They Were So Alive!: The Spectacle Self and Youth Group Short-Term Mission Trips

Abstract

The proliferation of short-term mission trips among youth ministry groups has vaulted them to prominence, an event often anticipated by adolescents to be significantly life-changing. This article reports research that clarifies the impact that anticipation has on the students as they explored their identity in light of cross-cultural service and mission. Despite the opportunities for growth and the fresh perspectives gained on identity, the short-term trip and its designs were informed by the spectacle culture from which the students came.