Church Mission Trips

What is a church mission trip?

A church mission trip is a short-term, faith-based service trip where a congregation or ministry team travels together to serve alongside a local church or ministry in another community. Experience Mission (EM) hosts mission trips for Christian church groups in the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. Trips last 6 to 10 days.

EM field staff prepare the community and arrange lodging, meals, and ministry projects, while the partner church or ministry helps set the work for your group. Your role is to prepare your church group to serve in a healthy way, approach their time in the community as guests and learners, and reflect and grow together while serving together throughout the trip.

Compare every group mission trips community, or read our broader answer to What is a mission trip?

What does a church mission trip leader do?

The group leader prepares the team before the trip and leads it on the ground, both relationally and logistically. EM field staff handle lodging, food, and ministry project details, so the leader can focus on the team. A leader's work falls into three stretches:

• Before the trip - Recruit your team, hold an informational meeting, register your team with a missions organization, lead fundraising efforts, collect necessary paperwork, and meet with the team to cover logistics and spiritual preparation
• Getting there - Book flights or arrange vehicles, since domestic teams travel to the community and need reliable transportation all week, while EM meets international mission teams at the assigned airport
• On site - Communicate important reminders, help supervise your team at work sites, build relationships with team members, and help lead the end-of-day team gathering alongside EM staff or on your own if field staff are not present on your trip

Teams that include students need enough adult leaders. EM recommends one adult for every 7 high school students or 5 middle school (or younger) students, with at least one leader age 21 or older. Youth leaders can find age and grade details on the youth mission trips page.

How do we plan a church mission trip?

Start as early as you can! More lead time gives your team room to recruit, fundraise, and prepare, and the dates below are the deadlines that EM sets. Follow these steps:

1. Choose a community and dates - Compare mission trip communities, then submit an interest form so EM knows your team's size and dates and can answer your questions
2. Recruit your team - Hold an informational meeting, share the vision, and set a firm sign-up deadline so interest does not fade
3. Register - Register with a per-person deposit and team registration fee, adding additional team members later if spots are available
4. Book travel - Book flights 3 to 5 months ahead once your deposit is received and EM confirms your week, then record travel details in MyMission at least 30 days before your trip
5. Pay your trip balance in stages - On EM trips, teams are required to pay 50% of the per-person balance 120 days before the trip, 75% at 75 days, and the full balance 30 days before
6. Collect forms and meet as a team - Set paperwork deadlines 2 to 3 weeks before you need each item, and meet several times to prepare logistically and spiritually

EM's guide on how to plan a mission trip walks leaders through each step in detail, and the registration and payment policy lists every deadline.

How big does a church team need to be?

Most EM group mission trips need a team of 6 or more, with some communities requiring a few more or less. Each community page lists its group minimum. Your team can include adults of all ages from one congregation or several, along with students who travel with adult leaders. If your team has fewer than six people, call EM at 888-475-6414 to ask what is possible.

How much does a church mission trip cost?

EM's group mission trips in 2027 range from $475 to $1,595 per person, depending on the community. Costs are per person and stay the same for minors and adults. The mission trips page lists the trip cost for every community.

The trip fee covers lodging, meals, in-country transportation on international trips, and program support. Plan separately for these costs:

• Travel to the community - Flights, rental vehicles, fuel, and meals on travel days
• Background checks - Required for adult team members and not included in the trip fee
• International fees - Entry and exit fees of about $25 to $45 per person
• Optional extras - Tours or end-of-trip activities your team chooses to add

Calculate your per-person total before you start fundraising, so every supporter and team member is able to see the real number. Use EM’s mission trip cost guide for churches to build a full group budget with sample totals.

How can our church fundraise for a mission trip?

Fundraising works best when it starts early, and the whole team shares the load! Fundraising can also build the team's trust and teamwork before the trip. Most teams combine a few approaches:

• Support letters - Personal letters or emails to friends and family, which are the foundation for most team members
• A church-wide ask - A short request at a service or small group, with a donation link or QR code
• Team events - One to three events such as a meal, a run, or a tournament

EM's Mission Trip Fundraising Guide offers ideas for teams, and a mission trip support letter is a common first step. Our Top Fundraising Ideas for Groups and Individuals range from support letters to team events.

What training does a church mission trip team need?

Most activities on EM mission trips don't require prior training! However, we strongly recommend each team participate in cross-cultural service training provided by EM before your trip. EM's videos and discussions help team members have important conversations about their approach to serving, arriving as guests and learners rather than experts or saviors. EM supplies all teams with a Pre-Trip Team Meetings guide, including Healthy Service videos for team members to watch and discuss.

Which EM trips fit a church team?

Choose your best fit based on who is going, your budget and fundraising resources, and how far your team is hoping to travel. These pages help you narrow the choice:

• Adult mission trips - Teams of adults of all ages, including older adults
• Youth mission trips - Youth groups and the leaders who plan for them
• Rural mission trips - Five rural U.S. communities, including Native American mission trips on Dine/Navajo Nation
• Mission trips in the United States - No passports required, with lower trip costs than most international options

Each page links to the communities that fit, with details about those specific mission trips, open weeks, and per-person costs.

What is EM's approach to a church mission trip?

EM's 7 Healthy Service Principles ask teams to arrive as guests and learners. Teams are asked to listen before they act, act in ways that dignify all people, and notice the strengths already present in a community. Every trip joins a local church or ministry already loving and serving their neighbors year-round.

On an EM trip, local partners decide what work matters most, and you will find that people ultimately matter more than projects. Your church will join a community in motion, with all of its history, beauty, and hardship, and return home with a new perspective on life, faith, and God's big world. Read all 7 principles on EM's approach to missions.

Comparing mission trip organizations? Start with how to choose a Christian mission trip organization, then use these 10 questions, and ask them of us, too!

Church Mission Trip FAQs

Find a mission trip for your church!

Explore 2027 group mission trips and compare communities, dates, and per-person cost for your church team. When you are ready to talk through your team's size, dates, and goals, submit an interest form to connect with EM's support staff.

Represent a Catholic church or school? Check out Catholic Mission Trips