Pastor Robb Kensinger of Montana Avenue Baptist Church in Caldwell, Idaho addresses the hesitation surrounding short-term missions and outlines the value of them for energizing the hands and feet of the Great Commission and forging relationships between the local and global church.
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You’ve heard of “having a foot in both worlds”? Well, the Lord has blessed our family to be involved in church ministry, short-term missions, and even longer-term missions. Throughout our lives, many have asked us about the value of short-term missions. You’ve heard the objections before. Short-term missions cost so much, and the trips are so brief - wouldn’t it be better just to send missionaries money? Or perhaps the worry is that you would be going to do something that the global church can or should just do for themselves. Allow me to give you three brief reasons why I believe that short-term missions and mission-field internships are worth the investment: people, practice and partnerships.
It’s interesting that God’s Word makes the gospel mission clear (Matthew 28:19-20). We’re to make disciples of Jesus, and we’re to do this through the preaching of God’s Word (Romans 10:14) and by teaching all that He has commanded us, which happens in the context of the local church. Beyond that, however, the specifics are open to wisdom and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Concerning wisdom, as a pastor, I choose first to invest in people. This includes the people on the “mission field” and the people of my local church. There’s a saying in the medical world which goes like this: “See one, do one, teach one.” The emphasis here is placed on stepping out of our comfort zones in order to expand our horizons, as well as bringing others along with us. In the church, we call that discipleship, and there’s no substitute for taking some people in our churches by the hand and saying, “Let’s go to Honduras and get involved in people’s lives.”
Secondly, as the body of Christ obeys the Great Commission, there’s no alternative to practicing what we preach - stepping out and taking a risk in obedience to the Lord. God’s Word tells us to be faithful in the small things so that He can entrust us with greater things (Matthew 25:20-21). Short-term mission trips are not just an investment in the mission organization or even the recipients of the ministry. They’re also an investment in our own people, opening their eyes to the importance of ministry both at home and abroad.
Finally, I would emphasize partnerships with missions. This means relationships, and we all know of their importance. Relationships between local churches and missionaries and their ministries are critical to fulfilling the Great Commission. Let me be direct here. When people ask, “Wouldn’t it just be better to send the money, rather than pay all the expenses to send a short-term team?” My answer is twofold. First - let’s be honest - without developing a relationship, no church is going to send that amount of money. Second, no, it’s usually not better. What’s better is to make the investment into the people on and off the field, the practice of going, and the development of partnerships.
So be wise, fellow pastor. Choose your people carefully, develop good practices, and choose solid, biblical ministries with whom to partner. But do it. Clearly, I see MIM as a strong short-term mission opportunity and partnership due to it being a doctrinally sound and experienced ministry with a wide variety of opportunities that are greatly impacting the Spanish-speaking world.
Go. Make disciples.
Church Affiliation: www.montanaave.org