Usually, when you think of going on a mission trip, you consider there to be prerequisites. You know, things like: flexibility, motivation, and the ability to share one’s faith. But more and more, mission leaders are seeing faith in Christ as helpful, but not necessary, for participation.
“We’re not saying lost people can advance the Kingdom, by any means,” a believer in Taiwan told the Upstream Collective yesterday. “But we’ve seen lots of churchgoers come on mission trips and get saved while they’re here.
Outrageous, you say? Many church leaders are making mission trips a key part of their evangelism/discipleship strategies. “You’d be surprised at how many come to share the gospel and, in the process, come to realize that they don’t know Jesus themselves,” another worker told us. “Others are looking for a way to make a difference. By leavings their home culture and devoting themselves to a week of service, they see that Jesus is the key.”
Some churches have made partnering with unbelievers central to their missions efforts. Before heading to southern Africa to dig wells in a remote village, a small church in Ohio posted an ad on craigslist.com looking for non-Christians who might be interested in joining them. The idea was this- minister physically to the needy Africans, minister spiritually to those unbelievers on the trip who were working alongside them.
Related to this trip, be sure to read:
Ray Short’s commentary on a recent trip Twitter quote.
Tall Skinny Kiwi’s fond memories of Asia.
David Phillips could have been our Tawain host.
