It's a pivotal time for a conversation about ethics...
The world is more accessible to us than ever before
Huge numbers of Christians are travelling overseas on short-term missions (STM) trips, offering their:
time
skills
energy
to share the gospel and improve the lives of:
children
families
communities
The potential for impact is huge as volunteers:
Support local churches
Assist communities
Advocate for lasting change
But the space between the good intentions of teams and volunteers, and the actual outcomes for local communities, is filled with complexity that we need God's wisdom to navigate.
If we don't consider these complexities, there is real risk that our good intentions won't translate into good outcomes, we could inadvertently:
Distort the gospel
Undermine local ministries
Harm local communities
We may not even realise that harm's been done.
It's time to reframe the conversation
We need to bring the perspectives of local people into the mix, in order to:
Understand the actual impact of STM and contribute to lasting change &
prevent harmful outcomes for local communities
We have a responsibility to do everything in our power to bring forth the true gospel.
