Debriefing Short-Termers
June 25, 2009 – 8:30 amIt’s summer time, and for a lot of churches that means short-term missions trips. One important area that can often go unnoticed in the preparation process for a STM trip is the post-trip debriefing process.
This involves group members meeting together after the trip, writing out and discussing their experiences in light of what God has taught them about themselves, the ministry on the field, and the power of the gospel.
In order to better facilitate this debriefing process, Missions Catalyst, a missions e-magazine, presented some helpful thoughts in a June 24 article entitled “Sorting It Out: Simple Questions for Debriefing Short-termers.”
The article covers:
- Asking the Basic Questions
- Remembering What God Has Done
- Working through the Hard Stuff
- Locking in the Lessons - this section offers
- Staying Connected - some very helpful information about staying connected with the ministries on the field:
a “handy worksheet to help short-termers identify and “lock in” the lessons they are learning and prepare to share them with others.
It’s a simple, step-by-step process that any of us might find helpful for making sense of a potentially overwhelming experience.”
Chances are good that the ministry your short-termers were involved in did not begin and end with them.
So take a long-term view and ask: “What are the ongoing needs and opportunities? How can you, your family, or your church continue to contribute or stay connected with this ministry?”
If you spend time talking about next steps, make sure to include an invitation to stay connected with the field.
Read the full article to help you think through the debriefing process of your next STM trip.
Many thanks to Marti Smith for his diligent work in compiling the Missions Catalyst e-magazine.
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