of their sin by the Holy Spirit and followed the kindness of the Father's heart as it drew them to the Savior and the cross of redemption.

Yet, today scarcely do reports come of revival meetings or gatherings of believers taking place for more than a day or two. "Many of the schedules simply do not allow for week-long revivals anymore," is often heard as the answer from pastors and church leaders. Time is so pressed in so many areas of life and commitment that few families even spend more than a few moments each week together talking about God and especially talking to Him, together! How can the church experience revival and renewal with so little time together allowing the gifts we have been given to build up the Body?

In response to this void in the contemporary church's schedule, the short-term mission team is rising to the occasion as the source for revival and rejuvenation of the Christ-follower. It is the deep relational aspect of living in Biblical community for several days or even weeks together that is drawing many believers back to a foundational place of obedience in their daily walk. The joy of undivided focus on the work of God in our world, the deepening of relationship with the Savior through daily time with Him in prayer, and the fresh wind of spiritual renewal that comes from walking together through life with other Christ-followers is causing the rise in short-term mission teams.

The motivation in short-term teams must focus on life-change for the participant through intentional, authentic, Biblical community development and experience. The fresh breath of the Spirit is so needed in the lives of the Christ-follower in the US that every opportunity to go on a short-term mission experience should be taken. It has become one of the most important aspects of the future life within the local body of believers that many churches now have full-time staff dedicated to organizing and implementing such trips through the local church.

In contrast to the statements of many leaders, I believe the short-term mission team is on the rise as we as the body of Christ seek to fully obey and truly experience God. Just as the reports came in a few years back that cold-call door-to-door evangelism did not work anymore so the cry of leaving behind the short-term mission team approach has come from some leaders. The same reality is true of both...the door-to-door evangelism will not work just as the short-term mission team will not work if we who are called by His Name do not go into all the world and share the Good News! When we stop sharing door-to-door the method no longer works...when we stop going to the ends of the earth the short-term mission experience is not longer effective at stretching and challenging the body to be obedient!

Where are you going next? I would challenge each of you who read this to stop everything you are doing (even reading this) and pray to the Father for His direction and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to commit today to go and reach the world and prepare your heart to teach His Word! How about it...will you join the rise of the short-term mission team and build the Kingdom of God with us!

In His Grip,
JT