When thinking about mission trips, don’t get caught in the short-sited thinking of just planning a trip. Start with your heart to disciple your students in missional living that lasts a lifetime. Add to that your desire to serve and submit to the host church or ministry and consider the standards of excellence.

1. HOW to
PLAN a
TRIP
MISSION

2. Change the Focus
From
“Where to Go?” to
“Let’s Make Disciples”

3. When thinking
about mission trips,
don’t get caught in
the short-sighted
thinking of just
planning a trip

4. As you ponder the trip
being one aspect of
discipleship, consider
these things:

5. A Progression
How can your students plug into the existing community outreach of
your church or help advance it?
Build toward that
trip with some
late winter and
spring service
projects in your
own backyard
Plan to go back to
those service
projects in
August – October

6. A Rhythm
You might consider a very local mission trip for your students in middle
school, then a regional one for grades 9 and 10 and a longer distance trip
for your older students
No matter
where you
live
You can find
first/second
generation
immigrants
Youth Unlimited has some SERVE locations that
include cross-cultural learning

7. Your Teaching
Our mission trip and service projects are like fence posts
Talk about or even
bring in and
interview the
business leader
Who sees their
career as missions
or the pregnancy
center director or
the prayer warrior
for your
missionaries, etc

8. If you’re planning a trip and are
planning to come to
YOUTH UNLIMITED’S
SERVE mission trips, keep in mind:

9. The
Resource
Box is full
of great
helps
Check
dates with
parents
early in the
process
Consider
distance
and
destination
Budget
carefully
Raise
prayer
support as
well
Plan your
post-trip
process in
three parts

10. yu@youthunlimited.org 616.241.5616
Youth Unlimited provides week-long mission
experiences for middle and high school age
students. We passionately strive to help youth
leaders challenge youth to commit their lives to
Jesus Christ and transform this world for him.
www.youthunlimited.org
www.youthunlimited.org/how-
to-plan-a-mission-trip
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