Summer Missions

Summertime means different things to different people. There are some who stay home and some who seem like they travel all summer long. For those in student ministry it means camps, mission trip, or a combination of both. I think regular mission trips are vital to the long-term health of any student ministry. I’ve been able to see God do some amazing things in our student ministry over the years that were a direct result of a summer mission trip. If you are on the fence, I want to share a few reasons why you should prioritize taking your students on a summer mission trip.

1.     Nothing builds relationships in your student ministry like serving together.

I have found nothing that grows the bonds between students in the student ministry more than a summer mission trip. You are getting away from all your comforts and preferences to serve someone else. You connect in a way that does not happen during a regular Wednesday night student service. You are spending almost 24 hours with that group of people. After the trip, you will likely share a connection with those people that you will not have with those that did not go on the trip.

2.     It allows students to step into leadership roles.

I firmly believe that we have allowed students to just spectate church for too long. Our summer mission trip is a time for us to give students the reigns for different ministries we serve. This takes some time for adult volunteers to get used to, but we have to allow students to be the church, rather than a spectator. I know from experience that this is difficult to do but it’s so beneficial for those students. Give away some responsibility. This gives the students a chance to lead but also frees you up for other tasks that need to be accomplished.

3.     Students see how easy it is to share their faith.

I’m not sure why it is this way, but students need to get away from everything to see how capable they are of sharing Christ. Mission trips do a great job getting students out of their comfort zone. Once that happens, they get past their fears and focus on the task before them. They get comfortable sharing Jesus and bring that back home with them. This has been one of my favorite parts of returning home from both domestic and international trips. It is amazing to me to see how these things impact students’ lives after returning home. It sounds crazy but a weeklong mission trip could ultimately lead to your student ministry growing for years. I have seen this firsthand.

I think arguing about prioritizing a student camp or mission trip during the summer is futile. They both can play important roles in the life of your church and your student ministry. It is just my personal experience, but I’ve never seen anything change student’s lives more than summer missions. It can be a game changer in a student’s life and a game changer in your student ministry.