May I Have Your Less Divided Attention, Please?

Team visiting from
Life Community Church,
Hilliard Ohio

If you want to know the value of diet and exercise, ask a health nut. If you want to know what to watch on Netflix, ask a couch potato, er, television conoisseur. If you want to know about the value of short term mission trips, ask a missionary! Allen recently shared his views on the value of short term mission trips. His number one reason may surprise you!

“People are always coming down here. And, when they come, they usually want to do a project. Projects are great! They are wonderful! But, what we really need more than anything is for people to partner with us,” said Allen.

Continuing that thought, he said, “We love having people come to build a bridge, do a VBS, or work with feeding centers. But we don’t want people to just build a bridge, do a VBS, or work with feeding centers. We want them to catch the vision! And we want them to take that vision back with them.”

What can catching the vision and taking it back look like? Oh, something like this:

• Many people can only sponsor one child, but maybe someone who sponsors one child knows
  
  of five other people who could each sponsor a child, and can encourage them to become sponsors.

• Sometimes people see what’s happening with Sowers4Pastors and they wish they could donate $1000 to help an indigenous pastor get a motorcycle. $1000 isn’t chump change for most people! However, maybe the person unable to write a personal check for that amount can encourage a Sunday school class or small group to work together to raise the amount. 

• People go back with the firm understanding that, while they might not be able to afford to personally start a church plant, providing a motorcycle for an indigenous pastor empowers the pastor to plant one or several churches!

• People can return from their trip with the drive to help raise money to put a new roof on a church, provide funds for Pastors Training School, encourage a congregation to join the Sister Church Program, pack backpacks, etc. The possibilities are endless!

Another reason Allen likes having teams visit is because it is an opportunity to get people away from their North American distractions. While a team is visiting, they get a chance to talk without the cell phones ringing! Allen and Russell get the opportunity to give a thorough overview of their ministry without people being pulled in all directions. Allen first called it, “undivided attention.” Upon reflection, he said, “Well, we at least get people’s less divided attention.” Even short term missions has its limits!

 - posted by Christi