New Churches

Whether you are a church planter inviting a mission team to help you on the field or planning to take members of your church plant on their first mission trip, here are some helpful resources to guide you along the way.

The North American Mission Board, SBC
There is some great information in here; it is very detailed and it covers just about everything someone can think of when planning a trip.

• The Bridge - Find volunteer opportunities all over North America here.
• Destination Point Manual - How your community can become a desired destination point for short-term volunteers.
• Project Logistics Guide -Creating better pathways for greater kingdom growth. This covers a great deal of the basics so you can better prepare for the trip.
• My Life: A Mission Trip (Leader's Guide and Student Copy)
• Strategic Focus Cities: if you are wondering where on earth you might go, check this place out.

The International Mission Board, SBC

Do you feel like it is time for your church to catch a vision of the world not just their tiny little corner of it? The IMB has resources available to help you do just that.

• Going.Imb.org: A great place to begin...How can I serve? What can I do? Where can I go?
• Search for international volunteer opportunities here.
• What is the process?
• What are the IMB volunteer qualifications?
• Planning checklist
• Preparation Guide
• By going to the Team Leader page, you will help find important information on acquiring Visas, immunizations, travel insurance, etc.
• Cross Cultural Training

The Essential Guide to the Short Term Mission Trip by David C. Forward

Successful Mission Teams: A Guide for Volunteers by Martha Vancise

Mack & Leeann's Guide to Short-Term Missions by J. Mack Stiles, Leeann Stiles - A very easy read for mission team members. Mack and Leeann's honest and easy style helps the reader process challenging situations on the mission field.

Experience and excellent resources like the ones above can teach us a lot about missions. Lizette Beard has a few suggestions for church planters who would like to take members of their church on their first mission trip.