Missions: Over Seas Vs. Local

Being in ministry, we all know The Great Commission.

Matthew 28:16-20

For the most part, we automatically think over seas. Which is awesome. Going on a mission trip and getting out of the United States is absolutely amazing and I would recommend it to everyone. Last summer I got to go to Africa and serve in the slums outside of Nairobi, Kenya, and it changed my life. I desperately want to go back one day. I truley believe eveyone needs to go over seas and serve on a mission trip, it really will change your world view.

But going on a mission trip does not mean only over seas. This week, we got to teach our students that going on a mission trip also means that we go only 30 minutes away for a few days and serve people right in our own back yard. Saddleback is in south Orange County, and we drove to north Orange County and spent 4 days serving people in the area. We hooked up with Christ in Youth who helped us find projects in our area. This trip was on these students spring break, which they paid to be at, and work their butts off… but they learned that living missionally is not only going over seas to serve, but it can be done right here and right now. We had a blast working together, talking to the people we were serving, and we had nightly services at night at a local Christian university where the students got to debrief the day, worship with music, and just have fun together.

We need to get away from the thought of living out the Great Commission is ONLY going over seas, but we can live in the way that God calls us to live, right here, where we are locally, and live in a way that He calls us to on a daily basis, not just on a trip like this.

They were challenged by our guest speakers to live in a way to show God’s love through our actions, in a way that when they went home, they would continue to do this type of work locally on a daily basis, constantly spreading God’s love through service.

Here is the video recap of our trip that one of our very own students made:

So I love both. Over seas and local. We are called to do both. Are we teaching our youth both? When we hear the words “mission trip”, what do our students think of? What do you do? Do you do both types of trips? Where do you go over seas? What do you do locally?

Tell me.