mom31257 Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 What do you think of people sharing photos of mission trips, local ministry work, etc., on Facebook or other social media? Something about it doesn't feel quite right to me. I know some do it to share with family and friends who might have contributed for the trip, but what about the day to day stuff? Aren't we supposed to do ministry without being rewarded, pats on the back, etc.? Even if someone doesn't mean for that to happen, it does anyway. Am I over analyzing, or making it too spiritual? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I go with over thinking. Friends and family like to enjoy the trip with them. From the missions stand point they like the advertisement. Now I have other issues with many mission trips but that's for another thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I love seeing pictures of the missions trips others are taking. Let's go back to the time before fb. When I was in high school I took two trips to Haiti as short-term missions with my high school youth group. Yes, I took pictures . . . we all did. According to your theory, those pictures shouldn't be looked at by anyone? My kids enjoy looking at those pictures now . . . does that mean I'm bragging that I went on a missions trip or that my motivations weren't pure? No, it means they are curious about the Haitain culture (one of my nieces recently went on a medical team to minister in Haiti - thus the interest) and they are interested that their mom was there 30 years ago. Yes, we are supposed to do ministry without being patted on the back but is it our responsibility if someone does pat us on the back. It all goes back to motivation - Why am I doing what I am doing to serve Christ? I don't think that someone else's reaction to my ministry is my responsibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenaj Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I love seeing pictures of the missions trips others are taking. Let's go back to the time before fb. When I was in high school I took two trips to Haiti as short-term missions with my high school youth group. Yes, I took pictures . . . we all did. According to your theory, those pictures shouldn't be looked at by anyone? My kids enjoy looking at those pictures now . . . does that mean I'm bragging that I went on a missions trip or that my motivations weren't pure? No, it means they are curious about the Haitain culture (one of my nieces recently went on a medical team to minister in Haiti - thus the interest) and they are interested that their mom was there 30 years ago. Yes, we are supposed to do ministry without being patted on the back but is it our responsibility if someone does pat us on the back. It all goes back to motivation - Why am I doing what I am doing to serve Christ? I don't think that someone else's reaction to my ministry is my responsibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowing Brook Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Honestly a lot of these short term mission trips seem like a glorified vacation instead of a true missions venture. I mean how much can you do in three weeks in a country where you can't even speak the language. I think part of it is how it is done. This was part of their life and they are just sharing what they did for x amount of time. I think it is ok to share photos. It shows people what is going on and how to pray. Now if it is filled with bragging "Hey look how many people I got to baptized today" than I'd say it is wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerine Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 This is always what it looks like to me. I have pictures from a trip I took to India as a young teen, and I'm just generally turned off by them now. I guess it is one issue to be declaring your good works, but when it comes to pictures of disadvantaged people posted without consent, it comes off as fetishizing poverty to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I think people who do missions tend to be similar to the rest of the Facebook population: most share the stuff that they are doing, what makes them happy, things they think are beautiful and worthwhile. Some only contact you when they want something. Some over-share. I think as long as the photos are legitimate personal experiences, it's fine for the photos to contain bystanders: whether "advantaged" or "disadvantaged" -- but subjects if photos should be made aware of what will happen to their image via technology (as far as it would be comprehensible) and give consent. (Or parents, I guess, whenever parents are available.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I wonder if people are getting photo releases from all those folks they are photographing? That is my first thought. Otherwise, I don't necessarily think it's people patting themselves on the back. There are a few people I know who seem to have that as their motivation (Look at the cool stuff I'm doing for God!) but they are like that anyway. Most people just want to share their excitement. At least; that's been my experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I love seeing missions trips. I know very few people who come back and have a feeling of "wow, look what I, the privileged, did for those poor lower class people." I am sure there are some, but the majority come back humbled and not as entitled as when they left. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 It doesn't bother me I the least that pictures are shared. I personally use FB as a way to share my life with scattered people. That said, I don't really believe in Mission trips, and I absolutely don't believe in evangelical ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I have never been to Africa or India on a mission trip, so I appreciate seeing the pictures of people who have gone. My church has built orphanages, medical clinics and dug water wells in India and Africa. My pastor went into a "cathouse" and bought a 12 year old girl out of the sex slave industry in India and took her to the church-run orphanage to live. There are no pictures of that, but there are pictures of other parts of their trips, as well as videos. It helps those who give money or in other ways support the mission trips to "see" the fruits of their giving even if they are never able to hop a plane and go to another country. He shows these pictures and says, "These are my friends", and he means it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom31257 Posted April 18, 2014 Author Share Posted April 18, 2014 Okay, so I'm probably overthinking the mission trip thing. What about someone posting pictures of his/her kids doing local ministry and saying how blessed they are to have children who serve the Lord? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I posted pictures of my kids serving the homeless on Christmas day on Facebook. My only commentary was that we were serving lunch to the homeless on Christmas Day as a family. I didn't say I was blessed or that they were serving The Lord. It didn't occur to me that this could offend people in any way. Is it the commentary that bothers you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 And for the record, I would serve the homeless if I were not Christian so I don't see it as "serving the Lord" but as doing something to help people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joanne Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Okay, so I'm probably overthinking the mission trip thing. What about someone posting pictures of his/her kids doing local ministry and saying how blessed they are to have children who serve the Lord? That would bother me on other levels. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 We went on a work trip and the sponsoring organization only allowed cameras on the work sites for one afternoon. It was easy to see why...people were staging photos showing themselves helping "the poor people". It was icky. This was a trip with families and I hated that 99% of the adults said their hope for the trip was that their kids would see how good they have it. Ick. We worked with kids most of the time and people had the nerve to assume that these kids were unloved because they were poor. Ick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Honestly a lot of these short term mission trips seem like a glorified vacation instead of a true missions venture. I mean how much can you do in three weeks in a country where you can't even speak the language. We know a family who has gone to Mexico with college students every Spring Break for 20+ years and within that one week they build an entire house from start to finish for a family. I think a lot can get done in a week or two! Maybe there are different kinds of trips and some are more effective than others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TianXiaXueXiao Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I have the same internal struggle as you, op. Maybe we are both making too much of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 For a regular trip, I don't have any problem with pictures being posted. I see it very much like the month we spent in Ireland last year. My friends told me several times they wanted to see pictures and please post them on FB. Local little stuff, it depends. I have a couple friends who post pictures like that occasionally and they would never even consider that they are doing anything but praising God and being joyful that they are serving others. There are other friends who are very clearly posting pictures like that in order to get people to praise *them* for being such "good Christians." So I think it is the attitude the person is posting from that makes the difference to me. ETA: Our month in Ireland was a vacation, not a mission trip. I wanted to make sure that was clear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in Neverland Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Okay, so I'm probably overthinking the mission trip thing. What about someone posting pictures of his/her kids doing local ministry and saying how blessed they are to have children who serve the Lord? I feel very blessed that my children serve God. Obviously, if one is not a Christian, you might not feel the same way. Other people are proud of what their kids do, also. Whether it's an academic accomplishment, a sports award, ... What does it matter? My friend's daughter just won a big dance competition and my friend posted about how lucky she feels to have such a talented daughter. I am happy for her. I don't dissect her motives. FB is how I keep in touch with friends and family who are so far from me right now. If we lived closer I'd show them pictures and share my joy over the blessings in my life in person. But I can't. So I do it on FB. If one of my "friends" doesn't like it, if they can't be happy for me and instead spend time suspecting I have ulterior motives, they know where the delete button is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 What do you think of people sharing photos of mission trips, local ministry work, etc., on Facebook or other social media? Something about it doesn't feel quite right to me. I know some do it to share with family and friends who might have contributed for the trip, but what about the day to day stuff? Aren't we supposed to do ministry without being rewarded, pats on the back, etc.? Even if someone doesn't mean for that to happen, it does anyway. Am I over analyzing, or making it too spiritual? I'd love to hear your thoughts! Not only do I think you may have a point there but are people being asked if they agree to have their pics show up in a public place? I know I am overly concerned with privacy issues in a world where the word itself is about to disappear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 I guess I don't get why this is bad!!! They have running water- that is better than much of the world. They have a safe place to sleep. When my 13yo son went he came home much, much, much more grateful for what we have. I think us going on mission trips is why they are not like so many kids at our church or in our public schools that whine about why they don't have a smart phone or this brand of shoes or whatever. Now this isn't the primary reason why we go, but I don't see why that is a bad thing. I don't think it's bad for someone to realize "wow, I didn't know how easy I have it." For most of the parents their primary/only reason was to show their kids how good they have it. The kids were just dragged along and it showed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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