I am delighted that David Lockyer accepted my invitation to write about the good, the bad and the ugly of short-term mission teams. He is particularly well qualified having not only been a member of such teams but subsequently having both sent and received them as a church leader. He knows about them from all angles!
Good? Bad? Ugly?
I’m a big believer in the benefits of taking teams on short-term ‘missions’ trips to connect with a church in another culture. 100 years ago travel would have rendered this impossible but now it is easy.
I’ve been a part of short-term teams myself, both within the UK and Europe. Instrumental in my own involvement in cross-cultural mission was an Operation Mobilisation ‘Love Europe’ conference that gathered thousands of young people to inspire them with God’s global plan. At the end of the conference we did not go straight home but were sent in minibuses to some of the unreached population centres of Europe to preach Christ on the streets, a fun but challenging ‘micro-adventure’ that stretched me in many ways.
More recently, over a 12-year period I’ve led 8 church-based teams – about 70 people – to connect with the church in nations and cultures very different from our own. I’ve also received visiting teams while serving churches overseas. Now, as a leader of a ‘sending’ church, I’ve have been able to observe some of the benefits cross-cultural teams can have on their return.
Not always ‘plain sailing’
Short-term teams provide all sorts of positive opportunities, both for those who go and give, and for those who host them. But there are undoubtedly some pitfalls, hence ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’. The aim of this short series is to underline and encourage the good, to acknowledge the bad and to caution against the ugly.
Most of the teams I’ve led have been to a local church in Nepal, led by my good friend John Pradhan. He will also contribute as a church leader who has received and hosted teams. I believe the positives far outweigh the negatives and my hope is that this will encourage you to participate in or to facilitate such a team.
Next time we will start to look at ‘The Good’
Dave Lockyer leads Junction Church, Eastleigh, UK. He’s married to Amber and has two children. Dave and Amber spent 7 years living in India and Nepal where they were involved in church planting and investing in local leadership. Since returning to the UK Dave has led numerous short-term teams to India and Nepal.
John Pradhan leads Himalaya Anugraha Mandali (Himalaya Grace Church) in Nepal. He’s married to Esther and has 2 daughters. They do a fantastic job of hosting teams, making them feel very welcome and introducing them to the local culture.