It’s Not About You: Lessons from a Short-Term Mission

Austin Lanning • Nov 20, 2023

It’s crazy that even before our birth, we are given a divine source of worth and purpose from the life, love, and sacrifice of Jesus. It’s even crazier that we tend to spend most of our time trying to find worth and purpose everywhere else.

“What can I contribute? How can I save the day?” These questions are just two of many that illustrate how misguided motivations are often the root behind appealingly good actions. If you were to look at my Instagram, you’d see many “good actions” that took place under the name “mission trip.” There was a building project in Belize, a health clinic in Brazil, a youth center in England, a sports camp in East Asia, and more. These are all great things, but the pride behind the Instagram posts pointed to an insecure American acting hurriedly and brashly in the name of God, rather than as a simple arrow pointing back to the water of life that is the steadfast and humble presence of Jesus.

A Fire to Purify, Not to Burn

I unknowingly carried this pride with me into my time with TEAM like a fire. What I didn’t know was that this fire was about to be guided for the first time, to purify, not to burn. I took part in a 2019 short-term missions program called the “Launch Intensive,” a cultural immersion in North Africa to learn about Arabic culture. The rest of the team was comprised of TEAM staff, long-term missionaries, individuals planning to be overseas long-term, and myself. Our trip entailed a two-week stay with an Arabic-speaking family and attending classes on Arabic language and cultural learning. Outside of class, I was seeing what this information looked like in somebody’s life. I was also learning several things about myself.

First, I love to “do it all.” Sometimes I feel that if I see all the places or experience all the things, then my life will be worthwhile. The Launch Intensive included excursions to ancient ruins and a coastal town, but I wanted more. Then, one of the long-term global workers (missionaries), asked a key question: “What if you just walked and prayed every afternoon after class?” Perhaps my purpose was not to be found in the next adventure, but through slowing my rhythm and seeing what God is doing right here, right now.

Pride Can Be a Disease

I also love to “stand out.” Sometimes I feel that fighting against the grain or making a unique choice can give me a sense of identity. In the quiet moments between programming, I began to feel insecure about my role on the trip. This led me to start dancing to Electric Light Orchestra songs as I walked, climbing up the walls of forts, or just being obnoxious.

One of the assigned readings for the trip revealed other possible implications of my actions: What if I drew attention to myself or others and got us kicked out of the country? What if my actions led to the arrest of believers I was getting to know and discipling? What if my actions damaged the relationship between me and the locals? What if my actions damaged future relationships with Americans, or worse, with followers of Jesus? Pride (and sin in general) can be a disease, and I needed to take a look at my motivations before it spread.

Short-term missions experiences allow us to observe and experience another culture, realizing that we are only a small part of God’s plans and purposes for His global Church.

Called to Learn and Listen

Another thing I learned about myself is that I love to “feel impactful.” Sometimes tangible takeaways make me feel like what I have done was worthwhile, and that I am of value. At the school where we were studying, I met a few North African students and began to get to know them. There was a part of me that thought, “Maybe I’ll get to write back to my donors that X amount of people came to Christ, and they’ll feel confident that their giving was put to good use. Maybe if someone here starts a revival, I’ll know that my time was worthwhile.”

Then one night, a TEAM staff member (who was also my roommate), reminded me of our class teachings: “Austin, remember what we’ve been learning? We are called to learn and listen. This will lead us to understand. Once we understand, then we can love. Once we love, then we can serve.”

I didn’t heed this wisdom immediately. We had two weeks, and I wanted to maximize it. Because the truth is, (as hard as it was for me to realize) God’s involvement in North Africa is so much bigger than my two-week immersion. God’s involvement in the world is so much bigger than me. Period. This is not to say we shouldn’t show up or try. God wishes to use us in His plans! But we can be released from the self-imposed yoke of needing to prove something and replace it with the deep understanding that we are already loved more than we can imagine, and God has already won the battles we were planning on taking on ourselves.

Come Witness

God continued to help me understand this concept back home as well. When I joined my church in Nashville I was blown away by the worship. Being a musician myself, I walked up to the music minister, Will, and asked how I could learn to worship like that. He looked at me and simply said, “Come witness.” The next week I showed up to worship practice and watched how the team interacted and worshipped. After another week, they handed me a guitar. There wasn’t any specific guidance; they just worshiped, and I witnessed. As I played with them more and more, I began to see how I fit into the songs. I took critique when it was given, and when encouragement came, I was able to give it to God because I knew what was happening was not of my own accord.

I think that this is the same invitation God was giving me in North Africa and continues to give in all the places He calls us: Come witness. In the quiet rhythms of grace, we begin to see the ways we are being called into His work, leaving all pride and fear at the door, because the words “it’s not about you,” bring immense freedom.

Since my time with Launch Intensive, I went through TEAM Ambassador training where I could continue to learn from others that have gone before me. I even got to visit one of the long-term missionaries in Europe whom I learned to walk and pray with. TEAM continues to be a blessing in my life through these relationships and the lessons I am learning. Truly, every moment of missions and ministry is a call back to Jesus at the well, saying, “Set down your false nourishment, and come drink what I have prepared.”

Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024
When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.

Hospitality, Help, and the Hope of the Gospel

By Suzanne Pearson • 16 Apr, 2024
TEAM Canada provides warm welcome and trusted friendships for diaspora populations living far from their native countries. As TEAM Canada workers Peter and Ruth (names changed) drive from their home to a nearby community center, they pass numerous apartment buildings and townhouses. Most of the families who live there are immigrants. They’ve left their countries of origin due to political unrest, trauma, and other difficulties. They’ve left family, friends, homes, jobs, and personal wealth behind. They search for peace, justice for the oppressed, and rest from fear and weariness. And as they adjust to a new country and a new language, they are often very isolated from others around them. “The sad reality is most immigrants are never even invited inside a Canadian home,” says Ruth. Peter and Ruth and their team try to change that reality. For the last nine years, the team, which includes workers from partner organizations as well as volunteers, has held English classes at the community center. Three days a week, over 60 students from more than 20 countries come together to learn English as well as to fellowship together and receive practical help in assimilating to a new normal. Meeting Needs and Building Trust That practical help may come in the form of procuring furniture, clothes, or dishes for newcomers, assistance with creating a resume and finding a job, or teaching people how to navigate Canadian laws and the medical system. As these tangible needs are met, relationships are built. “We invite them into our homes for meals and games,” Ruth shares. “We take them on hiking trips, picnics, outings, and out for coffee.” This is particularly important in this type of ministry because most immigrants come to Canada from cultures that value hospitality. Conversely, Canadians do not typically prioritize hospitality and consequently many newcomers feel lonely and isolated. Inviting folks to various gatherings and outings allows the team to spend extended time hearing people’s stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. When she speaks about building friendships, Ruth’s heart for the people she serves is evident. “Hearing their stories, it’s easy to love them, and many have become close friends,” Ruth says. “We recognize the value of steady one-on-one relationships.”
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