The 10 Commandments of Short Term Mission Trips

Yesterday, I promised to post these this morning, so here goes:

1) Remember, the primary function of a short term mission trip is to partner with God in what He's doing in
    a given part of the world.

2) Always seek to serve those with whom you are partnering--whatever that may require.

3) Give up your expectations and be ready for whatever the Holy Spirit wants to do.

4) Be flexible.

5) Honor the authorities over you, including government and church authorities.

6) Leave a small financial and cultural footprint in the area that you're visitng.

7) Be a learner. Prepare for your trip by studying the culture or area that you're visiting,
    but also continue to ask questions and learn during the trip.

8) Be respectful of and sensitive to cultural differences.

9) Demonstrate integrity. Don't make promises about following up or staying in touch that you can't
    keep. If you do make them, then keep them.

10) Make prayer the cornerstone of the trip. Ask God what to do, where to go, and how to act each and every day. Endeavor to go deeper in the Lord through this experience, and look for signs of how He may be answering your prayers each day of the project.

Please feel free to comment on this entry. What would you add to the list?

Russ Sharrock and our ministry partner from South Asia, will be in Maryland, Virginia, and surrounding states during the month of May 2011. There are several dates still available. We would love to speak to your church or home group. You can contact me at aimission@hotmail.com for more details. 

Asia International Mission is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry. 

All gifts are tax-deductible and 100% of donations are used as designated

What Is A Mission Trip?

Lately, I've been frustrated with what appears to be today's definition of "Mission Trip." For me "mission trip" is not synonymous with "service project." Personally, I don't understand this fascination with missions as a glorified form of public service. In my opinion, mission trips are much more than that.

A mission trip is not a vacation or a mere cross-cultural experience. It's just what it sounds like--a trip with a specific mission. According to scripture, the mission isn't necessarily giving handouts to the poor or even aiding long-term missionaries in their work. It's about sharing the gospel.

I know I'm probably stepping on some toes here, but please bear with me. I don't have a problem with helping the poor or doing disaster relief; in fact, I think those are wonderful activities to be doing on a mission trip, and AIM is involved in them all. However, I think those are the means, and not the end, of short term missions.

Quite simply, the end of any mission trip is the glory of God. It's not to just dig a well or see what it's like to be a "real missionary" for a week. It's to join the Lord in the work He is doing. Now, that may mean digging a well in Africa or planting a church in India. It may involve knocking on doors in Brazil or praying through the night in a dilapidated church in downtown Pittsburgh. It may even require you to lay down your life, just as Nate Saint did. Regardless, the point of the mission trip is not our cleverly-devised acts of service. It is obedience to God. 

We need to set aside our human agendas and make God once again the central point of missions.

Remember, It's not about us--our rules and systems and ideas. It's about Him.

Missions is not about us; it's about God.

Church, I think we're in need of a bit of revolution when it comes to how we approach mission trips.Quite frankly, I think we could stand to be a lot more daring. Let's stop bringing the high calling of missions down to our carnal level and instead seek to meet God in the work that He's doing in the world, even if it means that we have to redefine some commonly misunderstood words like mission trip.



Tomorrow I will be publishing the 10 Commandments of Mission Trips. So, be looking for it.

I would love to hear from all our readers.  Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of these articles, or just what's on your mind.

Prayer Points:
Join us each week as we pray for the unreached people groups

Pray that God’s Name will be glorified as we continue to preach the Word 

Pray for a harvest of new believers in Asia

Pray for new partnerships to be formed throughout the world for spreading the gospel to south Asia
Pray for the continued funding of the new Children's Home

If you would like to be part of the amazing things God is doing now and in the coming days, please consider Donating Now to support the work of AIM. 

Or if you have a heart for children, consider Sponsoring an Abandoned Child and give them the gift of hope and love in the coming New Year.

There are still several openings left on next years mission trips. Go Here Now to check out all the opportunities and apply.

Asia International Mission is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry. 

All gifts are tax-deductible and 100% of donations are used as designated

We Need More Power in Short Term Missions

What I mean by this is we need less of us, and more of the Holy Spirit. We need to stop thinking that we have all the answers for the developing world, and ask God what He desires.

We need to humble ourselves.

We need to seek the Lord's face.

We need more power.

Our modern humanistic approach to short term missions has, sadly, resulted in a weak form of ministry that doesn't look much like New Testament Christianity. We build a house or dig a well, say a prayer, and feel good about ourselves until next summer.

I have a sneaking suspicion that God wants more for us.

God's kingdom is not built on some shrewdly developed business plan (He can use those if He wants), but on the prayers of the saints, and often on the blood of martyrs. His rule and reign is established supernaturally when we choose to reject the ways of the world and trust completely in Him.

This means for some of us, we need to change the way we think and do missions. 

In short, we need to take more risks on mission trips. We need to be willing to surrender some of our schedule for a Spirit-led ministry. Because in risking, we find faith. And in faith, God is pleased and glorified. Plus, really cool stuff tends to happen.

$10 Goes A Long Way in India
Will you consider making a year-end, tax-deductible donation this Christmas of at least $10? If you would like to make a difference in a child's life please Donate Now. 

Prayer Points:

88.2% of all people groups in India still have not been reached. Pray for effective outreach and church planting.

Be in prayer for the persecuted church, being persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere. (Eph. 6:18) Ask that God would strengthen these who are enduring much suffering.

Asia International Mission is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry. 

All gifts are tax-deductible and 100% of donations are used as designated

Is It Radical?

A few weeks back I finished reading the book Radical by David Platt, and it impacted my thinking in a tremendous way. If you're a Christian today, then there's a good chance you have heard the term "radical" used a great deal lately. It has been primarily used to reference some type of sacrifice or step of faith that a believer has made in their life. You might be labeled this if you decided not to get that big car, or gave up your dream of owning a nice house in the 'burbs. Maybe you decided to give up your Spring break at the beach this year and instead take a mission trip to a Third World country. Or, better yet, pay off the thousands of dollars you owe the bank--now that's radical!

Let's look at this from a different angle--is doing what you are called to do radical? Doing something about the thousands of children that die each year from preventable disease, fighting against the sex trade in Asia, or just forgetting about your own desires and serving others--is it radical to do things like this, or is it simply what is expected of us?

"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do?So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"
(Luke 17:7-10)

Please consider making a year end Donation Now to complete the construction of the new Children's Home. A small amount goes a long way in India.

Prayer Points:
Thank God for His Son—a gift too wonderful for words! (2 Corinthians 9:15)
Pray for the 6916 remaining unreached people groups to have the gospel presented to them in a manner they can understand. Ask that reproducing churches would be established in each of these cultures.
Pray for the Muslim people in India; that they may hear about the grace and promises in the Messiah.

Pray for the Adi Baugar of India

Population: Unknown
World Popl: Unknown
Main Language: Kannada
Main Religion: Hinduism
Bible: Complete
Status: Least-Reached
Christ-Followers: Few, less than 2%

 Asia International Mission is an IRS approved 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry. All gifts are tax-deductible and 100% of donations are used as designated.

Please make checks payable to AIM

                                                Po Box 1597

                                                Stillwater, OK 74076