I once heard a missionary give a lecture in college about the mistakes American Evangelicals make when they go on mission trips. I must admit that most of the time when I hear a lecture the material goes in one ear and out the other, but for some reason the things this man said stuck in my mind and have had a very large influence on my view of missions.

I believe many of the mistakes he mentioned were quite obvious: looking at the people we see at our ministry destination as somehow inferior to us, thinking that American culture is superior, and thinking that everyone wants to be like us. While these are all pretty disastrous mistakes, he said the biggest mistake that Americans make when they do missions is that, without realizing it, they turn a trip about service into a trip about what they can get out of it.

When I first heard this statement I was slightly offended. I remember going on a mission trip where our task was to dig an outhouse pit, and I thought to myself, "How could this man accuse me of such a thing?" But after thinking about what he said for a while, I realized that maybe he was more correct than I gave him credit for.

As I thought harder about my mission trip, I thought about how often I was tired and thirsty. I thought about how many times I was preoccupied with whether or not I smelled, and when the next shower was coming. Despite the fact that I walked away from that trip on fire for God and so ready to give my life to serve Him, the memories that stick out in my mind have more to do with what happened to me than the impact we wanted to make for Christ's sake.

So where does a statement by a wise missionary about the many mistakes of American Christians as we look toward our own mission trips? How do we create a mission trip mindset that is focused more on those we serve than on us?

To answer this question, I believe we need to embrace the truth of Jesus' teaching in John chapter 13. In this beautiful passes we see Jesus breaking the mold of a king by taking off his outer garment, taking a basin of water and washing his disciples' feet. This is one of the most profound demonstrations of humility anywhere in Scripture. Jesus Christ, in the very nature of God, stooped to wash the feet of lowly human beings. Jesus' actions confound his disciples. Peter didn't understand what Jesus was doing. He didn't want to have his King and Lord wash away the dirt.

So why was Jesus so determined to do something that was reserved for the task of the housemaid? In verse 1, John says that Jesus was now going to show them the fullest extent of his love. Now think about the implications of that statement. Jesus Christ by his act of service (washing his disciples' feet) was demonstrating love in the most profound way possible. This was why Jesus was so determined to wash their feet. This was the mission of Jesus: to love those God called to Him.

So what does this have to do with missions? How can we take Jesus' example and apply it to our own lives? The answer is simple, but the implications are huge. Jesus tells us to do as He has done. He sends us out to serve, but he puts a question into his imperative, "Do you understand what I have done for you?"

The key to this passage is understanding that Christ has called us to serve others, but with a twist. The answer to why we want to go on mission trips is simple -- we want to meet the needs of others in the name of Christ. However, there is still something missing, there is something that makes service dynamic and powerful: love.

When we look at our service as a manifestation of Christ's love to others, all of a sudden the walls of superiority are broken down. It moves the Christian from simply a shovel and a hammer, to a powerful tool for Christ. We become a tool that is no longer focused on its own usefulness, but rather for the sake of the one who yields it.

When we combine service and a love for Christ, and hence a love for those Christ calls us to, we can begin to develop a healthy "Christ-centered" mindset. This is not an easy task; mission trips are hard, and they take a lot out of you. The temptation to think about how this trip affects you will present itself often. But if we embrace a mindset where mission trips are not just an opportunity to serve but a chance to love those God has called us to, it no longer is a trip about us; it becomes a trip about Him.