The goal of hosting a short-term team is ultimately to ensure the vulnerable are seen and to fast track the long-term transformation already happening in your community that empowers them. As part of that potential, a short-term team can fuel prayer, projects and resources in the direction where things are moving forward.  However, the greatest asset of a short-term team is its ability to bring people together - relationships! With that in mind, it is important to consider ways in which you can deepen relationships through the presence of a short-term team. 

Most of us will think about partnership with the goer-group or next-step opportunities for individual team members. And while these are certainly ways to deepen relationships through a short-term team, local relationships are often overlooked in the process. 

A short-term team can serve as a way to connect with individuals or entities in your community you have not yet had the opportunity to connect with, to solidify relationships you have started, or to further support pre-existing relationships. 

When creating a team schedule and making plans for team activities, consider those in your community you want to deepen connection with and consider how a short-term team might be able to accomplish that. 

We cannot name for you all the potential benefits that could come from stronger relationships in your community. For one, there would be too many. For two, you have a better understanding of which relationships would be more impactful than others.

What we can say is that short-term teams can help build trust and favor with locals on your behalf. They can help shed light on false stereotypes and aid locals in changing their perspectives on Americans, Jesus, the work you are doing, and so on. Teams can further the relational in-roads you’ve already been building in a way that you can’t and often bring additional affirmation to the way you’ve been engaging locals in a tangible, intentional way as additional shining lights.

As an aside, teams are able to support local businesses not only through personal purchases but through the necessary expenditures a team requires (lodging, transportation, meals, project materials, etc.).

To the side are a list of examples of various aspects of a short-term team that you can potentially utilize to build and/or strengthen relationships in your community. As you read through the list, think about the local people these topics represent, not just the examples themselves. Then consider the influence and impact the people behind these topics have on your community. 

Keep in mind there are numerous possible examples so be sure to use your creativity when thinking about your own context.

Lastly, you do not always need to utilize local business or have every aspect of a STT engage local relationships. The goal here though is to consider the possibilities and use the opportunities where it favors local relationship building and furthering long-term transformation.