5 Reasons Millennials Should Go on a Short-Term Missions Trip
In college there are a thousand different endeavors, organizations, and causes screaming in your ear to heed their warning, join their cause or play a part in their task. I am certain some of them are very positive and will impact the world in some way, but is that where God is leading you? Is that where God would have you to go? Does God already have a cause for us as Christians to champion, to join, to accomplish? Yes. That is the short answer at least.
If we wanted to be cliché and act like we had it all figured out we would quote the Great Commission and maybe Acts 1 as well. But if you stopped there or only saw God’s eternal purpose in the New Testament, then you would have missed the other 64 books of the Bible leading the in same direction.
So what are we, as God’s children to do with this news that we know of God’s redemption? Take it to the world! Even the remotest part! Our objective is not to go to the places where people have someone to tell them of Jesus but, as Paul says, to preach Christ where He is not known.
Nearly 42 percent of the world’s population is categorized as unreached. This means 2.88 billion people do not know that God sent His Son Jesus Christ so that we might have eternal life, and 2.88 billion people will go to hell unless someone goes to them and tells them who Jesus is and what He has done for them.
Why go on a short-term missions trip?
- Because world evangelism was the purpose from the start (Genesis 12:1–3)
If you understand God’s eternal purpose, that all people of the earth would know Him and be blessed through His people with the Gospel—then you will handle your summer, fall break and spring break plans with open hands and allow God to direct you toward His heart for the nations.
- The Lord is God and there is no one else (1 Kings 8:59–61)
If you acknowledge the reality that there is a literal hell, and people who do not know Christ have made a decision to enter said place—then you will handle your plans with open hands and allow God to direct you toward His heart for the nations.
- Because all nations will be represented in Heaven (Revelation 7:9–10)
If you realize that God tells us exactly who will be represented in the culmination of the earth in every nation, tribe, people and tongue—then you will handle your plans with open hands and allow God to direct you toward His heart for the nations.
- Because praying for the evangelism of "all the nations" is just the beginning (Mark 11:17)
If you are praying for all the nations—as Jesus rebukes those in the temple for failing to do—then God will direct you to handle your plans with open hands and you will be directed toward His heart for the nations.
- Finally, why go on a short term mission trip? Because, how then will they know? (Romans 10:14–15)
If you do not go, and you handle your plans with closed hands and do not allow God to direct you to His heart that all the nations, tribes, people and tongues would name Christ as Lord and Savior….who will?