Sex and the Short-term Missionary: Moral Purity Issues in Short-term Missions

Friday @ 3:30pm

According to published research, many short-term mission participants experience a significant decline in personal purity while on, and immediately following, their trip. There are lots of cultural, emotional, and spiritual reasons why a short-term mission trip could contribute to a breakdown in sexual purity among participants, but there are other factors as well. Cultural differences, loneliness, stress, and individual and family history can all contribute. We’ll examine the research supporting these claims, explore some of the causes of these and other losses of sexual purity among short-term missionaries, and look at ways you can help protect the personal purity of your short-term missionaries and mission team members. Come prepared to share any tools or resources you have used in helping your short-termers maintain their purity on- and off-field.

Don Johnson

Assistant US Director
SEND International

Don has a BA and MA in Bible from Columbia International University and an MBA from Liberty University. He and his wife, Cherilyn, have been missionaries with SEND International since 1987. Don has served in missionary radio and short-term mission administration, and currently serves as Assistant to the SEND US Director. He also serves as chairman on the board of directors for the Standards of Excellence in Short-term Mission. Don and Cherilyn live in Columbia, SC where Cherilyn provides mentoring and debriefing for missionaries as a licensed Christian counselor.