Missions Trips: Is Volunteerism Harmful?

Not all mission trips are created equal. There is a growing skepticism in the American church towards short-term mission trips. To be honest, many of the skeptics are justified. When not done well, short-term missions can, quite frankly, hurt more than they help. At the same time, there is a growing interest in philanthropy and volunteerism in our culture. We are more interested than ever in helping people, but less inclined to include Jesus in the experience.

 

This approach can also be quite harmful, according to Todd Eckhardt, director of Homeland Ministries at World Gospel Mission. In an article entitled “Missions Group: Volunteerism Attitude Can Be Harmful” he was quoted as saying: “When you go on a missions trip – whether you go with your church,
with WGM, or another missions group – you’re entering dangerous
territory… You’re reaching out to people in the name
of Jesus in order to make Him known.”

 

Eckhardt helps us remember that the focus of missions isn’t to simply help people, but rather to make Christ’s name known in the nations. “The further away from that primary motivation you get, the more
potential damage you could be doing both to yourself and to those whom
you are serving.”

 

Yes, both missions and volunteerism can be harmful, but let’s not throw the baby our with the bath water. So, how do you avoid this type of missions experience that may whet your volunteerism appetite without fulfilling the Great Commission?

 

First of all, spend some time finding the right missions organization for you. Unbiased third-party events and organizations such as Urbana, ShortTermMissions.com, and the Right Now Campaign are all excellent choices to find the right missions opportunity with the right motivation.

 

Second, once you decide on a short-term mission trip, spend some time preparing and researching. There are both logistical and spiritual ways to prepare for a mission trip. You may want to go through a resource like When Helping Hurts to be sensitive to systemic issues of poverty. For a detailed list on how to prepare, see this article: Five Keys to a Successful Mission Trip. 

 

Do you have any tips on how to make a mission trip spiritually significant?