Six Things To Consider as You Plan a Youth Mission Trip
Hundreds of churches offer short term youth mission trips as a way to express one of the essentials of our faith: reaching out in Christ’s name to those who are in need. Yet, organizing such a trip with all its details can be daunting. Having planned 29 such trips, here are 6 important things I challenge you to consider:
- Select a ministry and a location that fits your group. What are the skills and interests of your youth group? Is one of your goals to expose the group to other ethnicities? To build relationship with the recipients? To learn a new skill? Just make sure the work is meaningful rather than just busy work. With your planning team, research and identify your options, then invite the youth to help in the final decision.
- Find accommodations that have a gathering space. One important outcome of spending a few days together is group bonding. For that to occur you will need space for community building as you visit, play, do Bible study/worship, and eat together. Motels do not offer this kind of space, so check with the agency with whom you will be working for recommendations of a place to stay that will fit your needs.
- Hand-select adults who relate well to youth to be your sponsors. Their role as encouraging mentors and adult friends is pivotal to community building and openness to faith sharing. I do not put out a congregational appeal for adults as some might respond who have ego-based agendas rather than a genuine love and respect for youth. Nothing stops a teen’s heart-felt sharing like an adult who judges their thoughts or criticizes their behavior.
- Help participants move beyond the idea that WE are going there to help THEM. We are to be partners in ministry with the recipients of our service efforts. I use the story of Lazarus to teach this. In John 11:44 when Lazarus left the tomb, Jesus called on the people to “unbind him and let him go.” Not only do we unbind those we go to serve, but they unbind us as well, freeing us of prejudices and making assumptions about those who are less fortunate than we.
- Plan as many details as possible before you leave so you are free to be “in the moment” with the youth during the trip. For instance, you do not want to have to be hunting for supplies for an activity (bring what you need in a box) while the group waits on you. On the other hand, don’t plan things so tightly there is no room for the Holy Spirit to work.
- Be intentional about faith formation. These trips can nurture faith in dynamic ways. Plan ahead for experiences that can shape faith: morning devotions led by the youth; evening Bible study/worship; drawing names for prayer during the week; reflections over dinner on ways they saw God at work during that day and how the faith of the recipients was expressed.