EPISODE RECAP

When it comes to mission trips, what should youth leaders be doing now to prepare for their trip? (5:00)

Preparation for a trip is crucial not only for the youth leader, but for the students, too. (6:00)

There are so many rich aspects of a community that are important for students and leaders to understand before going a mission trip. (6:00)

When students understand the culture of the place they’ll be serving at before they go on the trip, chances are they’ll gain more from the experience. (6:45)

Pro Tip: Get the dates of your mission trip in front of parents as soon as possible. (10:00)

If you’re planning an international trip, start preparing 12 months in advance. (11:00)

If you’re planning a domestic trip, start preparing 9 months in advance. (11:00)

Prepare questions to help students process their experience throughout the trip. (13:00)

It’s important to help your students not just be in the experience, but process the experience. (14:00)

How will you engage your students to stay involved in what they’ve experienced on the trip once they return home? (15:00)

Stretch out your preparation process for your mission trip over 12 months instead of cramming it into 2 months. (16:00)

You lose momentum when you allow the ball to be dropped. (17:00)

Leverage the momentum created from this year’s mission trip to help you launch next year’s mission trip season. (17:45)

Align with the rest of your church’s outreach strategy when planning your youth ministry’s mission trip. (18:30)

Using organizations like YouthWorks to help plan your mission trips will let you as the ministry leader do what only you can do. (20:00)

Something happens when a teenager gets to serve alongside their youth pastor. It’s a shared experience that you can’t recreate. (22:00)

If you’re not planning your own mission trip, find an organization that you can partner with. (23:00)

QUOTES FROM THIS EPISODE

“When students understand the culture of the place they’ll be serving before they go on a mission trip, they’ll gain more from the experience.” - Erica Schimelpfenig Click To Tweet“When it comes to mission trips, it’s important to help your students not just be in the experience, but process the experience.” - Erica Schimelpfenig Click To Tweet“Leverage the momentum created from this year’s mission trip to help you launch next year’s mission trip.” - @AshleyBohinc Click To Tweet“Something happens when a teenager gets to serve alongside their youth pastor. It’s a shared experience that you can’t recreate.” - Erica Schimelpfenig Click To Tweet“Partnering with an organization to help you plan your mission trip allows you, the ministry leader, to do what only you can do.” - @AshleyBohinc Click To Tweet

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Resource: YouthWorks.com

Blog Post: 3 Ways to Leverage This Year’s Mission Trip to Make Next Year’s Even Better

Blog Post: Your (Post) Mission Trip To Do List

FREE RESOURCE:  Annual Mission Trip Timeline