Category: Trips and Retreats

Why Have Mission Trip Training?

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I remember going on my first mission trip in high school. I was a junior and we went to Mexico to serve in one of the cities there. I knew some of the group I went with and had a little bit of an idea of what we would be doing. I knew we would be performing some dramas portrayed to music because we were separated into groups and told to find time to practice and prepare.

We were given a music video and told to try and replicate that for our trip. We got together and practiced, and we ended up being pretty good (minus my lack of musical skill and being able to keep time). We had a couple of team meetings where we’d talk about knowing some Spanish and were given a brief overview of what to expect. Other than that we were told to have our passports ready and were given a tiny packing list. I had no idea what we were walking into, I didn’t really know what to expect or what we’d be doing, and I wasn’t prepared for the culture shock.

In other churches where I’ve served, mission training and prep work were not in-depth nor did they actually prepare us for what we would do. It was very basic and broad, and probably not overly helpful for our teams. Now, I have completely tried to shift how this is done with our students in order to better prepare them, help them grow and mature, and to set them up for success on the trip. I am not saying that what we do for our training is perfect or a one-size-fits-all approach, but I do believe what we offer is helpful and beneficial for everyone who goes on the trip. Below are the aspects we incorporate to make training important, necessary, meaningful, and developmental.

Team building.

Thoughtful and practical team building is a must for your group because it helps them prepare for the changes that will happen and the flexibility that is of vital importance on a mission trip. This can look different depending on your team and can include different games (Minefield, 4 Person Skis, Relay Races, Obstacle Courses, etc.) with thoughtful engagement and questions after it’s done. It could involve practicing building things or using different tools, it may involve different assessments, or it could even be assigning the group a task and removing aspects that we take for granted (i.e. speaking, seeing, lighting, directions, etc.).

In order for these to be successful you must make sure to debrief, engage, and help students process. Students will get frustrated by these exercises, but helping them to understand why they did and how these moments will develop in trips is key because then they can begin to thoughtfully engage better on the trip.

Self-awareness training.

This often goes hand-in-hand with team building because effective team building should have thoughtful reflections and questions afterward to help your team think deeper about how they engage with one another. But that shouldn’t be the only self-awareness training you do. Consider bringing in a spiritual gifts assessment, a small personality assessment like DISC, having students do an assessment like Strength Finders, or even having students think through what will be difficult for them on the trip. Create space for them to share those things in a smaller group and think creatively about how to respond.

Relationship training.

Now hold on for a moment because I know how some of you read that. I am not thinking about couples or “purpling.” What I am talking about is helping our teams understand how to have authentic, interpersonal relationships with one another in the midst of a mission trip.

Prayerfully, you are taking a group of students and leaders who are all very different people. That means their stressors will be different, how they respond to certain tasks or leaders will differ, and how they engage when overtired, stressed, hungry, or frustrated may cause them to butt heads with other members of your group. Training your team on how to understand those moments will come, how to work to prevent them, how to respond during them, and how to love one another well before, during, and after them is of vital importance.

Understanding where you are going.

Currently, we have been taking teams of high school students to rural Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains. It’s an amazing community that we have the privilege of helping recover from devastating flooding that occurred in 2022. While we are only 8-9 hours away from there, it is a completely different setting. Culturally it’s different, their vocabulary is different, how they do things is different, and even what they eat is different (remind me to share what soup beans are sometime).

In order to help your team prepare, it may good for you to do a site trip or a vision trip so you can bring back firsthand knowledge to share with them. Regardless of whether you can go to the site first or not, you should work to help your team to understand the setting and culture you are entering into. Set expectations, help them know what to say and not say, talk about what they will see and hear, walk through how to engage with the community, and help them prepare their hearts.

Providing updates.

Mission trip training sessions allow you to provide your team with all the updates they need. Whether it’s updates on the trips, updates on support raising, or updates on packing lists, training allows you to communicate what needs to be shared and help your team be as prepared as possible. Updates help your team to know what they need to know in order to be successful and capable in their service to others.

Engage in thoughtful conversations.

One of the parts our training includes is thinking differently about poverty, how we see people, and how we can help. We want our students to not judge people or fall prey to the typical societal responses toward those individuals who are living in poverty. In order to accomplish this well we incorporate videos from Helping Without Hurting from Life.Church. There are six videos in total and crafting questions for before and after the video will help your team think critically about how and why they are serving.

Mission trip training is vitally important to helping your team gel together, serve well, and be equipped for what they will be doing. Trip training doesn’t guarantee success but it does provide your team with the resources and training that they need in order to thrive on their trip as they seek to serve others.

Tips and Tricks: Staying Healthy on Trips

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We just got back yesterday from our winter retreat and it was amazing! God worked in amazing ways and we are so excited for the commitments that were made and to continue walking with our students in the coming months and years. But do you know what inevitably happens to some of our leaders, and even us sometimes? We get sick!

But over the course of going on trips every year for the better part of almost twenty years, we have learned a few tips and tricks to help us stay healthy. These aren’t foolproof and you may still get sick here and there, but these tips have helped us stay above the curve and relatively healthy throughout the years.

Get some sleep.

You probably laughed at this one, maybe you even laughed out loud. Trust me I get it: leaders don’t sleep a ton on trips, especially if you’re the primary leader. But what I am saying is to make sure you get good rest leading up to the trip. Make sure you’re listening to your body and not running it down.

While you’re on the trip, be intentional with trying to get as much sleep as you can and consider taking a sleep aid if needed. When you get home from your trip get some rest and relaxation in. Take a day off and allow your body to recoup whether by sleeping in, taking a midday nap, getting a massage, or just pausing. Sleep and rest is key to staying healthy.

Boost your vitamin intake.

Before going on your trip make sure to increase the vitamins that help your body stay healthy. Take vitamin c, start to take Emergen-C or Airborne, and take allergy meds if you’re going somewhere further away from home. Boosting your vitamin intake will help your body adjust and prepare for the coming trip and help to keep you healthy while away and when you return.

Stay hydrated.

This is huge! Make sure you are taking in plenty of water and electrolytes to help your body stay hydrated and healthy. Hydration helps your body not only to function well but will also help you sleep better and feel better overall. When you don’t drink the right amount of water you’ll get headaches and short tempered, so staying hydrated isn’t just good for you from a health standard but it also helps you be a better leader as you care for your team.

Use hand sanitizer and wash hands often.

This should be a no-brainer but sometimes it’s easy to pop a snack or some type of food without thinking about if you’ve washed your hands. Doing this can lead to all types of germs and illnesses so it is imperative to make sure you’re washing your hands or at least sanitizing before and after meals, after touching door handles, and after touching high-use objects like games and even things in your bunk house.

Take cough drops and cold medicine to camp.

I find that at camps I tend to lose my voice if I don’t hydrate and have throat drops on hand. But even more than having those items, cough drops and cold medicine are a must. If you begin to feel under the weather, treating your symptoms sooner than later will hopefully help you avoid any long term ailments and hopefully feel better sooner.

Make sure to eat and keep up your energy.

I will admit that I’m not always the best at taking care of myself, especially when I’m trying to care for others. That means there have been times I’ve sacrificed eating to care for students or to have conversations with different people. But in order for us to take care of ourselves we need to make sure we are consuming food that will not only give us energy but food that is good for us. Eating healthy food may not always be possible at camp, but seeking to not just ingest sugars and carbs will be beneficial. Look for proteins and healthier options like vegetables and fruits if possible.

Have disposable masks to give out to people who get sick.

We had a student catch the flu this year at camp and we had masks just in case something like that happens. It hopefully will keep the potential spread to a minimum, and they also serve to help anyone who may be immunocompromised to keep themselves safe from the sick individual.

Try to not touch door handles or commonly used areas.

I know, I know…how is that possible? We have to use doors. But door handles have tons of germs on them so using winter gloves, a napkin, a shirt sleeve or allowing someone else to open the door for you will help you eliminate some of the opportunities for germs to affect you.

Don’t share drinks or food.

This is huge at camps and retreats. So often we may share a bottle of water, eat someone’s leftover food, share a bag of candy or chips, or take a bite of someone’s soft pretzel. But doing that opens yourself up to so many opportunities to get sick. We don’t always see symptoms nor do students share if they’re feeling unwell all the time. That means we are highly susceptible to getting some type of germs or illness.

At the end of the day we can only do so much to keep ourselves healthy. You may still get sick and your body may still be rundown after the trip. There’s no catchall to keep you completely free of sickness but following these steps will hopefully help you to stay healthy.

Preparing Leaders for Trips

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Our winter retreat is coming up in a few short weeks and we are taking our biggest group yet to camp. Of course that means we need plenty of leaders to go with us to care for our students as they shepherd them in the disciple-making process.

I’m a little embarrassed to admit that it took me a substantial amount of time to actually host meetings and training sessions for leaders going on trips. I used to simply ask leaders to show up 15-30 minutes before students on the day of departure and would try to cover all the bases in that short time span. Over time I came to realize that those types of meetings didn’t cover all the details, weren’t intentional, and lacked clarity and relationship.

In the past few years we have begun hosting meetings and training for all of our trips even weekend ones to help prepare, guide, equip, and love on our leaders. Today, I’m sharing what we incorporate into our meetings for our weekend trips and how we empower our leaders to lead and shepherd well. I would suggest everything you talk through be put into a folder for each leader and also put into digital form where applicable.

Talk through expectations.

Expectations should incorporate what you are asking of your leaders. This should include expectations for when you’re traveling, stopping at places along the way, and at the camp. Think bigger than just what you want of your leaders on a normal youth group night, and think through what you’re asking of them throughout the entirety of the trip. You will need them to help with respecting drivers and their vehicles, honoring the places you stop at like gas stations or restaurants, and respecting the rules and guidance of the camp.

Talk through logistics.

Have you ever gone to a camp that you’ve never been to before? Did you feel overwhelmed? Were you trying to figure out where everything was? Did you know the schedule or were you trying to figure that out on the fly? If that’s how you felt, imagine how your leaders felt.

Preparing our leaders for what to expect is key. Take time to talk through what the camp is like, hand out a map if applicable, talk through what the camp offers, the structure of the weekend, departure and arrival times, cabin assignments, small group expectations, lights out, free time requirements of leaders, first aid, meal times, packing lists for leaders, and cleanup. Anything that will help your leaders feel comfortable and acclimated to your space is key and necessary to go over.

Go over the schedule.

I extremely dislike showing up to a meeting, trip, speaking engagement, or really anywhere that I have a role in, without knowing what is happening. The same can be said for our leaders and by not setting them up for success we are setting them up to fail. So take time to walk through the schedule. Highlight key things that are required. Talk through free time options. Walk through lights out and meal times. All of these aspects will help set your leaders up for success and allow them to communicate well with their students. I would also suggest having a printed schedule and a digital one for your leaders to utilize.

Talk about the location.

This is huge especially if you’re at a location that is a bit more spread out. Our winter camp is fairly spread out for free time activities and when we arrive at the camp in the evening the outdoor lighting isn’t great. So being able to show your leaders a map of the camp and explain where everything is will help them feel more comfortable and prepared for the trip.

Provide guidance for small groups.

Our winter camp doesn’t provide small group questions until we arrive on-site. For our leaders that doesn’t work because they have been trained to expect questions and guidance for groups at least 24-48 hours ahead of time. Because we know we won’t get the questions ahead of time, we build out generic small group questions and guidance for the groups to work through. This at least provides our leaders with some tools and resources to move through the small group time.

We make sure each small group knows where they are meeting and how to get there from the worship hall. We also provide guidance for how long to meet and make sure they are aware that it’s okay to go longer than the predetermined time. Another thing we tell our leaders is that there are additional Bibles, pens, notebooks, devotional guides, and new Christian resources for them as needed for their groups.

Bless your leaders.

We have talked before about blessing leaders when we go on trips, and I cannot stress enough how important this is. It is a way to value and care for them as you recognize their sacrifice of leading their students. We typically do gift bags with essentials for the trip (Advil, Advil PM, hand warmers, lip balm, and earplugs) coupled with various treats and snacks. But it doesn’t have to incorporate all of these things. Sometimes the best way to bless leaders could be a handwritten note, a gift certificate to the camp snack bar, a Starbucks gift card or bringing them their favorite drink, or even having lunch for them. The purpose of blessing your leaders is to show love, care, and intentionality, so however you choose to do this, it will be well received.

Spend time praying together.

This is a key part to helping prepare our leaders for trips. We take time to pray for our students who are going, the camp, the speaker and worship team, for our leaders, needed conversations, and for God to work powerfully during our trip. Typically we pray as small groups at round tables and then come back together for someone from our team to pray over all of our leaders who are going on the trip.

How do you help to prepare your leaders for your trips?

Helping Your Group Prepare for a Trip

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Our winter retreat is coming up toward the end of this month, and we are so excited to be taking our students and leaders to a place we know and love. In thinking about how we gear up and plan for trips, I reflected on how the ways we prepare have grown and evolved during our time in ministry.

As the ministry leader, it’s often easy to assume we know what needs to be shared, posted, and explained, but I’ve learned during my time in ministry that what I think is correct and needed isn’t what our people need. Listening to leaders, students, and families has helped our team understand what is needed and seek to communicate it better.

Today’s post is designed to help you think about how best to prepare your group for trips. It is important to think critically about what is communicated, how it is communicated, and to whom it is communicated. Here are some ways we have learned and developed to help do just that.

Post on social media.

We typically post about upcoming trips and departure times, but in the past few years we’ve started creating posts on Canva and sharing things like packing lists and important details for the trip. Other great things to post on social media include departure times and details; photos during the trip; prayer requests before, during, and after the trip; and return times. In order for this to be the most effective, it is important to remind parents that you will be posting helpful information on your various channels to communicate effectively.

Host leader meetings.

When we host these meetings we try to keep them to an hour max, right after church when most of our leaders are present. We walk through what the weekend will look like, explain the schedule, talk about expectations, outline small group time, and more. We talk through what to expect, how the camp is laid out, who will be in what cabins, and our rules and the camp rules.

We also give out gift bags to help make the trip a bit more bearable. These gift bags have snacks, drinks, coffee, Advil and Advil PM, lip balm, a flashlight, hand warmers, and other necessities for a trip in the winter with students. Typically our camps don’t provide discussion questions for small group time until we arrive, so we also curate some generic questions for our leaders to help them guide their group in a discussion. We also make sure to answer any questions our leaders have and to spend time praying together for our trip.

Email families.

This is a big one and helps to get communication out in a timely manner. We send emails with departure and return info, packing lists, what to expect, links to the camp website, contact info for our team, and other helpful information. The key to these emails is sending them well in advance of when people need the info and sending follow up emails as your departure gets closer.

Make announcements.

I don’t often suggest making multiple announcements to students because they frequently forget about them. But when we spend time and highlight the importance of the announcement it allows us to communicate what needs to be heard. For our students we highlight key things like departure time, packing lists, and what to expect. These key aspects are highly important and allow our students to hear what is necessary for them leading up to the trip.

Have supplies ready.

This is important for both leaders and students. We equip our leaders with mini first aid kits (we have larger ones in specific areas or with specific leaders), camp maps, full itineraries, and anything else they may need (see above). We also have snack totes, game totes, and a resource tote with Bibles, pens, notebooks, and other items that we tell our leaders about and where they will be located. For our students, we let them know that we have additional toiletries (think travel section at your local dollar store) if they forgot anything, a few extra pairs of winter gloves and hats, and of course Bibles, pens, and notebooks.

Wait to make cabin assignments.

This is specifically for students and families. We used to release cabin assignments before the trip and this often led to parents and students trying to change assignments for a variety of reasons. Trying to change assignments can be messy and difficult, but it will also add more complexity and frustration for you as the planner. Instead, we only share cabin assignments with leaders ahead of time, and tell students where they will be when they arrive for check-in.

Now I will say this: we try very hard to keep friends and small groups together and overall we do a great job at this. This has caused families to trust our decisions. When they do ask for a change we take it on an individual basis and assess the request and reasoning before working to change anything.

Have a list of departure announcements ready.

This is more for you as the key leader of the trip. Having a list of announcements to run through will help you expedite the departure and also remember the key things that need to be stated. We highlight treating our drivers with respect, cleaning up the vehicles, treating the camp and their staff well, listening to leaders, following rules, and not taking prohibited items including phones (we will hold them for students but not charge them to help them be intentional in their time at camp).

How to Create a Proper First Aid Kit

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Have you ever had a student get injured playing a game? Or maybe you’ve been at camp and desperately need Advil for a leader after they slept on the camp mattress that was anything but built for lumbar support. Perhaps you were on a mission trip and needed to have medicine when someone got sick.

Regardless of where you serve or how big your program is, a proper first aid kit is a must. Sure you can buy a pre-stocked kit from Walmart or Target, but my experience with those kits is they often don’t have all you need and their items are not always the best quality. To ensure that you have all you need, it is helpful to build your own by purchasing the items you need and putting them in a central kit for your team.

As the leader of your ministry, you are acutely aware of what your students and leaders will be participating in and what you will need on trips and at programming. What we want to do with today’s post is to share items we have in our first aid kits to help you think through what you can include in yours. We want this to be a springboard to generate helpful thoughts in building first aid kits for each of our ministries. Here are some items we always want in our kits.

Bandages.

Often we pack band-aids in first aid kits, but it’s also helpful to have different types of bandages and accompaniments. Having bandages of different sizes and shapes, along with butterfly sutures and gauze is highly important as it will allow for you to address multiple cuts and wounds. Also included with bandages should be various types of medical tape and wraps. These will allow you to secure bandages better as well as utilize them for other parts of first aid like splints.

Ointments.

Having different ointments is a must in a first aid kit. Think about adding antibiotic ointment, Cortisone Cream, and other products like alcohol wipes. I would also recommend having a package of wet wipes to utilize for cleaning wounds before applying to the needed area. Another ointment to have would be Vaseline in the event of dry or irritated akin. Along with Vaseline I would encourage you to have some aloe to treat sunburns especially if you are going on a summer trip.

Medicines.

Having different medications will allow you to help your team for a variety of ailments. Some of the more common products to have include ibuprofen, Tylenol, aspirin, electrolyte tablets, sugar pills, Pepto-Bismol, antacids, anti-diarrhea pills, Ex-Lax, and Benadryl. This is not an all-inclusive list, and depending on where you are going and what you are doing, you may need different items or you may need to add additional items to this list.

Splints.

This is something that is often overlooked in packing first aid kits. Having a variety of splints for fingers and thumbs, wrists and ankles, and a few other small ones will be highly beneficial. Another good resource for splints is having popsicle sticks to help splint fingers or other appendages as needed.

Electrolytes.

Heat exhaustion is very real and happens to students quite frequently because they can be stubborn about drinking water during summer trips. Typically we think about having Gatorade or Propel packets in our kits for trips. However, these tend to have a lot of sugar and it may take multiple packets before people start to feel better. Another option that I have come to love is either having electrolyte tablets or Liquid IV. Both of these tend to have a faster recovery rate and less additives that don’t help in the long run.

A pocket knife.

This is something I have always seemed to need in different moments. I would suggest a good multi-tool and a regular pocket knife in your first aid kit because they can be utilized in different settings. Having a reliable multitool will help you to fix and repair things as needed, where a regular pocket knife can come in handy for various activities and needs.

Scissors.

Having a quality set of scissors is a must for a good first aid kit. If someone is injured and you need to cut through clothing, strong scissors are your best friend. Look for quality scissors that can be utilized for a variety of circumstances.

Tweezers.

If you’ve ever gotten a splinter that you can’t get out with your fingers, you know how important it is to have a good set of tweezers. Thinking of students and all that you do as a ministry, there are multiple opportunities for students to get stuck by something that tweezers can pull out. So having these on hand is a must.

A tourniquet.

You may not think that this something you will need on a youth trip but it’s always better to a have something and not need it than to need something and not have it. We may never need to use one of these but it’s better to have it especially if you’re at a camp with no nurse or even on a mission trip. If someone nicks an artery or sustains a bad injury, it is best to have one of these ready to go.

Feminine products.

I’ll be honest, this is not something I would have thought of on my own. It was actually while I was working in collegiate security that I noticed them in our first aid kits. We had them on hand for nose bleeds, but as youth workers we must understand that having these items on hand for our female students and leaders is not only important but also a way to love our people well. If you a guy who’s unsure what to get, talk to your spouse or a female leader and have them purchase the needed products for you.

Sugar pills or candy.

I referenced having sugar pills earlier in the post, but I wanted to mention them in their own bracket because of their necessity. If someone goes into hypoglycemia, having sugar pills or candy is highly important. Candy is a quick fix if someone just has low blood sugar, but if someone’s blood sugar crashes due to hypoglycemia, sugar pills will be the most helpful.

Eyewash.

If you’ve gotten an eyelash in your eye, you know it’s uncomfortable. If you’ve gotten dirt or a splinter in your eye, you know that the pain is unbearable. Having a bottle of eyewash will allow you to help your people who get stuff in their eyes. Just make sure to get eyewash and not contact solution as they are different.

Ice packs.

These are a must-have for any trip. You can purchase the types that you pop to induce a chemical reaction so you don’t need to think about refrigeration for your packs. These types also come in a variety of sizes so you can choose which ones will be best for your group and your kit.

What are some essentials you include in first aid kits?

Helpful Items for Leaders to Take on Mission Trips

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Mission trip season is upon us. This year we are taking two groups of students to vastly different places. Our scope and sequence for trips is to begin at the local level with middle school students and to build outward to regional and global missions as students move through their middle school and high school careers. This year we are doing an inner city trip nearby for middle and high school students and a disaster recovery trip for our upper classmen to Hazard, Kentucky.

Regardless of the trip you may be taking and where you are going, there are some essential things that all leaders of the trip should have ready to take with them and done before they leave. Today, I want to share some essentials that we take along on our trips and to hear what you take for your trips.

A good first aid kit.

Maybe this is because I have a background in security where we needed to be prepared for any situation and our first aid kits were stocked with everything and anything you could need. But I’ve also been in youth ministry long enough to know that you should prepare for the unexpected. This is why having a well stocked first aid kit is a necessity.

Too often we can default to a pre-made kit from the local mega store or Amazon, but they are usually packaged with very basic first aid items. My advice would be to buy a first aid backpack and stock it with your own items. That way you can switch out items for various trips and keep the consistent items in your bag to be adequately prepared.

Here are some things I would recommend for your kits: medicines like Benadryl, Advil, Tylenol, and Asprin; a good multi-tool; insurance info for you and your team; bandages including bandaids of various sizes, gauze, butterfly bandages, wraps and tape; eye wash; Propel powder or electrolyte pills; candy in case people have low blood sugar; intestinal medicine like Tums, Imodium, and Exlax; scissors; tweezers; splints and slings; cough drops; different ointments, wipes, and anti-itch creams; tissues; and hand sanitizer.

Coffee and tea.

You would think that these would be provided at any mission trip location, but more often than I’d care to admit I’ve found that isn’t the case. There have been multiple times where there isn’t coffee or the coffee is expired. That isn’t the fault of the agency or host because that isn’t their priority. But if coffee and tea are an important element for you and your leaders, it’s helpful for you to take some along as a way to care well for your team. I’d also encourage you to bring along a couple extra bags of coffee for your host as a way of blessing them.

Sunscreen, bug repellent, and remedies.

Many mission trips happen during the summer and require work that takes place outside. So having quality sunscreen and bug repellent appropriate for where you are serving is key. Make sure that you connect with the team or organization you are partnering with to get their recommendations for what to bring. It is also a good idea to have remedies for when they are needed. This could include things like aloe, after burn relief like Alocane, anti-itch cream, Cortizone, Neosporin, and similar products.

Flashlight, extra batteries, power strip, and adapters.

When it comes to being prepared for mission trips, flashlights and extra batteries are a must. Whether they’re being used to help on a project or for a game of manhunt or if you’re roughing it and need to find a bathroom at night, having a good flashlight and extra batteries are a necessity.

To go along with that, bringing a power strip and adapters when needed is also important. Have you ever been on a trip when there’s a limited amount of wall outlets? It can be incredibly difficult to charge everything and sometimes the outlets can get overloaded. So having a quality power strip is one of the best things you could bring along. If you’re traveling outside of the United States it is also important to have the right adapters for your electronics to ensure they will be charged and working abroad.

Travel documents.

Getting ready for a mission trip means having the right documentation for your destination. If you’re traveling nationally, you may not need much, but don’t only think in terms of passports. You may need an EZ-Pass or another electronic toll reader and you might need to have permission forms for various organizations that you’re partnering with. If you are traveling outside of the country you will need passports, immunization records, documentation for minors to travel abroad, and permission slips. These are some helpful things to think through and prepare for before leaving so you are properly equipped for your trip.

Extra money for incidentals.

The reality is that even with all the planning and support raising, incidentals will always occur on mission trips. Whether it’s purchasing extra supplies, taking a vehicle in for repairs, unexpected travel costs, or needing more food, things will happen. So make sure to have additional money for those moments. This can be both actual cash or making sure your credit cards have a proper credit line and. Doing this will help make sure you are adequately prepared. It is also important to make sure to put a travel notice on any credit cards. Some companies will put a fraud alert on your card if expenses are incurred that are outside your normal purchases, which can hamper your ability to use it on trips. So make sure you contact the company ahead of time to be prepared.

Communication.

If you’re traveling internationally or to an area that has poor cell reception, having a plan for communication back home or to needed contacts is important. This may mean purchasing an international phone and data plan, or scoping out if there will be access to WiFi in the area.

Protein bars and easy snacks.

I love to take snacks on any trip, but when you’re going on mission trips snacks aren’t always something we think about taking for a variety of reasons. But having some easy snacks and bars is essential because you may need them if someone is feeling lightheaded or faint from exertion, or for when your own student gets a little hangry. Some easy suggestions include Larabars, peanut butter crackers, protein bars, gummy candies or fruit snacks, and mints.

When you go on a mission trip, what are your must-haves?

7 Keys to a Successful Fundraiser

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We just wrapped up our fundraiser for this year and it was one of the best ones yet! Not because of the money we raised–we won’t even total that up until later this week–but because of what the fundraiser accomplished and did for our students and our church.

It’s moments like these where I swell with pride as I watch my students serve, give, and live missionally. They were given a challenge and they rose to meet it! Don’t get me wrong, I was exhausted after the fundraiser and I napped hard when I got home, but this fundraiser was a true success for us.

I often ponder why the metrics we use to weigh the success of a fundraiser typically center on finances or on how many people show up. For our group, success isn’t focused on the money raised or the numbers but on how our students are able to serve and love others, and by how the fundraiser helps our church live out our mission. Looking at what occurred at our fundraiser, that’s why I believe we succeeded and will see huge benefits because of what happened.

Today, I want to highlight seven keys to a successful fundraiser and why these are important not just to your ministry but to your church overall.

1. Over-communicate.

This is something we need to do for our leaders, students, families, and our church community. Over-communicate what you’re doing, when you’re training, what roles students will have. The clearer and more concise the directions the better but remember that over-communication isn’t about inundating people’s inboxes with information. It’s about finding a balance: clearly sharing the information that’s needed and in the right methods.

Send emails or letters no more than once a week. Communicate all necessary information at training sessions and give handouts. Make sure you have leader meetings to be clear on what they need to know. When it comes to sharing with the church, think about the different ways you have to share information: mailers, emails, newsletters, bulletins, slides, announcements on stage, yard signs, knocking on doors, or whatever other ways there are to dispurse information. The ability to leverage multiple opportunities will help ensure that your message is heard and received.

2. Set clear expectations.

Working with students has taught me a lot but something I learned very quickly is the importance of clear expectations and rules. I was running a game one time and I thought I had all the rules figured out, when halfway through one of the junior guys let me and the whole group know I was wrong because he googled the answer. Well I very quickly instituted a no phones rule for our games to make sure that didn’t happen again. What I learned is that expectations are highly important and even when we think students aren’t listening, they actually are. Setting clear expectations and guidelines will help not only your fundraiser succeed but your students as well. You are setting them up for success and giving them the parameters in order to do so.

3. Focus on creating community and fostering relationships.

One of the things I love to do with student fundraisers is find ways for them to engage in inter-generational moments with the larger church body. Whether it’s having them serve together, finding ways to engage in conversations, or having older generations pray over students, these are opportunities that will help relationships and community flourish in your church. The more intentional we are at helping to develop relationships and community, the more we will see buy-in to the mission and vision of the church as well as student ministry. When people are able to grow together as a community it fosters unity and a desire to see the Gospel go forth.

4. Tell stories.

This is something I love to do. Most people know that I love to tell stories and incorporate them into teaching opportunities. I think there is an inherent beauty and strength to sharing stories because they bring people in, showcase the needs of others, and highlight the work of God in people’s lives. I think that’s partly why Jesus used stories throughout His ministry.

When we tell stories of lives that have been changed (think about your students’ lives and the lives of those you served) it allows you to show people the power of the Gospel and the necessity of student mission trips. Telling stories also provides a creative way to ask for support. Rather than simply asking people to give, you are painting a picture about why they should give because you’re showing what their giving has accomplished.

5. Utilize training sessions.

Before any fundraiser it is imperative that you take your team through training. These trainings aren’t meant to just be informational, but should also focus on team building and unity. When you can approach training with a desire to see your students succeed and to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus, it helps to shift the focus of the time. Sessions aren’t simply focused on telling students what to do or not to do. Instead, they’re focused on helping your students to mature in their relationship with Jesus as they care about and serve others.

6. Foster discipleship opportunities.

I love watching leaders pour into the lives of students, especially when the relationships are inter-generational. But even more encouraging has been watching our church community love, support, and intentionally invest in the lives of students. I’ve witnessed older adults engage with our students and build ongoing relationships where they continue to pour into their lives and support them even beyond high school. These are moments that are pivotal for students and will help them grow in their relationship with Jesus. Thinking about how you can foster these relationships will help to strengthen your group as a whole.

7. Incorporate prayer.

One of the things we highlight in our fundraising efforts is that the fundraiser isn’t just about financial support. Prayer support is vital to our mission succeeding and because of that we must be intentional in garnering the prayer support necessary for our trips. You can incorporate prayer in other ways as well. Ask students to pray at meetings and training sessions, hand out prayer cards at fundraisers, have leaders or staff or elders pray over your students at fundraisers, or even have your students pray for the church. These moments will help your students not only grow in their faith journey but will also help them to see the power and necessity of prayer in each of our lives.

5 Factors to Facilitating a Mission Trip

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We are beginning to start our mission trip training for this summer. With two trips planned and two unique teams going, we need to make sure our students are adequately prepared and trained in order to best grow and serve. Our summer ministry rhythm alternates between doing some type of retreat or conference one year and a mission trip the following year. Regardless of whether it is a mission trip year or not, part of our vision for our program is to incorporate missional opportunities in all of our trips because of the mission Christ gave to all of His followers.

What that means is we are always approaching our trips with a mission-centered focus. In order to do that well, we must think through some key aspects. Mission trips that are just haphazardly thrown together are not all together a bad thing as opportunities may just present themselves. But the more intentional we are in thinking through how we can shape and facilitate the trip in an impactful and meaningful way, the better prepared we will be and our students will reap the spiritual benefits.

The points below are intended for those who are planning their own trips and not necessarily partnering with a mission organization. However, I believe these points translate into either type of trip. If you go with an organization some of the points may already be figured out for you. These are key avenues to engage during the very beginning of mission trip planning and are designed to help the main trip leader best prepare themselves and their team for the upcoming training and trip.

1. Know your objectives.

Mission trips are a wonderful opportunity to not only help your students grow spiritually but also to bless others through your actions and care. In order to achieve both of those realities, there need to be clearly stated objectives. If you know the objectives of your trip it allows you to shape and plan accordingly so you can accomplish said objectives.

Your objectives can be focused on the spiritual growth of your students, skill sets that need to be learned, tasks that need to be accomplished before and during the trip, building relationships within the team and with the community you’re serving, or whatever else you see as a goal for your trip. When you have your objectives focused and spelled out, you will then be able to guide and shape your trip and team accordingly.

2. Clearly communicate expectations.

Whether you are setting up team meetings, explaining guidelines for the location, sharing team member requirements, or detailing work expectations on the trip, the ability to clearly communicate expectations will help set your team up for success. This is true even when you are advertising the trip to your students. The clearer and more concise your communication, the more apt your people will be to understand and follow what you are asking of them.

When it comes to expectations for your students, never assume they know what they are even if you have taken them on prior trips. Each mission trip will be unique which means the expectations will be as well. So be clear, concise, and direct with expectations in order to set your team up for success.

3. Utilize team training.

Training for mission trips is a must. Without training you will be setting your team up for dysfunction and potential failure. Training allows the group to grow and deepen relationships, engage in team building, grow in the skill sets needed on the trip, have a better understanding of how to minister to the community you are serving, and to help each team member know more about themselves personally.

Training can include activities to simulate what you will be doing, practice or organize different elements needed for the trip, complete personality assessments, or engage in prayer times, team building, or evangelism and prayer training. It can also include watching videos or reading helpful books, bringing in teachers to help equip your team, or whatever else you find beneficial. These do not need to be exceedingly long or every week, but I would recommend starting training sessions 4-6 months before you are to leave and averaging 1-2 a month.

4. Highlight flexibility.

If you have ever led a student trip before you know the importance of flexibility. But often times our students never see that part of the trip because they are only engaging the trip not serving behind the scenes. That’s one of the key differences between a retreat or camp and a mission trip. On a mission trip students are serving and leading, not simply consuming. So helping your students understand flexibility, why it is necessary, and how it may look on the trip will help to strengthen and equip your team to do their best work and be for one another and the community you are serving.

5. Build your leadership team ahead of time.

As you are beginning to prepare for your trip it is important to recruit the necessary leaders for the trip before you begin to advertise it to your students. This allows you to have the appropriate student-to-leader ratios and it also helps you to have the leaders needed for the trip. We all have amazing leaders who serve in our ministries but not all of those leaders may want or be able to serve on a mission trip. So figuring out who can and should go ahead of time allows you to be better prepared for the trip by having your leadership team in place.

7 Ways to Prepare Leaders for Trips

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Whenever you go on student ministry trips, you are probably taking leaders with you. Whether it’s one or two or maybe thirty, having leaders on a trip is essential. They help make sure everything goes as it should, they invest in your students, and they are the people who allow the trip to actually happen.

But if we don’t prepare them well for the trip, we will actually be hindering them and ourselves. We are the ones with all the details and knowledge of where we are going because we have been in contact with the host location. What we need to be doing as ministry leaders is preparing our leaders well so they can truly succeed and have the greatest impact in the lives of our students.

Today I want to share with you some ideas and tips on how to best prepare your leaders for upcoming trips.

1. Prepare and communicate in advance.

One of the best things you can do for your leaders is be prepared and communicate to them well in advance. The more they know ahead of time the better suited they will be to fully contribute and care for students. Make sure to communicate dates and times, location of the trips, what they should bring, and what you’re bringing like supplies, games, snacks, Bibles and pens, fidgets, devotionals for students who follow Jesus, and even things like power strips.

2. Have a leader meeting before you go.

One of the best things you can do for your leaders to help prepare them is to have a meeting before the trip. Being able to walk through who is going, room assignments, the schedule, expectations, and allow time for questions will help your leaders feel more at ease about the trip and will give them confidence as they go.

3. Prepare a leader packet.

Preparing a packet for your leaders gives them not just information but helps them to know what is happening and what is expected of them. When you put together a packet, include things like a site map, packing list, sleeping arrangements, small group assignments, schedule, questions for small group time, contact info for the camp, and all the leaders’ contact info so everyone has it.

4. Set up a group text for your leaders.

This is one of my favorite things about going on trips. We always set up a group chat to share information and pictures throughout the trip. There are lots of gifs and jokes between leaders, but also moments where we share prayer requests and praises. It also allows for information to get out quickly and everyone to see what is happening throughout the time at camp.

5. Go over expectations.

Sometimes on trips we just need leaders to hang with their students because the location handles everything else. Other times leaders need to be more hands-on and have various roles. The clearer you can outline those expectations and share them with your team, the better prepared they will be to lead and shepherd your students.

6. Find ways to bless them.

Whether it’s a personalized card, a leader gift bag, or a Starbucks gift card, something to encourage them and let them know they are loved and valued is wonderful thing to do for your leaders. By blessing your leaders you are showing them how much they mean to you, the ministry, and your students. This is a tangible and intentional opportunity for your leaders to know they are seen and valued.

7. Spend time praying together.

When you prepare your leaders ahead of time, spend some time praying for them, your students and families, and the trip. These moments allow you and your team to intentionally pray for all aspects of the trip and to pray specifically for the students who are going. God moves powerfully through prayer and by praying before the trip we are intentionally asking God to do big things in the lives of our students. By praying for God to work in the lives of students, it allows us to see how He intentionally and divinely moves in the lives of our people and the change that comes about.

How do you best prepare your team for trips? What are your best practices for doing this?

The Week Before a Trip

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When this post goes live we are t-minus five days until we depart for our winter retreat. Every year we take our students to a camp in our area for a winter weekend filled with solid teaching, worship, small groups and discipleship, lots of fun, community, and hopefully a little bit of snow.

But let’s be honest: the week or two before a trip can usually be pretty stressful and busy. There’s all the trip details, making sure everyone is paid up, communication, packing for yourself, making sure your students bring what they need, regular work commitments, and all the other pieces that we know will pop up at the least opportune time. So the question is, “How do we manage and prepare well during those weeks?”

On today’s post I want to share a few tips for how to not only prepare well but manage your time and details to succeed during the prep week and your time leading up to camp.

Have someone else handle speaking.

The week of and perhaps the week before a trip, I would highly recommend having someone else speak at your gatherings. For most of us, the primary amount of our hours are focused on preparing messages for our students, and by recruiting someone else to speak you are giving yourself flexibility and opportunity to focus your time in other places. Whether it’s a youth leader, another staff member, a student, or a guest speaker, having someone else speak frees you up to focus on the trip. It gives you all the time you’d focus on study, prep, and speaking to now focus on making sure everything is handled before you depart for your trip.

Try to keep your schedule as open as possible.

The week before I go on a trip I try to not schedule any meetings or additional work items if at all possible. I will always have various meetings I have to attend, but I try to not add more to my plate. The more we add to our schedules, the more we will feel overwhelmed and behind. So try to keep your schedule open and make the most of the time you have to prepare for the trip and handle what needs to be done.

Over-communicate to families.

No matter what, you will always have people who miss or don’t pay attention to communications you send out. But trying to get ahead of those moments and doing all you can to clearly and concisely communicate will help immensely. I try to schedule and send all of my communications at least a week before parents would ask for them. For example, if I know parents will want a packing list two weeks before we leave, I try to send it three weeks and again two weeks before we go. That way there is a greater chance for them to not only see it but also to have a reminder sent in case they forget.

Have a planning meeting with leaders.

If you have ever served as a volunteer in student ministries, you probably know what it feels like to not have all your questions answered or what it feels like to be unsure about what to expect. The more we can help to prepare our leaders and give them the information they need, the better prepared they will be to lead and disciple your students. So find time before you go to help prepare your leaders mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Remember that these meetings don’t need to be very long and should also be about spiritually preparing and not just information dissemination. So spend time praying together for one another, the trip, and your students.

Create a personal packing list and a ministry packing list.

We have recently written about what to pack for trips as a leader. This is a really helpful resource for both ministry leaders and their team of volunteers. It may be helpful to have a concisely written packing list for your leaders at your planning meeting. On top of your ministry packing list, also think through what you will need personally. For me I always make sure to have different types of cold medicines and throat drops, braces for my ankles that tend to roll, spare clothes, some protein bars, and some extra games and snacks for my cabin. Think through what you’d like to bring and make sure you have your list ready for when you need to pack.

Schedule time off before and after the trip.

This is something I have been making sure that I do more often. Depending on what needs to be done, I try to take an extra day off the week before a trip to spend with Elise and mentally and spiritually prepare myself for the trip. After I get back I try to take a day off to catch my breath, decompress, and heal (for me that means going to the chiropractor and getting extra rest). These aren’t just meant to be comp days but days to decompress and refresh so I am able to minister and care for my people without leading out of emptiness or depletion.

Make a list of what needs to be done and when.

I love making lists and crossing things off as I complete them. And when it comes to trips, I make lists of what needs to be done leading up to our departure. Typically I make two lists for trips. The first one is focused on the big things that need to be done from the very beginning of scheduling the trip. This includes announcing the trip, payment deadlines and reminders, parent and family communications, departure information, and packing lists. The second list is one that is focused on the week or two before the trip. This has to do with leader meetings, social media reminders, final communications to families, texting groups for leaders, sign in procedures, packing for myself and the ministry, and anything else that needs to be accomplished.

What does the week before a trip look like for you? How do you prepare for your trips?