Training Your Church to Send and Support Short-Term Missionaries

Introduction

Empowering local churches to send and support short-term missionaries is vital in participating in the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. However, for these missions to be fruitful, churches must be intentional in training, sending, and supporting their missionaries. Every step, from preparation to reintegration, is a reflection of the church’s partnership in God’s mission and commitment to disciple-making. This article outlines a biblical and practical framework for preparing your church to effectively mobilize short-term missionaries.

Understanding the Biblical Mandate

In Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission urges believers to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The early church modeled this through sending and supporting missionaries like Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:2-3). Short-term missions are a contemporary expression of this mandate, allowing believers to participate in God's global work. Churches must view short-term missions not as isolated trips but as part of a larger missional strategy. When rooted in Scripture and guided by the Holy Spirit, these efforts can catalyze long-term transformation both in the field and within the sending church.

Comprehensive Pre-Trip Training

The training period should begin months, not weeks, before departure and must encompass far more than logistical planning. Once candidates are identified, intentional training is essential. Churches should offer biblical, theological, and practical preparation, either in-house or by partnering with established organizations. Key training topics should include:

• The biblical basis for missions (e.g., Missio Dei, the sentness of the church, incarnation, empowerment by the Spirit).
• Cross-cultural sensitivity and effective communication.
• Expectations for teamwork, adaptability, and humility.
• Specifics about location, culture, security, health, and logistics.

Effective programs balance scriptural teaching with actionable skills, equipping participants not only to serve others, but also to sustain enduring missional activity after their return.

The Sending Church’s Role

A sending church is deeply invested in both launching and sustaining missionaries. It includes:

• Prayerful support: Regular intercessory prayer for teams before, during, and after deployment (Colossians 4:2-4).
• Financial support: Assisting with fundraising, budgeting, and stewardship.
• Logistical help: Travel arrangements, networking, and resources for communication.
• Public commissioning: A meaningful service that not only sets apart the team, but also publicly commits the church to ongoing support (Acts 13:3).

This support sets the foundation for missionaries to thrive by reflecting a strong church partnership wherever they serve.

Supporting Missionaries on the Field

Sustaining short-term missionaries while they’re away is as critical as sending them in the first place. Churches should:

• Maintain consistent contact and prayer updates.
• Assign mentors who are ideally experienced former short-term missionaries and who serve as prayer partners, coaches, and confidants.
Encourage the missionary team to share challenges, celebrate wins, and request specific prayers.

Paul’s letters show he depended on that spiritual connection (“Pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word,” (Colossians 4:3)).

Caring for Missionaries Upon Their Return

The mission is not over when the team plane lands; the re-entry process is as critical as the preparation. Missionaries often return home spiritually and emotionally exhausted, having undergone intense experiences that can lead to "reverse culture shock" or difficulty reintegrating into their home routine. Reintegration is vital both for the returned missionaries and for the broader church. Churches should:

• Organize debrief sessions and welcome-home events, providing a safe space for storytelling, reflection, and testimony sharing (Acts 14:26-27).
• Invite the team to present a full report, encouraging the congregation through the tangible work of God.
• Provide ongoing pastoral care and help returning missionaries discern next steps in their personal mission journey.

Encouraging team members to reinvest their newfound skills and passion in local outreach can multiply the long-term impact of short-term missions.

Integrating Short-Term Missions with Long-Term Vision

Short-term missions must be strategically aligned with the church’s overall vision and any long-term partners in the field. Rather than operating as isolated experiences, integrate short-term teams into existing disciple-making and church-planting initiatives.

This approach includes:

• Partnering with national churches and ministries already on the ground.
• Ensuring short-term goals support the long-term objectives of trusted mission partners.
• Training teams to serve with humility and learn from local believers, understanding that lasting fruit comes from God through enduring relationships.

Based on the provided guidelines, All Peoples Church (APC) facilitates the process of Training Your Church to Send and Support Short-Term Missionaries through a comprehensive, structured approach that emphasizes character, unity, and spiritual preparation. APC frames missions as fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20), where every believer is a minister, and missions teams are a corporate extension of the church's core values. The preparation involves mandatory Personal Spiritual Preparation, including prayer, team prayer calls, and reviewing APC publications like "Foundations" and "Understanding the Prophetic," ensuring missionaries are equipped in both the Word and the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, APC establishes clear guidelines for Travel Preparation, onsite responsibilities, and appropriate conduct (Attitude and Room Etiquette), stressing modesty and avoiding cultural offense (1 Corinthians 10:32). Post-trip, the structure includes mandatory daily debriefing and a requirement for a formal Trip Report and video documentation, ensuring accountability and leveraging the missionary experience to strengthen the home congregation's engagement in the global mission of the church.

Conclusion

Training your church to send and support short-term missionaries is an investment in the entire life of the body. It transforms an isolated trip into a coordinated, corporate effort that glorifies God and advances His Kingdom. By focusing on comprehensive training, corporate sending identity, robust support structures, and intentional re-entry, your church will effectively equip its members to fulfill their part in the Great Commission, ensuring the short-term efforts yield long-term, sustainable kingdom fruit.