Miriam Adeney asks this question in the recent book, Effective Engagement in Short-Term Missions: Doing It Right, edited by Robert J. Priest. At the end of her chapter she argues that people do not have to travel across the world to gain a heart for a people, a vision for mission work, or to participate in what God is doing around the world. But people do need “a sense of relationship with those on the field” and a sense that their “money is being used in worthwhile projects.” At the end of the chapter, she offers six suggestions.
Tag Archives: Missions
What Evangelicals Can Learn from Saint Patrick
March 17, 2010 – 3:18 PM
To our shame, most evangelical Protestants tend to think of Saint Patrick as a leprechaun. As we watch the annual drunken parades and pop-culture consumerism of the March holiday, no one could seem more removed from biblical Christianity than Patrick. And yet, Patrick’s life was closer to a revival meeting than to a shamrock-decorated drinking party named in his honor.
Doing Short-Term Missions Right
March 16, 2010 – 5:00 AM
In 2005 approximately 1.6 million Christians from the United States went on a short-term mission trip. That number represents a lot of ministry, cross-cultural engagement, time, and money. If you are involved in leading or organizing short-term mission trips, you should take a look at Effective Engagement in Short-Term Missions: Doing It Right! (Pasadena: William [...]
A Gospel Opportunity in Japan
March 10, 2010 – 6:40 AM
Michael Oh and Christ Bible Seminary recently began a 90-day prayer campaign. They have a short window of opportunity to purchase a strategically placed ministry campus in downtown Nagoya, Japan. The total cost of the building will be approximately $1.2 million, down from $3.3 million two years ago. Oh would appreciate our prayers this Wednesday (today) at 9:00 pm (ET), when they will be meeting with the owners and real estate agents. They are hoping to negotiate the price down even more if possible.
Ethical Church-Planting
March 9, 2010 – 6:00 AM
J. D. Payne, the director of the Church Planting Center at Southern Seminary, writes: I have been troubled by what I believe is a missiological malpractice among many church planters today. If we say we are Kingdom citizens living by a Kingdom Ethic, then that Ethic must govern all of life, including our church planting philosophies and methods. Payne proposes 11 [...]
Praying with One Another: Lessons from the Life of David Brainerd
March 2, 2010 – 1:38 PM
David Brainerd (1718-1747) was a missionary to the Native Americans of New York. He died of Tuberculosis in Jonathan Edwards’ home. Two years later Edwards published The Life of David Brainerd, which consists almost entirely of Brainerd’s journal entries. Brainerd’s Life has been influential on countless missionaries after him. It had a major impact on people like William Carey, Henry Martyn, and Jim Elliot.
"...some of whom they will kill..."
February 23, 2010 – 4:40 PM
We've decided to pull the video we had featured in this post until its accuracy can be verified. We agree with the following statement from Justin Taylor regarding the videos in question and add our apology for any contribution we may have made to confusion about the very real persecution of Christians going on in [...]
Gospel Growth in Japan
February 2, 2010 – 5:09 PM
Last February Michael Oh, a missionary to Japan, gave a powerful sermon at the Desiring God Conference for Pastors, titled “Missions as Fasting.” In it he tells of his call to missions, describes the need for the gospel in Japan, and outlines his ministry there, before giving a moving challenge to forsake present comforts for [...]
Open Doors in the Muslim World
January 26, 2010 – 7:32 AM
According to the Joshua Project, there are a little under 1.5 billion Muslims in the world, living among 3,317 different people groups. Scroll through this list and see how many of these people groups have 0.00% evangelical Christians. If we are serious about the Great Commission then we must be serious about reaching these groups [...]
Doing Missions When Dying Is a Distinct Possibility
January 19, 2010 – 7:00 AM
The kind of Christian who gets offended when a clerk at Target says “happy holidays” rather than “merry Christmas” when checking out, probably won’t consider moving to a city where Christians are gunned down on Christmas Eve or shot at a wedding. Yet that is exactly what needs to happen.