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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 266.02373
EAN: 9780801066160
ISBN: 0801066166
Label: Baker Books
Manufacturer: Baker Books
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 192
Publication Date: April 01, 2006
Publisher: Baker Books
Sales Rank: 61439
Studio: Baker Books
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Product Description:
More than one million people participate in short-term mission projects outside of North America every year--and millions more are involved in domestic cross-cultural missions right here at home. This is encouraging news. But the work is not done. There are weaknesses in our approach and practice. And these volunteers need resources to help them prepare for effective cross-cultural engagement. Serving with Eyes Wide Open helps Christians understand the changing face of Christianity and how that affects short-term missions. In three parts, author David A. Livermore will take a broad look at what the twenty-first-century church is doing on the mission field, the assumptions people make about Christianity, and what it takes to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts. Perfect for all who engage in short-term missions trips--either at home or abroad--Serving with Eyes Wide Open will equip readers to serve more sensitively.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Great Usable Book for Doing Missions with Cultural Intelligence
While there are times that it feels like Livermore is implying that short-term missions are more harmful than helpful (which he repeatedly says is not his view), the basic thesis that we should be thoughtful, careful, and aware while doing cross-cultural missions is absolutely correct.
For those who want to have a global perspective on life and a realistic view of culture and its influences, this is a very good "primer".
It is not a how-to book or a "training manual" for short-term missions. It is what the title says, an "eye-opener" -- not in the sense that there is anything surprising for those who have served cross-culturally, but in the sense that it reminds us to be aware of ourselves as much as we are aware of others.
In essence, its purpose is to set the stage for thinking wisely about how best to do short-term missions, an endeavor well worth looking into further. I very much enjoyed this book for its accessibility combined with research and insightful thinking.
Rating: - Beyond good intentions
David Livermore's Serving With Eyes Wide Open is the best resource I have ever seen on serving the world church with cultural intelligence. As a long-term missionary of 34 years, I have frequently worried and fretted about American youth groups, synodical tour groups, and short term missionaries who confidently breeze into an Asian, Latin American or African setting armed with plenty of good intentions but with little cultural sensitivity and intelligence. Many leave as ignorant as they come, totally unaware of the problems their individualistic, achievement-oriented personalities and programs have created for national counterparts. Kudos to David Livermore! It's about time a manual like this was written - not only for those taking short term mission trips but for anyone desiring to serve in another cultural setting with eyes wide open.
Rating: - A long overdue critical look at STM
With the amount of money spent on short term missions trips, it is about time that we begin to take a critical look at them. The majority of short term missions trips that I've seen advertised have 2 selling points: 1) the positive change that will take place in the lives of those going on Short Term Missions, 2) All of the amazing sight seeing tours that can be "tacked on" to the Missions trip. This book challenges the motivation for such trips and causes one to focus on the people that we are supposed to be serving, rather than the benefits to the short term missionary. I would recommend this book for anyone considering a short term mission. I would emphatically recommend it for "habitual" short termers.
This book gave me a better understanding of my own culture and how it influences the way that we Americans do missions.
Rating:  - Painful. . .
I give this book one star because of Part 1 dealing with the world and the world church, this part was well done.
Part 2 called "Conflicting Images" should be retitled "Cynicism and why you should be embarrassed to be an American Christian." While it does make points about the fact that Americans tend to be loud and overstate our impact on the nationals that we are serving, I find that Livermore's delivery would make most not want to do missions because apparently we as Americans are doing great harm by being a part of short term missions.
Part 3 is the solution which instructs us to find out the stereotypical behaviors and understandings of a culture to improve our impact. Of note in Part 2 you are warned not to believe stereotypes.
I wonder how the church managed to ever grow outside of Jerusalem with all the harm the apostles were doing by insulting the new converts outside of the Jewish world?
Rating: - Throws Out the Baby with the Bath Water
While making the valid point that American short-term missionaries need to exercise humility and sensitivity, this book is overkill on the subject. Livermore here makes an argument that could have been written in far less pages -- American short-term missionaries sometimes are clueless to the true spirit of missions. I agree with that point, but disagree with the extent to which he magnifies it.
Livermore goes as far as to question the validity of the entire idea of short-term missions, a practice that is revitalizing missions work in the 21st century. Short-term missions trips are far from "mini-vacations" and should never be viewed as such. In my experience with them as a pastor, I have yet to find any group who actually viewed them in such a manner.
If you want a book to equip you for a short-term missions work, try getting a volume that will educate you on the customs and practices of the people to whom you will be ministering. Understand better their customs and way of life, and show appreciation for those two things. You'll be putting into practice the valid point of the author here, and also saving the money required to purchase this book.
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