What level of Short Term Mission Leader are you?

When we visit our mission host our goal is:

This is a one time trip that is fantastic for discipleship! Where next?

Host? There is no host where we are going, we are opening up this field

I think we will probably come back in a couple of years, the trip was great!

This trip is part of our multi-year plan with this host

Correct!

Wrong!

-

People found out the details of this mission trip:

This is in our calendar for the year with scheduled costs and booked training dates

Mainly word of mouth

On a need to know basis, we personally build a team of experts

We share details at an information night

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Our team application is:

We don't use a form - team members are mission experts

A sign-up sheet we use to gather people interested in mission

A form we get from our hosts

A form we built to screen and share info for the leader before the interview

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Family members know about our trip:

when they attend our info session as well as send-off session where they meet the team, leader and ask questions

by conversation with a team member

When we ask for prayer, and share promo cards and calendar of events

From our emergency plans, exit strategies, and updating wills and next-of-kin

Correct!

Wrong!

-

The average cross-cultural travel experience of the people on our team is:

Two or three previous travel experiences per team member

Multiple previous travel experiences per team member (5-10+ each)

Less than one previous travel experience per team member

About one-two previous travel experiences per team member

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Our ministry objective is:

Agreed to in our written Ministry Description before we left

An opportunity for us to see our local hosts/missionaries in "action"!

Advertised by the mission agency we go with

Long-term plans with nationals where we focus on their skills and assets

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Team funds are raised by:

Shared events like bake sales and car washes together

Team members are taught how to personally raise funds for the whole team

Most team members are funded by a ministry or personal funding base

Team members are told how much money they must raise

Correct!

Wrong!

-

As a team we meet for training and preparation:

Multiple times, over several months before we go

A couple of times before we go

At the airport, we come from a lot of different places

Between deployments we meet to strategize regularly

Correct!

Wrong!

-

We prepare cross-culturally by:

Studying things like cultural values, behaviours and worldview

Packing demonstrations from our team leader and an orientation from our host when we arrive

Learning some basic language and cultural differences

Deepening our expertise in worldview issues through experts like Hofstede-Geert

Correct!

Wrong!

-

New assistant leaders are:

Used to help our main leader remember all the details

A way we give back to help new mission churches understand how to grow their own mission

Used to balance our leader-team member ratio for our host

A planned part of how we develop our next leaders for future mission

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Our team health and travel insurance plan:

Has destination specific policies and additional coverage for politically unstable countries

Our team fees cover the insurance package from our host

Requires coverage for all team members as well as a waiver of liability

We have a waiver, insurance for everyone and maintains "informed consent"

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Safety and Security for the team means:

Team leaders are aware of informed consent and keep team member waivers valid through written update and contingency plans

We are trained by security professionals on protocols for kidnapping, violence and detention

We read the rules of our host and pray for safety

Team members individually sign off on the rules of our host and sign a waiver

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Problem team members are dealt with by:

The team leader in consultation with host and home leadership

Our host who manages discipline issues for team members that step out of line

Internal methods. Team members sign team covenants that confirm their responsibility to the team and leader

A collective response of engaging, confronting, reconciliation and even disassociation with colleagues

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Our Humanitarian projects means:

The team raise money to bless our host and meet their needs

Before we go, friends and family donate items for us to bring with us

We define our strategy to meet the host long term goals. We bring knowledge and very little stuff

The team can immediately reply for a disaster response and has extensive community development techniques

Correct!

Wrong!

-

The team leader (this may be you!):

Has dealt with serious team breakdowns in the past; including a problem with a host

Can explain the typical ebb and flow of a STM team over a couple of weeks

Is a first responder into emergencies, and has extensive experience managing complex intercultural relationships

Is new and inexperienced

Correct!

Wrong!

-

A Short Term Mission cash surplus is distributed:

back to the church (or sending organization) for future mission

By the leader to give the money to the host for a local project

During the final days on field after polling the team members

Back to the accounts indicated on the original donation form

Correct!

Wrong!

-

Re-Entry Debriefing takes place:

During an all-team session at the end of our trip

Between trained colleagues and professionals who have experience in international travel and can work through serious trauma or PTSD.

When necessary for people who are having a hard time

The first day we started training, often on the field and within a month of return

Correct!

Wrong!

-

How great a Short Term Mission Leader are you?

Don’t forget to check out how you compare to other leaders!