How to Go on a Mission Trip

How do you go on a mission trip?

Getting started comes down to three steps: having a genuine desire to serve, learn, and grow; finding the trip that fits your availability, group size, and calling; and taking the first step (submitting an interest form so Experience Mission staff can help match you to the right opportunity).

1. Have a desire to serve, learn, and grow

If you are reading this, chances are you already have a desire to serve others, and that is a great starting point. A mission trip is an opportunity to serve others in meaningful ways. But these experiences are not complete without an equal desire to learn and grow alongside the people you are serving. Jesus' teaching to love your neighbor as yourself means more than solving material problems for someone else. It is a whole-person, holistic love that recognizes every person as innately valuable, and it is a love that pushes us out of our comfort zone and into spaces where we have things to learn from others as well.

Put simply, this means serving others with open hands—freely giving of yourself without expectations or hope of something in return—and open hearts—to learn and grow in whatever ways God has for us in this experience.

2. Find the best trip for you (or your group)

Once you have a desire to go on a mission trip to serve, learn, and grow, the next step is finding the best opportunity for you or your team. This step comes down to answering a few key questions:

• When are you able to serve? Do you only have one week or one month available? Are you open to any dates in the summer or beyond? How long can you commit to a mission trip?
• Who will you be serving with? Are you bringing a group or coming on your own? If bringing a group, how many people do you expect, and which age groups are represented?
• Where do you want to serve? How far are you willing to travel? Which service opportunities align best with your team's calling and skill set? Which culture would be the most challenging, or offer the most to learn from?

The answers to these questions will help narrow down what you are looking for. At EM, the two mission trip opportunities are 6-10 day group mission trips (for fully-formed groups coming together) and 1-9 month IMMERSION mission trips (for young adult individuals, age 18-30).

3. Take action by letting us know you're interested

Whether you have found the trip you are looking for or still need help deciding, the best next step is to fill out a mission trip interest form (or the IMMERSION interest form) so EM staff can help match you to the best opportunity and get you on your way. Don't wait, get started today!

You must have a group size of at least 6 members to join this trip. Please view the Small Team trips or call our Servicing Department for more options at 888-475-6414.

View Small Team Trips

For most trips, you must have a group size of at least 6 members. Please view the Small Teams tab on each Community page or call our Servicing Department for more options at 888-475-6414.