“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19-20
I was 19 years old when I went to Baja California on my first mission trip. It changed my thinking as it changed my life. I feel like it did more for me than it did for the missionary and the mission station work. And yet I know we did plenty to encourage the missionary and advance the work. I will never forget three lessons from that first trip. 1 - anyone can throw money over the border but when you go you engage in their lives and try, love is shown. 2 - an empty stomach growls so loud that it’s hard to hear a message of words about the love of Christ. And 3 - don’t be a distraction to the work of the ministry by leaving unfinished jobs, telling him or her what to do, or doing things that are going to create problems.
I’ll define a “mission trip” like this: It is an experience where Christians go out into the world to help those in need or encourage those serving and sharing the gospel, whether the needs are physical or spiritual. That definition allows me to share why the journey is often more critical than the destination. Or to put it another way, the “why and who” tend to be more significant than the “what or how.”
Encouraging and coming alongside a missionary to encourage them and love them, building a building, pouring concrete, and laying tile in a third-world country can be for a struggling church fellowship. Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with another culture and people can make a difference for eternity. So, I don’t minimize the “what is done on the trip.” But what is done within the individuals who go is huge!
Most come back to the States with fresh and new energy to follow Jesus where they live. They come back not holding on to the “stuff” of this world with the same tenacity and aggressiveness as when they left to go on the trip. They return with a profound appreciation of God’s sovereignty and creativity in a different part of the world.
So, if you’ve never considered partnering with your church or a mission organization to take a short-term trip…add it to your bucket list. Pray about it today, talk to others, and then schedule it. Matthew 28:19-20“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
As a ministry of Lincoln Church, there are usually 3-4 mission trip opportunities each year. We would love to have you experience one of those with us.
