Dr. James Wigton's Blog

Short-term missions has been sweeping the country for a number of years. It is exciting to visit church websites and see how many evangelical churches are sending out teams of local church members on short-term missions.

For the churches and individual church members who participate in short-term missions, the reward is well worth the time, effort, and cost. First, there is immediate reward in the spiritual good done on the mission field, as believers are built up, churches are strengthened, and the lost hear the gospel. And secondly, the short-term missionary brings back inspiration, enthusiasm, and commitment which he/she in turn shares with the local church back home. There is no downside to short term missions. How better to spend our time and money?

Short-term missions can stretch anywhere from one or two weeks to a couple of years. Some senior citizens are finding short-term missions a fulfilling way to spend part of their retirement years.

Short-term missions is one more way to help fulfill the Great Commission. God’s heart is for the lost. Jesus said, “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” God values the eternal soul of people all over the world — in every ethnicity, culture, race, nationality, etc. (Revelation 5:9)