Mission Trip Mindset

How to Help Your Group Understand What it Means to Go on a Mission Trip

To serve missionaries and the local church

• Making disciples takes longer than a week, therefore, Servant Life partners with missionaries and the local churches to create long-term ministry strategies. Making-disciples is about sharing life in Christ with others. A short-term team can establish great initial connections or even deepen the faith of the local church, but the ministry must extend past the 7-10 days your team is on the ground. In order to make disciples, we support the missionaries and the local church in their mission.

• In Matthew 20:28, Jesus tells us that, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” This is what we are called to do as those who follow Christ. We are not heroes coming to save the world in a week. We come humbly with a heart to serve the Church in the way that will best help them in their ministry. Servant Life Field Manual 11 This heart of service may lead you to cleaning toilets, washing clothes, or mopping floors, but know that, “whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

To share your faith

• As we “go and make disciples” we must proclaim the Good News. • For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:13-15)

• We must be sent and preach so the nations will believe and call on the name of The Lord for salvation.

To experience difficulty

• In John 16:33 Jesus says, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” We are promised difficulty in this world. Since the fall of man this world has been warring against man. When we take mission trips, we do not escape the the sin of this world. In fact, when the Church is proclaiming the Gospel we often enter dark places and Satan is working much harder to distract us. Go into this trip expecting to experience difficulty, but know that our God is bigger than delayed flights, broken down vehicles, the weather, or any other obstacle that you may encounter.

To grow

•  We have never known a person to leave a mission experience the same as they began it. Mission trips can forever alter your world-view as you become aware of the physical, spiritual, and social needs of the world. Expect to grow in your knowledge of the world you live in. Expect to grow in your love for The Lord and His people. Expect to be changed.

Learn more about short-term mission trip opportunities for your team here.