Mission Trip Planning

A Guide to Planning Mission Trips

3 Reasons To Plan or Go On A Mission Trip

1) To encourage and support an existing ministry or to baptize, encourage, and disciple someone you have been ministering to online for some time.

2) For the benefit of the people going on the trip in hope that they will return home and

  • share with others about the different cultures and real-life in other countries so more people can see the bigger picture
  • give insight into what is involved in daily missions and life in the country
  • support missions (prayerfully & financially)

3) For financial and spiritual accountability (When supporting churches/conferences financially, if possible, it is good to have a person or two there off and on or living full-time in the country for accountability.)

1 Reason NOT To Plan or Go On A Mission Trip

If the same work can be done virtually, it would not be a good steward of the money spent. (Be a good steward of money and if to raise it, give it to the ministry work you are supporting. Often the cost of one plane ticket can build a church or support a ministry for months.)

Sending harvesters into the mission fields has never been easier (except maybe now with COVID restrictions)! But God has allowed a new Roman Road to the nations. It is called the internet!

As times have changed, missions has changed, and so must we. The majority of missions can now be done on the World Wide Web, without a passport or airline ticket.  Even if you go on a mission trip, encouragement and discipleship when you return are where the real work begins.

Whether you are doing missions online, at home, or abroad and traveling to another culture, pre-planning and educating yourself is essential.

1) Know your Bible and what Jesus taught

2) Study the culture

  • their religion and doctrines
  • their language
  • their traditions and what is culturally acceptable and what is not
  • their modes of transportation, food, and dress code
  • their interrelationship dynamics

How to Plan a Mission Trip

Before you begin planning a mission trip or apply to go on one, it is essential to start with prayer and seek God’s wisdom and guidance. Ask yourself why you want to organize or go on a mission trip? What are your goals and what do you hope to accomplish?

Once you have answered those questions, move on to planning. WHERE WILL YOU GO? (and WHY?)

1) Who is leading the trip?

2) What roles will each person play?

a. Who will contact pastors or ministry leaders where you want to go?

b. Who will be in charge of finances? (collecting money, paying for things)

c. Who will arrange travel (airline tickets, etc.) and food and housing?

3) How will you choose a team? How many will go? Will you meet to study and train together or on Zoom? How will you fundraise?

4) Research the place where you want to go (make sure there is someone to go to – a like-minded church or ministry.)

a. Reach out to the contact to see if there are needs (mainly spiritual, but humanitarian too – but that should not be the focus of a MISSION trip.)

b. See if there is housing or if you will need hotels. Find housing and transportation.

5) Find out if you need passports and visas and how long it will take to get them.

6) Find out if there are COVID restrictions or mandatory vaccines.

Once you have all of your information, then begin advertising and recruiting.

1) You should have an application (and require insurance). Also, make sure they know your Christian code of ethics.

2) Set a deadline to get applications and to determine who the team will.

3) Make sure all applicants know the requirements of study, fundraising, and teamwork prior to going, expectations on the field, and any expectations when you return.

4) Make a clear deadline when money needs to be turned in (be clear that anyone who does not meet the financial obligations on time will be removed from the team and the trip.)

After a team is chosen, begin team-building activities around preparing for the culture and ministry you will be doing.

  • regular conversation with the team about biblical teaching, especially those you will be presenting (to gain confidence and become articulate)
  • assign cultural research topics to team members
  • frequently meet in person or online for prayer
  • practice language together if learning one for trip
  • continually encourage one another in preparation and fundraising
  • possibly do a team-building retreat or camping trip.

AFTER the trip stay involved! Don’t lose your passion and keep the fire burning by corresponding with people you met and by daily prayer for them. (We quickly forget when people and things are not in front of our eyes or in our mind daily.)

Missionary Application Form

 

God's Calling

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

You Preparing

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15

You Going

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14

Ezra’s Example (Ezra 7:10):

  • set you heart to study the law of the Lord,
  • to practice it,
  • and to teach His statutes and ordinances

This is how you prepare. It is essential to know our distinctive biblical truths so that you can communicate Jesus’ Gospel, the Kingdom hope to individuals and nations.

You must be prepared and willing to practice sharing your faith at home, work, school, and the community BEFORE you spend money (most likely other people’s money) on a trip abroad.

If you cannot teach and disciple someone today, going on a mission trip should not be pursued.

Kingdom Missions Academy can help prepare you to serve God and accomplish the Great Commission online, at home, or abroad.

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