Book of the Day
Short-Term Missions Workbook
Tim Dearborn
Reviewed by Beth Tebbe
IVP has just published a new workbook for those leading or participating in a short-term mission trip by Dr. Timothy Dearborn, "Short-term Missions Workbook: From Mission Tourists to Global Citizens". Dearborn's theme is based on the Kingdom of God: 'the church of God does not have a mission in the world. The God of mission has a church in the world" (p.15).
The workbook is structured around eight sessions for preparation and orientation, as well as two more sessions to have within several months after returning. Each chapter has questions to explore, a Bible study based on the general theme and simulation exercises for the message of that chapter. There are also suggested questions to use for journaling throughout the trip and re-entry process.
As chapters, Dearborn covers:
- The God of Mission
- Learning to Delight in Differences
- Embracing Change
- Maximizing Personal Growth
- Working Together as a Team
- Communicating Clearly
- Staying Spiritually Fresh
- Preparing to Return Home
As Dearborn says in his introduction, 'This workbook doesn't go through the issues of selecting a destination, travel planning, getting immunizations and trip safety. These are well covered by many other excellent resources…..Rather than addressing how to prepare a trip, this workbook focuses on how to prepare people - the theological, spiritual, relational and missiological aspects of preparation for and return from short-term service' (p.12).
Dearborn describes the short-term trip as a treasure hunt - the privilege of finding treasures in this new context that had been hidden from our eyes previously and perhaps even from the local people. Attitudes to engage this treasure hunt include:
- Walk with humility - you are showing up late to a meeting. God has been at work among these people long before you arrive.
- Embrace with affirmation. Your greatest gift to the people you meet will be affirmation, not criticism
- Live with vulnerability. Don't be afraid of weakness - it's normal
- Practice flexibility. Always expect the unexpected - you're not in control.
- Live as a student. Be determined to learn from everyone.
- Work as a servant. Be willing to do whatever needs to be done.
- Speak as a storyteller. Let the Spirit tell God's story through you. (p.21,22)
Dearborn offers basic skills for understanding cultural differences and dealing with cross-cultural stress. Going through simulation skills and the basic discussions as a team before leaving will improve team dynamics when actually working together and traveling.
Adequate preparation and debriefing has been a lack in even the best conceived short-term trip. Dearborn's book will be greatly appreciated at all levels. It could be used for a range of ages and types of trips: from high school students to adult professionals; from one-week to extensive trips. The basic needs to grow in understanding God, ourselves, cross-cultural sensitivity and what God is doing in His Kingdom is a unifying factor. Dearborn has properly identified the key issues and given us tools to profit by our short-term mission opportunities.
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