12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect. [Romans 12:1-2]
Youth are longing for connection. They long to experience of the presence of God. Pilgrimage and service have long been transformative processes in faith formation and experiences that have helped youth to serve as God’s hands on earth. But how to you ensure that service days and mission trips are fostering deep connection, positive development and creating a truly positive impact on both youth and the world? Service days and mission trips should be about caring for our brothers and sisters as God calls us to, not about accumulating experiences for a college application.
In this course, we will talk about leading truly transformative service days and mission trips. This is designed such that each section may be completed in one gathering. If every section were to be completed, with the group meeting weekly, this course would take eight weeks to complete. It is also possible to complete the course in a shorter period of time by combining sections based on your team’s availability. Similarly, it could be expanded, and the focal Scripture passages—merely used here as a discussion starter, and a backdrop for the youth ministry topics— could be used as a jumping off point for a whole Bible study for each gathering. We are hopeful that the person leading this effort will feel free to adapt what is provided to their particular community’s needs.