These simple steps can help maximize the summer mission trip experience for discipleship. But intentionality is key.
By D. Scott Hildreth
As summer winds down, so does the season many churches use for short-term mission trips. Whether the trip was overseas or somewhere within the United States, many of us took advantage of the summer to join a missionary team and work alongside them in ministry.
We all know the issues associated with poorly planned or executed mission trips. However, done well, these trips can increase missionary advancement in an area or among a people group and encourage missionaries in the work. From the church leader’s perspective, short-term mission trips are also designed to be a step toward Christian maturity for those who take part. What can we do to make sure these trips are beneficial for long-term growth among those who go?
Plan a debrief and celebration
Most mission trips are filled with exciting and new experiences—traveling to new places, meeting new people, trying different food, and experiencing new sights and sounds. Each of these experiences shapes our memories and cast a long shadow over the trip itself. The problem is these are tourist memories. If we allow these to define the mission trip, we risk enabling consumerism and tourism—people seeking new experiences rather than spiritual formation.
The solution to this dilemma is for trip leaders (or church leaders) to shape memories by highlighting the missionary priorities of the trip. It is our responsibility to help people celebrate culture and experience without allowing these to overshadow the purpose of the trip—sharing the love of Christ with those who need it most.
“It is our responsibility to help people celebrate culture and experience without allowing these to overshadow the purpose of the trip—sharing the love of Christ with those who need it most.” — @dshildreth Share on XHere are two suggestions:
1. Before you leave the field for home, encourage every participant to develop a 1-minute and a 5-minute response for when someone says, “Tell me about your trip.”
You know this question is coming, but if you don’t prepare for it, the natural responses will focus on food, travel, and tourism. With a little preparation, travelers will be ready to highlight missionary experiences for anyone who asks.
2. Plan a celebration event back at home. Depending on the make-up of your church, this can be with the whole church, a small group, the mission committee, or the families of the travelers. Let this be a time to remember all God did on the trip. Share missionary stories and pray for the work left behind.
This event will provide an opportunity to shape the memories of the team and the expectations for future participants.
Plan for ways to maximize skills and passions birthed on the trip for local ministry
Mission trips force participants out of their comfort zones to develop ministry skills they may not pick up in a typical ministry setting. These trips help our people push through some of their fears related to evangelism and talking to strangers about spiritual matters. They also learn to use discipleship tools and how to combine social work with spiritual ministry. Though the trip may only last a week or two, participants are in prime ministry shape when they return. The wise mission leader will plan for ways trip participants can continue exercising these skills when they return home.
Before you go on the trip, consider the skills your team will develop and use. Consider your current setting and ministry needs. How might these skills be used after you return? Plant the seed for at-home ministry before leaving the field, and then provide clear guidance once you get back.
“Plant the seed for at-home ministry before leaving the field, and then provide clear guidance once you get back.” — @dshildreth Share on XEven though the intensity of the ministry cannot match that of the mission trip, the skills and passion birthed that week can carry over. Our people will see God’s mission extends to their neighborhoods too.
Plan for ways to empower trip participants to lead and/or mobilize for other trips
Hopefully, this trip will not be the last trip your church ever takes. Whether you form a longer-term partnership with the missionary team or find another ministry location, you will certainly want others in your congregation to have similar experiences. The best mobilizers for future mission trips will always be those who have already been.
“The best mobilizers for future mission trips will always be those who have already been.” — @dshildreth Share on XNot only can these folks help with recruiting, but discipleship multiplication should also mean church leaders enable others to lead trips. I have a personal goal of never taking a mission trip without an eye on at least one person leading this same trip in the future. I spend extra time discussing reasons for certain decisions and helping the person connect with missionaries and other locals. Then, before we leave, I take a few minutes to explain why I think they should lead a trip back here in the future.
These simple steps can help maximize the summer mission trip experience for discipleship. Perhaps it is important to note that each of these begins with the word “plan.” This is not an accident. Like anything else in ministry, intentionality is key. Short-term mission trips can be fantastic experiences that fill social media feeds, or they can serve as monumental steps of spiritual development. The difference may be the plans we make for follow-up and ongoing discipleship.
For permission to republish this article, contact Marissa Postell Sullivan.
D. Scott Hildreth
Scott serves as Associate Professor of Missiology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of Together on God’s Mission and the co-author of Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out. Both books are published by B&H Academic.
