Youth Mission Trips

[Combatchuc11]

What are the pros and cons of a youth mission trip to a far and distant land?

 

[popslittlewonder]

I think youth missions is great it has taught me sooo much. It also gets you prepared for going to other places when you are older. Or finding out of missions is the think you want to do.

 

[CaseyRacquel]

There are a lot of pros with youth mission trips. I have noticed that it will help affirm a call on their lives - or not. In rare cases some youth misbehaved on our trip and were busy having fun and being young, and not really getting the full benefit of it. But most of them were amazing and touched, and you could see a fire of God in their eyes

 

[ElElohe]

Pros:

As mentioned above, short term trips can confirm a calling. They can also "create" a calling.

If done well they can be very helpful to the host missionaries as well.

Can be helpful in survey work of unreached people groups.



Cons:

A lack of preparation and debriefing has been a problem.

A very important part of short term trips is follow up. If you "convert" 100 people there needs to be a local Christian community or missionary to disciple them.

It seems that peer pressure can cause people to go on a trip they otherwise wouldn't consider, particularly in youth groups.

There have been occasions where a short term team has been more of a nuissance than help. I read of on such instance where the host missionary had the team replace a roof that didn't need to be replaced, to keep them busy and give them a sense of accomplishment.

This is a brief list . . .

 

[ElElohe]

. . . this list is from www.stmStandards.org, the Standards of Excellence in short term missions.


1. God-Centeredness
An excellent short-term mission seeks first God’s glory and his kingdom, and is expressed through our:

1.1 Purpose — Centering on God’s glory and his ends throughout our entire STM process
1.2 Lives — Sound biblical doctrine, persistent prayer, and godliness in all our thoughts, words, and deeds
1.3 Methods — Wise, biblical, and culturally-appropriate methods which bear spiritual fruit

2. Empowering Partnerships
An excellent short-term mission establishes healthy, interdependent, on-going relationships between sending and receiving partners, and is expressed by:

2.1 Primary focus on intended receptors
2.2 Plans which benefit all participants
2.3 Mutual trust and accountability

3. Mutual Design
An excellent short-term mission collaboratively plans each specific outreach for the benefit of all participants, and is expressed by:

3.1 On-field methods and activities aligned to long-term strategies of the partnership
3.2 Goer-guests’ ability to implement their part of the plan
3.3 Host receivers’ ability to implement their part of the plan

4. Comprehensive Administration
An excellent short-term mission exhibits integrity through reliable set-up and thorough administration for all participants, and is expressed by:

4.1 Truthfulness in promotion, finances, and reporting results
4.2 Appropriate risk management
4.3 Quality program delivery and support logistics

5. Qualified Leadership
An excellent short-term mission screens, trains, and develops capable leadership for all participants, and is expressed by:

5.1 Character — Spiritually mature servant leadership
5.2 Skills — Prepared, competent, organized and accountable leadership
5.3 Values — Empowering and equipping leadership

6. Appropriate Training
An excellent short-term mission prepares and equips all participants for the mutually designed outreach, and is expressed by:

6.1 Biblical, appropriate, and timely training
6.2 On-going training and equipping (pre-field, on-field, post-field)
6.3 Qualified trainers

7. Thorough Follow-Up
An excellent short-term mission assures debriefing and appropriate follow-up for all participants, and is expressed by:

7.1 Comprehensive debriefing (pre-field, on-field, post-field)
7.2 On-field re-entry preparation
7.3 Post-field follow-up and evaluation

 

[writer4him]

Pros:

-you can confirm or create a calling
-you can grow in the Lord
-you can learn abut hw it really is in othewr contries--you can grow closer to those around you
-you can really help others
-you can brign peopl to truely know God.
-it can just be a life changin eye-opening experiance for everyone

Cons:
-some people don't want to be there
-some people don't pray about or give it a chance once they see the price tag that comes wiht it
-you have to take some special precautions in certain areas especialy wiht teenage girls (speeking from experiance)

these are just a few thigns that i have taken away form my past two missions trip, last year was actauly to Honduras.

 

[onfire4him77]

A great place that affirms all of those things...
www.globalexpeditions.com

Going on a trip with this organization change my life, and the lives of my youth group...who went..as, a typical inner city youth group...and came back as an on fire followers of Christ!
They will not give you 'busy work' or leave you idle...you can even go on the trip with them and be their leader!
check it out...its amazing. I went to South Africa with my youth group with them last year, and this year I am going to Peru by myself with them.

 

[smile]

It teaches them how to be servents. They (hopefully) learn it's not about them. They aren't there for them. They are to do whatever they are asked to do while being there. It teaches selflessness.

It shatters the "I'm the center of the world" mindset.

They learn that the US(or wherever they are from) is just one part of the world. There is a whole big world out there that doesn't think what they think.

It teaches them how to share their faith. Whether they are in a church service, just working on a house, or walking in a market.

It also teaches them to value what they have. What God has blessed them with. What they have been given.
That not everyone has what they have.

I think taking youth on a mission trips is awesome. They will take a lot of risks that older people will not.

Just my 2 cents.

Smile