How to Take a Mission Trip and Not Make the Missionary Wish You'd Leave

At First Baptist Church we participate in short-term mission projects regularly. In fact, at this writing, we have teams preparing to serve in Alaska, Arizona, Cuba, Haiti, Honduras, Iowa and Spain. Other short-term journey will likely be scheduled in the near future to places like China, Wales, Oregon and North Carolina. Most likely, there will be places we send teams that haven't even crossed our minds yet.

Short-term mission trips can be very productive and helpful to missionaries in the field. The teams coming in to visit often bring needed resources with them such as clothing, teaching tools, books, games, etc. The teams also brnig manpower. However, the mission team can also become a bit of a burden.

 

I have been talking to some of our missionaries and sponsored church planters over the past year or so about these teams. Having served and led teams myself, I believe we must be very intentional and strategic. Here are some things that come to mind regarding mission teams that should be taken into consideration in order to avoid being the team that is most appreciated when the trip is over.

 

In other words, here are some pointers to avoid being "that team."

• Don't take over the mission. In most cases, the missionary or church planter has been in the field for some time. He has already scoped the community and is beginning to develop and has developed friendships and relationships. Don't show up with a "new idea" of how things should be done. 
• Don't come with an agenda. If your goal is to be able to go home to your church with a report on how many souls were saved on your ten day mission trip, you will most likely miss the point of the trip and be focused on padding your scorecard for the folks back home.
• Don't be the "ugly American." This not only applies to international trips, but could also apply to other areas of the United States where the religous and political makeup is different than your home. The reality is that the term "ugly American" was coined because some Americans really deserved it. Unfortunately, many tourists often affirm the title. Oh, and stop being so loud. Apparently, Americans are very loud. Settle down.
• Don't come with a plan to help the believers in the mission area learn how to "do church" like you do back home. We had one team that visited Australia years ago. While partnering with pastors there, they worshiped with a local congregation. This local, Baptist congregation was observing the Lord's Supper and like just about everywhere else in the world other than the United States, they used real wine. One of our team members shared how she let them know how wrong that was. We have not been back.
• Don't arrive in the field without knowing something about the culture. You cannot fully understand the culture until boots are on the ground (and in just ten days, you can only get a taste) but effort should be made before the trip to understand some about the culture (i.e. language, political issues, needs, views of evangelical Christianity, etc.) On my recent journey to Wales, my friends in country reminded me how many Americans believe Wales and England are the same. FYI - that's a pretty offensive statement to a Welshman, and probably to an Englishman as well. If you cannot comprehend why that's a big deal, just think about calling a good ole boy from Georgia a Yankee. Get the idea?
• Be prepared spiritually. This is vital. The Enemy will do everything to keep you busy, anxious and worried before a trip. Meet with your teammates. Read a book together. Pray together. Pray alone. Be spiritually ready for the trip. There will be challenges. The mission is too important to view it as nothing more than a "Jesus vacation."
• Journal and take pictures. While on the trip, journal your experiences. Take lots of pictures. You will want to remember what God is doing. We are forgetful. Photos and journal entries can take us back to spiritual highlights (and lowlights - all are beneficial.)
• Don't use the word missionary or mission trip while in the field. In most cases, especially internationally, these terms are frowned upon. Check with your missionary/church planter to learn what terms should be used. I heard of one student pastor who was trying to enter a Eurpoean country with his students. He was asked by customs in the airport what he would be doing. He answered "mission work." Since he did not have a "work visa" he was banned from entering the country, and has been placed on a banned entry list. He was subsequently sent home.
• Don't upload photos to Facebook or Tweet about details of the mission unless you get approval from the missionary/church planter. You can undo years of work with one careless Tweet. 
• Remember that you are the visitors. For instance, about ten years ago I led a team of teenagers on a mission trip to the Middle East. One of our students deplaned and while in the airport stated "Wow! Look at all these foreigners." I had to inform him that we were the foreigners.
• Stop asking if you'll have time to get some souvenirs. Schedule the time. Put it on the agenda. Let everyone on the team know when it will be. Otherwise, you'll end up with at least one team member whose sole purpose is to buy everyone back home some authentic (usually made in China) item from the area you are visiting. I remember a team member about twelve years ago on a trip that was driving us crazy because of the desire to get a "souvenir." We couldn't focus on the work because we were always looking for that perfect piece of junk with the name of country plastered on it. Is it a sin that I hoped her stuff would be taxed greatly at the airport? I repent.
• Don't make the missionary or church planter feel that he/she has to keep you busy. I believe that most all missionaries and church planters truly love when teams visit. However, these have to be stressful occasions. Groups arrive and schedules have to be coordinated. Then, the teams are ready to work. It's almost as if the missionary or church planter has to plan a week of camp for the team to keep them busy all the time. While some events can be scheduled that will utilize the manpower, sometimes things are scheduled for the sole purpose of keeping the teams busy. This is a waste and the mission team needs to relieve the missionary or church planter from this wasteful expectation.
• Be culturally contextual. Know the culture. This is difficult because we all live in a culture that is very regional. Beyond that, we all live within sub-cultures, mostly defined by our church. Listen to the missionary or church planter. Be a helper and encourager. I heard of a mission team member who visited another country recently. He had systematically placed stickers with a dated American evangelistic phrase printed upon them all throughout the area. The problem is that even in America, the stickers are dated. In the nation where these stickers were plastered, the native language is not English. So not only were the stickers out-dated and cheesy. . .they weren't even in the language of the people.
• Leave your evangelistic strategy at home. This one comes with a caveat. There are times when the missionary or church planter will instruct you to come prepared and trained in a certain strategy. In these cases, by all means, bring the resources and come prepared. However, in many cases the pre-published, memorized "key question" strategies of sharing Christ are not the most effective. One of my missionary friends serving in a post-Christian culture told me that new strategies are being developed in these cultures and while the Holy Spirit can definitely draw people to God through the tried and true questions and tracts, they are very, very ineffective. Listen to your missionary/church planter contact. Seek and observe their wisdom.
• Know your purpose clearly. Everyone on a misson team has expectations. If the team leader does not clearly understand and articulate what the purpose of the trip is, some on the team will be frustrated (and will consequently frustrate the rest of the team.) Each trip should have a purpose. It may be construction, community outreach, prayerwalking, etc. Regardless, know what it is and remind the team members. Otherwise other plans will be written in the minds of the participants and the Enemy will use this to affect the team and trip negatively.
• Have fun. Seriously. Take some time to enjoy the people and the area. This is all about attitude. Rest. It's OK. Stay focused. Do what is needed, but have fun.
• Be encouraging. Pray for and encourage the missionary/church planter. Serve them. You'll be leaving in a few days but he/she is still on the field. Make sure your time with them is one that will refresh them, not wear them out. Pray for and connect with them once back home as well. Don't bug them, but, depending upon the area they are serving, connect via social media or email and please, please pray for them. You will remain part of the mission this way.

I'm sure there are many other tips. 

I believe in short-term trips. However, I believe the trips should be designed to encourage and assist those in the field. If trips end up being about the trips and not the bigger mission, stop going. Don't be "that team."

Comments

[David Tarkington]

Thanks Denise. You're so right. If we say we love then make statements like this, well. . .I'm not sure we really love.

[Denise]

Hello,
Great teaching. I went to school in the States but have lived in the Caribbean and Africa. I can't tell you how annoying it is to non-American s in the congregastion to hear from the returning team statements like"Thank God for America" or "Make sure to scrub your clothes in disinfectant and hot water when you get home" or even "O, my gosh, I couldn't eat. The bugs, the heat and the dust over there...".

Denise