Setting the Standard of Excellence:
MMR Focuses on Best Practices in Short-Term Missions
In 2008, 2.5 million people participated in a short-term missions team, spending almost 2 billion dollars. This amount made up nearly 30% of all evangelical missions giving for last year. What astounding numbers! As technology “shrinks” our world, we expect the trend of short term missions to continue to explode. Many sending agencies have been asking important questions: Are all these efforts impacting the world for Christ? Is it realistic to expect short-term volunteers to influence the cultures they visit? Is this the best use of money and time? Where are these teams going - and why? Are we doing any harm along with our efforts to do good?
MMR is honored to become a Provisional Member of the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Missions. As such, we join the dialogue about how to best use the resources God sends our way to impact the world with His message. Within the next two years, we will undergo a peer review and further training to become Covenant Members of the SOE organization. We heartily agree with the seven criteria they set forth:
1) God-Centeredness;
2) Empowering Partnerships;
3) Mutual Design;
4) Comprehensive Administration;
5) Qualified Leadership;
6) Appropriate Training;
7) Thorough Follow-Up.
Long before we joined the SOE, these same values were built into our DNA by the forethought of our founders.
By pursuing these standards, we at MMR believe that we can assure our volunteers that they are part of a responsible, sustainable effort that is larger than their short trip. We believe this assures our donors their missions dollars are being spent in the most spent in the most effective manner. And we believe this assures our on-field partners that they will receive qualified, effective volunteers. Let’s take short-term missions far beyond the so-called “vacationary” trend! Through proven methods and intentional strategy, we can invest in reaching the Last Frontier with the saving message of Christ’s love! For more information, check out www.stmstandards.org.