Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Mike Farris:
In Matthew 28 Jesus tells us to go and make disciples of all nations. A short-term missions trip is a great way to get teens excited about fulfilling Jesus' command.

Local churches and established mission agencies offer trips with a broad appeal. If your child is artistic, consider a trip using drama, music, or mime to present the gospel. Athletes can use their skills to connect with the local people, and mercy ministries can help a reticent teen reach beyond any language barrier.

By serving for brief periods, your teenager could help boost the morale of a career missionary. One young woman from my church served as a mother's helper for a missionary family in Africa. Her willingness to serve for the short term gave this missionary family the support they needed to keep working for the long term.

Think of the educational opportunities available through missions. Spending time in a foreign country, with its unfamiliar language, food, architecture, and culture, will help your teen get a fresh perspective on life. Seeing for themselves the physical and spiritual poverty of others will deepen their compassion for the lost, and stir up gratitude for the many blessings that they enjoy.

The families I've known who've gotten involved with short-term missions have no regrets. And though it does take time, money, and effort, just think—God might use your child's experience to stir up the next generation of missionaries. I'm Mike Farris.