Sometimes I wish I did not seek out new ideas. I wish I could comfortably exist within the confines of my own groups think. It would be so much easier. I would be blissfully unaware of so many questions. Oh the joy of naïveté! But...
Our western churches short term missions industry is the perfect example. It feels like everyone around me is fully engaged in our current model of short term missions, while my thinking is changing and conflicted. Of course, I was right there many years ago. In fact let’s go there...
I have been on three missions trips, once Mexico and twice Ecuador. I loved every one. I enjoyed time spent in another culture testing out my Spanish skills. I enjoyed the building projects; building things is one of my favorite things to do back home. I got to spend time with other men and women I enjoyed and respect. I made great memories. I enjoyed the feeling of doing something great for Jesus. And we left behind a (crooked) structure that could be used for years to help the local church. And lastly, I loved that I was the kind of guy that would sacrifice his vacation and money to go big for Jesus.
And then I had to open my eyes to other opinions feeding into lightly buried questions percolating in the back of my mind. We expect short term missions to
- Develop long term missionaries
- Develop missional lifestyles in the short term missionaries to live back home
- Develop relationships with people around the world.
- Benefit full time missionaries and people groups far away.
However, the research from The Chalmers Institute shows that these four objectives are poorly met.
The level of full time missionaries has not gone up during these short term missions boom years. Actually the number of foreign missionaries has been fairly consistent during this time. That’s not to say some missionaries have not gotten The Call through STMs. But there are no more missionaries being called with STMs than without.
Based on their research, most people self report to not living a more missional lifestyle 3 weeks after their trip compared to before.
The majority develop no long lasting relationships with the people they minister to.
The benefit derived by mission organizations is generally less than that which local workers could have done using the same amount of funds invested locally.
Then what drives STMs?
Modern STMs are a reflection of a similar trends in the broader culture, such as EcoTourism. According to Steve William of Ecowanderlust,Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education" (TIES, 2015). Education is meant to be inclusive of both staff and guests.
The Ecotourism industry has seen massive growth since the early 1990s, growing 20%-34% per year, and in 2004 was growing triple the rate of the global tourism industry. Over the next six years, it is projected that sustainable tourism could grow to represent 25% of the global travel market, a value of close to half a billion U.S. dollars per year.
Search the web for volunteer vacation and you will find an abundance of opportunities to serve your fellow man with and without Jesus.
So while STMs are unique in their bringing the gospel of Jesus, the basic model of flying far away to do good and learn is anything but unique. Our western culture is looking for meaning, authenticity, and participation in something bigger than ourselves... and so are we in the church.
And what’s behind that desire is a cocktail of brain chemicals.
In his book Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek teaches about four powerful chemicals in the brain:
- Endorphins: These make us feel good when we should be in pain. The "runner’s high” is an example of this
- Dopamine: These make us feel good when we achieve something good. Closing a sale, losing weight, graduating, or just crossing something off your list are examples of this.
- Serotonin: These make us feel good when we sense that others like us or are proud of us. Getting an award, and being thanked are examples of this.
- Oxytocin: These make us feel good when we feel deep friendship, love, and trust. Having a baby, nursing, getting married, worshiping at church, and falling in love are examples of this.
If we look at STMs in this light for a Christian...
- Dopamine: Talk about achievement. We build entire churches. We put on shows and Bible schools. We dig wells. We are westerners for gosh sakes. We achieve!!
- Serotonin: We encourage each other. The local mission thanks us. They make us local food. The locals sacrifice to feed us things like guinea pig. (By the way, it tastes like chicken and is delicious.)
- Oxytocin: We feel like we already love the people. We love Jesus and feel so close to him out on the mission field.
Wow. Our brains are coursing with shot over shot over wave of feel good brain chemicals. Heck, if you go for a 10 mile run while there, you can have some endorphins too. Add to that the excitement of a new place with new sights; is there any question with that cocktail of intense brain chemicals that we won’t have a wonderful time?
I don’t hate STMs. In fact I would really enjoy another one. And I do think we need to be realistic about them.
Short term missions are primarily for the people going. We kid ourselves if we think they are primarily for the far flung peoples. Lets call a spade a spade; it’s a vacation. And I love a good vacation like anyone else.
If we elevated the good of the far flung people group over everything else, the design of STMs would be very different. Most importantly, the number one reason that people turn to Jesus is a relationship with a committed Christian over a significant period of time. That’s not to say that people don’t meet Jesus through STMs. However we would likely build more disciples through enabling long term relationships in the mission field itself.
If you are interested in digging into Short Term Missions further:
Answer these questions:
- Is it true that most western STMs are thinly veiled vacation?
- What would our STM projects look like designed from scratch with the needs of the mission as #1?
