9 Benefits of Youth Mission Trips 
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9 Benefits of Youth Mission Trips 

Through our 100 years of ministry, we have learned a lot including the fact that our youth mission trips are a powerful way to remain active in church and grow in your faith. Through a faith-forming, short-term mission trip experience, you will serve God and learn about what it means to get involved in the community and be a good neighbor. The participants, community and the churches involved all benefit in ways that will continue to guide and shape their lives years later.  Here are nine benefits to expect after taking part in a short-term mission trip:  1. God will change you.  You’re… Read More

5 Ways to Pray for Your Upcoming Mission Trip
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5 Ways to Pray for Your Upcoming Mission Trip

Mission trips are often a life-changing experience. When planning to attend a mission trip there is more to the preparation than making sure your bag is packed with enough clean clothes for the week. You also want to prepare through prayer for all that you will experience. Here are 5 ways you can pray in preparation for your upcoming mission trip. 1. Pray for the relationships that will be formed and strengthened by this experience… “Lord, I pray that during this experience you would fill me with compassion, generosity, kindness, and respect as I interact with the people I encounter.… Read More

Youth Worker Survey- Top 3 Report
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Youth Worker Survey- Top 3 Report

A few months ago we distributed a survey aimed at youth workers of all kinds hoping to get a feel for some of the current trends in Youth Ministry. We will be using this data to share some recommendations periodically. Today we thought we would start by just telling you about the most popular responses to a few of the questions. Top 3 Recommended Books "Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry" by Doug Fields "Sticky Faith" by Chap Clark and Kara E. Powell "Growing Young" by Brad Griffin, Jake Mulder, and Kara E. Powell   Top 3 Podcast Recommendations Youth Ministry… Read More

How to Plan a Mission Trip
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How to Plan a Mission Trip

7 Things to Do When Planning a Mission Trip for Teens If you’re planning a mission trip for a youth group, it can seem overwhelming. Based on our experience, here are things to consider when planning a mission trip for youth: Check dates with parents early in the process. Even before October 1 of the year before the Summer mission trip, begin asking parents if they have a family vacation planned or know of camps/activities in the summer you should plan around. Don’t just ask the students to ask their parents. Go to the parents directly. This gives you a good contact… Read More

5 Most Impactful Youth Mission Trips
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5 Most Impactful Youth Mission Trips

Many youth pastors and leaders have had a number of mission trip experiences either as a student or as a leader, so who better to ask about which ones have been the most impactful? Mission Work in a "Big City" Youth Summer Camp Mission Trip to Alaska International Mission Trip Local Mission Trips Bonus: Words of Advice Mission Work in a “Big City” Cities across the country are often laden with individuals and families who struggle to make ends meet, many who don’t even have a home. Taking part in a mission trip in a large city can be a real eye-opener and… Read More

Keep Seeking
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Keep Seeking

by Travis Deur Nearly ten years ago, I heard the testimony of a man who had come to faith later in his life. He shared with me how surprised he was to find out so many Christians he talked to as a new believer were not reading their Bibles on a daily basis. I shrank deep into my chair. I was playing the part of a Christian. I was at church every week, going through the motions and outwardly doing the right things, but I honestly wasn’t doing much in the way of seeking God. “Keep seeking!” seems to answer many of the faith questions I’m regularly asked or asking myself. Not… Read More

Middle School: A Key Age
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Middle School: A Key Age

Interview with Scott Post “I would say youth who have participated in SERVE go on to be more regularly involved in local service opportunities, both while they are in high school and beyond.” In a cultural climate which tells us our youth are leaving the church and faith in God is declining, Scott believes middle school is a key age to engage students in faith formation. During the year, Scott encourages his middle schoolers to go past just reading their Bibles and praying every day. “We’ve spent a lot of time in the context of our community intentionally building spiritual… Read More

Engaging Youth
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Engaging Youth

by Kevin VanderVeen As a youth pastor, I find myself praying for young people in the church often. I pray young people will discover the depth of God’s love for them and know that they are fearfully and wonderfully made. I pray they will take joy in God as the greatest treasure of their life. I pray they will become increasingly aware of how God has uniquely gifted them to serve in his kingdom. I pray the young people in the church may experience a sense of urgency to use and develop their gifts for God’s glory. At Covenant, we are blessed with young people of all ages, and we’re… Read More

The Many Benefits of a Service Trip for Your Church Youth Group (Infographic)
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The Many Benefits of a Service Trip for Your Church Youth Group (Infographic)

If you have ever been on a SERVE trip (or really any kind of service trip), you can testify that it is a life changing experience. But, have you ever tried to explain that to someone who hasn’t ever experienced a mission trip themselves? It’s hard. You want to tell them all about the feelings you felt and the gratitude you received and all the lessons you learned; however, sometimes it’s too difficult to put those things into words. So, what do you do when you want to take your youth group on a service trip and you need to convince some of those critical people in your church… Read More

Christian Community
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Christian Community

by Adrianna Wimmers Stress is mental or emotional strain caused by demanding or adverse circumstances. Stress can come from many different situations and can be overwhelming, leading oneself to not know where to turn to or what to do about the stress they are experiencing. Balancing school, friends, relationships, extra-curricular activities, jobs and everything in between can add unnecessary and often unwanted stress. Stress and being overwhelmed can blind us to many things like the people who can and are willing to help us get out of our hole that we have stressed ourselves into.… Read More

Don’t be Afraid of the Big Ideas
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Don’t be Afraid of the Big Ideas

Do you ever feel too small for your big ideas? God loves to use people who don’t seem important enough to do his most important work. Consider these examples from the Bible: Elijah- He spent some serious time in prayer and it changed the weather for THREE YEARS! You know the weather, that thing everyone acknowledges is totally out of our control... Elijah affected it through the power of prayer and he was just a guy like us. “17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on… Read More

How to Play Life Size Pac-Man Game (Easy Guide)
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How to Play Life Size Pac-Man Game (Easy Guide)

Are you trying to find group games to play at your SERVE youth mission trip site or even just with your Youth Group? I worked at a camp for a few summers, and one of the games we played was life size Pac-Man (also known as "Human Pac-Man"). This quickly turned into one of my favorite games and is not too hard to pull off! Here are instructions on how to make life size Pac-Man happen at your event. Supplies: Tape Pool noodles 2 Baskets or containers of some sort A sheet or some kind of costume for a "Ghost" A big room or outdoor space Set-Up: Make a maze… Read More