Why Mission Trips Fail

The American Church has a very particular approach to mission work. We go to places, sometimes national, sometimes internationally, and hardly ever locally, and try to fix other people's problems. We really want to fix other people's problems, but the subtext is that we are going in to transform other people - that we have what they need and therefore, they need us. But this is not a sustainable model for missions. It leads us to have a superiority complex and to keep traveling and giving money to go above and beyond the high we got helping others last time. Such a model also holds limited relationships - we may remember the people we were with, those who we went to serve, but where does that leave them after we leave? Can the relationship continue authentically? When we come and go so quickly, and give one large sum of money or build a few necessary things, we miss the point that the system is still broken.

What would it look like if we rethought missions? If we went to learn instead of to teach? If we went to hear stories so we could share them? If we maybe didn't even go, but trusted that with our financial background and covenant relationships we could encourage those we want to serve to do what we were going to do for themselves, so they can have pride in what was accomplished? What if we started to think locally, instead of going somewhere exotic in order to get a high? What if?

And if we do go places, how can we make what we do sustainable? How can we make sure that the local people are proud of themselves and find their own abilities? How can we partner with instead of simply giving to?