Whether it’s summer vacation, spring break, or even a whole semester, there are a lot of ways you can spend your time. Why should a mission trip be at the top of the list?
Change your perspective.
“There is nothing like a little change of pace and change of place to bring about major change of
perspective.” – Mark Batterson
Let’s be honest: it’s pretty easy to fixate on our own concerns, our own preferences, our own needs. The temptation toward self-focus is just part of being human. And there’s nothing like getting outside of what’s familiar to help us see things with new eyes.
Let a new culture show you how infinitely creative God is. Meet Christians whose way of life is entirely different from yours. Discover that you’re capable of more than you thought you were. Let God disrupt your routine. You might not be able to go back to your old norm.
Change your heart.
Maybe it’s because going away minimizes distractions. Maybe it’s the dynamic of working closely with other people who love Jesus. Or maybe it’s just that getting outside of our comfort zone positions us to need God’s help more than ever. But it sure seems like there is a unique way that God meets us when we set time aside for a mission trip.
You’ve probably heard someone return from a mission trip and say something like this: “I went to be a blessing, but I feel like I received far more than I gave.” It’s probably not that they weren’t a blessing. More likely, it’s a testimony to God’s goodness, that he never misses an opportunity to draw us closer to himself and to do his work in our hearts.
Change a life.
The impact on our own lives is really just an added perk. The real reason you should consider a mission trip is this: God wants to work through you to make a difference. The family that receives safe shelter from your building project. The older man who finally has a Bible in his own language. The friend you make who hears the Gospel and sees it demonstrated in your life. Nothing compares to seeing God use you to show someone who he is. And Jesus wasn’t lying when he said,
“It’s more blessed to give than to receive.”
(See Acts 20:35.)
Will a mission trip cost you? Sure – and more than just money. It will require time, energy, and sacrifice. But we’re convinced of this: you won’t regret it.
Excerpt from our Mission Trip Survival Guide.