Serving the Sent on a Short-term Mission

In many churches, short-term mission trips, like many mission activities and efforts, are just an outlet for a few mission enthusiasts with no long-term vision for what short-term missions can do to serve and bless the church body as a whole, both locally and globally. Without an intentional and strategic effort to inform and engage the entire church in the mission-sending process, we limit the potential impact of a short-term trip and rob our fellow church members of the blessing of participating in the mission of God. Consider just a few ways that you can involve your church in serving your short-term mission team before, during, and after a trip:
 
Leading up to the trip, there is likely much enthusiasm and curiosity among the short-term team members. Invite your church to share in the excitement and anticipation as you prepare to go by articulating (and reiterating) your mission (What is the purpose of the trip? What is the value of the trip to those you are going to serve?) and involving the church in the preparation. Invite your church to partner with the team both prayerfully and financially. Maybe you host a prayer event before the short-term trip to inform your people on how to pray for and participate in the mission. Show where you are going specifically on a map and show pictures of the people and places you will be serving (if possible). As the trip gets closer, continue to keep it before your congregation. Update them regularly on your training and preparation. Share more details of the trip as it gets near. Be creative in your communication! The more you involve your congregation in the preparation, the more they will see their role as partners and participants instead of passive onlookers.

As the team is sent out, consider having a “commissioning” service to reinforce the value of sending your members on the mission, and pray for the team as they go. Perhaps even invite your church to fast and pray with the team in preparation or as they are on the trip! If you can maintain contact with the team leader or a member of the team, ask to receive regular updates and/or prayer requests that you can share with the church. Or create prayer points before you go and ask the congregation to continue steadfastly in prayer throughout the trip.

The trip is over, the team has returned home, so what now? Consider what Paul and Barnabas did when they returned to their sending church, “Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. And when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:26-27). Allow the short-term team to report on what God has done. Praise God together for the fruit of your prayers and partnership in the gospel! Consider ways corporately to continue to support the mission, advocate for your missionary, and pray for your fellow believers. Appoint leaders to debrief with the short-term goers, so they can deploy their gifts in more tangible ways to serve the church and mobilize others for the mission. The return of your short-term team is not an ending point. In many ways, it can be a launching pad for spiritual growth, significant intercession, and mission mobilization.