This paper explores the scope of the short-term mission movement and calls on missiologists to place this movement at the center of research, missiological reflection, and classroom instruction. It reviews research related to two questions: What has been the impact of short-term missions on the recruitment and support of career missionaries? How does participation in short-term missions abroad affect short-term mission participants' relations inter-ethnically at home?
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AdeneyMiriam2003“When the Elephant Dances, the Mouse May Die.” In Short-term Missions Today. BerryBill, ed. Pp. 86–89. Pasadena, CA: Into All the World Magazine.
2.
AnthonyMichael J., ed. 1994The Short-term Missions Boom: A Guide to International and Domestic Involvement. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
3.
GroupBarna Research2001Teens and Evangelism Report. Commissioned by Mark Matlock and Wisdom Works Ministries.
4.
BealsArt2001When the Saints Go Marching Out!: Mobilizing the Church for Mission. Louisville, KY: Geneva Press.
5.
BeersSteve2001“The Effects of Study Abroad/Mission Trips on the Faith Development of College Students.”Growth: The Journal of the Association for Christians in Student Development1: 83–107.
6.
BelkRussell W.1994“Three Scales to Measure Constructs Related to Materialism: Reliability, Validity, and Relationships to Measures of Happiness.”Advances in Consumer Research11:291–297.
7.
BelkRussell W.GerGuliz1990“Measuring and Comparing Materialism Cross-Culturally.”Advances in Consumer Research17:186–192.
8.
BerryBill, ed. 2003Short-Term Missions Today. Pasadena, CA: Into All The World Magazine.
9.
BirthKevin2006What is Your Mission Here? A Trinidadian Perspective on Visits from the “Church of Disneyworld.”Missiology [Current Issue].
10.
BorthwickPaul1994“Mobilizing Boomers and Busters for World Evangelization.”International Journal of Frontier Missions11(3):123–126.
11.
BramadatPaul A.2000“Witnessing at McMaster and Abroad.” In The Church on the World's Turf: An Evangelical Christian Group at a Secular University. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
12.
BrunerEdward M.2004Tourism in the Balinese Borderzone. In Tourists and Tourism: A Reader. GmelchSharon Bohn, ed. Pp. 219–238. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
DearbornTim2003Short-term Missions Workbook: From Mission Tourists to Global Citizens. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
15.
EatonChrisHurstKim1993Vacations with a Purpose. Elgin, IL: Cook.
16.
EngelJames F.JonesJerry1989Boomers and the Future of World Missions. Orange, CA: Management Development Associates.
17.
EngelJames F.DyrnessWilliam A.2000Changing the Mind of Missions: Where Have We Gone Wrong?Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity.
18.
EspinosaGastónElizondoVirgilioMirandaJesse2003Hispanic Churches in American Public Life: Summary of Findings. Notre Dame: IN: Institute for Latino Studies.
19.
FairclothKyle2001Guidebook to the Road Less Traveled: Your Preparation Manual for Short-term Missions. Orlando, FL: Wycliffe Bible Translators.
20.
ForwardDavid C.1998The Essential Guide to the Short-term Mission Trip. Chicago, IL: Moody Press.
21.
FriesenRandy2005The Long-Term Impact of Short-Term Missions. Evangelical Missions Quarterly41:448–454.
22.
GibsonTimHawthorneSteveKrekelRichardMoyK., eds. 1996Stepping Out: A Guide to Short-term Missions. Seattle, WA: Youth With a Mission.
23.
HarrisPaula2002“Calling Young People to Missionary Vocations in a “Yahoo” World.”Missiology30(1):33–50.
JenkinsPhillip2002The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
26.
LivermoreDavid A.2004AmeriCAN or AmeriCAN'T? A Critical Analysis of Western Training to the World. Evangelical Missions Quarterly40: 458–466.
27.
LivermoreDavid A.2006Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-term Missions with Cultural Intelligence. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker.
28.
LoobieSusan G.2002“Short-Term Missions: Is It Worth It?”Latin America Evangelist (January-March). McDonough,.
29.
PatrickDaniel1996“The Role of Short-term Missions in the Great Commission: A Study of the Effects of STEM Ministries’ Short-term Mission Program on the Participants.” MA Thesis. Calvin Theological Seminary.
30.
McDonoughDaniel P.PetersonRoger P.1999Can Short-term Mission Really Create Long-term Career Missionaries?Minneapolis, MN: STEM Ministries, Inc.
31.
MontgomeryLaura1993“Short-term Medical Missions: Enhancing or Eroding Health?”Missiology21 (3):333–341.
32.
MoreauScott A.CorwinGaryMcGeeGary2004Introducing World Missions: A Biblical, Historical, and Practical Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
33.
PetersonRoger P.PetersonTimothy D.1991Is Short-term Mission Really Worth the Time and Money?Minneapolis, MN: STEM Ministries, Inc.
34.
PetersonRogerAeschlimanGordonWayne SneedR.2003Maximum Impact Short-term Mission: The God-commanded, Repetitive Deployment of Swift, Temporary, Non-professional Missionaries. Minneapolis, MN: STEM Ministries.
35.
PutnamRobert D.2000Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community. New York: Simon and Schuster.
36.
RichinsMarsha L.2004“The Material Values Scale: Measurement Properties and Development of a Short Form.”Journal of Consumer Research31:209–219.
37.
RichinsMarsha L.DawsonScott1992“A Consumer Values Orientation for Materialism and its Measurement: Scale Development and Validation.”Journal of Consumer Research21:504–521.
38.
SlimbachRichard2000“First, Do No Harm.”Evangelical Missions Quarterly36:428–441.
39.
SmithChristianDentonMelinda Lundquist2005Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. New York: Oxford University Press.
40.
StilesJ. MackStilesLeeann2000Mack and Leeann's Guide to Short-term Missions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity.
41.
TaninVickiHillJimHowardRay1995Sending out Servants: A Church-based Short-term Missions Strategy. Wheaton, IL. ACMC.
42.
TuttleKathryn A.2001“The Effects of Short-term Mission Experiences on College Students’ Spiritual Growth and Maturity.”Christian Education Quarterly4(2):123–140.
43.
UrryJohn2002The Tourist Gaze. Sage Publications.
44.
Ver-BeekKurt2006“The Impact of Short-term Missions: A Case Study of House Construction in Honduras after Hurricane Mitch.”Missiology34(4).
WallsAndrew F.2002The Cross-Cultural Process in Christian History: Studies in the Transmission and Appropriation of Faith. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books.
47.
WarnerR. Stephen2006“The De-Europeanization of American Christianity.” In A Nation of Religions: Pluralism in the American Public Square. ProtheroStephen, ed. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.
WhitnerSteve2006“The Value of Short-term Missions.” In Short-term Missions Today. BerryBill, ed. Pp. 54–58. Pasadena, CA: Into All the World Magazine.
50.
WoolcockMichael1999“Managing Risk, Shocks, and Opportunity in Developing Economies: The Role of Social Capital.” In Dimensions of Development. RanisGustav, ed. Pp. 197–212. New Haven, CT: Yale Center for International and Area Studies.
51.
WuthnowRobert2002a“Religious Involvement and Status-bridging Social Capital.”Journal for the Social Scientific Study of Religion41:669–684.
52.
WuthnowRobert2002b“The United States: Bridging the Privileged and the Marginalized?” In Democracies in Flux. PutnamRobert D., ed. Pp. 59–102. Oxford University Press.