The backbone of Christianity is the command to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). This is the foundation of why we share our faith with others and is the primary goal of sending out missionaries.
While the main reason we go is to spread the Good News of salvation, many other aspects of mission trips can have a lasting impact on those who go and the people they reach.
One of the biggest arguments against short-term missions in recent years has been the accusation of believers falling victim to the “savior complex.”
In short, the savior complex is feeling the need to save other people, seeking out people who desperately need help, and assisting them.
So while those with this complex think they’re doing the noble thing, they subconsciously believe they are better than others because they help people all the time without getting anything back. However, their actions are not always helpful since their assistance often only creates temporary change.
In the end, people acting out of the need to save someone often do more harm than good. They don’t allow the people they’re helping to take responsibility or learn how to continue caring for themselves.
While the people you want to help do need to be saved, their Savior isn’t someone who comes for a week and then leaves again. Your mission trips should help meet physical needs beyond what you can provide during your stay while also pointing them toward the only One that every person needs.
You can do several things to prevent sending short-term mission teams that don’t leave a lasting impact and avoid falling into the savior complex trap, so you can genuinely help those who need to hear the Gospel.
1) Change Your Mindset
Your mindset is one of the biggest hindrances to seeing true, positive impact from your mission trip.
If the team leaders don’t go into the trip with the desire to be Jesus’ hands and feet and leave communities better than they found them, then the rest of the group is more likely to stumble as well.
Spend time in prayer and ensure your heart is in the right place before you ever recruit another person to travel with you. Ask God to give you a servant heart that longs to see Him glorified through your actions and remove anything hindering His message.
Look critically at your motivations for wanting to go and take the time to read what the Bible says about how and why we should care for others.
The savior complex is rooted in serving with the wrong motives. The desire to go should be about meeting needs so you can show them how to receive the only thing they really require: a relationship with their Maker.
There is only one Savior who can truly change the hearts and lives of the people you hope to serve, so it’s absolutely vital that you go into any mission trip with Him at the front of your mind.
Any motivations outside of demonstrating God’s love by doing His work can be detrimental to your ability to see real change in the hearts and lives of the people you’re helping.
Let the Spirit guide your words and deeds, and go with a willing heart that longs to see people get to know their Creator. Having the right mindset is the biggest thing you need to do to see lasting impact.
2) Vet Your Team
It may sound obvious, but just as you’d run background checks and look closely at someone who wants to serve in your children’s ministry, you should have a vetting process for those who want to go on mission trips.
A background check should be the first step in reviewing those interested in participating in your mission trips. While that may be the first thing you do, determining who is part of your mission team should require more than just a willingness to go.
The Bible gives numerous examples of willing people who weren’t called. God has His own reasons for why and how He uses each of us. Being willing to go doesn’t always mean that the mission trip is right for that person.
You should ask them why they want to go and reinforce that their desire to go should be in accordance with God’s calling and a longing to see people come to saving faith in Him. Pray over each person that they will have the right motivations and the heart to follow the Father’s direction.
Part of your preparations for your trip should include diving into the purpose of going on mission trips and spending time studying the Word and what it means to follow Jesus.
While you don’t necessarily need to decline someone a place on your mission team if you get the sense that they want to go for the wrong reasons, you should strongly consider whether they will be an asset.
Pray over their motivations, work with them through your training and trip preparations, and ask your church staff or leaders for their thoughts if you have doubts on whether someone should go.
In the end, God knows who every person on your team will be long before the trip is even a thought. So take time to vet your team properly and seek His guidance in building a team that can leave a lasting impact on the people you’re going to serve.
3) Find Local Partners
Finding local partners is one of the most crucial aspects of planning a mission trip if you truly want to see a lasting impact from your journey.
Partnering with those who live and work in the community you’re travelling to helps you identify needs and address factors that influence long-term impacts.
Your goal shouldn’t be just to help make temporary changes but to equip those you’re working with to better care for themselves going forward.
Meeting physical needs is one of the best ways to build relationships, allowing you to share the Gospel with people. But those who hear the Good News may have difficulty accepting it if you only leave a limited impact that doesn’t create lasting results.
But supporting missionaries, local churches, organizations, and others who will remain after your trip is over and enabling them to continue the work will help leave the long-term effects you long to see.
As believers, we are called to care for those in need regardless of whether they choose to give their lives to Christ. Partnering with local believers encourages them and gives them the continued ability to be the hands and feet of Jesus to every person, no matter what they believe.
Experiencing Real Change
Whether your destination is across the street or on the far side of the globe, the success of your mission trip is contingent on your ability to create a lasting impact.
By changing your mindset, vetting your team, and finding local partners, you can change lives and help people get to know the only One who can save them.
We all need a Savior, and the only way to experience real change and see lasting impact through your mission efforts is to let Him do the saving. You just need to carry His message and do His will.
It’s time to go. Your mission trip won’t plan itself!
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