Many people in affluent countries in Asia have traveled extensively. Some of them are already tired of going on vacation to the “same old places” – after all, most beaches look alike, many hotels are very similar and almost all breakfast buffets are almost identical!
Therefore, market-savvy tour operators have come up with new types of tours, eg. adventure-tourism, eco-tourism, volunteer-tourism. Volunteer-tourism (or volun-tourism) caters to those who want to do something meaningful (eg. repair an orphanage, teach under-privileged children) while at the same time seeing and experiencing something new and exciting. This type of tourism is gaining popularity.
A possible modification of volun-tourism for Christians is mission-tourism. Presently, a form of mission-tourism is organized by many Asian churches for their members. Churches in more affluent Asian countries often organize an annual trip for their members to go to visit a missionary that they are supporting in a nearby country. The members will often try to do something useful, eg. carry used clothes, present a musical item or a Gospel skit. Such trips are usually termed “mission trips” though in reality they are just a form of volun-tourism. The real missionaries are usually too polite to admit that the amount of work that they have to do to prepare for these voun-tourists is far more than the benefit that they bring.
Though the visitors may not bring much benefit to the local missionary on the trip, the visitors are often impacted by what they see. For example, they may be more thankful to God when they return home, they may be more prayerful for the missionary and may even give more sacrificially to missions in the future. Some may even be called to the mission-field after they return home. There is no doubt that it is good for Christians to see the mission-field. The Lord Jesus said “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields…” John 4:35. Therefore, it is important for us to look on the mission-field, rather than just listen to mission reports or read mission stories. In missions, a “look” is worth a thousand “words.” Therefore, in this way mission-tourism is a good thing and should be promoted in such a way that more and more Christians will visit a missionary rather than see another beach, fancy hotel or buffet-breakfast!
However, Christians must not be misled to think that going on a mission-tourism trip is doing missions! Churches must not pretend that they are fulfilling the Great Commission by supporting some missionaries financially and sending a group of mission-tourists yearly. Sad to say, this is the sum total of many church’s missions program!
Another form of mission tourism is that done by some mission-board members. They find reasons/excuses to visit a missionary or new place under the guise of supervision/survey, when in fact there is no real reason for them to go on that trip. Like crooked business executives who abuse company expenses and privileges, many mission-board members will also be accountable one day.
Except they will face a Higher Authority!
Unlike tourism which is primarily entertainment, missions is serious business!
It’s God’s business! And we must take it seriously because God takes it seriously!
The shock of everything is now starting to sink in and the dust is starting to settle some.
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This timely reminder should be given to the corporate world at large. In my line of work, I see many top echelon people flying about with their subordinates, passing onto them bad behaviours to follow on their own.
I can safely say that our leadership have not in any way demonstrated once this trait. Praise God for God fearing leaders in our midst.