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The mobilization pipeline in mission work refers to the process and strategies employed to recruit, train, send, and support missionaries. Traditionally, this pipeline has been a well-established route for prospective missionaries, guiding them from the initial call to missions through to their deployment and service in the field. However, in the contemporary context, there is a growing sense that this pipeline is undergoing significant changes, raising important questions for both the upcoming generation of potential missionaries and the organizations that facilitate missions.

Before we start, we acknowledge that God is not limited in any way and can do amazing things within a group of people dedicated to following His call in their lives.  His Kingdom is not bound by culture, time, generational trends, or limited resources.  At the same time, many of our peers in this global endeavor are experiencing some shifts that are challenging us to ask better questions in hopes of aligning ourselves with where God is moving.

With that in mind, let's delve deeper into the evolving landscape of the mobilization pipeline:

The Drying Springs: The Changing Face of Recruitment

There is a widespread sense that the traditional avenues for mobilizing new missionaries are becoming less effective than in the past.  This might not be a “good” or “bad” thing, but might indicate a shift in how we recruit and prepare.  Here are just a couple of theories as to why this might be happening:

1. Cultural Shifts:
   The upcoming generation often holds different values and expectations regarding career, calling, and lifestyle, which might not align with the traditional concept of lifelong missionary service.  Church philosophies are also shifting and in some cases are placing less emphasis on equipping people to go on long-term missions.

2. Economic Challenges:
   Financial burdens, including student debt and rising living costs, can make the prospect of long-term missions daunting for younger individuals.

3. Diverse Opportunities for Impact:
   Today’s generation is often acutely aware of the diverse ways they can make a significant impact without leaving their home country, leading to a broader view of what ‘mission’ can mean.

The Emerging Generations: Poised for Impact

While there are challenges, the upcoming generations (GenZ and beyond) are uniquely positioned to contribute positively to mission work.  Some of the key elements of this include (but are not limited to):

1. Global Awareness:
   Growing up in a connected world, they have an innate global awareness and multicultural sensitivity that previous generations had to learn.
2. Adaptability and Innovation:
   This generation is often adept at adapting to change and leveraging technology and innovation in various aspects of life — traits that can be invaluable in modern mission work.
3. Passion for Purposeful Work:
   Many young people are driven by a desire to engage in work that makes a tangible, positive difference in the world — a mindset that aligns with the core of mission work.

Challenges and Opportunities: A New Missionary Mindset

The traditional values of “packing your coffin” and committing to lifelong service in a far-off land don’t resonate with many of today’s prospective missionaries. But this doesn't equate to a lack of commitment or willingness to sacrifice. Instead, it may signal a desire for a different kind of engagement:

1. Short-Term and Specialized Missions:
   There is a growing interest in shorter, more focused mission engagements that leverage a person's unique skills and passions.
2. Bi-Vocational Missions:
   The concept of combining a ‘secular’ career with mission work is increasingly popular, reflecting a holistic understanding of vocation and service.
3. Local and Global Synergy:
   The new generation often sees the interconnectedness of local and global issues and may be drawn to models of missions that address systemic and global issues from both a local and an international perspective.

Reimagining the Pipeline

Given these evolving realities, mission agencies and churches are faced with the crucial task of reimagining the mobilization pipeline:

1. Flexible Models of Service:
   Creating pathways for service that allow for varied lengths of commitment and diverse roles could make missions more accessible to a broader range of individuals.
2. Holistic Support Systems:
   Addressing the economic and psychological barriers to missions by offering robust support, including financial planning, mental health resources, and ongoing professional development.
3. Intentional Discipleship and Mentoring:
   This one won’t be a surprise… as it’s always been key for success: Investing in relational, long-term discipleship and mentoring that prepares individuals holistically for the challenges of mission work, which we can’t forget while we shepherd the next generation into their God-ordained work, regardless of location.
4. Finding Leadership Paths:
   Create feedback paths to learn from those already in your pipelines and recruit staff members in the generation you are trying to reach (and give them a leadership role).  While many organizations are decades, and in some cases centuries, old… ideas are not limited to those in any generation.  Intentionally engage your staff or bring in leaders to help shape your organization for the next 20-100 years.  

Concluding Thoughts

The changes in the mobilization pipeline represent both challenges and opportunities. While the traditional model may be under strain, the shifting landscape opens the door to new, potentially more effective and contextually relevant forms of mission engagement.

This is an exciting opportunity to re-imagine sending within your own context.  Therefore, in this time of change, our prayer is that mission organizations and churches approach the task of mobilization with creativity, grace, and a deep-seated commitment to equipping the next generation of missionaries to participate in God’s work in the world in fresh and faithful ways.

As Henry Blackaby once wrote, “For you to do the will of God, you must adjust your life to Him, His purposes, and His ways.”  May we be people who are constantly seeking God first and willing to ask hard questions or evaluate ourselves to align with where He is working.

As we continue to look at the tensions and the shift we sense in the world, I wanted to dive a bit deeper into this from a Western perspective.  

In the context of missions and global outreach, a noticeable transformation is underway, particularly in Western churches and mission agencies. This shift is marked by a reevaluation of traditional strategies and a responsiveness to the new ways God appears to be working around the world. Below, we delve deeper into this evolving landscape and the factors contributing to this shift.
 

The Retreat and Reevaluation

In the post-Covid world, a significant trend has been observed: many Western agencies have pulled back from various countries, sometimes entirely. This has several contributing factors, including:

1. Health and Safety Concerns: The Covid-19 pandemic brought with it new layers of complexity related to health and safety that have forced many organizations to reconsider where and how they operate.
2. Political and Social Instability: In an increasingly unstable global political landscape, some countries have become less hospitable to Western missionaries.
3. Economic Constraints: Financial struggles due to the pandemic have caused many organizations to tighten their budgets, which has a direct impact on foreign missions.

The Rise of Local Movements

In contrast to this Western retreat, there is significant growth in local, indigenous movements, especially within countries that have traditionally been resistant or closed to Western influence. This is a change we should celebrate!  These movements are characterized by:

1. Local Leadership: These movements are often led by individuals from within the community, who understand the culture and context deeply.
2. Cultural Relevance: Because of its indigenous nature, locals are often more adept at communicating the gospel in ways that are culturally relevant and sensitive.
3. Sustainability: Local movements are not dependent on foreign support and are often more sustainable in the long run.
4. Access to Closed Countries: Local leaders often have access to regions that Western missionaries might find difficult to enter or work within due to various restrictions.

Wrestling with New Roles

As Western agencies observe this shift, they are grappling with several important questions:

1. Partnership over Paternalism: How can Western churches and agencies move from a paternalistic model to a partnership model, coming alongside and supporting these indigenous movements rather than leading them?
2. Resource Allocation: How can Western churches best use their resources (financial, educational, etc.) to empower and support these local movements?
3. New Models of Engagement: What new, innovative models of engagement might be effective in this changing landscape? This might include short-term specialized teams, virtual training and discipleship, or business-as-mission strategies.

Challenges in this Shift

This change is not without its challenges for Western missions:

1. Loss of Control: Moving to a partnership model often means relinquishing control, which can be challenging for organizations used to leading initiatives.
2. Relearning and Unlearning: Western agencies might need to unlearn some longstanding practices and relearn how to operate within a different paradigm.
3. Navigating Diverse Theologies and Practices: Partnering with indigenous movements might mean engaging with Christians who have different ways of understanding and practicing their faith.

Real-World Example:

As we challenge ourselves, consider some practices that might just be assumed within your organization.  One example that I’ve heard a few times is the requirement of full-time missionaries to be an employee of a US-based organization.  As Latin America and the Global South are rising in mobilization, take time to consider how you might adjust this practice in order to partner and help guide non-US based missionaries as they head into the field while wisely balancing the cost/benefit of doing so within your own organization.

Concluding Thoughts

The shifting landscape of Western missions is a poignant reminder that the work of God is not confined to any one culture or strategy. It seems clear that a significant part of the Western church’s role moving forward will be learning how to effectively and humbly partner with what God is already doing through local movements around the world.

In this season of change, our prayer should be for Western missions to be marked by humility, a willingness to learn, and a steadfast commitment to unity and partnership in the furtherance of the Gospel. Would you join us in this prayer?

Do you have other thoughts on this shift? We'd love to hear them in the comments.

Navigating the Tensions of a Shifting Mission Field

One of my favorite quotes is “Change is the only constant in life.” (Heraclitus 535 BC)

Change is challenging, isn't it? If your instincts align with mine, you might find that you have a somewhat inherent resistance to change. Our human nature is often predisposed to avoid it and yet, change is a fundamental aspect of life. We like others to change more than ourselves, right?

However, here lies the conundrum. In recent months, as we’ve had conversations with mobilizers and agencies, a recurring theme continues to emerge, suggesting we might be amidst a significant shift in missions. Knowing my own inclination to resist change, this notion both challenges and invigorates me, particularly as I learn more about how various organizations are thoughtfully adapting.

Before we get too far, it’s worth acknowledging that numerous, insightful individuals are wrestling with this topic as well. Given the vast scope of the subject, I won't attempt to present a universal solution. Rather, I aim to highlight some of the tensions I’ve been hearing and experiencing in hope that this will invite you to engage as well—to question, reflect, and discern where God might be directing us. 
 

I invite you to share your perspective or help draw attention to elements I may have overlooked.

A Couple of Important Caveats:

Firstly, these tensions in the realm of missions indicative of the complex nature of the realities we face. These are not binary choices or “either-or” scenarios. Rather, we are called to navigate the world, holding these tensions in balance, while wrestling with where God has called us, both as individuals and as part of a larger organization or tribe.

Secondly, it is important to clarify that some of the following statements are generalized observations. They may not resonate universally across all cultures or communities. They are, however, reflective of the challenges and experiences regularly arising in our conversations, and thus, merit consideration.

So let’s explore some of these emerging tensions below.

Western Missions: A Change in Direction?

• Western churches appear to be shifting away from traditional methods of sending missionaries. In the post-Covid world, Western agencies have retracted from numerous countries.
• However, local movements within these countries are witnessing extraordinary growth and discipleship, especially in countries that are traditionally closed to Western influence.

​This duality raises a compelling question: Is the locus of Christian missions shifting? And if so, how do Western organizations fit into this new paradigm?

The Mobilization Pipeline: Drying Up or Primed for Change?

• Traditional pipelines within mobilization are seemingly becoming less effective than before.
• Yet, the upcoming generation(s) seem uniquely poised to make a significant global impact.

These young hearts yearn to enact meaningful change in the world, yet there seems to be a noted lack of resiliency within this generation. The notion of ‘packing up your coffin’ and committing one’s life to a singular mission in a foreign land appears to be waning. How do we reconcile this paradox, and what new forms of engagement might emerge?

The Short-term Approach: A Shift in Focus?

• There appears to be a movement toward more intentional, focused missions—a 'scalpel' approach rather than a 'flashlight'.
• The good news is that it appears we are learning lessons from content like When Helping Hurts or Toxic Charity.

​However, as we hopefully navigate towards more sustainable and meaningful impact, does this bring its own set of challenges? What are the implications of this trend, and how does it affect the way missions are designed and executed?

The Core of Our Identity: Mission or God?

• In our zeal to serve, there’s a profound question emerging: Has our identity become more intertwined with the mission rather than with God Himself?
• This is a sobering reflection for anyone involved in missions. It calls us back to the foundation of our faith and prompts us to continually evaluate where our true devotion lies.

A Summary of these Shifts

In sharing these tensions, this post is an invitation for all of us to grapple with the changes we perceive, to ask challenging questions, and to prayerfully seek God’s direction in this evolving landscape. After all, we are participants in God’s grand narrative, called to faithfully serve while continually adapting to the changing tides of our world. 

Did we miss other tensions that you are facing?  Are there other perspectives or thoughts that you would like to share? Please join our conversations at Missions Made Simple as we would love to hear your thoughts and perspectives.

And if you, by chance, have insights or have navigated these tensions successfully, please share your wisdom with us!  

This is a space of exploration, and your voice matters. Let’s journey through these changes and uncertainties together, with open hearts and a steadfast faith.

We all know that the days and weeks following a trip are brimming with potential.  Everyone is excited about what just happened and how they are changed by their experience.  However, whenever I ask how that energy is getting captured, focused, or shared, I hear a lot of organizations and churches say things like “Yeah, we really should do this,” but if we are being honest, this is very rarely enacted or done consistently across all teams.  Even within your teams, you will find that some teams or team leaders might do this well, while others completely ignore this critical step.  

Why are we so inconsistent with this area if we know it’s a valuable part of the Mission Journey?

In my experience, this topic is often overshadowed by the excitement and anticipation of the mission trip itself.  Unfortunately, without this key step, we miss an opportunity to cement life change and, I would argue, this results in short-circuiting the potential for discipleship and future engagement with those participants.

We believe what happens after the trip is over is just as integral to the mission journey and a golden opportunity to deepen your impact, both personally and within the community.  Here are four ways to better understand our tensions in this area and create a culture within our organizations that stewards well the entire process, including the time after the trip is over.

1. Rethinking the Post-Trip Engagement: A Shift in Perception

In the wake of a mission trip, many of us heave a sigh of relief, tempted to say, "Whew… it’s over.” Unfortunately, this mindset can lead us to overlook a critical stage of the journey: post-trip engagement. It's essential to resist viewing these gatherings as simply "nice to have" or as an afterthought. Instead, we must recognize that each trip isn't a standalone event but rather a crucial milestone in a person’s broader missional journey.

By placing the trip within this larger narrative, we begin to grasp the importance of the return home and the subsequent communication about what transpired during their mission. What God has done in their lives during this time is a powerful story that needs to be shared and honored.

Once you capture this larger perspective, it impacts your communication with your team.  By providing a reason why and being aware of your own mindset, you can communicate the importance more clearly and help establish the mindset that you want.

Here’s an example of how you may express this mindset via email to your participants. It might sound like this:

“Phew, you're back from your mission trip. Your suitcase may be empty, but your heart's likely full. Now, it's tempting to breathe a sigh of relief and think, ‘All done. The trip's over.’ But wait! There's one crucial part of the journey we often overlook: the post-trip get-togethers.

Let's break the mold and think of these meetings not as an ‘oh-by-the-way’ kind of thing or even just a reunion, but as a significant part of the overall mission. Why? Because a mission trip isn't a one-off. It's a stepping stone on a bigger, beautiful journey. It's a chapter in your unique story of how you're making a difference in the world… and how those moments made a difference in you that you hope to continue to cultivate.

So, don't rush to close the book on this chapter. Savor it, share it, and let's talk about what God's been up to in your life.”

2. Setting Expectations Before the Trip: The Power of Preparation

The groundwork for effective post-trip engagement begins even before departure. Ensure that your team understands the expectation for participation in the form of a debrief meeting upon their return. This sets the stage for open communication and active engagement. If anyone misses this meeting, a follow-up should be arranged to communicate the importance of this step, preparing them better for future missions.

By setting these clear expectations and being proactive in your follow-through, you facilitate an environment where individuals feel more involved, heard, and integral to the mission's success.  Additionally, you set yourself up for success in the following years.  Think of this as a “line in the sand” moment and by establishing and enforcing expectations over the next couple of sending seasons, you will start to see incredible results.

3. In-Country Debrief: Harnessing Immediate Reflections

Engaging your participants effectively in their experience of the trip shouldn’t begin once you're home. We believe it should begin while you're still in the field. Encourage your leaders to facilitate a debriefing session regularly, or at least soon before your return home. This simple yet impactful practice presses for the participation of everyone and primes the team for more in-depth conversations when they return home.

Open-ended questions such as, "What was one highlight that encapsulates our time here?" and "What personal challenge, mindset shift, or behavior change did you face during this mission?" can stimulate thoughtful responses. As you wait for your return flight, encourage participants to summarize their experiences into a two-minute account and jot it down on a notecard. On the route home, they can expand this into a detailed journal entry, documenting three key take-aways that profoundly impacted their lives, perspectives, or missional journey.

4. Using Their Experience as a Call to Action: Spreading the Missional Flame

Back home, the participants' experiences can be a powerful catalyst for drawing others into their journey or alongside your organizational mission.  Sharing your stories can inspire others to embark on their own journeys, and maybe even join you on your next adventure!  Therefore, encourage participants to share their stories and make it easy for them to do so.

Pro Tip: Find a way to capture those stories, the lessons, and the examples of life change that occurred in your debrief.  These details will touch the hearts of your donor base, encourage future participants, and help others feel the impact that was made by the team.  

Make it easy for your participants to share information about your organization, field partner, or church. As a small example, as your participants have conversations, you can encourage them to connect those people with your social media. This additional engagement not only grows your potential participant pool but also allows for continual dialogue about missions, further fostering a vibrant community that is engaged, inspired, and ready for more missional opportunities.

The mission trip might be over, but its ripple effects are just starting.  It’s an ongoing journey of growth, sharing, and inspiration.  So let’s keep the conversation going and continue making a difference together.  

What have you found effective in post-trip debriefs?  How have you leveraged the stories and insights to improve in your next season?

For 14 quick tips on running a successful post-trip debrief, check out our quick guide here.
 

So what in the world is mission trip software?!  Great question.  Essentially mission trip software are tools that help you run the logistics of your short term missions trips.  But all things are not created equal.  It all starts with understanding your overall goals and then evaluating the tools that make the most sense for you.  Let’s navigate a few key tips to set you up for success on selecting the mission trip software that’s best for you.  

Tip #1 - Know Your Goals

Everyone has a different set of goals but we believe there are a few that we all agree on and ones that we see quite often.  Most everyone is looking for ways to do the following:

• Reduce Stress - there are so many logistical items for managing a short term trip - the software should help relieve some of that stress.

• Save Time - the average short term trip takes around 150 hours to manage - the software should greatly reduce that amount of time.

• Expandabilty to Grow - the reduction in both stress and time should allow for the expansion of your missions program.

• Keeping People Engaged - short term trips should always have a way to keep people engaged with your organization and in a life of missional living.  

Tip #2 - Determine the Features that Matter

You have an idea in your head about what features matter most to you.  Take a moment to write those down and talk those over with your team.  And if you need some ideas for features that you should be considering, take a look at our free Guide to Choosing the Best Technology to Grow Your Missions Program.  The best thing you can do is map out your desired features and then start evaluating which tool works best for you. 

Tip #3 - Ask the Right Questions

There may be a ton of questions you want to ask about any technology, as you should.  Many of these questions you can answer on your own as you look through their sales site and explore features.  But there are other questions you’ll have that might be specific to your needs or processes.  Be sure to contact the tools you’re exploring to help answer those questions.  Here are a few questions we recommend considering when looking at any new software:

• Does it manage online fundraising?

• Is it simple for our staff to use?

• Is it simple for our participants to use?

• Can it scale to our ultimate vision in missions engagement?

• Does it help mature our participants toward greater life engagement?

• Do applicants need to fill out application data from scratch each time?

• Can you control what each trip admin can and cannot do?

• Do trip members have dedicated fundraising pages?

• Are your trip participants notified of financial progress?

• Does it help you tell your organization’s missional story?

Tip #4 - Engage Others on Your Team

Don’t make this decision on your own… certainly don’t feel the weight of the decision needs to be completely on your shoulders.  Consider engaging your boss, your finance department, your IT department, your communications department, your team leaders, and whoever else helps make the whole world of short term missions a reality at your organization. You will be thankful for their wisdom and insights.  

Tip #5 - Build a Comparison Chart

You know what you’re looking for in a mission trip software solution.  As you look through various options and solutions, create a simple comparison chart of your own that helps you see things side by side.  You know what’s important to you so, in some ways, you’re the only one who can build that chart.  Feel free to take a look at our comparison page to get an idea of how to start building your comparison chart.  

Most of all… have fun!  I know, how is selecting a technology fun?  But it can be… this season of exploring is short-lived and it really is one that can help you dream of what you could be doing.  Enjoy this exploration as you investigate all the possibilities and narrow in your selection.