Short-term missions
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Short-Term Missions (STM) is a trend in Christian missions that is mobilizing thousands as missionaries for short periods of time ranging from days to a year.
In 1970 there were very few youth groups doing short-term missions in the United States. However, during the 1980s and '90s it has been observed that missiologically progressive local churches began to take a project approach to missions, capitalizing on directing present energy into short-term missions trips, vacations with a purpose, designated projects and offerings, and ministry teams. Whereas more missiologically conservative local churches tended to take a process approach to missions, which draws upon over 200 years of Protestant missions history worldwide.
The project approach has matured in the modern Short-term Missions (STM) movement and become a standard annual feature for thousands of Christian youth groups, church groups, and individuals across the United States.
There are independent Short-term Missions Organizations (STMs) as well as denominations and individual churches that facilitate these trips all over the world.
However, there is a limit to what short-term missionaries can accomplish on a given project. There is also debate as to how effective short-term missions are in actually recruiting candidates for the long term. The confusion often centres on a misunderstanding of the differing purposes of short term vs long-term missions. (In fact this tension is often exemplified by the usage of a term such as 'vs.' ). When both long-term and short-term teams recognise their individual interdependence on one another, there can often be observed an exponential growth of missions, by missional people.
Therefore, many Short-term Missions Organizations or sending agencies are addressing these issues and others through the adoption of Standards of Excellence in Short-term Missions.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- ShortTermMissions.com - current, detailed, mission trip search tool
- ChristianVolunteering.org - hundreds of short term missions and volunteer listings all over the world.
- Standards of Excellence in short-term mission - Seven standards to ensure the quality of short-term opportunities.
- AskAMissionary.com - over 300 answers online about becoming a missionary.
- TheJourneyDeepens weekend retreats - retreats for prospective missionaries with missionary mentors.
