Key concepts

Wise Short-Term Missions

Principles and Practices to Benefit Vulnerable Children & Families

You want to engage with the work God is doing in the world.

More than two million Christians travel internationally to participate in short-term missions every year. Many are seeking to serve orphans and vulnerable children, desiring to fulfill the call in Scripture to "care for orphans and widows in their distress."

These short-term mission trips bring with them the potential for both good and harm, especially when serving children who lack the protection and connectedness of a family. Wise engagement can provide confidence that your actions and invested resources are ensuring safety and promoting the lasting wellbeing of children, families and communities.

Short-term mission trips carry the potential for much good and much harm.

Wise engagement is critical, especially when we hope to benefit children.

The potential good offered by short-term missions relies upon our willingness to continually refine and improve our strategy. When carried out with due caution and wisdom, short-term missions can benefit children for the long term — especially by building up the families and communities capable of caring for them over time.

To do this well, trip organizers and participants must have a clear sense of how to plan, prepare for, and carry out their service in ways that ensure safety and promote the lasting well-being of children, families, and communities.

Short-term missions done with excellence ensure that every experience…

Leaves a lasting positive impact on the lives of all who participate.

Brings enduring good to the children, families, and communities served.

Honors the God who describes Himself as a Father to the fatherless.

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That's what Wise Short-Term Missions is about.

Access the book for free!

Who should read this book?

Leaders, staff, and volunteers of nonprofit organizations who are SENDING or HOSTING short-term mission trips.

Participants in short-term mission trips.

Church staff and lay leaders who are organizing short-term mission trips.

Donors and board members of organizations that are SENDING or HOSTING short-term mission trips.

What will you learn?

The potential for good in short-term mission trips.

The risk of harm in short-term mission trips.

Principles for good practice.

Ideas for alternative short-term missions engagement.

Case studies of better practice.

Wise Short-Term Missions

What's included in the book?

Clear Guidance

Clear Guidance

You’ll find evidence-based guidance, moving beyond theory and opinions to show you what really works.

Visual Explanations

Visual Explanations

Infographics that present and explain complex concepts will simplify and accelerate your learning.

Practical Steps

Practical Steps

Clear action steps will help you implement learning to improve your practice.

Free Resources

Free Resources

A curated list of relevant resources will allow you to dive deeper into your areas of interest.

Would you prefer to learn about this topic through a course?

We have two!

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Short-Term Volunteering: The Good, the Bad, and the Better Way

A FREE training course that provides an excellent foundation for anyone preparing to serve in short-term missions. It is a great resource for leaders of sending or hosting organizations to prepare and educate short-term teams on serving vulnerable children well through missions.

Take Course
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Wise Short-Term Missions

A course for leaders who are strategizing, planning, or organizing short-term mission programming for churches, sending, or hosting organizations. Evaluate your overall mission strategy to ensure the short-term mission programs you offer seek the best for the children, families, and communities.

Take Course

Read Wise Short-Term Missions for free today!

Join us on the journey of learning to serve children and families through short-term missions better…together.

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