Mission Trips: The best tool for building Faith

The most common statistic I hear in churches is the percentage of children, raised by Christian parents, who fall away from the Lord when they leave the house.  This is devastating for the next generation.  The leftist doctrines of immorality and rebellion against authority are spreading like wildfire, and the only force to stand against the tide are good, solid Christians.  Therefore, it is paramount to raise good solid Christian children who will become the future fighters against this wave of evil.  Mission trips can be a very effective tool for this.

When a child goes astray, the phrase you hear over and over is, “We did all we could!”  That may be true but let me add one vital element to building the faith of a young adult, or a new believer of any age.

SHOW THEM A PERSONAL JESUS!!  Don’t talk about Him, talk to Him.  Pray together as a family for Jesus to help with problems, and then celebrate with them when He does.

They need to see Jesus in action.  This is where mission trips come in.

FAMILY MISSION TRIPS are the most effective.  If the father can make arrangements to serve in a foreign country on the family vacation, it accomplishes many things.

1. It causes the children to see their father as a leader and a spiritual authority.
2. It shows the father leading by example to sacrifice time and worldly enjoyment for the Gospel of Jesus.
3. Family mission trips build unity that is directed to a good cause – helping people in need.
4. They expose children to deep spiritual enjoyment that builds a bond as a family, and with Christ.

CHURCH MISSION TRIPS are also effective for the same goals, and have the advantage of more funding and better connections.  However, there are some cautions for parents.

1. Peer influence can be good or bad, depending on the youth.
2. Young romances and impressionable bonds can spring up that may not be a good thing.

Good things that come from Church Missions are:

1. Youth can get out of their bubble and see how other cultures live.  This usually builds a great sense of gratitude for what they have at home.
2. They can experience work and sacrifice for no return, and feel good about it.
3. They can see faces of people light up as they hear the message of Jesus.  This may be the first time they really experience Jesus in action.  And this builds great faith.

So, for all of these blessings that are experienced by the missionaries, you can see how the people usually affected the most by missions are the missionaries.

Next Article:  MISSIONS FOR THE MISSIONARY

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