Set Goals for the Trip

Challenge the go-ers to "not only humble themselves through service, but to share their faith while doing so. A work camp without testimonies and evangelism is mute Christianity." (Mission Frontiers, January 2000 issue)

Consider the following types of goals:

• Establish evangelistic goals. Remember, our District's purpose in missions is to support and/or establish churches to share the Good News and disciple new believers in a culturally sensitive format.
  • There is a distinction between a mission trip that is truly "missionary" in its scope (i.e., evangelistic, church planting, etc.) and a cultural or compassion trip that has a non-evangelistic focus. If it's not a "mission" trip, consider a different label for the trip.
  • How many additional people are projected to follow Jesus Christ directly as a result of this trip? It is true that people must decide for themselves, and such a prediction may be difficult. However, the actions that you chose to implement will be a reflection of how high (or how small) the goal is.
  • How many people will the team minister to?
• What are the needs at the host site?
  • There will be more needs that the team can meet! Focus on what the team can do well, or you risk being ineffective.
• Consider goals for each group of participants
  • What are the goals for the receptors and hosts?
  • What are the goals for the goer-guests?
  • What are the goals for the sending church(es)?
• How many people will the team impact? Consider:
  • What materials will be needed? (books, brochures, games, handouts, and trained members of the local church and the team to handle counseling and leading people.)
  • What equipment will be needed?

Set Key Details for the Trip

Consider the following:

• What influence has God already exerted within the area you intend to go?
• Such influence may be through general revelation, such as when people perceive God's glory in creation.
• Have other Christian groups shared the gospel in that area already? If so, to what extent has it been received? What methods were effective and what were not?
• What types of ministry, activities and work will the group do?
  • Evanglelism: Street evangelism, Children's Gospel Box, etc. What advanced training is required for the team?
  • Construction: Does the team have the expertise, equipment, etc.?
  • Camps (family camp, youth camp, VBS): Requires special facilities and projects
  • Language camp: Requires a minimum of skilled participants teaching English as a second language
  • Well drilling: Requires a small team of tecnically qualified people
  • Medical/dental: Requires a small team of highly trained people and special equipment
• When will the trip will be and for how long? Consider:
  • The needs of the missionary team on the field
  • The culture at the destination. (For example: in Russia, while the summer months are most comfortable for the goers, people on the field are more available in the winter months.) Ask the people on the field what are the ideal time periods to come and which to avoid
  • The schedule of the team that is traveling
  • Seasonal weather conditions at the destination (e.g., is everyone "out and about" for the summer or hiding from the heat?)
  • Off-peak travel periods
  • Church and Foursquare District calendars
• How large will the team be? Consider:
  • Location
  • Lodging
  • Amount of Work
  • Type of Project
  • Number of people to minister to
  • Number of people who the hosts are able to accommodate
  • Need for translator(s). (What is needed for the ratio of translators to the number of goers? For example: 1 translator for 10 other team members?)
  • The number of team leaders mobilized for the trip. The larger the group, the larger the number of leaders needed
• What will the trip cost? Establish a preliminary team budget
• When will you set aside time for trip planning and team training?
• What training and resources can you leave behind for a long-term impact?
  • What training and leadership development does the local church on the field need right now?
  • What tools and resources can you bring, that can be left behind, which will contribute to a longer-term impact in the area you will visit (bibles, workbooks, literature, devotionals, etc.)?
• What qualifications do team members require (any special skills or gifts)?
• How will you select those Who will be team members on the trip (commitment to Christ; age requirement; denominational requirement; church membership requirement; etc.)?

Helpful Hints

The following ideas may help when considering the goals and the preliminary details of a trip:

• Get the key concepts down
  • Be flexible. You don't have to have all the details in order to get started.
• Focus on those you will visit
  • Ministry must take priority over team experience. In other words, don't plan a trip with a primary goal of giving the team a great spiritual experience.
  • Express the primary goals in relation to those you are going to serve.
• Seek to build long-term ministry relationships and commitment to missions
  • If you are considering a trip to a location that teams have been to before, how does it fit together into a coordinated, long-term strategy?
  • If you are going to a new location, how can long-term ministry begin?
• Be aware of the difference between "dependence" and "empowerment"
  • Dependence: The hosts and in-country recipients become dependent on your team and its ongoing resources in order to exist. This is something you need to work at avoiding.
  • Empowerment: The team comes alongside the hosts and recipients, helping them to grow physically and spiritually from their own resources, partnering with them for what they truly need.
• Review the Standards for Short Term Missions