Abstract
With the United Nations World Tourism Organization forecasting 2 billion international tourists by the 2030 there is something to consider. A volume of travel to such a scale means an opportunity to harness the tourism industry to bring people closer to Jesus. This exploratory paper begins an exploration of Christians travel experiences and transformative impacts of those experiences through interactions with other Christians. Using data from a group text messages and a personal journal, this paper presents how one specific trip type - short-term mission - influences the ‘exchanged life’ first posited by the missionary Hudson Taylor in the 1800s. Further, there is a discussion of the theological connection between experiential tourism and transformation with foci on biblical passages - Romans 12:2 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. The paper concludes with consideration of how transformative outcomes, for both individuals and those they interact with during these trips, may draw them closer to God.
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Recommended Citation
Holladay, Patrick J.
(2018)
"Transformative potential of a short-term mission trip experience,"
International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage:
Vol. 6:
Iss.
3, Article 5.
Available at:
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijrtp/vol6/iss3/5