A church plans a healthy short-term mission trip by agreeing on its purpose with the hosts, training the team before it goes, serving under local church leaders, and planning follow-up for afterward. We treat a trip as one step in a lasting partnership, never a stand-alone event.
Where trips fit
Step 4 of 7
Training
Before every trip
Partners
Vetted local churches overseas
Included from
Premium ($200/mo)
A mission trip is a planned visit where Christians serve alongside a local church, mission agency or ministry partner to share the gospel and meet practical needs. What you do depends on the hosts' work, from teaching and evangelism to practical help.
Short-term mission trips can be effective, but not every well-meant trip helps. Good trips follow local church leaders, prepare the team culturally and strengthen the hosts' ongoing ministry. Trips do harm when visitors bring their own plans or giveaways that undercut local churches.
Training before a trip helps your team serve their hosts well, understand what they will see and come home changed instead of just tired.
Ethan asks churches to study first, often with a seven-week Explore study, and to try cultural exposure close to home before they travel. A team that has learned God's heart for the nations and something of the culture it will visit goes as learners and servants.
Every trip has three parts, and the part after you come home matters as much as the trip itself.
A short-term trip is step 4 of the 7-step partnership process, after your church has learned, prayed and connected with a partner.
1
Learn
Learn about strategic opportunities around the world.
2
Pray
Pray about where you feel led to serve.
3
Connect
Connect with partners to get to know them.
4
Serve
Serve alongside a partner on a short-term trip.
5
Build trust
Build trust, friendship and a lasting partnership.
6
Multiply
Multiply ministry in both churches.
7
Mobilize
Mobilize other churches to do the same.
Local believers know their language, culture and neighbors, so a visiting team does the most good when it strengthens a local church's work rather than running its own.
Level
What's included
Essential (Free)
When available
Premium ($200/mo)
Help planning one trip per year
Premier ($400/mo)
Help planning and leading one trip per year
Full Access ($700/mo)
Everything in Premier, plus building your church's own trip and sending process
Trips go to vetted partner churches in several regions of the world. We share specific locations privately with partner churches to protect our partners.
It depends on where you go. Trips to closer places, such as Central America or the Caribbean, can be under a week, with at least a few days on the ground. Trips farther away need more time on the ground to be worth the travel.
With a Vision Meeting. A trip is usually step 4 of a partnership, after your church has learned, prayed and connected with a partner.
Tell us about your church and we'll talk through whether a trip is the right next step.
Tell us a little about your church. Ethan will reach out to find a time.