Why Christian Mission Trips Don't Actually Help.

Why Christian Mission Trips Don't Actually Help.

Why Christian Mission Trips Don’t Actually Help.
Hemant Mehta (http://www.friendlyatheist.com)

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49 Comments

  1. @tammierose3753 on April 27, 2025 at 8:27 pm

    mission tourism

  2. @nuggetoftruth-ericking7489 on April 27, 2025 at 8:28 pm

    To believe not to believe in God. Interesting belief.

  3. @anjoleahdupree1963 on April 27, 2025 at 8:31 pm

    The Roman Catholic Church is the most compassionate of all of the Christian Churches within Christianity.

  4. @valerienieves3671 on April 27, 2025 at 8:32 pm

    Thank you for caring and for making this video. I hope we all continually search for ways to be selfless and caring for others needs.

  5. @Matthew-xb9vg on April 27, 2025 at 8:33 pm

    I personally believe that we don’t need a God to be nice to each other and have purpose in life but yes I 100% agree with you and you made a great point and also I personally believe these children in third world countries or any country shouldn’t have to worry about any type of God or religion they should have shelter food and be able to be happy in life then be able to make their own life choices about what they believe in going to another country and preaching something isn’t helping those kids or people

  6. @claudiaschneider5744 on April 27, 2025 at 8:35 pm

    Never forget what all these mission trips did to all the indigene children on that planet. Those indians have already their very own spirituality and need no religious trauma.

  7. @sarahbaer1593 on April 27, 2025 at 8:37 pm

    They do need shelter and food and water

  8. @Bhrojie on April 27, 2025 at 8:40 pm

    hey atheists can you work better then them ??? you just talk to much…

  9. @lucashe4634 on April 27, 2025 at 8:44 pm

    You missed the point were a little goes a long way. I just went to a missions trip to Guatemala, we spent thousands of dollars to go help people and your gonna say we just want the photos sir?? In my eyes that is ridiculous. If your ranting about how “Christian missions trips don’t actually help”, then I can safely assume that you’ve never been a part of a missions trip, you have no right to say anything if you haven’t actually been present. I have a question: have you actually got off your couch, and stepped up to make a difference, if not, then why are you trying to voice what we are doing wrong, when you haven’t even tried? That is a valid point I just made. From what I saw in Acul myself, with my own eyes, you are wrong in saying anything about short missions trips. I’m talking about relationships, relationships with God and others. Go see for yourself, I can’t explain in just a paragraph

  10. @HeidiRobinson-e4h on April 27, 2025 at 8:44 pm

    Thank you for this video

  11. @micahezel3316 on April 27, 2025 at 8:45 pm

    When you die in your cozy bed with a full stomach you will be wishing you had had a Bible instead because all the comforts in this life can’t save you from eternal punishment without Jesus

  12. @valerienieves3671 on April 27, 2025 at 8:45 pm

    I am a Christian that has gone on a couple different mission trips and I thank you for sharing your tips. I have been on long term, short term, and extremely short term trips. I believe that none of the those trips where worthless (not saying you are saying that). I believe that each trip has impacted me in a way that makes me continue to want to be helpful towards everyone else. Just recently I came back from a short mission trip and I thought to myself along with others from the group how can we be a continual support to this project, these people? And we are working on that now. I think it’s important to be wise in the way we spend our finances when supporting missions. I also believe that we should keep in mind that some people won’t care about giving to support a mission unless they take a trip, even if it’s a short mission trip to reveal to them the great basic needs of the people and the fact that they could actual help make a difference and help supply for them. I would like to see more church groups follow up with each mission trip project they have gone to. I agree with your idea of long term support. We should continue to support those real needs of the people. I believe as Christians we can do better and because, as you have said most have good intentions God will inspire them to step up the game as He has inspired me and many others. All good efforts count and we may not see the outcome or the effects of them now but every good effort will have it’s positive effect and eventually it will be revealed to us all.

  13. @yamie3116 on April 27, 2025 at 8:47 pm

    “Friendly atheist?” Yeah, I think I’ll pass.

  14. @slushbox3443 on April 27, 2025 at 8:50 pm

    This guy is missing the whole point

  15. @ghanshyaamramkissoon3207 on April 27, 2025 at 8:50 pm

    look for an example in the movie rambo 3

  16. @HeidiRobinson-e4h on April 27, 2025 at 8:51 pm

    I don’t support missionaries who don’t do local Christian missions in the areas in which they live, and won’t even spend time in person with their own families and friends…. but they want to go on some God told them to go on some short/long term missions trip.

  17. @danielcercel1665 on April 27, 2025 at 8:51 pm

    many churches send people overseas for a year or more sometimes and any help is good the fact you mostly only attack Christianity just further proves its truth you always hear people use the name of jesus as a curse word would you use your mothers name as a curse word? the turth is always attacked cause satan doesn’t want you to find the true god Jesus Christ

  18. @HanSolo-i8s on April 27, 2025 at 8:52 pm

    Because christianity is a false religion. That’s why

  19. @chazcazi7381 on April 27, 2025 at 8:52 pm

    I definitely agree that there are groups that go for a photo op and maybe do more harm than good. You made some assumptions though that are, well, assumptions and don’t really support your argument. There are a lot of Christians that do go for long term missions trips. Also, many groups do bring aid or help in many ways beyond just sharing the gospel. Although you may not think sharing the gospel is vital, Christians believe this is the most important thing they can give them. I agree though it needs to be partnered with physical needs as well. Many groups also partner with organizations that live in the area and use these groups to support that specific people group. I think it might be helpful for you to get a better understanding of what is actually happening. I do however appreciate your heart and desire for people to know what is actually helping versus what is actually doing harm.

  20. @thadhill9220 on April 27, 2025 at 8:54 pm

    1st corinthians 1-18-25

  21. @shifterbbr1986 on April 27, 2025 at 8:55 pm

    Atheists should do mission trips to undo all the bad that these religious fools have done.

  22. @jesus.loves.you4 on April 27, 2025 at 8:55 pm

    I am a christian and I just want to say that anyone in this comment section that has had a bad experience with the church, i’m sorry. I will be praying that all of you will find God and will have a good experience. My life has been absolutely turned around and it is all because of Jesus. I would never force my religion on anybody, but will forever share in hopes that you will be saved from Hell eternally. Don’t forget that Jesus loves you!

  23. @shipped_my_pants_3000 on April 27, 2025 at 8:56 pm

    My nephew has spent over 5 years in Canada on a missionary trip. He basically has laundered the money that he has brought in from donations through his organization, tax free, and used that money to start a personal business of writing children’s books. And then he posts on social media with the gall to ask family and friends to help him get his books into local libraries. The kicker? He claims to have just reached his 1000 books sold mile marker, and according to him he has not profited a penny yet. What a slippery slime. And he is getting top-selling medals from Amazon on his books.
    I can’t stop thinking that my nephew is another evangelical fraud and a liar.

  24. @acaciagirl on April 27, 2025 at 8:56 pm

    I did a mission trip to a very poor city in Mexico in 2006. I believe I was 12, and once I came back I was so confused at the purpose of the trip. We were told not to give the locals any money, but we were to perform little “plays” that somehow brought the people closer to Jesus? & I’m pretty sure we took offerings. But at no point did we help build houses, fix roads or anything that would’ve actually made a difference to their living situation. Not to mention we paid $1000 just to go.

  25. @rooftopvoice5842 on April 27, 2025 at 8:56 pm

    MY MISSION TRIP:
    I went on a mission trip to Northern India last year with my small house church. We traveled to rural village churches that had been planted there by an Indian Pastor who was our guide and translator. He has planted many churches, started schools for street children, much needed trade schools for women, dug bore wells in many villages and started a bible school. All the drinking water in India is polluted b/c they don’t dig deep enough to get clean water. Jesus followers in India are extremely persecuted by their fellow Hindu families and neighbors. They are often abused, beaten and even killed, for becoming follower of Jesus. But when a bore well is dug in a village, the persecution goes down significantly. The bore wells are dug at Christian homes, who share freely with their neighbors, bringing peace and health to all.
    MIRACLES:
    While there we shared the Gospel, healed the sick, cast out demons and prayed for believers to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 3 men asked to be delivered of alcoholism and were completely set free with no withdrawals from that day. My sister prayed for a woman with tumors in her neck. She woke up the next day and the tumors were gone. Another woman asked for prayer for her husband who was in the hospital dying. The very next day he was healed and released from the hospital.
    We were praying for an elderly woman when suddenly her left ear, which had been deaf, opened up! We hadn’t even known she was deaf in her ear, but were praying for something else, and God healed it!
    When word got out to the villages that people were getting healed and set free, Hindus began to come for prayer. Many become followers of Jesus.
    EVEN THE DEMONS SUBMIT TO THE NAME OF JESUS:
    We also saw many delivered from demons. There is power in the name of Jesus and the demons shriek in terror. The power of God fell in those little dirt floor churches. And people started hitting the ground like sacks of potatoes. It took me by surprise and even took the Indian believers by surprise. I prayed for one woman who was so sick she could barely stand with pain all in her body. When I prayed for her she fell out on the ground. There were those to catch her to ensure she didn’t get hurt. When they picked her back up, I realized it was a demon making her sick. So I commanded it to leave in Jesus name and she fell out again. When she finally arose, she was completely healed and the pain was all gone!
    Jesus is alive and real and He wants to reach people today, to heal them, to wipe away their tears, and to set them free. He loves Hindus, Muslims, Atheists, Agnostics, and the LGBQ community. If anyone reading this has questions, feel free to write or email me.

  26. @emmiewilson5024 on April 27, 2025 at 8:56 pm

    I liked how you spoke frankly and practically about the effects of short term missions . I love God and believe in Jesus christ .

  27. @jonathang5160 on April 27, 2025 at 8:57 pm

    I don’t agree. Don’t say it doesn’t help anybody. A week may not be enough to help in that country but It can cause an Awakening in the volunteer and have a vision and burden for the lost and that volunteer will want to go back for long-term. So you can’t say it doesn’t help and that it’s not worth it not worth it.
    (By the way, there are more reasons to believe that there is a God than to believe there’s not a God) I can go into lengthy detail and explain but you will need to find out for yourself. And I hope it won’t be too late for you

  28. @darthrubik8384 on April 27, 2025 at 8:57 pm

    Imagine complaining about people doing infinitely more than you, about anything. Atheism is the silliest religion.

  29. @aaronerskine3401 on April 27, 2025 at 8:58 pm

    few points… mission trips are for ego boosting of the group when they return for the slideshow at church. why not commit to year round ministry in walking distance of the church or nearest poor neighborhood. i’m disgusted to see my local church in florida take a mission trip to England. obviously the pastor had to go over a couple of times in preparation (bullshit). there are apartment complexes in my area that have extremely high crime and shooting rates. wouldn’t it be a greater impact to "trust god" and take the church van over there each weekend and go door to door witnessing and do mission work? also, many mission trips are arrogant in the face of what’s already taking place where trips are taken — it is to say if it weren’t for us, the gospel won’t go there… as if we are god’s special chosen. that is an insult to the local ministries in those areas. the only caveat to this would be if there is a natural disaster and a church group is doing real service, or mercy ships which does a service

  30. @jbp8417 on April 27, 2025 at 9:00 pm

    Lord -May you awaken all atheists

  31. @Sharing_The_Gospel on April 27, 2025 at 9:00 pm

    Christian here, just came back from a missions trip to Balcones Del Sol, Mexico. We brought doctors and donated clothes, to say these people were grateful is an understatement…not because of what we brought but because they felt loved, seen and heard. I got more from that trip than I could ever give them. Heading out on my second trip in January, I thought missions trip was about talking about the Bible when in reality it’s about sharing the unconditional love of god.

  32. @sarahbaer1593 on April 27, 2025 at 9:00 pm

    I hate God he made so many promises and none of them got fulfilled

  33. @gregorymckinney666 on April 27, 2025 at 9:01 pm

    Whenever I see an informercial for feeding the children they would show up for a photo op giving the kids a bowl of orange glop so disgusting that farmers wouldn’t slop their pigs with it

  34. @reins981 on April 27, 2025 at 9:02 pm

    You are right man. So right

  35. @president234 on April 27, 2025 at 9:02 pm

    So this is basically a guy criticizing 2 weeks mission trips based off of how he feels. There are a ton of Christian organizations that work full time in poor countries doing all sorts of missionary work. He really has no idea what he is talking about

  36. @raymondsmith9886 on April 27, 2025 at 9:04 pm

    I heard tech for America is good way to pad your resume before you get into politics. This was a girl who was going into teach for America

  37. @hellomynameis5889 on April 27, 2025 at 9:11 pm

    The people going for a week or two are usually just there to give a hand to the missionaries that are working there long term.

  38. @truth409 on April 27, 2025 at 9:14 pm

    If people follow the bible completely then they would start to begin the help themselves With getting things like food and water And they will start working together….

  39. @Hardcorecults on April 27, 2025 at 9:16 pm

    The reason these countries are impoverished, a lot of times, you’ll be surprised if you check into the IQ scores of the average person in the country. There’s a direct correlation between countries with low average IQ, and poverty. You cannot even educate people out of poverty all the time …possible, but is very difficult.

  40. @YasminYoruba on April 27, 2025 at 9:17 pm

    Mission work isn’t just for the orphans and kids. It can be for the parents and families. Also it’s important to use your gifts not just reading scripture. Always let God guide you BUT like this guy said be realistic. I feel I need to be a missionary because I have traveled and unofficially done the work. God just provides strength for me now to do more. I raised money and my own funds to support small communities. I want to help families and kids to stay with their parents. Education yes but also to not modernise their country. Not take away their essence. Help bring awareness to their issues and continue to try and raise money. I’m lucky I have a community online who have always supported my charity work. To now be able to step further in I am excited. I want to build the communities up but not be too preachy. I just want to do Gods work and help people. It’s sad a lot aren’t genuine and God will punish them.

  41. @FactStorm on April 27, 2025 at 9:19 pm

    Missionaries are delusional, they are 100% harmful..yet the deluded think they are doing good. Sickening..

  42. @HellChicken18 on April 27, 2025 at 9:19 pm

    You cry a lot.

  43. @Bbybunn on April 27, 2025 at 9:22 pm

    its colonization

  44. @handyrus on April 27, 2025 at 9:22 pm

    Reminds me of a saying ‘Do something nice for someone, and don’t get caught’

  45. @martinmillar7998 on April 27, 2025 at 9:24 pm

    Need to find more children to (prey on) I mean pray. sorry

  46. @HappyVacationer on April 27, 2025 at 9:24 pm

    You are very wrong about mission trips. Yes, there may be more work needed. But you are quiet wrong in your knowledge of how mission trips/work is organized. You are making a blanket assumption about all. I ask that before you pronounce you your views you would join several mission trips to some place in the US and also some to various countries. I challenge you to do this, spend time with Baptist missions. Get to know the people. Go on a medical mission trip with Samaritan’s Purse, Doctors Without Borders. If you are with people that only want to serve God by serving His creation you will come to know the God of this Universe. If you truly know Him, you would not be able to deny Him. I hope someday you give Him a chance. Good luck to you.

  47. @timswauger9245 on April 27, 2025 at 9:24 pm

    Are you kidding me? You remind me of the clueless armchair amthropologists of the 19th century who thought they could understand other cultures & peoples just by reading stories. They never actually went to the field. That’s a bygone era I thought any social critic w/ an ounce of credibility moved on from. Your armchair commentary proves that’s not the case.

  48. @josmith5419 on April 27, 2025 at 9:26 pm

    This guy is so wrong. Any help is better than none. Shame on him

  49. @oritheo on April 27, 2025 at 9:26 pm

    This man has demons. Lord help his soul

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