Why Mission Trips Matter – Part 1
It’s a valid question: Why mission trips?
If there are needs closer to home. If it requires an inordinate amount of time and money. If mission trips can cause more harm than good. Why go on them?
There are many reasons why you may be considering a mission trip:
- You want to see people come to faith in Jesus.
- You want to assist in healthy community development.
- You want young people to continue serving in your hometown.
- You want to see young people develop a new or revitalized faith.
- You want the next generation to discover their own passions and gifts
Each of these are good motivations and desires that you may have for an experience like
this. However, what if the greatest reason for a mission trip is in what it may produce
in the life of a young person years down the road.
The Great Opportunity study states it this way,
We are learning from the data that a youth-group model as the primary means of forming young people in a culture that is increasingly at odds with the Gospel is not enough. What does work is actively serving together on missions (domestic and foreign), active training in what following Jesus means, and serving alongside other adults in the church.
The real opportunity for youth formation is much greater than 16 million followers of Jesus in our churches. It is the impact that these young leaders can have on our society and the world…
At YouthWorks, we believe that respectful mission trips can be a useful tool to help parents and spiritual leaders cultivate a lifestyle of service in the hearts of young people.
This blog is written by YouthWorks’ President , Carlos Piñero. Carlos started at YouthWorks in September of 2022 after serving for 15 years in local churches and Christian non-profits.
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