The success of your mission trip depends a great deal on how much you are prepared ahead of time. First, you need the support of your church leadership. That means submitting a detailed report of what you you will be doing, where you will be staying, how you plan to get together a budget, and why you feel that God is leading you in this direction.

Once you have the support of your church, you will need to present this challenge to your group. The main thing here is to get their eyes off of the work and onto Who they are doing it for. This experience is designed to get them out of their comfort zone and help them to see Jesus in the people they are serving, and ultimately, onto the need for Jesus in their own lives. This is their chance to serve the "least of these."

This should be a real good time of bonding and spiritual reflection for your group. So have a few discussions and Bible studies prepared for that. Encourage them to take the initiative in doing them as well.

Plan to bring some fun group games that you might want to play in the evenings. You will need all the basic camping gear . . . sleeping bags, towels, shampoo, etc. Make sure they have Bibles and encourage journals as well.

The things that you don't want them to bring are things that would separate them . . . walkmans, gameboys, iPods, Playstations, etc. Lastly, we can do our best to draw them into serving the Lord, but only God can change their hearts. So encourage their friends and your church as a whole to hold them up in prayer as they prepare to come.

Booking for 2007 starts October 3rd. 2006.

To read a copy of John Hall's interesting article in the Youth Worker on fund raising, click here.

Bible Verses relating to Christian service.

James 1:27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. James 1:22 Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

Hebrews 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.

Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

Colossians 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Colossians 1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk therein.

James 2:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Matthew 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Mark16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? Behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

John 9:4 I must work the woks of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work.

1Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

1Corinthians 3:8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that they be found faithful.

1 Corinthians 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

Philipians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: forin due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Proverbs 11:30 The fruit of righteousness is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Matthew 4:19 And He saith unto them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Daniel 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.

Matthew 16:27 For the son of man shall come in the glory of his father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

Revelation 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

2 Corinthians 9:6 But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

2 Corinthians 5:15 . . . He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him which died for them, and rose again.

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Luke 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over.