Theology for the Rest of Us

288: Are Short-Term Missions a Waste?


Listen Later

Each year North American evangelicals spend millions of dollars on short-term missions trips. A recent listener of the podcast asked whether or not this is appropriate? Would it be better for us to simply pool our monies and send it overseas?

In essence, short-term missions can be very effective, if done right. However, most short-term missions are done wrong. They often have the wrong goals and wrong peoples in mind. This makes much of the short-term missions activity feels very wasteful, inefficient, and even harmful. Short-term missions can be very helpful if we partner with local ministries and strategic come along side of them to help expand their pre-existing ministry and their gospel influence.

Kenny also uses this question as the opportunity to discuss his approach to global missions and challenges the audience to engage in global missions. Each Christian has a part to play in global missions. As pastor and author John Piper states, “There are only three kinds of Christians when it comes to world missions: zealous goers, zealous senders, and disobedient. May God deliver us from disobedience!”

However, just because we are all called doesn’t mean that every opportunity makes sense. In this episode, Kenny talks about some of the pitfalls of contemporary missions efforts, especially highlighting the fact that most missions activity and giving currently goes towards groups that have already been reached with the Gospel. Kenny demonstrates the distinction between the “unreached” groups and the “unsaved” peoples. This is distinction is valuable as we determine how to spend our money and resources.

Recommended Resources

When Helping Hurts (by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert)

Gospel-Centered Youth Ministry (by Cameron Cole & Jon Nielson)

Let the Nations Be Glad (by John Piper)

Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global (by Andy Johnson)

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Theology for the Rest of UsBy Kenneth Ortiz

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

315 ratings


More shows like Theology for the Rest of Us

View all
Renewing Your Mind by Ligonier Ministries

Renewing Your Mind

5,095 Listeners

The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast by J. Warner Wallace

The Cold-Case Christianity Podcast

1,485 Listeners

Unbelievable? by Premier Unbelievable?

Unbelievable?

2,028 Listeners

Reformed Forum by Reformed Forum

Reformed Forum

345 Listeners

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast by Greg Koukl

Stand to Reason Weekly Podcast

1,231 Listeners

The Naked Bible Podcast by Dr. Michael S. Heiser

The Naked Bible Podcast

4,721 Listeners

#STRask by Stand to Reason

#STRask

577 Listeners

The Alisa Childers Podcast by Alisa Childers

The Alisa Childers Podcast

5,220 Listeners

I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST by Dr. Frank Turek

I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST

5,075 Listeners

BibleThinker by Mike Winger

BibleThinker

2,742 Listeners

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey by Blaze Podcast Network

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey

20,101 Listeners

The Remnant Radio's Podcast by The Remnant Radio

The Remnant Radio's Podcast

533 Listeners

Real Christianity by Dale Partridge

Real Christianity

7,180 Listeners

Simply Put by Ligonier Ministries

Simply Put

1,392 Listeners

For the Gospel Podcast by Costi Hinn

For the Gospel Podcast

1,513 Listeners