Missions

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Organising a Great Short-Term Mission

1) Leadership
Always go under the covering and blessing of your church minister. This is the first step to success.

2 ) Choosing where to go
If you are organising the mission yourself it is good to establish a contact through relationship. Finance permitting, it is always a good idea to do a pre-visit before the mission.

3) Recruiting the Team
All applicants should be given a pastoral reference. Application forms should be filled out by all including police checks, information about emergency contact details, a paragraph about why they want to go on mission, address, telephone number, insurance number, passport number, a section highlighting areas of ministry in which they excel.

3) Insurance and Medication
Do get travel insurance which covers the type of activity you want to be involved in. Don’t be tempted to travel without it, the consequences could be all too severe! Make sure you get all inoculations needed for the area you are travelling to.

4) Establish the aims of the mission
Communicate clearly with your host, establish the aims and activities in the mission. Always remember you are going there to serve their vision. The clearer you are about the aims of the mission, the smoother the experience.

5) Establish a Price for the Mission
Take into consideration the price of flights, airport parking, leader, transport in UK and abroad, accommodation, food, visas, inoculations, insurance and translators.

6) Training the Team
Get to know the team and inform them about the aims and activities on the mission. Alert them to cultural sensitivities, dietary issues and church traditions in the host country. Prepare activities for the mission. Make sure the team has time to pray together and mix socially. Train the team in understanding Biblical principles of mission and make them aware that God often does move powerfully in team members lives once they take the step into mission. It is important to establish some ground rules for the team before they go.

7) On the Mission
To curb exhaustion, operate a two out of three sessions a day rule. Make sure the team are flexible to changing plans. Encourage the team to be fully engaged in the mission. The leader should make sure that each team member has ample opportunity to get involved in activities. Keep communicating with the host regarding plans and timetable.

8) After the Mission
Research has shown that in order for team members to get the most out of their mission trip, they need to be followed up and encouraged to go on further missions. This follow up might include asking team members what God has taught them on the mission and what God has said to them regarding their place in the ‘Great Commission’.

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