Book Review
EMQ » January–March 2019 » Volume 55 Issue 1
Reciprocal Missions: Short-Term Missions That Serve Everyone
By D.J. Schuetze and Phil Steine
P&D Publishing, 2018
San Diego, CA
217 pages
ISBN: 978-0692090527
USD $12.99
We’re often warned to not “throw away the baby with the bathwater.” Short-term missions work is fraught with many challenges, so the authors of Reciprocal Missions propose several ways to get rid of the dirty bathwater while protecting the baby of cross-cultural service. D.J. Schuetze, a missionary who has hosted many short-term teams, and Phil Steiner, a facilitator of short-term mission teams, share the wisdom they have gained from decades of experience.
This book summarizes the best practices of healthy short-term missions. Each of the chapters addresses different issues related to short-term missions, such as biblical vision, motives, and the use of money. The authors argue that short-term mission projects have the potential to be a blessing to all involved, but only if they are reciprocal: “The goal is to show the value of a truly reciprocal mission relationship and how to build one” (p. 16). Short-term mission projects must serve and benefit everyone involved: those who send, those who go, those who receive the mission team members, and those who receive the services provided by the missions team.
The motivation for short-term missions must be love and hospitality in order for a mutually beneficial relationship, that is, a relationship of trust, to develop between the short-term mission team and the host community. To do so, there is the need for unbroken, effective communication between all involved. This trust and communication will allow a thorough, mutual assessment of the project throughout its duration in order to ensure that all parties are benefitting from the project.
There are several major strengths of this book. The book is easy to read and, owing to the rich experiences of the authors, has concrete illustrations that support their arguments. The book offers an insightful critique of American Christianity, such as how consumerism negatively impacts short-term missions. In addition, the book offers practical ideas for building lasting relationships between short-term mission teams and host communities.
On the other hand, the book could be enriched by discussing the spiritual dimensions that are important for short-term missions. Some of these include prayer and power encounters, particularly, as they relate to the majority-world countries (Mexico and Ghana) where the authors have served extensively. Nevertheless, this book would be a valuable tool for everyone involved in organizing and hosting short-term missions. In addition, it will serve as an eye-opener to churches and individuals who send short-term teams, revealing some of the major problems encountered, as well as pointing towards the need to have truly reciprocal relationships.
Reviewed by Ezekiel Ajani, PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, lecturer in religion and philosophy, Bowen University (Nigeria), and adjunct professor of intercultural studies, the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary.
For Further Reading
Brian M. Howell. Short-Term Mission: An Ethnography of Christian Travel Narrative and Experience. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academics, 2012.
Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert with Katie Casselberry. Helping Without Hurting in Short-Term Missions: Participant’s Guide. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2014.
