Why go on a service mission trip?
Imagine you’re in a foreign country. People are all around you, and you feel completely lost. Lost in a sense that you don’t know where you are, why you’re there, or why you’re even on this earth. You’re struggling with purpose. You’re terrified, and you feel like nothing is in your control. Your own life is spiraling downward, but everyone else’s lives are happening all around you. However, you can’t seem to find any reason to take the next step. So many people around the world feel like this; this is what life without Jesus can feel like, and this is why spreading the Gospel and helping others find a reason to live is an amazing part of the Christian life. As someone who has gone on several mission trips throughout my life, here are four reasons I think going on mission trips are beneficial to not just others but also yourself.
1. GOD IS ABLE TO WORK THROUGH YOU
On a mission trip we tend to have a more God focused mind, and this allows God to work in immense ways in both our lives and the lives of those we are serving. He moves in every life involved; maybe you won’t be able to notice, but He is working and changing lives. For example, I went on a mission trip to London a few years ago and befriended a local there and we have been friends ever since. When I first met him he was the kind of person that would go to church but hadn’t made his faith his own just yet. He went through some dark times after I left, and seriously considered suicide. I allowed God to work through me during this time in my conversations with him, and after months and months of talking him down off a ledge, he finally gave his life to Christ. God is good y’all! He can work through you in mighty ways if you let Him!
2. YOU VIEW THE WORLD IN A NEW, AND GOSPEL-CENTERED WAY
Going on a mission trip, like I mentioned before, puts you in a God focused mindset, and viewing the world in this mindset will forever change the way you look at the world and your own life. You will see how blessed you are to have a relationship with Christ, and you will view helping others in any capacity as living out the Gospel. It will help you see things like Jesus wants us to, and it will cause you to serve more wholeheartedly and more often since you have seen how serving others can immensely change thier lives. You will also learn about other cultures and come to love and appreciate them, which assists in causing you to be more open-minded and loving towards all people no matter what they look like.
3. CHRIST’S NAME IS MAGNIFIED
Of course, the main reason to go on a mission trip is to lift God’s name on high. Loving and serving others points them to Christ and plants seeds in their lives that will hopefully result in them accepting Christ and walking in His ways. Going on a mission trip also shows your friends and family that you are willing to devote your time and money to God’s kingdom! This isn’t to show them that you are willing to do this, rather that God is worth it. He is worth laying down your life. He is worth your time and money. He is worth sacrificing anything and everything. Going on a mission trip shows just that to those you are serving and those that you love back at home.
4. IT IS A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE
Your life will be changed. The lives of the people you serve will be changed. It is such an amazing experience. Every single mission trip that I’ve been on is embedded into my heart. Each one changed me and pushed me closer to Christ. I know of at least one person that has accepted Christ due to God working through me on a mission trip. How much more life changing can you get?! God uses your time on mission to do great things in so many people’s lives.
Mission trips are amazing, and guess what? Even if you can’t go on a mission trip to another place right now, you can view everyday life as a mission trip. We have been sent here to glorify His name in everything we do. Live in a mission-minded way and see God move. However, if you do want to go ahead and start planning your next mission trip, come with Mission Discovery! We will take care of the planning, and we have tons of opportunities for you, your family, your friends, or your church! Come with us, and begin this life-changing journey.
