Recenlty I have been blessed to be a part of a conversation occuring here on the web about missions. The discussion is centering around a book edited by Ed Stetzer and David Hesselgrave and is seeking to define missions. Myself along with a number of others around the country are reading and responding to the book as we go through it. Last week one of the things that really caught my eye was a statment alluding to the fact that, for many, "short-term missions trips" have become an en vogue thing to do. We take a week, go see a foreign country, spend a couple of days doing good deeds and the rest of the time sightseeing. At first I was taken aback by this statment, believing in short term missions trip as a valid way for those in the local church body to be a part of the Global Mission of God. I understood that the statement in no way was trying to say that mission trips weren't good but was pointing to the fact that we have used them to make ourselves feel better and as a way to see the world. I prayed and thought over this and I tend to agree, then yesterday I got an email from a "Christian" orgnaization advertising some of their missions trips, here is an excerpt from that email...
The New Year is upon us, and Good Goers Mission-Based Adventure Travels has big plans for doing some seriously good works around the globe. And there's still time for you, your family or small group to join us for one of our exciting trips, even in February!
Take off on February 21st for a five-day adventure in the mountain town of Chichicastenango, Guatemala. The experience of helping to build homes for widows and orphans will be unforgettable - and so will the exhilarating zip-line ride over Lake Atitlan. Or head out on our six-day journey to the Dominican Republic's oldest city of Santo Domingo, departing on February 28th. Here you will have the chance to improve an orphanage, school or clinic, and to take a thrilling rafting trip down the Yaque del Norte River.
While these are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to serve Him by serving others, this isn't our first time around these parts. Our team leaders have eight years of experience guiding missions, so we'll take care of the details while you focus on enjoying your adventure.
Make this the year you answer the call and embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Become a Good Goer today.
Hmmmm, gotta make you wonder. Really, they have alot of experience so you can focus on enjoying your adventure, come on. Since when is missions about enjoying an adventure.
The more I think on this, the more I come to realize that I simply do NOT want to stand before God on my day of judgement, and explain that when I went on a mission trip under the guise of serving him, the highlight was my adventure of an "exhilarating zip-line ride over Lake Atitlan". This is another example of what is indicative of our church culture today. Since when does zip-lining help promote the message of Christ. When did this become the deciding factor on our booking a mission trip.....
I contrast this with the recent release by Jim Austin, Executive Director-Treasurer of South Carolina Baptist Convention. In an article from the Baptist Courier dated Jan, 17, 2011 he says:
In March (tentatively March 9-17), I will be traveling to New Delhi and would love for as many of our church leaders who can to prayerfully consider participating. Our purpose will be to prayerfully catch a vision of how God may use South Carolina Baptists to reach this area of the world for Christ and to bring this vision back to our churches, mobilizing them for missions involvement. Additionally, we will minister to pastors and be actively engaged in evangelism.
Funny, no promise of zip-lines, great Indian food, all the fun that we could have, just a simple statement of what will happen. I think back to the times in the Bible when Jesus called His disciples. He did not use exotic locations, exciting adventures and the like to get them motivated, He simply said "Follow me". No final destination in mind, just follow me. In fact throughout the teachings of Jesus he makes it clear that obeying that command will have repercussions.
The thing is, that hasn't changed. Jesus' words still ring true, to follow requires sacrifice. We are uncomfortable with sacrifice so we make following Him comfortable by offering an attraction. Should not the desire to spread God's message so consume our lives that we think of little else besides being in His presence accomplishing His will, joining Him on His mission, to take His message to His world for His creation to know His Glory through the death/burial/ressurection of His only Son bridging the gap between a fallen world and a Holy God.
Just my "View from the Corner"...
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