Early in my ministry, I had a somewhat jaded view of many 'mission trips' which I saw as little more than sanctified spiritual tourist trips, or vacations. As such, I was not the most popular youth minister when, at my first ministry post, I broke ranks with the annual "youth choir mission trip" and took the group to Houston's 9th Ward. Prior to my arrival, the youth went to "fun" and "interesting" places to sing, do a backyard bible club, and then do a lot of sightseeing. Somehow, this idea of missions didn't resonate with my understanding of the New Testament pattern of missions. At Mildred McWhorter's Mission in one of the toughest parts of Houston, there was little to see in terms of "sights" unless gangs, people standing in line for sacks of potatoes, vegetables and bread were "sights."
The daily work in Houston was typically long and hard. Have to love that Houston humidity, sleeping on the floor and unloading food from 18 Wheelers from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
As I continued in the ministry in the local church, I believed it important for the church to be on mission both in the community and outside the community. I remember hearing (more than once), something to the effect of: "Shouldn't we focus our energies here when (fill in the blank of the city or town I served in at the time) there are so many needs here instead of going somewhere else? On one level, it seems to make sense. Why go to Houston when Dallas has so many needs? Why go to Los Angeles when San Antonio has so many needs?
When I look at Scripture, I see something else, however. I see Jesus calling His people to not only make a difference where they are, but to go to the ends of the earth. If we all adopted the mindset that said "We'll go elsewhere when everything here is fixed"-we would never leave. Poverty, lostness, hopelessness exist everywhere. The question we must ask is: "What role does Jesus have for us in His Missionary Enterprise? What is He calling us to do, to be?" The Great Commission certainly is not confined by geography.
Missions is not a "here or abroad" issue-it is the very nature of God's people to continually be on mission-both where we are and open to wherever He leads us-and He does lead us out of our geographical locations.
The wonderful thing about mission trips-and by mission trips I am referring to those trips that focus on sharing the Gospel in word and deed, as well as ministering to the 'least of these' is that they expand our vision of the King and His Kingdom, stretch us in ways that can only take place out of our comfort zone, and prepare us for more effective ministry in our city/place of origin. Mission trips also allow us to partner in the Gospel with other believers, strengthening the work they are doing.
As a church planter in Wisconsin, I was blessed when a group from Dallas came to our city to help with the work. Their help allowed us to accomplish in one week what would normally take our church over 2-3 months to accomplish. The benefit was mutual-they were stretched and we were strengthened.
We are partners in the Gospel with believers both here and abroad, and it is in that partnership that we are able to do more together than we could ever do alone. It is in the context of that partnership that we learn more of what it means to be the Body of Christ, working together, each one looking out for the other, not looking out merely for ourselves.
The economy of the Kingdom is different from that of this world system-the more we give away, the more we receive. The more we live for the blessing of others, the more we ourselves are blessed. I'm not referring to receiving material blessings, but rather the blessing that comes with following Christ wherever He leads. May we follow well...
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