In this video, we dive into the misconceptions surrounding short-term youth mission trip and the biblical definition of a true missionary. Using real-life examples, we address the danger of sending untrained youth to the mission field and why missions should be focused on elder-qualified men who are proclaimers of the gospel. We also discuss the importance of understanding that the Great Commission is a theological endeavor and explore the vital roles of evangelists, pastors, and teachers in missions.
Introduction: Concerns About Youth Missionary Teams
Question: When forming a missionary team, how do you address the concern of including individuals, especially youth, who may not be truly regenerated but are involved in witnessing and evangelizing? Do you have a process or guidance for selecting team members?
Answer: We don’t conduct short-term mission trips in the typical sense. Let me give you an example. While in the airport in Lima, I noticed a group of teenagers and college students, about 40 of them, running around out of order. They all wore matching shirts and had just completed a mission trip in Peru. Yet, none of them spoke the local language, and they probably hadn’t read their Bible from Genesis to Revelation. None of them had read a systematic theology or received proper evangelism training.
They had taken a youth mission trip, and the estimated cost for their flights alone was around $80,000. That amount could have funded ten indigenous pastors preaching full-time. There is no biblical basis for youth mission trips.
However, if a young person is serious—demonstrated by their Bible reading and interest in missions—and the elders recognize this, an exploratory trip might be appropriate. But the widespread practice of sending unqualified youth on mission trips is unjustifiable.
Mission Trips: A Biblical Perspective
Years ago, I was called into a conference to address issues with a mission group. It wasn’t affiliated with Grace but sought our advice. They told me it was a youth mission group. When I asked what the problem was, they revealed the organization had $60 million in the bank. Meanwhile, missionaries are struggling to reach overlooked regions like Indonesia. It’s disheartening to see such resources used to send youth on trips to paint church buildings instead of empowering qualified missionaries.
Understanding Missions
The Great Commission is primarily a theological endeavor. It focuses on communicating God’s truth for the transformation of individuals and society. Missions are theological and doctrinal, not simply about humanitarian work or youth involvement for a youth mission trip.
What is a Missionary?
Defining a Missionary
The term “missionary” originates from the Latin missionarius, a word first used by the Jesuits in the 16th century. Its Latin verb, mittere, means “to send.” Essentially, when we call someone a missionary, we equate them with an apostle, since missionarius is the Latin translation of apostolos.
Are there apostles today? No—and yes. Let me explain. In the New Testament, there were two kinds of apostles. First, the Apostles of Christ, sent by Christ Himself, were extraordinary figures who brought divine revelation to the church. Then, there were the apostles of the churches, as mentioned in Philippians 2 and 2 Corinthians 8. These individuals were elder-qualified men sent with the church’s authority to spread doctrine and ethics.
The Missionary Model: A Biblical Approach
The Role of Apostles in Churches
The apostles of Christ were sent under His direct authority, but the apostles of the churches were men who had been thoroughly tested by the church. They carried the teachings and authority of the sending church. This biblical model for missionaries emphasizes the need for elder-qualified men who are trained and sent out under the church’s authority.
Ephesians 4:11-12 outlines the types of leaders in the church: evangelists, pastors, and teachers. These leaders are responsible for building up the church. Therefore, world missions should focus on training these men and sending them to plant churches. Wherever the church is weak, it’s because evangelists, pastors, and teachers are either absent or unequipped.
Who Should Be Missionaries?
Not Youth, but Elder-Qualified Men
We should not send unqualified individuals—especially youth—on a youth mission trip. If a young man is not qualified to be an elder in the local church, he should not be sent to the mission field. We need elder-qualified men who are proclaimers of the gospel.
But what about women? Can they be sent as missionaries? Yes, they can, but in specific roles. For example, if a missionary family needs assistance, the church can send a qualified woman to help. While she wouldn’t act as an evangelist or pastor, she would carry the church’s authority for her specific task.
The Importance of Elder-Qualified Men in Missions
Every mission trip must focus on planting churches, supported by elder-qualified men. While other ministries, like schools, may develop alongside that work, the primary goal remains church planting. These men must be proclaimers—evangelists, pastors, and teachers—who are trained to lead and preach God’s Word.
The idea that pastors in local churches don’t understand missions is a lie. Church planting in the most remote parts of the world follows the same principles as church planting in New York City. It’s all about training men who are elder-qualified and sending them out with the authority of the local church.
Expanding the Scope of Missionaries
Utilizing Different Gifts in the Church
The mission field needs more than just pastors and teachers. One of our greatest needs at HeartCry is deacon-qualified men who can handle the logistics—banking, legal matters, and accounting—of sending money to 70 different countries. We need to recognize and utilize the gifts God has given various members of the church, not just the spiritual gifts often emphasized in charismatic circles.
Training and Equipping the Saints
Evangelists, pastors, and teachers are given to the church for equipping the saints in their giftings. How much time have we spent helping each church member discern their gifts? These gifts are talents given by God, and we will be held accountable for how we use them.
Conclusion: Addressing the Holes in Our Approach
There are gaps in how we approach missions and church leadership. Many women in the church haven’t been trained in biblical womanhood. Fathers are not adequately trained to lead their children in the ways of the Lord. Youth groups are not a substitute for strong family leadership. Instead of relying on conferences and short-term programs, we need long-term, intentional discipleship within the church.
