Purvis, Tommy G.  Partnership in crosscultural mission: The impact of Kentucky Baptist short-term, volunteer missions.  (Dissertation).  Wilmore, Kentucky: Asbury Theological Seminary, 1993.

Summary:

Between 1985 and time of study 79 short-term volunteers from the 38 churches of the Caldwell/Lyon Baptist Association (sub-group of the Kentucky Baptist Convention) went on short-term mission trips to Brazil and Kenya. 

A survey and interviews of these volunteers indicate a positive correlation between participating in a short-term mission and increased mission giving, mission knowledge, attitude towards career missionary service, and view of future short-term service.

a)   Methodology (p.66)

• The total sample of 79 represented all the Caldwell/Lyon volunteers who had served on short-term missions since 1985.
• 2 had died since then.
• Of the 77 remaining, 68 (or 88.3%) completed written questionnaires.
• 42 of the questionnaires were handed out at a volunteer rally; the rest were mailed.   

b)   Demographics of the sample (pp.71-72)

• Male 54 (79%), female 14 (21%)
• Age ranged from 15-80; 39 people (57%) were in 41-60 yrs. range, 5 (7%) in 0-20 yrs. , 13 (19%) in 21-40 yrs., and 11 (16%) in over 60 yrs.
• Wide range of education levels, income levels.

c)   Findings

• Mission Giving (p.83):

1)      Increased greatly: 13 people (19%)

2)      Increased some: 38 people (57%)

3)      Giving at the same level: 16 people (24%)

* Apparently no one responded that they were giving less than before.

* In interviews of 24 of the 68 respondents, 10 reported giving strongly to

   missions already before their trips.

*Purvis also shows that churches that sent more volunteers received higher

  missions receipts. (pp.108-111)

• Mission Knowledge (p.84):

1)      Increased greatly: 51 people (75%)

2)      Increased some: 14 people (21%)

3)      Same level of knowledge: 3 people (4%)

*The interviews gave more detailed data on how their knowledge increased.

• Future short-term service (p.86):

1)      Available for future short-term ministry and will encourage others [to do

      short-term missions]:  51 people (77%).

2)      Available for future short-term ministry: 10 people (15%).

3)      Good one time experience and will encourage others: 4 people (6%).

4)      Not a good experience, but would not discourage others: 1 person (2%).

*the last category, which no one picked, was "It was a bad experience, and I

  would not participate again nor encourage others to participate."