"With scholarly sophistication and insider humor, Brian Howell offers invaluable critique of the popular international short-term mission trip. He tracks the history and treks along with church groups. Most importantly, Howell scrutinizes the unhelpful narratives evangelicals tell themselves about what they are doing--and calls us all to greater self-awareness, crosscultural respectfulness and justice-informed engagement. A 'must-read' for leaders of our global generation."

Kersten Bayt Priest, Ph.D., assistant professor of sociology, Indiana Wesleyan University

"A fascinating study on how language inadvertently undermines the best-laid plans. Howell's insights and practical suggestions provide great recommendations for thoughtful mission leaders. Whether your sphere is a church mission program, young adults, high schoolers, mission agency or in missions mobilizing, Short-Term Mission can help cultivate lasting impact. Giving voice to our majority world partners, revealing invisible aspects like structure and power, this book is surprising in its scope."

Nikki Toyama-Szeto, program director, Urbana Student Missions Conference, coeditor, More Than Serving Tea

"Short-Term Mission is a fascinating look at the effects of short-term missions trips. Why is it that when students or adults return from a missions experiences they all seem to share the same story? Have we romanticized the experiences so much that we can't learn what God wants to teach us? Brian Howell explores how the pretrip narrative is driving the experience. Brian also exams how the culture of short-term missions gets in the way of experiencing and learning from the culture we are going to serve. If you are leading short-term mission trips, you need to read this book. The research that Brian has done clearly points to the need for rethinking and adjusting our short-term missions experiences."

Doug Franklin, president, LeaderTreks

"Anthropologist Brian Howell brings rich research skills in participant observation and expertise in social theory to this fascinating project. His book is at the cutting edge of emerging scholarship on the topic of short-term missions. Scholars, students and participants in short-term mission trips will all find this book educational, insightful and provocative."

Robert J. Priest, professor of mission and anthropology, G. W. Aldeen Professor of International Studies, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"Brian Howell's insight into the overarching narrative of short-term trips is thought-provoking and practical. I hope many pastors and trip leaders read this book. Everyone involved in these trips--those going and those being visited--deserves a more thoughtful, eyes-wide-open approach like Howell advocates for here."

Kent Annan, co-director, Haiti Partners, author, Following Jesus Through the Eye of the Needle and After Shock

"Christian colonialism, sanctified vacations, or life-transforming service--short-term missions (STM) has evoked positive and negative comments from supporters and naysayers alike. Getting behind the photos, theologies and histories of the STM movement, Howell offers engaging anthropological insight into the narratives that shape and sustain the experience of STM. Bringing a keen ethnographic eye to his subject of STM narratives, Howell's book is lucid and accessible, striking a helpful balance between constructive criticism and affirmation. If you are at all interested in short-term missions, this book is for you."

Charles E. Farhadian, associate professor of world religions and Christian mission, Westmont College