Short-term mission trips can be some of the most powerful experiences of any youth ministry, especially in the local church setting. There are many ways to approach youth mission trips. Some churches use various organizations to lead their trips, while other churches are able to plan their own trips. There are various strengths and weaknesses to either approach, and it often depends on the resources of the church and the philosophy of the youth leader responsible for the trips. Regardless of the type of mission trip, short-term missions can be a catalyst for significant life-change experiences for youth as they experience faith transformation through service. For many youth ministries, short-term mission trips are the highlight of the year and can provide great momentum for any youth ministry for the following school year.

While short-term mission trips are very powerful, there are pitfalls to this aspect of youth ministry. While the work performed is usually very helpful, it is the relationships built on these trips that have the most power. One of the great tensions I (and many other youth workers) have wrestled with is the short-term nature of these trips. A youth group swoops into a community, works for a period of time, then leaves the community — usually never to see it again. Short-term mission trips often have left me desiring more as I learn to love the community we are serving and cherish the relationships that are built. There are always more projects than can be accomplished, and these trips often create a vision in the participants for how they might be able to help the community they are serving beyond what can happen within the constraints of the short-term mission trip. This generation of youth has a high capacity for missional thinking that can be shortchanged by the nature of short-term mission trips.

In the midst of these tensions (and others) there is a lot of pressure in youth ministries to find the next new place to serve that will attract youth and provide variety and excitement to the missions program of the youth ministry. I have been struggling to find a solution to this tension for many years, remaining passionate about the value and meaning in short-term mission trips, yet dissatisfied with their short-term nature. I have come to some conclusions, causing me to move in a better, healthier direction with short-term youth missions. It is likely these conclusions may be flawed and not final. They, too, will create some tensions that will need to be addressed in the coming years.

We have decided in our new approach to youth missions to form long-term partnerships with various churches, organizations and communities. We have partnered with four geographic areas, balancing local, urban, rural, American Indian and international missions and with missions focused on relationships and work projects.  We will work with the one community each year, rotating between middle and high schools. The alternate years, we will work with the other two communities, adding our international partnership every two to three years. This allows for diversity and consistency at some level and will allow our youth and youth ministry to build long-term relationships with these communities.

My greatest hope is this plan will allow for short-term missions that build long-term relationships with individuals, churches and communities. It is critical for youth workers to think carefully about their approach to youth missions in their churches, whatever their direction might be.