Sight-seeing vs. missions, by Mollie

Washington Post: Churches Retool Mission Trips
Work Abroad Criticized for High Cost and Lack of Value

Wall Street Journal: The ‘Great Commission’ or Glorified Sightseeing?

LCMS Reporter: Missions seeks 20 short-term teams to serve in Poland

As the LCMS brings home missionaries, as the LCMS forces missionaries to raise 150% of their expenses, as the LCMS calls non-ordained folks missionaries, as the world recognizes the high expense and low value of short-term, so-called mission trips, here’s what LCMS World Mission is doing:

LCMS World Mission is seeking 20 short-term mission teams to lead weeklong “camps” with teenagers in Poland next summer.

Through the camps, LCMS volunteers serving on mission teams will be expected to share their faith while helping Polish youth practice their English-language skills. The camps also will include games, Bible study, music, and sports competitions. They will be held in July at 40 Lutheran churches throughout Poland.

As the Wall Street Journal notes, people spending one-week in Poland is glorified sight-seeing, not mission work.

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