Youth Missions Insider | How The Power of Missions Can Make A Difference That Lasts For Years

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Choosing adults for your next mission trip

Who you select as volunteer adult leaders for your next mission trip will have the single biggest impact on your trip. The adults on the trip will set the tone for the students. If they are upbeat and positive and having a great time serving, so will the students. If the adults are grumbling and having a bad attitude and unhappy with the lodging, the students will reflect that attitude. So how do you choose the right adults for the trip?

Here’s a couple ideas that we know work from hundreds of great youth leaders across the country.

Choose adults for their passion for youth ministry and/or missions, not for their availability – there are a lot of adults who “can” go on your trip. But the adults who will serve your group the best are the ones who want to go.
Just because they love teenagers doesn’t mean they’ll love a mission trip – you probably have adults who are fantastic at helping lead a small group or leading games or even teaching a lesson but do they want to sleep on the floor, eat the same meal for 6 days straight, and drive 17 hours to get there? If not, there are other adults.
They love missions but do they love students? – in your church there are adults who want to go on every mission trip. They feel called to missions. But you’ve never seen them at a youth group function or at a small group and they’ve never really even talked to you. They’d be best to stay at home…
Choose adults who compliment your strengths and weaknesses – you love organization, so pick adults who are outgoing and will spend time with the students. You’re outgoing and love just hanging out, better pick some adults who naturally love organization and taking care of details.

I know this feels like a basic list, but it’s actually a very difficult list to strictly follow when you’re having difficulty finding adults. My advice to you is not to compromise. Choosing the best adults will make your mission trip the absolute best it can be!

Add Comment September 7, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Is this work?

Those of us in youth ministry often get asked, “What’s it like playing with teenagers all day long?” Some times the question is said with a smile and a joke. Other times it’s said with a little bit of bite. The way it’s said it hurts a little bit.

But isn’t there just a little truth to the question. Wait, don’t delete this post… Let me finish. For so many of us our “work” with youth is a calling. It’s our life. It’s so much more than a job. We know it’s not “playing” but it’s also not like filling out paperwork or building a house or working on an assembling line. We really enjoy what we do. We smile way more than we frown. We laugh about our work way more than we complain. Working with teenagers is actually a lot of fun.

There are times, though, when it is work. There are times when it almost doesn’t feel worth it. But how often?

This Labor Day I pray God give you a relaxing break and you can get back to you ministry this week re-energized to serve those God has given you.

Add Comment September 5, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Free Game – Hide and Seek (with a twist)

Here’s a thought-provoking twist on an old game that you can use at a youth group meeting to help kick-off your fall and to generate a great discussion about community and commitment to each other. With this new twist on the classic Hide and Seek, from back in the day, your youth will have to make a decision that will provoke deeper thoughts as to: “Why we hide sometimes,” “Why do we not seek others out” and “How does it feel to be ‘found’.”

Hide and Seek (with a twist)

Add Comment September 2, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts What is [doug's] Dumb Idea?!!?!!?!!?

Not sure what I think about this… Doug Fields has done it again. Some crazy idea that only makes sense to him…

Check out [doug's] Dumb Idea and see the insanity. A total of something like 30 mission trips given away. And the top prize is worth over $5,000!

I’d enter to win if I was you!

Add Comment September 1, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Now Is The Time!

If you’re a Youth Leader and you’re considering taking your group on a mission trip, now is the time to finalize those plans and make the decision about where your group will serve next year. But you might be saying to yourself, “Why now? It’s still the end of August. I’ve got plenty of time…”

But… you don’t. Many mission organizations are already finalizing their plans and participation for 2011. I know for us, Group Workcamps and Group Week of Hope, some of our most popular locations are already full. I have friends that work for other youth mission organizations and I know that they experience the same thing. We all have locations that “sell out” long before Thanksgiving.

And, it’s not just youth mission providers. Many missionaries and receiving ministries only have room for a certain number of people each year. Once those places are taken, they are “full.”

Please, if you want to get your students involved in a mission experience this summer, get going now. There are lots of folks to serve. Lots of needs to be met. Thanks in advance to reaching out to those in need.

Add Comment August 31, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Results = 7,020,000

I just did a Google search on the words “Youth Missions” and came up with 7,020,000 results. Wow! Seven million results to that search. But in many ways I guess that makes sense…

When you look at all the youth mission organizations our there (the one I work for included), all the churches that send their kids on missions trips they organize on their own, and the general interest of this current generation in making a difference – over 250,000 youth serve annually (and that’s a conservative estimate). That’s a lot of teenagers…

And that makes me ask this question: “Are we making a difference?” Well I’ll let two people who experienced a mission trip this past summer answer that…

Kip from from Massachusetts described his experience the following way:

“Extraordinary, Soulful, Gracious, Endearing, Productive, Good Natured, Generous,Respectful, Joyful, Spirited, Spiritual, Enthusiastic, Fulfilling, Refreshing, Dancing, Singing, Praying, Thoughtful, Moving, Friendship.”

Beulah from Cincinnati had this to say about a group of students that served her:

“It was the most pleasant day I have had in a while. We had devotions and had such a good time sharing about our live experiences. They were very respectable and had a love for God. I really miss them. I was such a joy to have them.”

So… yes I think we are making a difference. A mission tip made a difference in these two people’s lives (these stories are repeated thousands and thousands of times). And I think that’s how Jesus made a difference. One life at a time…

Add Comment August 30, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Teenagers “checking out” of church?

This article in USA Today is sobering. Unfortunately, it isn’t really that big of a surprise. I think most of what is said in the article by the youth workers is true for most youth ministries.

A really interesting quote in the article is from Chris Palmer, youth pastor at Ironbridge Baptist Church in Chester, Va. He talks about how he actually increased participation in their group by making it a challenge – a military-like challenge. Their students want something more. Something that is not superficial. They are interested in something that is bigger than themselves.

I say “Yes!!!!” to that. I’m involved in the ministry of organizing youth mission trips because I believe that students need to be involved in something bigger than themselves. We hear stories every year from youth leaders whose groups are transformed by their mission trip experience. Their students are more committed. More interested. More passionate about their faith. All because they caught a glimpse of their faith being bigger than just themselves or even their church.

If you’ve never got your group involved in a mission trip, please consider it. It may just change your group, your students, and maybe even your ministry…

1 View Comments August 17, 2010

Jeff ThompsonMore Posts Sending an Adult Home

Our friend, Doug Franklin, had a great post on his blog the other day about this difficult but important aspect of the ministry of youth missions. When/if to send an adult home from a trip. Our ministry has some of it’s own processes and steps we take in the context of what we do, and Doug’s thoughts echo our sentiments…

Sending an Adult Home

What do you think? Is our ministry and Doug’s thoughts on the right track? Do you agree or disagree?