The old image of missionaries traveling to third-world countries to convert natives to Christianity has changed and evolved quite a bit, local church officials say.

Although missionaries still aim to spread God's word, the main goal isn't really to "convert."

Bill Balbach, director of student ministries at West Hills Christian Church in Moon, says although it is still a priority of the mission trip to lead new friends to Christianity, mostly the goal is to "show the love of Christ to all cultures and backgrounds any way we can whether its through Bible school or helping out flood victims."

The primary goal for a two-week July trip to Thornton, New South Wales in Australia, will be to conduct a Vacation Bible School, and the 12 church members also are collecting cash donations to help out the region's recent flood victims.

West Hill teams participate in mission trips every year, with every other year focusing on an overseas destination, usually in the Honduras.

While there, team members have constructed buildings, helped out at schools, and provided food, clothing and medical aide to poor families.

"Being an example of God's love and compassion is what it is all about," Balbach says.

Andrew Kosarik, youth director at Sharon Community Presbyterian Church, agrees that converting really isn't the main goal of mission trips.

"I think the whole mission has changed. It's more about the relationship with Christ than about any specific denomination. The name of the religion isn't all that important."

Kosarik is leading a teen group to work with inner city kids at a local non-denominational, Christian camp this year.

"Everything we do, we try to show God's love. We just want to make a relationship with these kids and show them we care about them."

The Rev. Wayne Jackson, pastor at First Assembly of God Church in Coraopolis and sponsor of Chi Alpha, a Christian group at Robert Morris University, has organized and participated in many mission trips over the years.

He says whether missionary groups are handing out Bibles, food or clothing, interacting with children in orphanages, helping with medical issues, setting up church services or VBS events, or aiding hurricane and flood victims, their work always opens up avenues to present the Gospel.

"We just tell them about something that happened. God sent his son and he died and rose again. It's not just a philanthropic effort. We serve up not only food but also the good news of the Gospel."

Some RMU Chi Alpha students recently spent their spring break in the mountains of Mexico to help distribute 6 tons of food and medicines to those needing aid after a rare snow storm there.

But the other goal of the trip, Jackson says, was to "bring an expression of the love of God through their Gospel presentations."

Not only have missionaries' primary goals evolved over the years, but their choice of destinations also differ.

Balbach says personally he is "open to going anywhere," but for safety reasons, destinations for mission trips must be carefully chosen so that there is no unnecessary risks to team members.

"On most mission trips there is some risk involved, and we understand that," Balbach says. "We trust and rely on God to protect us."

Jackson says he personally has traveled to some dangerous locations, such as an area in Indonesia.

He and two other men helped serve food to the poor in a region where people are persecuted for practicing Christianity and pastors have been thrown over cliffs and churches have been burned down.

From a Christian perspective, the most untapped region of the world includes India, China, Mongolia, parts of Asia, North Africa and more.

However, missionaries' work doesn't always take them that far away, nor does it always involve interaction with the poor.

Sharon Church, which hasn't sponsored a mission trip in several years, is trying something a little less traditional this summer, Kosarik says.

To be held from July 8 to 13 at Promise Camp in Clinton, the Backyard Mission Trip will give 10 busy local teens the flexibility to volunteer in between summer jobs and sporting events.

"It's not always about going far away," he says. "We're hoping they will see how easy it is to serve others in their own backyard. You can do God's work right here, locally."