Short-term mission trips have become an increasingly popular form of youth, young adult, social justice, evangelism, and global ministry. Short-term missionaries often remark that such experiences have had a profound impact on their faith and lives. I believe that the key to short-term missions’ ability to form and transform the faith of the missionaries lies in theologically sound reflective and contemplative practice.

When reflection is minimal or missing, precious opportunities to make connections between Word and world are forfeited. Participants become like those described in T. S. Eliot’s poem, The Dry Salvages: “We had the experience but missed the meaning.” I intend, therefore, to study theologies, theories and practices of Christian meditation, reflection and contemplation in order to bring the best of these to bear on the modern phenomenon of short-term missions.

My doctoral research project at Princeton Theological Seminary focused on the impact of a short-term mission trip on college students’ faith formation. I now want to focus more specifically on reflective practice in the hope of deepening leaders’ and participants’ engagement with both the Christian faith and the lived realities of those of God’s children alongside whom they serve.