Teams need to think about that before they even go overseas. They should be asking themselves, “How are we going to bring this back to our congregation?” Teams ought to give their reports in digestible chunks, not in a deluge of data that people can’t really process.

Whatever you do, give the participants time to debrief before they report. For example, after coming back from working among the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, teams reentering western culture can be agitated and a little angry. They may tend to scold the church instead of inviting them to learn. So short-termers need time by themselves before they talk about it publicly. They can frame it in this context: “We want to introduce you to family that you didn’t know you had.” That way, it’s more invitational than confrontational, and it can have a greater impact on the church long-term.

George Halitzka is a freelance writer based in Louisville. Visit him online at writingbygeorge.com.

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Short-term missions are great opportunities for your church and its people to serve God in different ways and in different places. The problem is short-term missions often require a lot of organization and work before during and after the trip. These forms will help guide you through the process of planning and executing a memorable trip.

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Paul Borthwick holds a doctorate in Cross-Cultural Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and teaches missiology at Gordon College near his Boston home. He’s the author of How to Be a World-Class Christian and fourteen other books. Borthwick has coordinated over 100 missions trips all over the world. He also serves as a senior consultant with Development Associates International. Borthwick spoke with Round Trip Missions about the future of short-term missions and about how to best serve with our Christian brothers and sisters in the Global South.