Preparing To Serve

Pretty soon you and your group will be embarking on a mission trip. This is a really exciting time as you start to dream of what the week can be and start preparing for that. The hope is that this trip will be impactful for both the city and for yourselves. That starts with serving well. How do you do that? What does it look like to do the most good you possibly can in your short amount of time?

There are three important things you need to know: humility, be teachable, and do your research. Each of these elements will play a vital role in the success of your trip. Each one has to do with the condition of your heart as you go.

A mission trip has to start with humility. It’s important to know that you are not coming to save the city. You are partnering alongside people who have been working there for years. These are people, ministries, and organizations that are rooted in the city. They have planted their flags there and aren’t going anywhere.

This is pivotal because it helps to remember your place in the process. You provide assistance. There’s only so much you can do in a week. Therefore you want to leave partner ministries in a better position than when you came. Your job is to help them move the ball forward. Be the additional hands and feet that many of these organizations so desperately need.

The second thing you must have is a teachable spirit. This is a part of humility but I think it warrants its own section. You will likely come in with your own way of doing things. Your own set of predispositions. And your own way of viewing the world. That’s not a bad thing, it’s the normal human experience. But it’s important to know that your way is not the only way.

You are very likely to meet people outside of your denomination and with different theological convictions from yourself. That’s nothing to fear, in fact it’s something to be welcomed. This sets up the opportunity for new conversations. The new heavens and new earth will be filled with millions of people we may not have thought would be there. People from outside of our theological tribes and all across the world.

The current center of Christianity is in the global South. *In 2020, two-thirds of Christians were located in the global South and it’s estimated that by 2050, 77 percent of Christians will be found there. This means we should always be asking ourselves what can we learn from our Christian brothers and sisters who are not like us? Approach your time in the city asking what can I learn from these people? What do they see that I don’t?

Having a teachable spirit will enable you to learn so much more from the people you encounter on your trip. Learning how they approach ministry, life, and the issues of the day could turn out to be transformative for your soul. The information and experiences you learn from them will inform who you are going forward in life. You’ll take those lessons back home with you and apply them to your context. We all benefit from a diversity of perspectives in our lives. Our sisters and brothers from other contexts can help fill in the blindspots we all have.

Lastly, do your research. The best way to effectively serve a place is to know it. Ask the hard questions of the city: what ails it? What are the people there hoping for? Who are the people working on the city’s problems? What’s caused the problems? There are a ton more questions you could ask but the point is to learn the place you’re going. Naturally you’ll discover what’s different about there and where you’re from; what can work in your area but not that one.

It’s also important to do the hard internal work. As you prepare to serve, you have to confront your own biases. Are there things you think and believe about the city that may be untrue? Are there attitudes, feelings, and values you hold that may be a problem for the people you serve? That doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you or that you need to change but they are important to be aware of.

As you prepare to serve, it’s imperative to spend significant time in prayer. Mission trip success isn’t defined by the work we do with our hands but by what God does with it. Be faithful with the time you’re given. Make the most of it and do the most good you can. From there, trust the results to the Lord.

CJ is a writer and speaker from Brooklyn, NY. He is a husband and father of 3. His work is centered around the Gospel, culture, racial justice, personal finance, and living the authentic Christian life. His work has been featured in publications including The Witness, Christ and Pop Culture, and The Gospel Coalition. He frequently gives talks at churches, colleges, and high schools around the country. For CJ, it’s all about simple teachings on living in the way of Jesus.

CJ is our Justice & Reconciliation Consultant. He was previously a CSM City Director.