Mack Leeann's Guide to Short-Term Missions

I have gone thru many STM trainings and book readings. This is the best book I've read and it's an excellent resource for both the goer and trainer, it's captured all the important element for the team and individual success. It's very easy to read, with lots of practical advices, and the author always use real world stories to get to his point. I really love this book and I cannot put it down until I finished it at 3am.

If you're interested in a book about short-term missions that is to the point in an easy reading style, this is the book for you. This book is written by a couple that has been leading short-term mission trips for many years. They've seen it all. The chapters are short and cover the "stuff" you need to know;practical advice in a spiritual context.

Mack and Leeann's guide is definitely a valuable addition to the newly emerging flood of books about Short Term Missions. What makes their contribution distinct is their understanding of Short Terms as a valuable part of God's mission to the world, rather than simply as a "farm league" for potential long-term missionaries, or as a way to envigorate a stagnant youth group. STM's are more than light entertainment for bored high-school students, and Mack and Leeann communicate this effectively and practically in this concise and readable guide. Chapter after chapter contain stories from their own experiences which also make this book unique.

Having been on a short-term trip, I wish I had read this book before I went. It rings true.Mack and Leeann have learned a LOT over the years about the beauties and pitfalls of short-term trips. This book is wonderful.It's not a "what to pack" kind of book. Those are a dime a dozen. Instead, it digs much deeper -- into the theology/philosophy of short-term trips, how to prepare spiritually and how to return well, etc.Perhaps most valuable is their culture-crossing advice. So much of the success and impact of a short-term trip depends upon one's ability to cross cultures, deal with culture shock, build trust, stretch yourself, and then return well. The advice here is priceless in this regard. If you are going, read this book. If someone you love is going, read this book. If you are leading a trip, read this book and then make everyone you're taking read this book. It will save you so much trouble and may be the difference between an okay trip and an amazing trip.

This book presents the basic principles of short term missions, shows how to develop critical cross-cultural skills, and addresses specific needs short termers experience. The pages overflow with foundational scriptures and true stories from short termers who have traveled with the authors during a dozen two-month mission trips to Africa, the Middle East and Central America. The experiences presented are realistic, sometimes humorous, and often life-changing. Short term missionaries are changing the world. This book will challenge you to consider the opportunities available for a short term mission trip. This is a great text for a small group study. It's fast paced, has short chapters, and is appropriate for high school students as well as adults. Highly recommended for mission minded individuals and congregations.