Short-Term Missions as a tool for the Nigerian Church

I’m now more convinced than ever that well organized short-term mission thrusts can transform the missions’ enterprise in my home country of Nigeria.

The Church in Nigeria has multiplied numerically over the last 20years, but has barely harnessed its vast potentials useful for world missions. The average Nigerian disciple has little understanding of missions and this must be addressed.

When a missionary is introduced in our churches today, people see someone coming from a village or distant country with horror stories, needing second-hand clothes and shoes, used items that have become a nuisance to the owners but fitting for “those missionary people”.

It is this poverty and beggarly image of present day missionaries among other things that has terribly degraded the noble call in the eyes of many present day believers in the Nigerian church.

The church in Nigeria needs a paradigm shift from chasing and celebrating the crowds at our church services to grooming mission focused disciples willing to go and give sacrificially for lasting Kingdom impact in places where Jesus is not celebrated. 

I can talk about this confidently because I’ve seen how short-term missions changed my life for good. My short-term trips to Sudan have shown me the amazing impact an ordinary disciple like me could make in areas with limited knowledge of God and His word.

I’ve seen how God uses weak human vessels to honor His name. These trips have built my faith to heights I could never have attained if I stayed at home. I’ve learned several life lessons on patience, love, humility, courage, focus and a few more. Short-term missions have made me a better disciple. I’ve found my purpose by going and by giving.

I want to live to see that day when thousands of youths in the Nigerian Church will be committing to long-term missions because they met God in a profound way during a short-term trip.

I long for that day when youths who’ve been on short-term trips would come home not with stories of their pains while on the field and the poverty of people; but of God’s power and love revealed on account of their service to a community, family or person. This, I believe could give many more disciples ample reason to dare to obey the call to GO!

I dream of that day when local churches and their leaders will make their boast in the number of missionaries they have sent and are supporting. I love to dream of a time when our Sunday worship services and prayer vigils will not end without intercessions for world missions.

I’m praying for an awakening in the Nigerian church with respect to the missions’ enterprise, trusting to see the Lord’s finger prints in our efforts, His foot prints along our path and His signature of ownership on every endeavor, when we finish.

Some of our numerous maladies in the Church could be tackled with this tool or what do you think?

Author: Uche Izuora

I'm inspired by God’s passion for His name in every generation, which provokes global worship through Jesus Christ. Becoming an emotionally healthy and transformative disciple, I aim to mobilize the Church to engage in cross-cultural missions and raise other like-minded disciples who discover themselves in Christ and seek to present and represent Him as Savior and Lord among the nations northward of Uganda. View all posts by Uche Izuora