Mack & Leeann's Guide to Short-Term Missions [Paperback]

J. Mack Stiles (Author), Leeann Stiles (Author)

Book Description

Today the world is as close as an airplane flight. Thousands take advantage of this, going for short visits to other countries to be more involved in God's worldwide mission. How can you prepare for such a trip? What are the hazards to avoid and the opportunities to embrace? Here is field-tested advice you should not leave home without! Mack and Leeann Stiles are veteran leaders of more than a dozen two-month mission trips that have taken them around the globe. Their practical advice, hard-won lessons and hilarious stories will help you know what to expect as you get ready to see God in action in new ways. This book offers you the keys to

• establishing partnerships with sending churches
• learning from your hosts in the countries you visit
• becoming a culturally sensitive person
• overcoming the shortcomings of short-term missions
• growing a servant spirit
• learning to trust God, your hosts and yourself
• facing injustice with realism and compassion
• speaking about Jesus in a way that makes sense in a new culture
• dealing with reentry culture shock when you get back home

Short mission trips can put feet on your knowledge of God and give you a God-sized picture of the world. In the process of going you will grow, and even though you may feel inadequate or scared, you will also give much to those you go to.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An ideal book for church missions committees, youth pastors, and anyone considering a short-term missions trip. -- CBA Marketplace

About the Author

J. Mack Stiles and Leeann Stiles have led five two-month mission trips in Kenya, two in the Middle East, six in Central America, and they've done ground work for trips to Southeast Asia. Mack and Leeann live in Kentucky with their three boys, who joined them on these trips. Mack is the southeast regional director for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and the author of 17 Things My Kids Taught Me About God and Speaking of Jesus.

Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (August 10, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830822690
• ISBN-13: 978-0830822690
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #85,792 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must for any trip, February 28, 2001

By 

William Krischke (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mack & Leeann's Guide to Short-Term Missions (Paperback)

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.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for team preparation, May 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Mack & Leeann's Guide to Short-Term Missions (Paperback)

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.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stands out in the crowd of Short Term Missions literature, April 17, 2001

By 

Ryan - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mack & Leeann's Guide to Short-Term Missions (Paperback)

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.