mission trip Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

How Long Should I Be a Missionary?

How do you know if God is calling you to long-term missions? Who are the best candidates for short-term mission trips? We’ve got answers.

Jul 27 2021

The journey of pursuing missions is unique for each person. God is personal and above all, and He is able to orchestrate all the details of a missionary’s life for His honor and glory. And yet, as you pursue cross-cultural Christian missions, you might find yourself stuck on this question: How long should you commit to overseas missions service? Is there really a valuable difference between short-term missions or a mid-term assignment? Should you just jump into long-term missions and commit your foreseeable future to overseas work? As a TEAM missions coach, I regularly help people walk through these questions,…

Teens stand in a circle around a horse at Rancho el Camino, where many short-term missionaries serve

There are more opportunities than ever before to serve in short-term missions. But before you go, you need to know the purpose.

Nov 08 2020

Short-term mission trips are often misunderstood to be humanitarian vacations. You get to go somewhere exotic, feel good helping people and come home with some good stories. The focus is all very … well, short-term. But the point of short-term mission trips is to create long-term outcomes. They should shape how the short-termer understands God’s mission and their place in it. They should provide personal growth. They should provide aid to long-term workers. And they should help make a lasting impact on the community visited. Let’s dive into each of these advantages to short-term mission trips done well: 1. Short-Term…

What does it look like to leave a short-term missions legacy? One short-term missionary shares six lessons she learned from her experience.

Sep 27 2018

I was reminiscing with my former missions leader when she said something unexpected: “The ministry area in South Asia still talks about your team as ‘the Dream Team.’” “The Dream Team?” Four years ago, a group of us had gone to serve in South Asia. We were there for four weeks to help a missionary couple, Isaac and Sandy, build houses for widows. “Yes,” my missions leaders said, “you guys had brought so much joy to them, which is why they still talk about you!” My missions leader’s words still echo in my heart. When we served in South Asia…

To extend the impact of your short-term mission trip, having a debriefing plan in place to help you process your experience is crucial. Photo by TEAM

Aug 08 2017

Short-term mission trips are once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can be highly impactful for both the participants and those they serve. However, coming home after such an intense foreign experience is often a difficult process to navigate. You’re likely to experience reverse culture shock, and accepting the realities of being back home may take longer than you anticipate. That’s why having a plan to debrief your short-term mission trip is so important. If you’ve recently returned from a short-term mission trip, here are five practical tips for a healthy and productive debriefing process: 1. Share your experience with others. People…

Know a team, friend or loved one returning from a mission trip? Curious to know how it went? Help them process their experience with this list of 15 thoughtful questions to ask after a mission trip.

Jun 22 2017

¡Descargue una traducción al español de esta publicación aquí! “It was life-changing.” “It was amazing.” “It’s hard to put into words.” If you’ve ever asked a short-term missionary about their experience, you’ve probably heard one of these statements in response. Returning short-term missionaries often benefit from processing their experiences. In fact, TEAM recommends each of our short-term missionaries debrief from their trip with both their missions coach and their church community. However, helping someone process a cross-cultural mission trip isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Often, the questions asked are so broad that missionaries struggle to articulate answers without…

With thousands of mission trip opportunities available to you, how do you find the best fit? Here's some practical advice to help you choose a mission trip with confidence. Photo by TEAM

Feb 07 2017

A new interest in missions is often accompanied with an urgent desire to just go. But choosing a mission trip isn’t always easy. Where will you go? To do what ministry? And when? As you process through the thousands of opportunities available to you, here’s some practical advice on how to choose a mission trip. Pray About Three Topics It sounds like a Christian platitude, but really, the first thing you should do is pray. Prayer can help you discern your direction, but more importantly, prayer centers you on God’s direction. Here are three prayer topics to pursue as you…

Do you think of yourself as a missions mobilizer? If you've served overseas before, God can use your experience to mobilize even more workers to the field. Photo by TEAM

Jan 11 2017

For the gospel to spread, people must be mobilized to go spread it. And if you’ve ever served as a missionary (even short-term), you are uniquely equipped to show others where and how they can serve, too. When I began getting my classmates involved in missions, I had no idea it would one day be my full-time ministry to mobilize the church to missions. I started small. And today, I want to show you how you can do the same. How I Became an Accidental Missions Mobilizer In college, a TEAM missions coach recognized my desire to serve God in missions,…

A vision trip is not a short-term mission trip. It's an opportunity for people to explore what it would actually be like to serve overseas.

Jan 10 2017

Ever tried on snazzy red sweater only to find it makes you look like a tomato? Or discovered that you actually love your cousin’s boring hand-me-downs? Sometimes things just don’t turn out the way we expect. It’s why clothing stores provide fitting rooms, colleges arrange campus visits and employers conduct interviews. And it’s why TEAM offers vision trips. A vision trip is a short-term experience designed to help globally-minded Christians explore life on the mission field. Participants travel to see ministries up close, encounter a new culture and spend quality time with current missionaries. To go on a vision trip,…

After a summer teaching English in Spain, a short-term worker shares her best advice for anyone considering teaching overseas. Photo by TEAM

Oct 19 2016

Last summer, I served as a short-term missionary in Utrera, Spain, for six weeks. During this time, I lived with a missionary, taught English and participated in a local Spanish church. God taught me many things during my time teaching in Spain. Here are five key lessons I would pass on to someone else considering teaching overseas for a short period of time. 1. Seize the Opportunity to Share Christ Teaching English might not be the first thing you think of when you consider ministry opportunities overseas, but teaching English can help you build those relationships with locals, giving you a chance to share…

After college, I took a gap year to explore God's path for me, and I ended up teaching in Taiwan. Photos courtesy of Victor Hsiao.

Oct 13 2016

Between college graduation and starting medical school, I took a gap year as a missionary in Taiwan. In high school, I developed a passion for missions and considered pursuing ministry full time instead of going to college. I was wisely advised, however, to attend college to better equip myself for whatever God had in store for me, long-term missions or not. During college, I was challenged to share and live out my faith in new environments where there were few Christians, such as the school swim team or my summer research internship in China. As graduation approached, I still loved…

Tag - mission trip

How Long Should I Be a Missionary?

Ask TEAM: What’s the Point of Short-Term Mission Trips?

Leaving a Legacy through Short-Term Missions

5 Ways to Debrief After Your Short-Term Mission Trip

15 Questions to Ask Someone After a Mission Trip

How to Choose a Short-Term Mission Trip

Don’t Underestimate Your Potential to Mobilize Missionaries

Is a Vision Trip Right for You?

5 Things I Learned From Teaching English Overseas

Why I Took a Gap Year to Teach in Taiwan