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Kurt Ver Beek, assistant professor of sociology and third-world development at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, recently published a study that questioned whether short-term missionaries and those served by such missionaries experienced long-term life changes from such missions. We summarized that study and last week published a conversation between Ver Beek and Robert Priest, associate professor of mission and intercultural studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. Today, Ver Beek answers readers' questions about the study and short-term missions.

Day One | Day Two | Day Three | Day Four | Questions

What would happen without short-term missions?
What would happen without short-term missions (STM) efforts? Some people argue that American evangelicals are looking for engagement and experiences, and that this is driving the short-term missions wave. If we didn't have short-term missions projects, what would be the result? Would people find some substitute activity that engages them? If a single church opts out of the short-term missions wave, do young people and their families tend to find another church or youth group to get involved with?
- Paul E. McNamara, Urbana, Ill.

Dear Paul,

First of all it is an interesting question—what would happen without short-term missions? First, I can't envision it happening in the near future—nor would I recommend an end to all short-term missions. I think you are right: If one church decided to stop all of their STMs, many people would just look for other outlets.

What my study suggested to me (I hope you will read the study, at least the recommendations at the end) is that we need to try to make short-term missions a part of a structure that will have the greatest possible positive impact on both the North American and third-world participants. I think this will happen by making sure that both groups think through what they are doing before and during the trip, and afterwards get involved in groups that encourage and hold them accountable to their goals.

I think it is important for North Americans and Hondurans to meet each other, to see how the "other" lives, and to see how we can love and support each other. But if the trip doesn't result in lasting positive change for both parties, we need to rethink it.

Kurt

Do STM youth experience vocational change?
When young people go on these STMs, does it have any impact on their future career choice or church service? I've known some college students who did secular semester-abroad programs that changed their lives and directions of their careers (e.g. toward NGOs or other types of nonprofit humanitarian agencies). Does participating in STMs result in greater involvement in long-term mission work, or other vocational Christian work, or involvement in lay ministries in the home churches?
-Maria L. Boccia, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Dear Maria,

This is an interesting question and one that is especially relevant for me since my wife and I run a semester-abroad program in Honduras for Calvin College. Students come down to Honduras for four months and we do our best, with God's help, to share our passion for creating a Honduras and a world more pleasing to God—more just, less poor, and filled with more people truly knowing and serving him. We have seen many students change their majors and careers goals based on their experience. I think the time here is very powerful for all of them.

But then they return to the United States, to their busy life with friends, family, studies, a consumerist culture, and churches that do not often emphasize these issues. Their experiences have lent support to my belief that we all need encouragement and accountability if we're to turn powerful experiences into lasting change.

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July (Web-only) 2005, Vol. 49