Christians of all ages are fueling a growing trend in U.S. missions where families and individuals use their vacation time to go on short-term mission trips, which some dub “vacations with a purpose.”
Many of the participants are young adult students who make the trip during spring break or summer vacation. Another large segment of volunteers are retirees who offer their professional skills to support missionaries overseas.
It is estimated that millions of American Christians participate in short-term mission trips each year, with some 1.6 million believers contributing in labor worth about $6 billion, according to Wycliffe Associates, a mission group that organizes volunteers to support the work of Bible translators.
Bruce Smith, president and chief executive officer of Wycliffe Associates, in a recent update said the ministry is completing a new Volunteer Mobilization Center in Orlando that will be used to prepare thousands of volunteers heading out on short-term missions.
“Designed and built primarily by volunteers, the center will service a growing tide of American’s seeking to use their free time more productively,” Smith said in a statement.
The ministry devotes $10 million a year in recruiting, training and sending volunteers overseas to help Bible translators associated with its sister ministry, Wycliffe Bible Translators. The ministry sends about 1,500 Wycliffe Associate short-term volunteers to mission fields each year.
By no means is short-term mission a new concept, but it has gained great attention in recent years because of its phenomenal growth in popularity.
Studies show that in 1965 there were only about 540 individuals from North America involved in short-term mission, according to Roger Peterson, president of STEM International (Short Term Evangelical Missions), in his essay “What’s Happening in Short-term Mission?”
In 1989, the number was estimated at 120,000 by a Fuller School of World Mission doctoral student. Three years later, it more than doubled to 250,000. In 2003, the number was estimated to be at least one million and by 2004 data suggest the number had ballooned to as high as four million.
Doug Cutchins, co-author of the book Volunteer Vacations: Short-term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others, explained that the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks brought greater interest to this type of short-term, purpose-driven vacation.
In 2004, it was the tsunami disaster that devastated parts of Indonesia and Thailand that sparked huge participation in this type of service-oriented tourism.
But some mission leaders have raised concerns about the effectiveness of short-term missions to the purpose of advancing God’s kingdom.
Preeminent missiologist Dr. Ralph D. Winter, founder of the U.S. Center for World Mission, said short-termers do not have much impact on missions, but can benefit personally in faith from the experience.
Last year, Winter listed short-term missions as one of the 12 past mistakes made by Western mission agencies that Asian missiologists should avoid during a presentation at the Asian Society of Missiology conference in Bangkok.
He specifically criticized churches that send every family in the congregation overseas for a two-week project. Winter called it a “marvelous idea” to educate people about foreign lands, but “incredibly expensive” and “very questionable” in its contribution to the cause of missions. Continue >>
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prespilot68:
You are absolutely correct. If a person cannot commit seven years of hardship in a foreign land, they should stay home and do nothing instead. It is the true Christian way.
Forgive me for the sarcasm, but I use it to make the point that you are being a bit "holier than thou", the sin of the Pharisees.
The purpose of a mission is in the heart of the missionary, not the length of time. What is time to God?
prespilot68,
thank you for clarifying and explaining your position, it is a shame for the things you described to be happening and it should not be so, my point was that only GOD can know what's in our hearts,thank you for your comments,
canadianchristian.
terriergal,
I agree with you that GOD can and will use unbeleivers to further HIS purpose, and I will not insult you by saying you're points are irrelevant. My point to prespilot68 is that he should not stand in judgement when he does'nt know other people's circumstances,and you appear to be doing the same thing as him if I read your comment's correctly.I sincerely urge you both to pray for the wisdom and guidance of the HOLY SPIRIT in this matter as it appears that you are bearing false witness, Praise the LORD JESUS CHRIST, AMEN.
canadianchristian
I think I can back it up. My wife was a missions coordinator for several years and I have personally seen what happens with this type of ministry (another one of the reasons we left the corporate church a few years ago and started a home church). What we found was most people who went on these so called missions, did not go to reach the lost, but rather they went for themselves. It was so they could have some sort of a "Christian experience" or to tell their friends and families they did something for God. Sadly, very few people if any were ever saved on these trips (for one most who go on these trips barely know the gospel themselves, let alone be able to logically explain it to a foreigner!). We did missions in the Bahama's and if you go to those same places today the people there have been impacted very little spiritually - yes their houses were fixed and we handed out clothes & food, but we are called to do much more as Christians - we are to reach the lost! Granted good works is fine, but even the secular does that! Besides, when we speak into the lives of other people (especially strangers in a foreign land) we must first gain the right and the privilege to do so - this can take months even years. So often as American and as Christians we think we can show up like Johnny on the spot and get "pelts under our belts" and think that's all there is to it. Instead, true missionaries go and live among the people for years - so they can gain the right and the privilege to speak into their lives. This "Vacation" approach is rather arrogant and rather senseless.
canadianchristian, even unbelievers are used of God to further his purposes. Your point is irrelevant. If CHristians are looking at this as a 'vacation' they should not go. Why don't they devote a few YEARS of their life to this work?
prespilot68,
did you read the same article as I did? Who are you to judge wether or not these people are being used by the LORD to do HIS will? I don't know where you draw your conclusions from-if you are going to criticize them give us something to back it up or stop bearing false witness.How would you know wether or not these people do/don't share their faith at home already? Are you GOD? If just one person is reached and makes a heartfelt committment to CHRIST it will be worth it, let the seed of GOD'S word be sown and let the watering be from the HOLY SPIRIT!!!
This is just another sign of a weak and feeble church. "Vacation Missions" is just that - a vacation! These trips are not really to benefit the people of the countries their visiting, but is just another device by which people satiate their conscience for a week or so and they can come back home to their churches and say they have done their "Christian duty" for the year. Why do people feel as if they have to go to a foreign country for a week or two? Why not their own neighborhoods, their office or workplace? Because in the end it cost them very little. No one knows them at these countries and they can hide behind the mask of anonymity. Ask these same people to go to their neighbor or co-worker and share the gospel and see how willing they are to go to THAT mission field.
From Indonesia,
This sentence says it all: short-termers do not have much impact on missions, but can benefit personally in faith from the experience
The Lord do work in mysterious ways.
Balance would be the correct word for Mission directors.
Personally seeing US Christians working short term for mission in 2004 Tsunami Aceh and Muangthai, I have only short comments for these guys.
Thank you very much, you guys are absolutely brilliant.