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 […]

We’re incredibly thankful for this partnership with Ministry Architects, and for the 100+ youth workers, church leaders, and ministry resourcing organizations that took the time to be a part of our COVID Impact Listening Sessions. Erica, YW’s President, and Jacob filmed this short dialogue with our Ministry Architects specialists Stephanie Caro and Toni Mosely about […]

Creating a mission trip is tough. But if everything you do points to Jesus, it’s worth it. Here’s how we know… QUOTES FROM TRIP LEADERS THIS SUMMER “[My students’] world became bigger and so did their view of Jesus.” – Shannon (Trip Leader in Duluth)  “It was encouraging to witness what God is doing in […]

There I was, sitting in a circle of 25 teenagers and a handful of adult leaders as they were processing their mission trip together in the basement of a church in Birmingham. The discussion was on the heels of their footwashing ceremony on the last night of their trip. The presence of God was so […]

Guest blog from our friend Benjamin Kerns who is the Lead Pastor at Marin Covenant Church and founder and curator of www.averageyouthministry.com Many of us have been working so hard to keep our own ministries afloat that the ministries and missions organizations that we are connected to have diminished. This is understandable, but it is […]

If you’re like a lot of youth leaders, fundraising might be one of the more daunting parts of planning for your mission trip.  We’re here to help. With more than 30 years of mission trip experience, we’ve compiled some great fundraiser planning tips as well as our favorite fundraising ideas from experienced youth leaders. All […]

Planning your next youth ministry event? These tips will help keep your group safe in 2021. You have your next youth ministry event in mind, but like us, no one gave you a roadmap for planning it in a pandemic. Social distancing feels a bit antithetical to how most churches and ministries operate, so having […]

This post is all about local service project ideas for your youth ministry. Local service projects can be a powerful way for your youth ministry to make a lasting impact in your own backyard. At YouthWorks, our hope is that every student (and adult!) will take what they’ve learned on a mission trip and live […]

This post is all about planning a day of service in your community. You know the impact that missions trips have on your teenagers. A great way to help teenagers continue that passion for helping others is to lead a day of service right at home! After 25+ years of serving at YouthWorks, we want […]

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 […]