From the mission field: Short-Term Mission has busiest year ever

Members of a short-term team from St. Matthews Lutheran Church, Esko, Minn., teach Bible verses at Iglesia Luterana Principe de Paz (Prince of Peace Lutheran Church) in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, in 2019. (LCMS/Erik M. Lunsford)

2023 was the biggest year yet for the LCMS Short-Term Mission Program, which sent more volunteers on mission trips and filled more field requests than ever before. LCMS short-term mission teams are usually made up of three to 15 people who serve alongside LCMS missionaries and Lutheran partners to proclaim Christ in a specific location for one to two weeks. Short-term mission trips take place all over the world, in all four LCMS mission regions: Latin America, Africa, Eurasia and Asia.

Some short-term mission trips are intended for congregations; others are intended to be educational or are geared especially to church workers or people interested in long-term mission work. Teams may be formed by congregations, families, friends or other groups.

Some of the ways that short-term mission teams have served have been providing English Bible Camps, property construction or renovation, vacation Bible school or mission education. All of the short-term opportunities are designed to help support the strategic goals of the Synod’s mission work in that field and region: to spread the Gospel, plant Lutheran churches and show mercy.

Short-term mission teams are generally responsible for all travel and coordination costs. In some cases, teams may be responsible for any project costs. The placement process involves an online application, placement consultation and pastoral recommendation.

Short-term mission trips offered by the program in 2024 are close to filling up, but there are still openings for teams to serve this fall. And it is not too early to start thinking about 2025.

For more information, or to browse opportunities to serve on a short-term mission team, visit lcms.org/short-term.