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Our churches cannot be the greatest expression of Jesus if we aren’t on global mission. When I think of someone who is practically reaching the lost on a global scale like Jesus would have reached the lost, I think of my good friend Pastor Jeff Mueller, the founder and president of Child Beyond International. In today’s blog, Jeff will help each church understand how global short-term mission trips transform not only the lives of those on the receiving end, but especially those from the sending church.
As you read, I hope you are stirred to action and plug in more with their great organization. And, for further study, sign up for our FREE webinar where I’ll interview Pastor Jeff Mueller on April 11th. It’s called “Helping Churches Do Outreach that Actually Reaches the Vulnerable.”
Without further ado, here are his words.
In my over thirty years as a pastor, church planter and missionary, I have learned that churches who focus on both the local mission field (neighborhood, community, town, city) and at least one specific long-term global mission field, not only fulfill our Lord’s Great Commission in a much-greater capacity, but grow stronger, more faithful disciples, both across the street and across international borders.
It is my firm conviction based on God’s clear Word and my own personal experience that every alive and well, Spirit-led, Bible-believing, Christ-following Christian ministry is heavily involved in the “both/and” mission of Jesus. In fact, this is so important that Jesus’s very final red letters before He ascended into heaven points to this very truth. He says, in Acts 1:8: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Spiritually healthy churches and those who lead them are passionate about reaching the lost and the most vulnerable. Their #1 mission is rescuing and restoring the “least of these”. They desire to fulfill the red letters of the Gospels as their primary purpose. “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.” Matthew 25:40
Spiritually healthy churches know that they have been rescued to rescue!
By God’s grace, power and design, Child Beyond International (CBI) has become a proven, effective and impactful global children’s rescue ministry.
And while there are hundreds of worthy global mission opportunities for a church to choose from, I believe that working with Jesus to rescue and restore abused, abandoned and neglected children is at the top of the list! I’ll talk more of Child Beyond International’s strategy for reaching the vulnerable in our world with Pastor Zach Zehnder, author of Red Letter Challenge, in a FREE webinar on April 11th.
But, for today, one of the things that is often misunderstood about global mission trips is the benefits that short-term mission trips can have on the sending church. Here are seven key benefits that we have seen in our organization through short-term mission trips.
Every person that goes on one of our mission trips is generally stretched beyond their comfort zone. These trips build enormous confidence in people and allow them to more freely trust God in the future. “When you go beyond the levels of your comfort…you experience parts of God you would otherwise miss.” (Zach Zehnder – Red Letter Challenge pg. 213)
When teams come and interact and relate with the local people, especially children, God uses it to change their hearts and refocus their priorities.
Christians who go on mission trips are more open to digging deeper in the Word when they return which results in spiritual growth.
Followers of Christ who go on mission trips tend to give more in the future.
Typically, those who go on short-term mission trips are more likely to give financially toward missions ongoing. They’ve seen the need firsthand, and their hearts have been softened to respond to the need. Jesus once said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be.”
People who go on international short-term trips tend to serve the poor more actively at home when they return. They don’t use their trip as an excuse to sit on the sidelines as if they’ve met their serving quota. Generally, it’s quite the opposite.
For many people, short-term mission trips are a life-changing catalyst for them. Through short-term mission trips, when people experience serving God on a daily basis, they come back with renewed purpose. Many even make major life-altering decisions with their vocation, finances, etc.
Short-term mission trips give American missionaries a more accurate perspective of their lives and blessings which creates a lasting sense of gratitude.
There are other positive effects the Spirit brings about through a short-term mission trip, such as discovering the value of teamwork; less focus on materialism; an enhanced cultural awareness and appreciation; new high-value friendships and much more.
Short-term mission trips with Child Beyond International have been the catalyst for an entire church’s rebirth of its bi-focal mission. Sending “rescue teams” down to Guatemala has been the launch pad for greater mission fervor not just globally but right across the street. Going on a seven-day mission adventure with other members of the congregation or sending others out to rescue and restore through their prayers and finances builds maturity of faith, a growing awareness of the needs of others in faraway cultures, and a stronger unity of purpose as the Body of Christ!
I invite you to learn more about Child Beyond International at the links and websites below. Together, we can rescue and restore orphaned children, one at a time, with truly effective and eternity-impacting strategies. And, at the same time, we can grow the Great Commission passion and spiritual maturity of your church!
Let’s do this!
1) Check out our website.
2) Contact Pastor Jeff Mueller via email with any questions you may have: pastorjmueller@gmail.com
3) Watch Jeff Mueller on the Red Letter Disciple Podcast Link here.
4) Sign up for the Red Letter Leaders Webinar on April 11th: 
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