Why Do Mission Trips?

What’s the deal about church mission trips? I mean, why go to all the trouble and expense of sending a team of volunteers halfway around the world for only a couple of weeks’ work? Is that really good stewardship? After all, wouldn’t it be more cost-effective just to stay home and send the missionaries the money that you would have spent in sending a team there?

The above logic sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? But that simple calculation overlooks some key factors. First of all, it overlooks the fact that the first word in the Great Commission is “Go” and the first two letters in the word Gospel are “G-O.” Furthermore, it overlooks the fact that Great Commission is not merely a suggestion, but a commandment for us to move beyond the familiar confines of our local Jerusalem, taking God’s message of redemption to “all nations” (i.e., people groups) even to “the uttermost part of the earth.” Above all, it overlooks the whole principle (and power) of “incarnational” ministry. The Incarnation of Jesus Christ was God’s ultimate plan to connect with us. Christ came to earth in the flesh to show us what God was like and to demonstrate (through the cross) how much God loved us. Today, we who belong to Christ are His body in this world. We are His hands and His feet. We are His eyes and His ears. We are His touch and His voice. And thus we today are the most visible and tangible expression of His love to a lost and dying world. And nothing else even comes close. Not money. Not materials. Not anything else. There’s no substitute for seeing the love of Christ manifested through the life of a real, flesh-and-blood human being.

When a church sends out a mission team, it is making a big investment, without question. But the returns on that investment are out of this world…literally! Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth…but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” The real treasures of life are not silver and gold, but the eternal souls of men, women, boys and girls. Furthermore, the Bible also teaches us that “To whom much is given much is required.” And, when it comes to having been given much (in terms of material blessings) no one in the world even comes close to matching the prosperity of the North American church.

Truly, dispatching teams of short-term missionaries into the world is an investment of obedience to God in which the Great Commission comes more fully alive (to both the sender and the receiver) and the Kingdom of God is gloriously enhanced. In that regard, at I see it, there is (at minimum) a fourfold benefit to a local church sending out mission teams:

1. There is the benefit to the nationals, the native peoples of the lands we visit. When churches invest in direct hands-on missions, lives are touched for eternity. Lost people are saved. Believers are encouraged. Seeds are sown. Bonds of love and friendship are forged. On a mission trip, contacts are made that will never be forgotten, even if the parties never meet again this side of Heaven. And even when language seems to be an impenetrable barrier, the language of the heart, the language of love, always trumps the limitations of the tongue.

Over the years, Sandy and I have been blessed to meet and make friends with a number of believers in other countries. Some of these we maintain close contact with to this day. Our lives have been enriched by those Christian friendships—which transcend all cultural, ethnic and political divisions—and Sandy and I trust that we in turn have been an encouragement to each of them.

2. There is the benefit to our ministry partners, who live and work daily on the mission field. When a team of believers with servants’ hearts come to help, those who labor in God’s vineyard on an ongoing basis are greatly encouraged and refreshed. Whether they are national Christian leaders with whom we work directly, or appointed missionaries from the States serving overseas, our ministry partners are clearly blessed when a team comes to visit. Time and again, I have seen the tears, witnessed the smiles and felt the hugs that all say “Thank you for coming. It means more than you will ever know.” Truly, whatever gifts, talents or expertise a team brings with them—or whatever specific task they are assigned—it is the ministry of encouragement and the ministry of presence that most blesses those we assist. I’ve tried to make that a priority with every mission trip I’ve done.

3. There is the benefit to the team members themselves. When you go on a mission trip, it’s certainly not about you. Nonetheless, a mission trip does for you some things that few other experiences will do. It moves you out of the safety net of your comfortable and familiar surroundings. It challenges you to be adaptable. It teaches you teamwork and cooperation. It decreases your self-reliance as it increases your dependency upon God. It gives you a greater awareness of the activity of God in this world and a greater sense of gratitude for the blessings on God on your life. It gives you a vision of God’s kingdom far beyond just that of your own church. In fact, it gives you global perspective regarding God’s work in this world.

When you engage in cross-cultural ministry, it is indeed an eye-opening experience. Seeing brothers and sisters in other lands laboring in the midst of great adversity (and sometimes in the face of significant opposition and persecution), and to see them do it with such grace and courage and joy—this for you can be a great source of inspiration (and conviction).

For me as a pastor, leading church members on mission trips is a personal joy. For I know that for them it will be a time of significant spiritual growth. It also will be a time of deepened fellowship. Some of the closest relationships I have developed with church members have come through time spent together on the mission field. And when team members return home from such an experience, they all have a common bond that they share forever.

4. There is the benefit to the sending church at large. Theologian Elton Trueblood has said that “when the tide of missions rises in the church, all the other boats rise with it.” What are those other “boats”? Things like fellowship, worship, discipleship, stewardship, and so forth. In other words, the various factors that make for a healthy church. Pastor Rick Warren, author of the best-seller The Purpose Drive Life, further observes that “a church’s health is measured not by its seating capacity but by its sending capacity.” Indeed! Amen to that!

Teams returning from the mission field can bring a fresh wind of revival to their home church, resulting in a more fervent love for Jesus, an increased burden for the lost, and a greater passion for God’s work. Honestly, through the years, there have been some times as a pastor that I wish I could have chartered a whole 757 and filled it with people—hundreds of them—and flown them to some of the most desolate and difficult places on earth to do mission work. I think it would have done many of them a world of good. But alas, that’s not something I or anyone else can compel. People have to hear the call of God in their own heart.

A mission trip is no vacation. Far from it. (Note excessive sweating in photo above.) Some of the greatest challenges and stresses I’ve ever faced—spiritually, emotionally, and health-wise—and some of the hardest work I’ve ever done has been on mission trips. (But it is equally true that some of the greatest joys and greatest victories I’ve ever experienced have been on mission trips.) Once or twice, I even wondered if I was going to make it back from a trip. (i.e., one time I was placed under house arrest. Another time I became dangerously dehydrated and deathly sick.) But God keeps opening doors and sending me. And I keep going. And I keep encouraging others to go. Because I know that even though the cost can be great, I understand that the cost of not going is much greater. And the benefits of obedience extend far, far beyond what we can fully comprehend in this life.

Someday in Heaven, I look forward to seeing people of different tribes and tongues—people from places like Cambodia, Honduras, Cuba, Greece, Albania, Togo, and other places—coming up to you and me, saying “It was because of Mount Hermon Baptist Church that I am here today. It was because of what your church did that I found Christ. It was because a team from your church came to my country that I am now in Heaven. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

Truly, for all of us that shared in the investment—by giving, praying or going—those very tangible results of our investment will be our joy and our crown.

Pastor Danny

Cambodia Impressions, Part 5

Transportation in Cambodia is an interesting proposition. Probably the fiercest drivers I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world were in Greece last summer. Greek drivers (at least the ones in Thessaloniki) never, ever brake for pedestrians. Stepping out in front of an approaching car there is sheer suicide.

But, hands down, the most chaotic drivers I’ve ever seen are in Cambodia. (At least the Greek drivers I observed stopped for red lights.) In Cambodia, anything goes. Drivers routinely run red lights; they create new traffic patterns at will; they dangerously weave in and out of traffic; they unexpectedly make left turns or U-turns without any rhyme or reason; they straddle lanes and even create new ones; they even go in the wrong direction in the face of oncoming traffic if it serves their purposes. Like the Hebrew people during the time of the Book of Judges, every driver in Cambodia does what is right in his own eyes.

When riding as a passenger in Cambodia, it’s best not to look too closely at what’s unfolding right in front of you. Your trip tends to go a lot smoother (and you avoid potential cardiac arrhythmia) if you somehow don’t see all those close calls and near misses. The best advice I can give is to just relax, trust the Lord, trust your driver, and sit somewhere in the back of the van if possible.

By the way, our van driver was absolutely great. A wonderful young Christian man, he flawlessly drove us through some real tight spots. The only mishap we had during his two weeks of shuttling us from place to place was getting stuck in the mud one day on an unpaved road on an island in route to a remote village. But, thanks to some guys that came to our aid and pushed us, we were out of the mire in just a few minutes.

Back in the city of Phnom Penh the streets were almost always clogged with traffic. Donald Merricks daily posed the question, “Where are all these people going?” It was a mystery we never solved. (Ironically, later this month, Delegate Merricks will be in Richmond for a special session of the state legislature called by the governor to address transportation problems in our state. I suggested to him that he make a speech on the House floor that, after experiencing Cambodian traffic for two weeks, Virginia, by comparison, really has no transportation problems at all!)

The most common form of ground transportation in Phnom Penh is the moto (i.e., small motorcycle). The motos greatly outnumber the cars on the streets. One can only shudder to imagine how much more severe the transportation problems in Cambodia would be if all the moto drivers had cars instead!

The most interesting thing about the motos is how many people pile on them. Sometimes whole families will all be stacked up on a little moto, kind of like the Clampetts all packed in together with Granny in her rocking chair up on top. Sometimes you’ll see the bizarre sight of a young lady decked out in a formal evening gown and high heels on her way to wedding, dangling from the back of a moto. Often Buddhist priests in their long flowing robes can be seen riding as passengers on motos. Truly, motos are the premier taxis and limos of Cambodia.

But you’ll find much more than just people on a moto. Motos are also the U-Hauls of Cambodia. We saw moto drivers carrying crates of live pigs, baskets of fruit and vegetables, dead ducks—yes, literally! (Can anyone say “Aflac”?)—bicycles, large pieces of lumber, furnishings, plumbing, you name it. Everything but the kitchen sink! And if we had stayed one more day, we might have seen that as well.

The most exotic form of transportation we experienced during our trip was riding on the back of an elephant. I would love to tell you that we had to ride elephants to traverse some otherwise impassible terrain. That would make for a great mission story, wouldn’t it? But the truth is, it was simply an opportunity several of us seized upon one morning while waiting to meet up with our host. Two by two, we took turns riding the elephant through a park area that encircled a lofty temple. Wild monkeys (as well as other onlookers) gawked at us as we rode by. Being perched high atop a pachyderm wasn’t exactly the smoothest ride Sandy and I’ve ever experienced, but it sure was the most unusual. I learned that people definitely get out of your way when you’re riding on an elephant. I’m just glad that Tarzan wasn’t around to do his trademark yell and suddenly create a stampede.

The most unusual form of transportation we observed, however, occurred one day as we passed by the King’s Palace. A special ceremony was taking place and, from a distance, we could see an elegant procession that included some important person seated in a chair carried on the shoulders of a group of servants. The figure did not appear to be that of the king (with whose image we were familiar) but someone else, perhaps the nation’s prime minister. Anyway, riding in a chair on the backs of servants is not a mode of transportation you see everyday, at least not here in Danville.

Now, a word about our air transportation. We made our trip to Asia on Korean Airlines, one of the world’s finest commercial air carriers. In fact, in 2007, they won an award for best economy class in the world. Truly, the new Korean Air jets offer more leg room than most of the international flights I’ve been on. And that’s a real benefit when you’re looking at the prospect of a grueling 15-hour flight. Plus, Korean Air has exceptionally good service. Their flight attendants are very polished, polite and efficient. In fact, the airline has won plaudits for the stylish and elegant high-fashion look of their attendants’ uniforms. The only downside to their otherwise wonderful service is that they don’t always bring you enough fluids to drink (at least by American standards). And, sometimes the Asian dishes can be less than desirable for the Western palate. One day, for example, we were given the choice of an omelet or pumpkin porridge for breakfast. (Yes, you read that right…pumpkin porridge!) Amazingly, Roger McNeil and I chose the porridge. I suppose I had eaten so many omelets (such as they were) at our hotel in Phnom Penh that I just couldn’t bear the thought of another egg. Surely the porridge couldn’t be that bad, I rationalized. Well, after just one bite, Roger and I both knew that we had made a disastrous mistake. We immediately decided to forgo the remainder of our meal. When Donald Merricks—seated behind us—heard we had chosen the porridge, he said, “Hey, guys, this isn’t Goldilocks and the Three Bears!” Oh, well, you live and learn sometimes. Other than the porridge incident, I was quite happy with Korean Air.

Pastor Danny

Cambodia Impressions, Part 4

The most effective way to do evangelism anywhere in the world is through a relational approach. Connecting with unbelievers. Cultivating friendships with them. Building trust with them. Not simply because you see them as a mission project, but because you genuinely love them and care about them as persons. In other words, your love for them and your interest in them is unconditional. It’s not based on their performance. It’s based on God’s provision. And although your highest desire for them is to see them become true followers of Christ, you’re going to love them wholeheartedly even if that never happens. You’re going to be there for them and be their friend even if they never ever receive Jesus. Because Proverbs 17:17 tells us that “a friend loves at all times.” And the truest friend (and the greatest hope) an unbeliever can have in this world is a Christian friend. And that’s true no matter whether you live in Cambodia or in Virginia or even on Mars!

Real evangelism (& real missions) is all about loving people authentically. It’s not about seeing them as a target or a goal or an assignment or even an enemy, but it’s to view them through the eyes of Jesus as precious individuals for whom Christ died. Individuals that are just like us. Individuals with feelings, hurts, desires, concerns, challenges & dreams. Individuals that need peace, forgiveness, hope &—most of all—Jesus in their lives.

While we were in Cambodia, God gave us some interesting opportunities to connect with people. One memorable person we met was the night manager of the hotel restaurant where we ate breakfast each morning. We would see him early in the morning before his shift ended. And we would see him again (at the beginning of his shift) late at night when we were returning to the hotel after a long day’s work.

The man spoke English, but not always clearly. At first he seemed somewhat gruff. He never smiled and he came across as rather abrupt. But over time he softened. Each day we greeted him and each day he observed our conduct and demeanor. One night as our team was returning to the hotel, he asked me to sit in the restaurant with him and talk for a while. We conversed as best we could, although sometimes it was difficult for me to understand him. (But I’m sure he had no problem picking up on the nuances of my Appalachian mountain twang.)

Every day, in the restaurant or in the hotel lobby, he and I would speak to one another. One day, I gave him a bilingual English-Khmer Gospel tract. The next day, I gave him a Khmer Bible. We talked about the tract. He told me it was helpful to him to be able to read it in both languages. He said it helped his understanding of English. But I wasn’t clear if the message of the tract was really getting through to him. On one occasion, he told me that he would pray to his god to protect us when we traveled back home, so I feared that my witness to him about Christ being the one true God just wasn’t connecting with him.

As the time for our departure neared, he told me how much he had appreciated our team, especially how moral we were. (You can better understand the significance of this remark when you realize that, sadly, many Caucasians—primarily older men—come to Cambodia for less than scrupulous purposes, i.e., to take advantage of prostitution and the sex trade.) The restaurant manager further commented on how much he appreciated all the groups that the “tall, thin man” (W.T.) periodically brought to stay as guests in his hotel.

The evening that we were leaving for the airport to make our long return trip home, my newfound Cambodian friend repeatedly shook my hand, spoke with me, and hugged me. He said, “Your group has been a very good, very moral group. Yes, very good, very moral. Things have been different for me since you have been here. I feel more peaceful. I think much more clearly. I feel better. I am going to regret to see you leave.” He told me this again and again. Truly, the Holy Spirit had been at work.

As we loaded our luggage, he was with us, assisting us every step of the way. It’s as if he couldn’t do enough for us. As we boarded the van, I noted the sad look on his face. And then, just before the van door closed and we pulled away from the curb, I was stunned by the last image I saw of him. He was standing there, with moistness in his eyes, waving and blowing us kisses. What an utterly uncharacteristic display of public affection from a Cambodian man! It truly touched my heart.

Before we left, I told my friend that I was glad to have met him. I told him how helpful he had been to us during our stay, and how much we appreciated him. I also told him that I would be praying for him and that, God willing, I would look forward to renewing our friendship again next year.

Please join me in praying for this young man. Without a doubt, his heart was tenderized by the God-honoring witness of our team. But he still needs to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. It’s my hope and my prayer that this will happen in the coming year.

Pastor Danny

Cambodia Impressions, Part 3

The Cambodian people have had quite a sad history…just in the 20th Century alone. After living under French colonialism for some 90 years, the Cambodians struggled to finally regain their nation's independence in 1953-54. But then, some years later, the long, grueling war being waged in neighboring Vietnam spilled over into their land as well, resulting in the loss of many lives and the weakening of the nation’s infrastructure. In 1975, the vicious Khmer Rouge were able to seize power in Cambodia, instituting an inhuman policy of genocide against their fellow countrymen. In their warped thinking, this was an effort to “purge” the land and create an “ideal” Communist state. Those dark years (1975-79) were later chronicled in a best-selling book entitled “The Killing Fields” and adapted into a major motion picture by the same name.

During our time in Cambodia, we visited a somber memorial known as Tuol Sleng. What once had been a school was transformed, in the late 1970's, into a horrific prison camp where torture and execution became a part of daily life. We walked the halls and entered rooms where, 30 years ago, hundreds and hundreds of innocent people had suffered unimaginable horrors. Saddest of all was a series of Walls of Remembrance containing the individual images of countless men, women and children who had been registered, photographed, and then put to death by the evil regime. I chose not to take the time to look into the frightened faces of all those that were slain. I just couldn’t bear the thought of all of those precious lives so violently and needlessly cut short. At one point, David Vernon, J Landrum and I paused, joined hands, and prayed. I felt like Isaiah in the valley of dry bones, as we prayed for God to reach down and breathe new life and hope into this land with such a tragic past. After 45 minutes on the grounds, all of us were more than ready to leave Tuol Sleng. All in all, I’m glad we stopped. For this one brief stopover gave us more insight into what had shaped modern-day Cambodia than anything else we did on our trip. But I would never want to visit there again.

Another important factor that has contributed to modern-day Cambodia’s identity is its deep religious heritage. Cambodia is 95% Buddhist, a fact that becomes quite evident when one sees the vast number of highly-visible wats (temples), spirit houses, shrines and idols found throughout the land, not to mention the large number of Buddhist priests that always seem to be roaming about.

Buddhism is the belief system of those who follow the Buddha (i.e., “the Enlightened One”), which was the title given to the religion’s founder. Buddhism is an impersonal religion of self-perfection, the end goal of which is not eternal life, but extinction. Buddhism teaches that the chief problem in life is suffering and that the only way to eliminate suffering is to rid oneself of all desire. Salvation is defined as reaching a state of “Nirvana”, which finally frees one from a cycle of continual rebirths (reincarnation). (Hmm, doesn’t sound very hopeful—or appealing—to me.)

Obviously, there are not many Christians in Cambodia. But we were blessed by each one that we met. We were especially grateful to have the opportunity to worship with Russey Keo Baptist Church in Phnom Penh, a vibrant and active congregation of some 150 believers. I was the guest preacher the Sunday morning we were there, sharing a Biblical message on Repentance drawn from Psalm 51. I was told that Dr. Jerry Rankin, President of IMB, had once preached at the church, using the same translator I used. We had a great experience worshiping there. Even though the service (except for my part) was in Khmer, the native language of the Cambodian people, we could feel the presence of the Lord in the midst of His children.

In spite of their dark history, Cambodians in general are a very gracious people. They typically are very polite and respectful of Westerners. Cambodians traditionally greet other people with palms together, in the manner of prayer. They lift their hands to chest level and bow slightly. It has been said that the higher the hands and lower the bow, the more respect is being shown. When someone extends this greeting to you, it is very impolite not to return it. Failure to return the greeting is basically the equivalent of rejecting an offered handshake in our culture.

Other important cultural taboos have to do with the head and the feet. In Cambodia, it is very insulting to touch an individual's head. The head is considered the most sacred part of the body. Conversely, feet are considered the least valued part of the human body, and thus it is insulting to point your feet at someone.

Winning Cambodians to Christ generally takes a good deal of time. It’s all about relationship-building. Bridges of trust have to be built in order to share the Gospel. Cambodians are very anxious to please. They do not wish to offend. This often can make it somewhat difficult to read their true feelings.

During our time in Phnom Penh, there were two waitresses who served us breakfast each morning at our hotel restaurant. They were very kind and respectful. Every day, we greeted them warmly and spoke with them as much as we could (with their limited English). Day after day, meal after meal, a friendly connection was being forged. After a few days, we shared with each of them a Gospel tract and then a copy of the Word of God in Khmer. The next day, I asked one of the girls if she had read the tract we had given her. “Yes,” she said, “but I did not understand it.” I asked if we might meet together one day so I could explain it to her more fully. “When?” she responded eagerly. We set up a meeting a couple of days later. On a slow afternoon near the end of her shift, she and the other waitress sat down with me and a translator. I had a burden for these two girls and I believed that they might receive Christ. I proceeded to share with them God’s plan of salvation. One of the girls said she knew very little about Christianity and that she had only recently heard anything about it. The other girl said that she had attended a Christian church once. When I asked them if they wanted to receive Christ, my heart was touched when one of the girls responded, “Will you be angry at me if I do not believe?” She so much did not want to offend me—a person she had met only days before, and one that she might never see again—that she felt compelled to express her concern. I assured her that I would not be angry with her, but I told her and her co-worker that I would be praying for both of them, and that when I come back again next year, I hoped to see them again.

The one thing that encourages me about this encounter is that some of our Christian friends from Russey Keo are now going to follow up with them and continue to build relationships with them, and the girls seem very open to that. And I believe that when/if I do see those two girls again—either next year in Cambodia or eventually in eternity—that they will be Christians. That is my hope and my prayer.

Pastor Danny