It’s a valid question: Why mission trips? If there are needs closer to home. If it requires an inordinate amount of time and money. If mission trips can cause more harm than good. Why go on them? There are many reasons why you may be considering a mission trip: You want to see people come […]

“Hope on the Way.” As I was scrolling through news articles, this headline jumped off the screen at me. And I imagine it caught the eye of others too—especially at the end of a year with so many unanswerable questions, strong emotions, disrupted livelihoods and health concerns. But I think this newsflash is only an […]

In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic when things were constantly changing and developing—everyone referred to current events as “unprecedented times”. However, we cannot use the same phrase regarding the murder of George Floyd. Horrifically, there is a precedent for the killing and mistreatment of People of Color. These events have been tragically repeated […]

We had so much fun in July serving through the 30-Day Neighbor Challenge. We recognize that it can sometimes be difficult to come up with ways to serve on a regular basis, especially during a pandemic where restrictions limit our day-to-day actions. Whether you missed the event on social media or want to share it […]

We know you want to see students know God and participate in the bigger story of the Gospel. But with all of the uncertainty and constant changes that exist in our world today, it can be challenging to determine how to best care for the people around you and serve your community. So much about […]

We’ve asked our staff to share resources that have challenged them to engage and grow in the area of racial inequality and injustice.  Unfortunately, it can sometimes be hard to know what organizations are doing behind the scenes to educate themselves and engage personally in conversations around systems of injustice. That’s why we’re sharing our staff’s […]

This post is part of a soul care series dedicated to encouraging and supporting our ministry partners, youth pastors, community leaders, and summer staff preparing for this summer. In a reality where social distancing is critical for our ministries, it’s an odd thing to have such a strong desire to help and connect with others […]

“How many of you have been on one mission trip? Two mission trips? Five? Ten? Twenty?!” While leading workshops on best mission trip practices, I’ve asked that sequence of questions to roomfuls of youth workers and volunteers a bunch of times. My findings? Adults in youth ministries have a broad range of experiences when it […]

“We don’t need to do anything afterward because the mission trip was so life-changing on its own!” I had been asking other youth workers what they did after their mission trip to bring the experience home. Some shared about post-trip meetings, some told me about service projects and most everyone had said something about sharing […]

“How do we help students become leaders?” There are lots of great answers to that question, but near the top of my list every year is this: “Get them to go on the mission trip!” There are a lot of built-in aspects of service experiences that help students become leaders. But with intentionality, we as […]