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Excellent STM Is Characterized by:

Standard #1:

GOD-CENTEREDNESS

An excellent short-term mission seeks first God’s glory and his kingdom, and is expressed through our:

1.1    Purpose — Centering on God’s glory and his ends throughout our entire STM process
1.2    Lives — Sound biblical doctrine, persistent prayer, and godliness in all our thoughts, words, and deeds
1.3    Methods — Wise, biblical, and culturally-appropriate methods which bear spiritual fruit

In all our STMs, we center on God’s glory, aiming toward his ends. We seek to glorify God through devotion and obedience to Jesus Christ (John 15:5), through the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), for the sake of God’s glory and fame (Ps. 115:1, 1 Cor. 10:31). Therefore we are engaged in his redemptive purposes and his passionate love for every nation, tribe, people, and language (Rev. 7:9). We acknowledge that Christ sends his redeemed people into the world as the Father sent him (John 20:21). Christ’s mission to the world is our model and STM has the privilege and responsibility of being an instrument of God’s redemptive mission ( missio Dei) for the people of the world and all aspects of creation within the world. To participate in STM is to participate in God’s movement of passionate love and reconciliation toward the world. We also recognize that STM is a process (not an event) which consists of pre-field, on-field, and post-field stages. We therefore pledge with humble servant hearts that our lives will express godliness in actions, words, and thoughts; that we will function out of doctrinally-sound, prayer-dependent methods which are wise, biblical, and culturally-appropriate; and that we seek to bear spiritual fruit in the lives of all participants during all three stages of our STMs.

1.1    PURPOSE — Centering on God’s glory and his ends throughout our entire STM process

We seek first and foremost God’s glory and his kingdom as our primary purpose, and we passionately pursue his redemptive purposes in all that we strive to do, to be, and to accomplish within our entire STM process (pre-field, on-field, post-field). Although we openly acknowledge and plan for the needs, goals, and benefits for all participants involved (senders, goers, receivers), we do so in submission to God’s glory, his kingdom, and his ends.

KEY QUALITY INDICATORS

1.1.1.    How does your short-term mission program’s purpose statement demonstrate a focus on God’s glory and Christ’s mission to the world?
1.1.2.    How is your short-term mission program’s purpose statement consistent with your organization/church/school’s overall mission?
1.1.3.    How is your short-term mission program’s purpose statement communicated to all participants?
1.1.4.    Do each of your individual outreaches align with your short-term mission purpose statement?

1.2    LIVES — Sound biblical doctrine, persistent prayer, and godliness in all our thoughts, words, and deeds

We seek God’s glory and his kingdom as people created in the image of a holy God and wholly devoted to him. The outward manifestation of this commitment is expressed in our doctrine, prayers, and godly lives:

Sound Biblical Doctrine

We pledge to hold fast to the Christian tenets of faith as expressed in at least one or more of the following historically-recognized statements of faith:

Persistent Prayer

As short-term mission practitioners, we acknowledge our total dependence on God. We therefore pledge ourselves to regular intercession for all participants throughout the pre-field, on-field, and post-field process of every short-term mission (Luke 18:1; 1 Thess. 5:17; Eph. 6:18; Col. 4:2). We also pledge to provide timely, accurate items of specific prayer and intercession to all other participants called to pray for the given short-term mission. We further recognize that prayer is not merely intercession for the needs of the STM, but is also waiting on God, remaining in the presence of God, being still and knowing that “I am God,” and faithfully listening to a faithful God while remaining joyful in our hope and patient in our affliction (Rom. 12:12). We further acknowledge Satan’s existence and commit ourselves to prayers pertaining to spiritual warfare (Rev. 12:11, Eph. 6:10-13), adoration and praise, and thanksgiving.

Godliness in All Our Thoughts, Words, and Deeds

We strive to live godly lives in all our thoughts, words, and deeds. We choose to think thoughts that are always pleasing to God. We choose to use words of love, instruction, and discipline that are right and pleasing to God. And we likewise choose actions that are pleasing to God and benefit his glory, his kingdom, and his ends. We further recognize our human inability to achieve total godliness; therefore we pledge to seek God’s forgiveness whenever we fail.

KEY QUALITY INDICATORS

1.2.1.    Which biblical tenets of faith does your organization affirm?

1.2.2.    How does the short-term mission program and each specific outreach encourage persistent individual and corporate prayer by its senders, goer-guests and host receivers for all phases of the short-term mission?
1.2.3.    How do you screen goer-guests based on the testimony of their lives?
1.2.4.    In what ways are your goer-guests encouraged and empowered to be studying Scripture and growing in their relationship with Christ?

1.3 METHODS — Wise, biblical, and culturally-appropriate methods which bear spiritual fruit

We seek God’s glory and his kingdom as we mutually design our on-field STM methods and activities:

Wise Methods

We acknowledge the many and varied methods of mission activities—some good, some bad, some very bad. We pledge to use STM methods that have been mutually designed by sending and receiving partners, and to avoid superficial, irresponsible, or inappropriate methods in our mission work. We pledge to heed the guidance of all participant leadership (senders, goers, receivers) in order to choose the best possible STM methods and activities (Prov. 11:14).

Biblical Methods

We choose STM methods and activities which are grounded in the Word of God. There is a theological and biblical basis to all our STM activities, as we strive for biblical life change in all participants (senders, goers, receivers) as a result of our STM.

Culturally-Appropriate Methods

STM is always about the mixture and blending of more than one culture. Often the senders and goers are from one cultural grouping, while the receivers are from another. Therefore we choose STM methods and activities which fit, which make sense, which work within the cultural context of the field and receiving peoples.

Methods Which Bear Spiritual Fruit

We desire that all our STM methods and activities produce lasting fruit (John 15:16). We acknowledge that such fruit can be souls, fruit of the Spirit, and any level of kingdom growth or transformation in the lives of any of the participants. Such fruit cannot come forth apart from the vine (John 15:4-5). We further acknowledge that we may not always see the spiritual fruit in the time or in the way we had hoped, and that other people whom we may never meet may also be part of the fruit-bearing process; some plant, some water—but God makes it grow and produces the fruit (1 Cor. 3:6).

KEY QUALITY INDICATORS

1.3.1.    How are your methods and activities grounded in the Word of God?

1.3.1.1.    Reconciling the world to God through Christ?
1.3.1.2.    Exhibiting Christ’s love?
1.3.1.3.    Pursuing justice for the oppressed?
1.3.1.4.    Confronting prejudices and reconciling people to one another?

1.3.2.    What steps do you take to be culturally-appropriate in your methods?

1.3.3.    How do you assess your methods to see if they are accomplishing your purposes?

Next: Standard # 2 - Empowering Partnerships