“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19).
If you’ve spent any time in the Church, you’ve likely heard this command, dubbed the “Great Commission,” to go out into every corner of the world and share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Just before His ascension into Heaven, Jesus gave one last directive to His followers: to tell others about Him. That task has been passed down through every generation of believers and has been a key aspect of ministry from the very beginning.
While every believer is instructed to “go,” that looks different for each person. Some are called to go to the ends of the earth, leaving everything they know behind to share the Gospel with others. Some are called to go to their own families and proclaim the story of salvation right in their own homes.
There will always be those who are called to serve full-time in the mission field and those called to support those efforts on the home front while spreading the Good News right where they are.
And one of the biggest ways churches can support full-time missionaries is through short-term mission trips.
But before you can begin planning a successful and impactful mission trip, there are many things to consider to help you decide where your team should go.
1. Pray
Prayer should be the first step for every decision you make, no matter how big or small.
Even if you have the best idea, the right intentions, and are doing good things, if you act outside of God’s will, you won’t see the results you long to witness.
So, the first thing you need to do when deciding where to go on a mission trip is pray. Ask God to place locations or specific missionaries on your heart and guide you to where He wants to lead your team.
Develop a prayer team dedicated to praying over where God would lead your church in missions and how your congregation can participate in the Great Commission.
Covering your mission trip in prayer before you plan a single detail will help guide you toward success, and you’ll see greater life-long impacts acting within God’s call for your team.
2. Determine your “why”
Everything you do in ministry should have a reason. Whether you’re hosting a huge outreach event or simply purchasing toys for your nursery, every decision you make for your church should be rooted in good stewardship and a desire to show others the love of Jesus.
You carefully consider which Bible study books to recommend and which songs to sing during your services. You bathe your Vacation Bible School and youth retreats in prayer and spend hours making sure that every attendee gets the most out of the experience and has a life-changing encounter with their Creator.
The same should be true when you plan a mission trip. From the very first step of choosing a destination, you should have a reason for selecting that location.
As you’re praying over where God would have you go, determine why you want to go in the first place.
- What are you hoping to accomplish?
- Are there any specific projects or local missionaries you are hoping to support?
- Who do you hope will participate in this trip (e.g., intending to take youth, new believers, experienced short-term missionaries)?
- Have you sent a team to this location before?
- Does this location/project align with your church’s mission and vision?
- What is unique about this location that draws you to it?
Bad or unclear intentions can harm your team, local ministries, and the people you’re trying to help, so make sure you have a clear and appropriate “why” when determining your destination.
3. Find local partners
The Gospel is often a long-term effort. Many who come to saving faith in Jesus do so after hearing the Word and interacting with believers repeatedly over an extended period of time.
One of the most reliable ways to share the Good News with someone is to build a relationship with them first.
These relationships are often difficult to build over the course of a short-term mission trip. But by partnering with local ministries and full-time missionaries already in the location, you’ll be able to help them fulfill their calling and continue building on the foundation of relationships they’ve already established.
Partnering with local believers helps not only with opening doors to evangelize but also saves time and effort as your team navigates the physical location and cultural differences. Local partners can show you where to go, teach you how to get there (or help organize transportation), and give you instructions on how to act or speak respectfully of the local culture.
Local partners live and work in the communities you want to visit. They know the needs of the people around them and how you can help.
Mission trips aren’t solely about winning hearts for Jesus, although that is the primary goal. Serving as a short-term missionary is about showing the love of Christ through your actions, whether someone accepts the Gospel or not.
If you want to have a successful mission trip, you need a local partner who can guide you in demonstrating God’s love and then sharing your faith in the community you’re looking to visit.
You may even already have missionaries or ministries that your church supports, which would make them perfect local partners for a mission trip.
4. Consider safety and cultural concerns
Regardless of where you’re thinking of going, safety and cultural concerns must be considered.
Those concerns may not be as extreme or as complicated if you’re travelling a few towns over as they would be if your mission trip takes you to a closed country, but they should be acknowledged when looking at possible destinations either way.
If you’re intentionally looking at destinations for a trip geared toward teens or new believers, diving feet first into a location that isn’t receptive to the Gospel may not be ideal.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t consider planning trips to harder-to-reach places. But going to a nation that is hostile to Christians may not be the best choice if your purpose in planning this trip is to teach young or new believers how to share their faith.
However, if you’re looking at locations for experienced missionaries or those with specific skill sets, travelling to a destination that can be more challenging for others may be the perfect place.
No matter where you want to go, look into what your team will need to do to stay safe in that location. Do your research, talk with your local partners, and connect with sending agencies or your denominational offices.
Fulfilling the Great Commission is a team effort, so work with other believers to understand how your team can stay safe and culturally respectful while boldly proclaiming the Good News in ways that will resonate with the hearers.
Once you decide on a destination and start planning your trip, you will likely need additional training and preparation, but you should have a basic understanding of the safety and cultural concerns before you finalize a location.
To the ends of the earth.
Choosing a destination is just the first step in planning a successful and impactful mission trip to share the Gospel of Jesus with those who don’t have personal relationships with Him.
But whether you select a location down the street, on the other side of the globe, or somewhere in between, you’re participating in the Great Commission and taking His message to the nations.
So, pray, determine your “why,” find local partners, and consider safety and cultural concerns as God guides you in finding the right location for your mission team.
When God asked whom He should send, Isaiah responded with a resounding” Here I am, send me” (Isaiah 6:8). He already has your destination planned; He’s just waiting for you to be ready to go.
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