Mission Trip Leader Handbook

BEFORE YOU GO

Welcome! We are excited that you’ve chosen to partner with us in helping introduce people to the real Jesus, both on your team, and across the globe! You are on this trip for a specific purpose, and God has already equipped you with what you need to lead this team well! 

As you step out in leadership, we encourage you to raise your expectations for what God is able to do through you.  He wants to use you to help make an impact in the lives of those you’re leading. Begin, even now, investing in your relationship with God in a deeper way. Spend time praying for the people on your team, our ministry partners, and the people we are going to reach.

We are honored to be working with you. Together, we are embarking on this adventure of helping people take another step in their relationship with Christ. We believe that when people step outside of the familiar, God is able to do something significant in their hearts and further them in the purpose He has for them. 

As you read through the material in the rest of this handbook, our desire is that you would capture the heart behind all the information.  Please don’t hesitate to let our missions staff know if you have any questions. You can always email: missions@churchonthemove.com and we will be happy to help answer any questions you may have.

We can’t wait to serve with you!

COTM Missions Team 

Mission/Vision

Mission

Our mission at Church on the Move is to introduce people to the real Jesus.

The real Jesus is so much more than a consultant offering you a better life. He is so much more than a hero to admire or a teacher to emulate. Jesus is the very power that created the Universe. He is the center of all things and the One for whom all things exist.

On our 2019-2020 Vision Weekend, we began asking the question “What is the Mission of God?” and looking into scripture for the answer. Here’s what we found: when you understand what the mission of God is it changes your life. You begin to align your time, energy, and resources with God’s mission to seek and save the lost. It’s our personal challenge for you, and for our whole church to live a life aligned with God’s mission. Practically, this looks like being a church that makes disciples, a church that opens the door for the next generation, a church that is filled with compassion, and a church that reaches the whole city. 

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  John 20:21 NIV

Core Strategies - Discipleship Path

• Know God

• Grow in Freedom

• Discover Purpose

• Go Make a Difference

Trip Leader Development

Knowledge of Trip Leader Role 

Become very familiar with the role of a Trip Leader. You will want to read through this handbook in its entirety, and re-read any section that you aren’t fully comfortable with. Be sure to take note of any questions you may have, and ask COTM Missions Staff for answers as soon as the opportunity presents itself. We want you to walk into this role with confidence knowing what is expected from you. 

Responding in Stressful Situations

A person’s character is often shown through his/her response in stressful situations. As leaders, we have a choice as to how we will respond to stress. It is important to recognize that stressful situations will always be a reality, but we can either respond in a calm and self-controlled manner, or react with outbursts or shutting down. As a leader, people are always watching you. Your ability to handle stressful situations will greatly influence their confidence in you. This is one of the many ways your character is displayed. 

Objective Decision Making

Separate personal emotion from the situation in order to look objectively at it. This is one of the ways you will be able to remain professional and diplomatic in every situation. 

Leadership Maturity

Realize that other people may not have had the training, background, or access to the same resources as you have had throughout your life. They may not be as mature or developed as you - so help them get there. 

Your maturity level as a Trip Leader will be stretched in your relationships with your co-leader and Missions Staff. As a co-leader, you will need to be willing to not always be right, to own up to your mistakes, be the first to communicate a problem, or work through something that is unresolved. Maturity allows you to do these things. You may have fellow leaders who are immature in their leadership, and may challenge who you are, decisions you make, or the way you handle a situation. Maturity will allow you to deal with those circumstances in the right, godly way, and not respond out of insecurity. A mature leader is not threatened by the differences in those around them, but responds with diplomacy, humility, and consideration. 

Servant Leadership

It is important to check your heart’s motives and to continually reflect on your life and see why you do what you do. You must remember that you are here to serve those on your team, and to allow God to use you to develop them and to make the greatest impact possible.

Daily Disciplines

As a Trip Leader, it is expected that you are constantly pursuing a passionate, daily relationship with the Lord through personal quiet times. It is expected that you will have your quiet time along with everyone else on the trip and that you are developing in your relationship with Jesus. 

It is not a ritual or done out of religious effort, but gives each individual time to connect personally with God. Without this time, we do not feel that we can be productive in our efforts to see change happen in our world. 

Authority 

Permission To Be Loyal – When in doubt, always look out for the best interest of your people. They are the priority over the current ministry activity and the local ministry partner.

Permission To Call a Time Out – If something has been done or said that is unbalanced, it is under your authority to stop and make sense of it for your team. We don’t want anyone on our teams leaving the mission field spiritually confused or discouraged.

Permission To Protect – God did not call us to spread the gospel with the intention of hurting ourselves. It is up to you, as the leader, to lean into your instinct and make sure everyone is safe.

Permission To Be a Blessing – There could be a scenario when you need to “break the rules” to bless someone (the ministry partner, local individuals, or trip participants). Examples: When a trip participant gets sick, COTM (you) buys their medicine at the pharmacy. When the ministry partner doesn’t have the tools to get the project done correctly, COTM (you) go to the local hardware store and buy the tools for the job. Please connect with our COTM Missions staff on any amount over $100, as there is a set budget we are working with.

Permission to Be a Pastor – You have the authority and calling to guide and direct your people. They have submitted themselves to COTM and its leadership, so speak life into them with authority.

Permission to Be a Friend – While you have full authority to lead on the trip, you are still a peer and friend. Our hope is that every participant sees that their leader is easy to approach.

Permission to Accept – The ministry partners are different than COTM. They do things differently and they reach people differently. It’s important that every trip participant knows, from you, that is okay that things are done differently and their differences are accepted. At the same time, each participant is unique. They will all respond and handle situations in their unique way. It’s important that every trip participant knows from you that it is okay that they are unique, and we accept each other with open hearts.

Permission to Praise – At the end of every day, and even throughout each day, giving encouragement and praise to people for jobs well done, is hugely important to the morale of the team. Also, elevate the status of the ministry partner to everyone as much as possible, even when things are not perfect. 

Permission to Empower People – One of the greatest things you can do is nudge people gently, but confidently out of their comfort zone. From praying in front of a group, to leading a sub-team, to calling out musical gifts, to being a body guard. Find the fit for each person and look for opportunities to put those gifts into action.

Permission to Preach – Often times as the leader, you will be asked to share or preach in an environment like a mid-week church service. Take the opportunity! If you think another team member would be better suited, then empower them to take it.

Permission to Work – Many times as leaders, you will find yourself playing the roles of foreman, tour guide, driver, navigator, or project manager. However, when time allows, look for opportunities to get your hands dirty or get in the middle of the ministry project. Lead by example.

Communication

If necessary precautions aren’t taken beforehand, we can end up damaging relationships unintentionally. Be sure to define your needs with your co-leader before the point of frustration. A great question to ask yourself is, “Am I expecting something of my co-leader that I have not told him/her about?” Chances are, your co-leader will have no idea why you are frustrated, but will want to change what is aggravating you. By addressing issues before they escalate, you are enabling your co-leading relationship to succeed. 

Trust

One of the keys to co-leading is to learn to trust each other! Team Members can easily discern tension. If you don’t trust each other, your team members will lose confidence in your leadership. Work together to build trust in one another. If you trust each other, the team will feel confident trusting both leaders. 

Decisions should be made together before announcing them. Your co-leader should never be surprised at an announcement made to the team. Support one another in front of the team. Go out of your way to make your co-leader look good. Always, always, always, provide a unified front with your team. 

Ministry Partnerships

Vision 

Throughout the year, Church on the Move works with Ministry Partners. Our Ministry Partners live in the various locations across the globe and work very hard, in partnership with COTM, to set up the different trips. Ministry Partners play an integral role on your trip. Prior to your arrival, they have spent numerous hours making necessary arrangements for the team. They have helped coordinate food arrangements, lodging for the team, daily ministry sites, translators, free-day opportunities, and teams to follow-up on the ministry that will take place. Many have sacrificed their personal work to aid COTM, and without them it would be extremely difficult to minister effectively in that location.  

Remember that the Ministry Partners are not there to serve our needs, we are there to serve their ministry. Once we have left, they will help ensure a lasting change with those we have ministered to through continuous follow-up. Keep in mind that they are valuable assets to your trip, so please treat them as such. Work very hard to maintain a good relationship with Ministry Partners and be cautious, as to not offend them. 

If safety is a concern, you have the authority to make necessary judgement calls. 

Connecting

Our Mission Trip staff will make the initial connection with all our ministry partners and set up the major logistics when it comes to team lodging, in country transportation, food, etc. We are also happy to work with them as much as you’d like regarding the trip itinerary and will get context ahead of time for some general ideas of what the team will be doing.

We want you to feel like you have as much buy-in and input as possible regarding the itinerary for the team while you are there, and to get any questions you have answered. After making our initial connection, we will work with you individually on what your preference is in connecting with our ministry partners, and make the introduction, so you can have a direct line of communication to the ministry partner for your trip.

Relational Tips with Ministry Partners

There are many ingredients that will make your relationship with our Ministry Partners and translators a success. Some tips have been noted for you: 

• Make sure that your team members are not treating them as employees, but are respecting them and appreciating them

• Introduce them to the team each day and applaud their work at the end of each day

• Include them in all the team’s activities (team time, lunch, prayer, etc.)

• Make them feel important

• Ask about their families, their interests, passions, desires, and beliefs

• They are relationship-oriented, so make them feel a part of the family and you will have a friend for life

• We are partners with them, desiring a win/win relationship

• We need and appreciate their help

Team Discipleship & Preparation 

Vision

One of the highest priorities in leading every mission trip, is to disciple each and every person on your team. In a practical sense, we could say this is helping individuals on your team take a next step. This could include anything from asking someone to write down and share their story, to asking strategic questions of a team member, to finding out their story and what’s going on in their life. Keep in mind that discipleship is messy. There’s not a perfect answer or solution, as every individual has a unique next step, based on where they are currently in their life. 

Preparation for Your Team 

You will have a captive audience of individuals the length of your trip, so pour into them each day. Discuss with your co-leader how you plan on developing a dynamic team; then, begin to compile resources to equip you. 

You will want to have a variety of teaching moments prepared so that you can share them on the spot, when necessary. Collect inspiring quotes and stories that you can share with your team when opportunities arise.

Gather a list of team games and other fun things you could do during “lag time,” on long bus rides, on special team fun nights, etc. You want to keep your team engaged, having fun and remaining focused. Therefore, you need to have a repertoire of resources to pull from at any moment. 

As you have been reading through this handbook, you might be thinking, “What do I do now?” or “Where do I begin?” It is likely that you have received a plethora of information with an overwhelming amount of detail to follow-through with. First of all, rest easy! Most of the time, we make things harder than they need to be. Second, stay focused and prioritize your time so that you will be able to get everything done. If you spread things out over a period of time, tasks become easily manageable and you won’t have to rush anything. 

You will want to prepare in the following areas: 

• Spiritual preparation

• Knowledge of the Trip Leader role

• Ministry tool(s)

• Communication with your co-leader and COTM Missions Staff

• Preparation for your team

• Become familiar with your country

Your preparation in these areas will make the difference between an incredible experience as a Trip Leader and a mediocre one. 

Spiritual Preparation 

The most important aspect to prepare for your trip is to be ready spiritually. Make sure that you are spending consistent time with the Lord; praying, reading the Word, and cultivating His heart for this trip. While it is easy to neglect this element, it will be detrimental to yourself and your team if you are not consistently developing your relationship with God. 

If you are not used to having daily quiet times, pray and ask the Lord to help you. This is a choice you are going to have to make--commit to take time daily to refresh and deepen your relationship with the Lord. 

Prayer 

Our prayers are powerful and effective and we can begin our mission trip today by asking God to begin His work in the hearts of our team members and the locals. When you are praying for the different elements of your trip, you are maximizing the impact that our message will have because you are asking the Lord to “prepare the ground” for each individual to hear. The following is a list of things to consider praying for prior to and during your trip:

• Your country

• That the locals would be open to the Gospel

• The Ministry Partners and translators

• The ministry that will take place

• Health and safety for your team

• Smooth flights and no baggage issues

• Your co-leader

• Your team

Final Charge

You can never be over prepared for a mission‘s trip. Continue to be faithful with what God has given you and expect amazing things from Him. Remember that every project we do is an excuse to connect with a person. People are our priority, from our ministry partners, to our team, to the locals. Do not get overwhelmed with the details and all that needs to be learned. Trust that God has already equipped you with everything you need!

Team Gatherings & Logistical Info

Pre Trip Gatherings

All Team Gathering

This will typically be the first meeting we do. At our all team meeting, all our teams will come together and our missions staff will cover handbook content that applies to every team. We will highlight different aspects of the handbook, cover overall vision for all trips, and talk about what ministry days could look like.

After eating and covering content that applies to everyone, we will break out into teams and do some team building activities. We will then come back together and pray over all the teams (a commissioning of sorts). 

Small Group Team Gathering Agenda

The purpose of this meeting is to get to know each other and build community, go over a few details of the trip, answer questions, and lay the groundwork for the trip spiritually in a small group atmosphere.

Food -  Greet team members as they arrive. Have them put on a name tag, grab a pen and a questionnaire, and grab some food. We will typically eat and talk for about 15 minutes before the meeting officially begins.

“Get to Know You” Time

A.  Questionnaire

• Name

• Age

• School or Occupation

• Number of pets

• Favorite food

• Favorite show on Netflix/Hulu/Streaming service of your choice

• Favorite musical artist

• Favorite hobby/sport/leisure activity

• Last fast food you ate

• Favorite drink

• Have you ever been out of the country? If so, where?

• If you could pick someone to room with, who would you pick? Choice A, Choice B, Doesn’t matter

• If you could pick someone to be in a travel group with, who would you pick? Choice A, Choice B, Doesn’t matter

Once everyone has filled out their forms, take them up and read a couple of the answers and let people try to guess who it is.  You can also choose to play another game or ice breaker of your choice.

Vision

A.  Why we do mission trips

• Great opportunity for people to discover their gifts and their purpose

• Opportunity for them learn to hear God’s voice and be used by God

• Step outside of themselves, serve others, and expand their worldview

B.  Validate the call on their lives to go on this trip

• Assure them that God can and will use them on this trip

• Remind them that God wants to do something in their heart on this trip and has called them to be a part of it.

Details

A. Travel and transportation details

• Flight info if available

• Travel Groups - what they are and why we do them

• How we will travel while we are there

B.  Lodging

• Where we are staying, rooming arrangements

C.   Legal documents

• Minor Travel Release Form for 180 Trips- (Notary Required)

• Passports and Visas

• Other documentation that may require a signature (from ministry partner, etc)

D.  Medication Policy

• Medical Disclosure Form

• Over-the-Counter Medication Policy

• Prescription Medication Policy

• Our policy in case of an emergency

E.  Insurance

• Trip Insurance

• What’s covered

• What’s not covered

F. Trip communication

• International phone plans

• Leader cell phone numbers

• Wi-Fi status on the trip

• Travel Group Leader Update texts

G.  Fundraising deadlines

• 50% Deadline

• 100% Deadline

• Why we have to stick to these deadlines

H.  Trip Costs

• What is covered on the trip (meals, lodging, transportation, airline tickets)

• What it doesn’t cover (travel day food, extra snacks, activities, souvenirs, etc)

Small Groups:

Break into small groups by gender. Use story cards to start the conversation. You can ask questions like:

A.  What picture best describes how you feel about your life right now?

B.  Which picture best describes where you’re at spiritually at the moment?

C.  Pick two cards to describe how you’re feeling about going on this trip. 

Close in prayer. Get prayer requests and go around the circle and have everyone pray for the person on their left.

Post Trip Connects

See the ‘When You Return’ Section. Details are there for the post trip connects.

Parent Meeting Agenda (For 180 Trips Only)

The purpose of this meeting is to connect with the parents early on in the process, cast vision for the trip, and answer any questions that they may have. 

Vision: 

A.  Why we do student mission trips

• Great opportunity for students to discover their gifts and their purpose

• Opportunity for them to learn to hear God’s voice and be used by God, step outside of themselves, serve others, and expand their worldview

B.  Validate the call on the their kids lives to go on this trip

• Assure them that God can and will use their kids on this trip

• Remind them that God wants to doing something in the heart of their kids on this trip and has called them to be a part of it

• Encourage them to encourage their kids

Safety: 

A.  Travel and transportation details

• Flight info if available

• Travel Groups - what they are and why we do them

• How we will travel while we are there

  B.  Lodging

• Where we are staying, rooming arrangements

C.   Legal documents

• Minor Travel Release Form - (Notary Required)

• Passports and Visas

• Other documentation that may require a signature (from ministry partner, etc)

D.  Medication Policy

• Medical Disclosure Form

• Over-the-Counter Medication Policy

• Prescription Medication Policy

• Our policy in case of an emergency

E.  Insurance

• Trip Insurance

  • What’s covered

  • What’s not covered

Details:

A. Trip communication

• International phone plans

• Leader cell phone numbers

• Wi-fi status on the trip

• Travel Group Leader Update texts

B.  Fundraising deadlines

• 50% Deadline

• 100% Deadline

• Why we have to stick to these deadlines

C.  Trip Costs

• What is covered on the trip (meals, lodging, transportation, airline tickets)

• What it doesn’t cover (travel day food, extra snacks, activities, souvenirs, etc)

• Spending money on the trip (Most students bring between $100-200, and most don’t spend it all. Depends on the trip, the student, how much extra food they eat, how many souvenirs they buy, etc)

D. Letters 

• Parent and SGL/adult mentor letters - Great opportunity to speak life into your kids and say things that you might not typically say.

• We want to make sure everyone has at least one letter to read

• Deadline and letter drop locations

Thank You:

A.  For investing in your kids (time, money, faith)

B.  For your trust in us. It’s not easy to send your kids across the country or the world with someone else, and we don’t take this lightly.

C.  For your prayers. Here are some specifics that they can pray for:

• Smooth travel - no flight cancellations or missed flights, good weather for travel, and no baggage complications

• Safety - We will use wisdom, but pray for wisdom for us and for protection against things we cannot control

• Pray that Holy Spirit would guide our steps, not just to keep us safe but so that we can be used by God to make an impact on people

• That the people we encounter would be open

• That God would use your kids to work through them, but that He would also work in their hearts this week

• That they would grow and begin to discover and develop gifts that God has placed inside of them

Managed Missions 

The Managed Missions website is where all of our mission trip information is hosted. As a leader for your specific trip, you will have access to see everyone on your team, their personal information, financial progress, payment deadlines, meeting dates, and documents specific to your trip.

From this website, you can email your whole team to send any information you need. You will also have access to everyone on your team’s phone numbers if you would like to call and check on anyone. We will give a brief overview of Managed Missions at the first leader training, and you are more than welcome to contact our missions office with any additional questions on how to best utilize it.

Trip Communication

As a leader, we want you to have as much communication with your team as you’d like, but also want to help support you in that as well, and provide a little structure as far as content that is similar for each trip. 

“What’s App” is the communication tool we will utilize for each trip and team. You can download this from the App Store on your phone. It’s great for group chats, individual responses, voice messages, sharing photos and videos, document sharing, and more. 

The COTM Missions team will create a group for each trip through What’s App after your first team meeting (where we will have everyone download the app that can). Our missions staff will add your entire team in a group chat on What’s App, and you can start communicating with everyone from there.

We want to keep certain aspects of communication the same across all teams to make sure everyone is getting the info they need. Please do not hesitate to point people to: missions@churchonthemove.com to help answer any questions you don’t know the answer to, or would prefer we help with. We are here for you! The information below will act as a guideline to help you know when to send information to your team.

One Week Before Each Meeting: Reminders about meeting dates (COTM Missions will also send an email reminder for meetings, but having a reminder from you personally, will help with engagement).

After Each Meeting: A quick, encouraging message letting people know you are glad they’re on your team and a reminder of anything that they need to send our missions team (visa paperwork, passport photocopies, etc).

Anytime There’s a Reminder You Know They Need: Payment deadlines, flight info, etc (COTM Missions will also send these reminders, but if you’d like to reinforce and encourage participants, you can as well).

1 Month Before the Trip: any reminders or needed info, fun facts about the country/place you’re going

1 Week Countdown: Send something encouraging each day the week before the trip (ex. Encouraging Verses: Romans 10:4, Joshua 1:9, 1 Peter 1:10)

Day Before the Trip: Remind team where you will be meeting at the airport and the time you’re meeting

1-2 Days After Trip: Encourage your team with some of the principles we talk about in the debrief/returning home section

1 Week After Trip: Communicate regarding the details of your post-trip hangout 

Parent Communication (for student trips)

Some form of contact should be made each day with the students parents, whether via text, group me, or phone calls. Our parents are entrusting us with their children, so it is important to close the communication gap and fill it with trust by communicating clearly and often to our parents. It may be helpful to text the parents of the students in your travel group once a day, to send travel updates on your travel days, and to encourage your students to communicate with their parents as frequently as they are able.

General Rules

We don’t have a ton of “rules,” as we trust each leader’s judgment on what needs to happen for their specific trip. Due to the accountability of being part of a church family, and having people to be accountable to once participants return home, we haven’t found, so far, the need to have a long list of rules. We hope the heart and vision is communicated in such a way that people will generally be able to self govern. Something we don’t tolerate is negative attitudes. One bad attitude can bring down the whole team, so we do ask that bad attitudes be addressed promptly and with grace. Below are a few guidelines we find to be helpful:

• Room etiquette - no guys in girls rooms or girls in guys rooms (except married couples of course, or if the whole team is utilizing one room for the sake of small group discussion, in the event no other space is available)

• The most effective ministry is guys ministering to guys and girls to girls whenever possible.

• During ministry events, be aware of the team’s departure time, so you can help wrap up effective ministry when needed.

• We don’t give specific dress code guidelines, but just ask everyone to dress appropriately, and will have specific packing lists on Managed Missions for each country should specific clothing items be needed for a trip.

• A phone call home is required for all participants. More information is in the Phone Call section.

• Photography is not appropriate in many settings and can detract from genuine ministry taking place. Always ask the ministry contact before taking any pictures.

• Throughout the trip, have people always stay in groups of at least three. It’s better for accountability and safer for everyone. There’s safety in at least three people being together anytime you are not inside your lodging complex.

• Be watchful for inappropriate or questionable behavior and address accordingly.

CPR/First Aid 

Should a medical emergency arise during the trip it is important that we are able to care for our people by being properly prepared with CPR and First Aid training. Each Trip Leader must be CPR and First Aid Certified, this training expense will be covered by the church. Details will be emailed to trip leaders on when this training will take place. If you are unable to attend the day we arrange, then you must complete it on your own time prior to your trip.

Travel Details

Travel & Flight Info

Your travel will start by flight, and then by various modes of transportation within your specific country. In some cases, a trip will be split into groups and teams will be in separate groups for the ministry day.

The best way to utilize transit time is to rest and develop relationships with your team. You will have to be extremely proactive in developing these relationships. Don’t wait for your team members to start conversations with you. Be the initiator. Utilizing travel time to pour into your team members and group leaders, is an excellent way to begin developing relationships and leadership potential. There will be so many demands on you throughout the whole trip that finding time to invest in your team could seem impossible, but the long-term reward is worth it!

Free Day Info

A “free day” typically happens toward the end of the trip, generally after the last day of ministry. Some trips are different though and the “free day” may be mid-week, or there may be a couple “free afternoons/evenings.” Sometimes there will be specific activities planned. Other times, a variety of options are given to choose from. 

Money Questions

How to Handle Money

• How do I pay for needed items on the trip?

  • Most items will be pre-paid by LYN, so you should only need to use the missions credit card or petty cash for unexpected expenses,.

  • LYN will provide a mission’s credit card that can be used to pay for unexpected expenses on the trip such as a taxi, food for our ministry partners, etc. Petty cash will also be given in case of emergencies where a card is not accepted.

  • Receipts MUST be accompanied, if at all possible, for both the credit card and petty cash. In the event a receipt is not possible, the description and amount of what was purchased needs to be written down and kept on the paper ledger with any remaining cash.

  • What if I’m an employee and have a ministry card?

  • Please do not use your ministry card on the mission trip. We have a mission trip card specifically for trips, so we can best track our purchases and keep record of our expenses.

  • LYN has to track all purchases and give an account for all purchases to our accounting department, so diligent records are very much appreciated.

  • If cash must be brought to pay our ministry partners for the teams’ accommodations and other expenses, if there is money for food for the team, visa money, per diem, or any other cash that needs to be brought, LYN will get it ready and get it to you a couple days before the trip leaves.

  • Does LYN pay for the leader’s trip?

  • Yes, LYN will pay for up to 2 leaders that we choose, to go on the trip.

  • Do I get per diem?

  • Each trip is different! For some trips, we pay our ministry partners for all food up front, and other trips a food allowance is given. Please ask our COTM Missions staff about your specific trip.

  • What about childcare reimbursements for leaders?

  • If you need to secure childcare while you are leading the trip, LYN will pay up to $100/day for 1-2 children, and an additional $25/day/child after that.

  • Let us know by emailing: missions @churchonthemove.com and we can get it submitted for you.

Trip Insurance

Within the cost of the mission’s trip, Church on the Move has purchased travel insurance for everyone on every team. The insurance coverage includes access to services that can help make traveling a little easier or provide support for you during an emergency. When traveling outside of the U.S., Travel assistance services include:  

• Medical evacuation and/or repatriation

• Medical case management and review

• Transportation for dependents and traveling companions

• Prescription and eyeglass replacement or refill assistance

• Pre-trip information assistance

• Emergency cash advance

• Lost document/baggage assistance

• Bail-bond posting

• Referral to attorneys

• Emergency message relays

• Emergency translation/interpretation assistance by phone

It will cover someone who needs to go to the doctor when their regular insurance is not in effect. Receipts must be kept in order to be reimbursed by the travel insurance upon return to Tulsa.

Transportation & Food

All Transportation 

• Anticipate safety hazards when traveling

• Carry travel release forms with you (for your team) wherever you go (this will be included in the leader packet you get before you leave for your trip)

• Whenever possible, teams must stay together when traveling

• A leader, or leader you designate, must be with the group always

• Always do a full group check before any departure from a designated location

• Participants and leaders should be on the alert for potential theft. Valuables should be with the person always

• Determine unsafe areas of town and designate them as off limits for free days and free time. Our LYN team will scope as much of this out ahead of time as possible, but it’s possible we may not have been to all the areas you will be going, so talk to your ministry contacts if you feel anything is unsafe and use discernment.

• If you feel that the designated mode of transportation is not safe, talk to your Ministry Partner about alternate means of transportation immediately.

Subway

• A leader should always be the last one on the car to ensure every participant boarded the correct car

• All leaders should be aware of the final destination and be able to navigate their way back to where they started

• If a team member somehow gets separated from the group, they are to get off at the next stop and stay stationed there until a leader finds them. Make sure you communicated this to your team before boarding a subway

Food

• Watch the eating habits of your team; make sure all members are eating properly

• In third world countries, no raw vegetables or fruits should be eaten (excludes fruit with peels)

• In third world countries, no street vendor food should be eaten (some exceptions – ministry partner will inform you)

• Purified drinking water is required at all times

Phone Calls

Every person will be required to call home upon arrival at their final domestic or international destination, and let someone know they’ve made it. For students, they will be required to call a parent or guardian. Adults can call anyone of their choosing, but are still required to call someone they know would want to hear from them.

Travel Tips

Here are some helpful travel tips when traveling with a group.

• At airport check in, make sure everyone is there and then let the ticket counter know you are checking in for a group trip. Typically, they will have people come up one at a time, get their tickets, and check their bag. Make sure people have their passports ready before going to the counter. Each airline does this a bit differently. Sometimes they have multiple people checking in the group and sometimes they require everyone to go to one counter. If at all possible, having people go through the line and checking in at multiple counters is much more efficient.

• Once you arrive where you’re staying, if a safe is available, collect everyone’s passports and keep them all together in a safe for the time you are there. Pass them back to everyone upon arriving at the airport before you check in to head back home.

• Break the team into travel groups of 5-7 people for airport travel. This helps speed up the process at the airport. Rather than having the whole team wait for everyone to make it through check-in, security, customs, and such forth, sticking together in smaller groups is faster and puts less stress on the trip leader.

• Download (and have everyone else download) the Mobile Passport App. It skips a step in customs and often puts you in the front of the line. Instructions on how to download this app are in the participant handbooks.

• On connecting flights, as a general rule, get to the next gate before stopping for food and bathroom breaks. This helps everyone establish a home base before they split up and go different directions. It also cuts down on confusion in the event that there is a gate change, delay, etc.

• Throughout the trip, have people always stay in groups of at least three. It’s better for accountability and safer for everyone. There’s safety in at least three people being together anytime you are not inside your lodging complex.

• Be flexible. Inevitably, something will not go according to plan. Staying calm and thinking clearly through solutions is going to be your best bet!

• Learn common phrases in the local language (if applicable)

• Make a list of things you don’t want to forget or information you’re going to need.

• Put anything valuable in your carry-on.

• Stay hydrated & encourage your team to stay hydrated. We love to ask people to make sure they are drinking more water than any other beverage so they can be as healthy as possible for the trip.

• Put the hotel address and church address in your phone, so you have it accessible.

• Alert your credit card company of your travel plans if you’re planning to use your personal card for souvenirs and the like. COTM will make sure the Missions Card is ready for you to use.

• For your personal cell phone usage, you can contact your phone provider to see what international plans they offer.

Packing List

This “packing list” are things you will take with you as a trip leader. The general packing list is in the Participant Handbook.

• Folder (with the following items) - given by COTM Missions Team

  • Flight Itinerary

  • Room Assignments

  • E-Tickets

  • Team Info, Team Medical Info, and Travel Release Forms

  • Trip Insurance

• Suitcase with trip supplies (if needed)

• First Aid Kit

Release Forms

There will be a copy of all travel release forms and medical info for team members. One copy will remain on file with COTM and the second copy will be held by the Trip Leader for each participant.  The Travel Release Forms need to be accessible always, in case of an emergency (do not leave them at the housing complex, etc). The medical form must be referred to before any hospital or doctor visit. 

Group leaders are also expected to familiarize themselves with the medical information of all participants they are responsible for. Key items to look for include food and medication allergies, prescription medication, incidents of asthma, diabetes, anyone prone to seizures, or any other condition that may require consistent monitoring. You will not be responsible for administering any medication, but we want you to be aware of any medical issues on your team.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE

Role Of A Trip Leader

Vision

The trip leaders primary role is to be the pastor of the participants on the trip. As a leader, you will oversee safety for the team, oversee discipleship by recognizing gifts in trip participants, and helping them take their next step, both during and after the trip, all while building and maintaining relationships with ministry partners. 

Define the End Goal

• Clearly cast the vision

• Inspire the team with a sense of destiny and overall purpose

• Seek God’s heart for the lost and for specific direction

Drive the Process

• Give specific direction to the team

• Reinforce the vision daily through motivation, brief teachings, and prayer

• Be flexible and prepared for sudden changes in plans

• Monitor the pulse of the team daily. Create opportunities to have fun (sporadic 10-15 minute team games)

• Keep bringing the team back to the overall purpose of the trip-lives changed for eternity

Co-Leading 

Your co-leader is another person who is leading the trip with you. Often times, co-leaders are spouses, but that is not always the case. In any event, the following information is beneficial in working with your co-leader on each trip, and for the sake of your team.

Team Interaction

When needing to get the whole team’s attention, check with listeners in the back, once everyone is gathered, to make sure they can hear you. If possible, elevate yourself a little higher than the team (on a sound box, chair, etc.) Make sure the team is fully focused on you. 

Diplomacy

It is not so much what you say, but how you say it. Ask questions instead of making statements. For example, when talking with team members or other leaders you might say, “Could you take ...” or, “Would it be possible. . instead of “take this,” “do this,” etc. You never want to come across as accusatory or demanding. 

Body Language

Be aware of your body language to ensure there is no misinterpreting your posture or gestures. Never stand looking down at someone, try to talk face to face at their level. Consider whether your posture is open and easily approachable (soft voice, eye contact, etc.) or closed (crossed arms, sighs, rolling eyes). Make sure that your body language matches what you are trying to communicate. 

Creativity

Have fun when addressing your team. You might want to throw in a one-liner or some humorous comments. Be enthusiastic and animated. You will have a better chance of maintaining their attention when you are creative with your speech. 

Questions

Always leave room for team members to ask questions. One way to know if you have done a good job communicating is to monitor how many questions are asked. If you your people are asking too many questions, you were probably not very successful in giving announcements clearly. 

Delegation

Delegation is to authorize and send (another person) as one’s representative. To commit or entrust to another.

As a Trip Leader, you need to learn the art of delegation. Delegation is simply entrusting another person with a task that you are ultimately responsible for. You will occasionally assign tasks to your team members, but will primarily be giving tasks to your group leaders if applicable.

Keys When Delegating:

• Clearly identify what is expected

• Make sure they understand their realm of authority

• Follow-up on the tasks you delegate

Team Pulse

Finding the “team pulse” is a term we use to describe the current condition of your team. Just as a body has a pulse, so will your team. You always want your team to have a healthy, steady pulse. If your team seems to be disgruntled, discouraged, and/or dragging their feet, find ways to increase their energy (some fun team time, an inspirational heart-to-heart discussion with them, encouragement, etc).

Daily Pulse - Depending on the schedule, every day will have a different overall feel to it. We call this the “daily pulse”. Some days may be more physically demanding and include many work projects. Other days may be more relationally or spiritually demanding where your team will be leading church services, prayer meetings, or small groups. Whatever the workload, you will notice changes in the team’s energy, as a whole, as each day goes on. For instance, early morning or early afternoon tend to be lower energy, whereas mid morning and evening tend to be the higher energy portion of the day. It is vital to take note of these physical, spiritual, and emotional changes in your team members throughout the day to keep a grasp on your team’s pulse. It is imperative to take the liberty you have as a team leader to insert rest, fun, and processing as you see need for it. 

Overall Trip Pulse - In the same way that there is a daily pulse for the trip, there is also an overall pulse of the entire trip. With each trip it is common to see a curve in your teams energy, emotions, and attitude. It often looks like high energy, excitement, and motivation for the first two to three days of the trip, followed by exhaustion, frustration, irritability, and poor attitudes from the third to fifth days of the trip. This leads into deep contemplation, reflection, and heightened emotions which trends upward to a very positive encounter with God, higher energy, and more excitement. Being aware of this trend ahead of time will give insight into how you as a leader will process at the beginning, middle, and end of each day. 

Teaching Moments 

A teaching moment is defined as a “power packed snippet of truth.” You will want to share these with your team as often as you can to encourage, teach, and challenge them. One of these moments can be an insight you get from your quiet time, a powerful quote or scripture, or a story to encourage your team with.

Processing

Take the time to process with your team. Processing is taking intentional time throughout the day to debrief on your ministry experiences, overall day, high and low points, etc. It is imperative that you make time to process at the end of each ministry experience and at the end of every day. 

The end of each day will be the longest time of processing for your team. Dedicate a minimum of a half hour to discuss your day’s experiences with the team. These moments will often lead into key moments in the lives of your trip participants. This is also a great time to encourage your team to journal what they are experiencing each day. It’s all too easy to forget what God is showing each person if they aren’t taking time to write it down each day. 

Your role in this particular practice is to direct and ask reflective questions. You will have observation (good and bad) from the ministry sites that you will want to keep in mind during this time. Instead of addressing these things directly, ask pointed questions that will guide the team into that direction. Resist the temptation to point out how you feel things are going ----processing is a time for your team to make discoveries themselves. Ask the team for their insight on how things are working, and allow correction to come from the team. 

End of Trip - See the “Final Trip Days/Debrief” section for End of Trip Processing

Prayer

• Pray for your team members and group leaders

• Pray for your fellow leaders

• Pray for Church on the Move and the members

• Pray for your country, Ministry Partners, host church, pastors, people groups, towns, and cities.

Pray for the needs of the team (sickness, etc) and lead them into a time of prayer over the ministry that day. Teach your team specifics on how to pray:

• That hearts would be opened to receive the message of truth

• That we would lay hands on the sick and they would recover (the miraculous)

• That every site would be infused with God’s presence

• That many would come to know Christ today

• That there would be deliverance for those in spiritual bondage

• That no weapon formed against the team will prosper

• Invite God into your day and pray that the team would be led by the Spirit

• Encourage your team members to be praying throughout the day

Building Rapport

• If you pass a store or something on your way home from ministry, allow your team to stop there to purchase treats.

• Shout Outs – have a time set aside during the day (perhaps after the last ministry site) when the team members build one another up by commenting on what they saw others do well.

• Team Bonding – Trip Leaders have a great opportunity to invest into their same gender team members during travel time, down time, and before bedtime.

Do’s & Don’ts - As a Trip Leader

Do: A headcount often. When you gather, before you leave, meals, meetings, airport, etc. 

Don’t: Leave anyone behind. As much as possible, don’t leave a team member by themselves, even with someone from the ministry partner team.

Do: Be prepared and know what’s next on the agenda, but…

Don’t: Share it with everyone until they need to know. This will help everyone relax and go with the flow. 

Do: Find ways and times to celebrate and encourage every single person on the trip.

Don’t: Be afraid to address attitude issues quickly and appropriately. If left unchecked, it can spread and bring the whole team down. You can address the team in general or a person in private (As a general rule, don’t call out an individual in front of the whole group unless it is necessary).

Do: Carve out time every day for individual quiet time, team devos, and team debrief meetings.

Don’t: Feel like you have to fill every waking moment with activity.  The downtimes are when many of the best personal connections and ministry moments take place.

Do: Have fun as a team. We all need time to relax and release, especially after intense ministry times.

Don’t: Minimize what a team member is learning or going through, physically, spiritually or emotionally. 

Do: Be bold when you make a decision on behalf of the team. Use wisdom, seek council, and be in tune with the Holy Spirit. You’ve been called to lead this team! 

Don’t: Be afraid to speak up and request things from the ministry partner that you feel like the team needs, even if it may cause a bit of friction. We want to maintain a good relationship with our partners, but not at the expense of our people! 

Do: Lead the way with energy, enthusiasm, and a positive attitude. 

Don’t: Be afraid to give away leadership and ministry opportunities, even if it means you sit on the sidelines and become the cheerleader.

Do:  Find ways to pour into the ministry partners and their teams and speak life into them as much as possible. 

Don’t:  Get so caught up in tasks that you miss opportunities with people.

Do: Encourage healthy rhythms. Make sure your team eats, drinks lots of filtered water, gets sleep, etc.

Don’t:  Be afraid to light a fire to motivate an individual or the whole team to get to work when needed. 

Coaching Testimonies

Everyone on your team should be prepared to share their testimony, if the opportunity arises. It’s great for them to have, even if it’s just for a one on one conversation. Help coach your team to prepare their testimony ahead of time.  Some simple steps to help guide them in writing out their testimony, would be: 

1. Life before meeting the Real Jesus (one minute)

a. What is your background?

b. What were your life experiences?

c. How did you feel inside before meeting the Real Jesus?

d. How did you come to realize that you needed to surrender to Him?

2. What was your turning point in meeting the Real Jesus? (one minute)

a. What led you to make this decision?

b. What was the turning point in your life?

c. How did it happen?

3. How Jesus impacts your life now (one minute)

a. What does your life look like now?

b. How has the Lord shaped/changed your life?

c. What does your new identity look like?

Effective Conversations

• Be sensitive to the Spirit

  • Always be prayed up so that you’re more sensitive to the things of God.

  • Let God show you the heart of the people you are ministering to; He may put something specific on your heart to share with them.

• Look for opportunities

  • Watch for different ministry opportunities from the moment you arrive until you depart.

  • Often, we miss opportunities because we aren’t looking for them.

• Leading Questions

  • Use 2 or 3 of these to break the ice when starting a conversation:

  • Hello, my name is . (Each person in the group introduces themselves.) What is your name?

  • Did you grow up in this village/town (part of town)?

  • Is this your son/daughter? How old is he/she? What is his/her name?

  • Tell me about your family. Married, kids, brothers, sisters?

  • I’m from (state/province) in North America. I’m a student. I’ve always wanted to come to your country and I absolutely love being here. Tell me a little bit more about you.

  • I am a student/profession studying . What do you do (profession)?

  • Do you have any sort of spiritual belief?

  • What do you think about God?

• Salvation should be a sincere and personal decision; we should never force a decision or commitment.

• If someone isn’t ready to surrender their life to God, don’t just leave them there.

  • Ask if you can pray for a physical need (healing) or a family need. Have faith and step out in that faith!

  • Take advantage of prayer time. Ask God for specifics to pray and don’t be afraid to “share the Gospel” through prayer.

  • Remember, you have established a friendship with them at this point. Show concern and love as you would to a friend.

• Every conversation should have closure and a great way to do that is to pray for a need that they have, even if they’re not ready to commit their life to Christ.

Utilizing All Team Members

You will find that some team members are more gifted than others. Some will have more confidence and will not need a whole lot of coaching, while others will not have any idea of what to do when out on ministry. As you get to know your team members, try to find out what they are good at and find a way to plug them in. At the end of your trip, every person should be able to say “God definitely used me on this trip to…..”

Time and time again, you will find that as you discover things about team members, God will reveal to you how to utilize their talents. God will show you many opportunities in ministry that others might not see. You will be able to strategically place team members right where they need to be. It could be that you are listening to a National tell their story and you remember that there is a specific team member that has a similar story from their testimony, or it could be that a student has a particular gift (singing, sign language, musician, etc.) and you will see an opportunity where they can use their talent for ministry. Whatever the case may be, come into the trip expecting God to give you wisdom so that every person finds their place in ministry. 

You will need to find ways to discover information about your team members. Once you do that, you might need to give direction to people or help them gain confidence by encouraging them. You will have some people on your team that will naturally take the lead and will volunteer for everything. Resist the temptation to utilize the same team members repeatedly just because they volunteer. Some team members will be unsure of themselves and won’t volunteer for anything, but when given the chance, they truly do shine. 

Quality Time

Meet with your co-leader daily to discuss how the team is doing, as well as develop a plan for the day. Continue to communicate throughout the day as things may change. Find time to ask your co-leader, “What can I do to become a better team/co-leader?” Give encouragement and feedback to your co-leader as they excel in different areas. Spend time together during meals or in the evenings, and take time to talk about subjects outside of your trip. Ask your co-leader “How are you doing?” This seems trivial, but as you are hammering through the details of the trip, it is easy to neglect one another’s personal needs. If your co-leader needs time alone, find opportunities to provide that for him/her. Small gestures will go a long way! 

Key Questions

You can utilize these questions to start conversations with your co-leader or team members.

• What are you learning?

• What are you expecting God to do through you on this trip?

• Why did you come on the trip?

• What is your family background/testimony?

• What are your biggest fears going into the mission trip?

Ministry Days

Overview

This is a general overview of the elements of COTM Mission trips. This section will outline the components of a typical ministry day. Each day will be filled with a series of gatherings. The schedule time will vary from trip to trip, but for the most part, the elements of each day will be the same for all COTM Mission trips. Outlined below is a rough idea of what your schedule will look like (the schedule will vary with each project). 

Sample Itinerary

7:00-8:00am Wake-up/shower                

8:00-8:30am Breakfast

8:30-9:00am Quiet time

9:00-9:30am Team time

9:30-12:30pm Travel/ministry

12:30-1:30pm Lunch

1:30-5:30pm Travel/ministry

5:30-6:00pm Free time

6:00-7:00pm Dinner

7:00-10:30pm Church services, Night Ministry, Free Time, Team Time

10:30pm In rooms

Safety & Well-Being

You are charged with the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of your team. Always err on the side of safety when making decisions; it is the number one priority of COTM. It is of the utmost importance that you understand the procedures and act with safety in mind throughout your trip. If there is even the slightest possibility that something could be dangerous: DO NOT DO IT! 

Throughout this handbook, there are guidelines for you to adhere to on your trip. It is imperative that you read and know this in its entirety, as you will make decisions in these areas frequently. Please talk to COTM Missions staff with any questions that you may have regarding safety or travel. 

Trip Lead Morning Brief

If you have a trip with group leaders (your team is split into groups during the day), you will begin your day by meeting with your group leaders during breakfast. You will give them all the necessary details for your ministry day (ministry sites, contact names, emergency information, etc). This is also the time when your group leaders will be able to ask you questions and you can help develop their leadership skills. This meeting is extremely important and it is mandatory that all group leaders be present. Be on time with a notebook and pen and be prepared to receive direction for the day (bring your breakfast to the meeting). 

Coaching Quiet Time

There will be a time set aside each morning for personal time with the Lord. This time is set aside for participants and leaders. The participants are looking to you as an example. They need to know that spending time with the Lord is your priority.

Be aware of what is happening during this time among the participants. Are the participants respecting other people’s quiet time? 

Your team members may need help knowing how to use the time they have each morning with the Lord. Here are some ideas of what to do during quiet time:

• Use the first 10 minutes to praise and thank God for who He is

• Take time to write a letter to God in your journal, telling Him what you feel at that moment

• Read a chapter in Proverbs every day (ex. Read Proverbs 21 on June 21st). Read a Psalm as a prayer, substituting your name, or the name of your country where it applies

• Utilize a devotional if you have one

• Write in your journal what you read that day and how it applies to your life

• Find a key Bible verse, and spend time reading it over and over. By doing this, you are meditating on the Word of God.

• Spend time praying over your day. Pray over ministry, your team, the locals, family, home, and anything else that is on your mind

• Take time to stop and be quiet with God. Write down anything that comes to your mind or heart

• Recall any decision you made at an altar call or in a small group setting. Evaluate how you are doing. Recommit this to God, and ask for His help in being obedient to that decision

Team Time

Prior to departure for ministry, and following quiet time, you will have an opportunity to gather as a team and set the focus for the day. You and your co-leader can collaborate together to determine what your team needs. Find out how much time you have before departure and plan your team time accordingly. Your translators will likely arrive during this time, so be sure to welcome them to join team time when they show up (they might be hesitant to join, but if your team makes them feel wanted, they will most often join in your activities). 

You will want to use a portion of this time to discuss quiet times. Springboard off your team’s quiet times by asking them what they felt the Lord showed them. Bringing closure to quiet times helps the team recognize that God speaks to them personally. As people share, it can provoke the other team members to really press in on their time with the Lord. Also, because our God is living and active, often you will find that the Lord will speak the same thing to multiple participants. This builds faith and brings encouragement to the whole team. 

After your team has had a chance to share, have a scripture or goal ready for your team to focus on for that day. Some other things you should do during this time are as follows.

• Introduce the translators

• Announcement of the day’s activities

• Teaching Moment

• Prayer

Group Count

A ”group count” should be done before leaving for ministry and before leaving any location thereafter. A Group Count is making sure that all members are present and that the team has everything they need for the day. Check with group leaders to verify that they have everything their team needs for the day - filled water bottles, first aid kit, phone, contact information, all directions, etc. Think ahead of everything your team could possibly need and make sure that you have it. Give a final restroom call if necessary. 

Stats

You or your co-leader will be responsible for keeping track of all the statistics at each site. You will need to note the number of people at each site and how many make a decision to follow Jesus. There will be documentation and specific instructions at the back of this handbook on what to keep track of specifically. It is important that you write these numbers down at every ministry site as you will not be able to remember them later in the day. 

Intentional Lunch Times

Lunch is a great time to get to know your team. You will want to process with your team about the morning ministry sites and then move on to something that will re-energize them (game time, free time, etc). Take advantage of this time to get to know your team. Do not allow your team to sleep during this time. 

Be sure to pull your team together towards the end of lunch to re-focus them and prepare them for an afternoon of ministry. The number of ministry sites that your team will do each day will vary.

Transition Times

There may be times throughout the day when your team is just waiting for something to take place (in between ministry sites, waiting for transportation, a change in the schedule, etc). Find the team pulse and make the best use of the “lag time”. Use it to build your team by playing games, engaging in team-building activities, and keeping your team focused on the ministry. 

Also, you can use this time to teach your team the value of prayer. If the wait time is only a few minutes, you can pray all together, individually, or break out into groups. If there are complications with a ministry site, or if you have more downtime than you expected, send your team out in groups to walk and pray over what they see (no more than 30 minutes and verify that it’s a safe location). Give the team a specific time to be back and always give them some direction as to what they should pray for. 

Days End

The end of the day is a great time to let your team breathe and relax together. Generally, you will have dinner after your last ministry site. Activities for the rest of the evening may include the following:

• Small group environment lead by the Trip Leaders

• Night Out – this will be a time for the team to get to spend some time with their group doing something fun

• Team Time – Time scheduled for the entire group to spend together

• Free Time – the team can just breathe and do whatever they want (within guidelines)

• Possible Night Ministry or Church Service

Confrontation & Guidance

Intro/Vision

You are going to be in the trenches with your team, day and night. You will have ample opportunities to familiarize yourself with the character and personality traits of each team member. With that in mind, you will have many chances to refine your team members through confrontation and spiritual guidance. These are two important areas that enable us to grow as Christians and become molded into the image of Christ. We don’t expect our leaders to be experts in these areas, but we do want to give you some tried and true pointers on how to effectively confront/guide people. These tips have had a high success rate, regardless of the leaders experience in each area. 

Confrontation

Confrontation is essential to use when directing a team towards a common goal. It is an excellent tool that can change the lives of your team members. As you confront individuals, you will be holding them accountable to their word (what they’ve committed to as a part of being on the trip), lifestyle, and character as a follower of Christ. Accountability with the work of the Holy Spirit is going to help them change. Confrontation should be a daily practice for small stuff (being late to breakfast, maintaining a positive attitude, etc), as well as issues of obvious need. By consistently following through with confronting individuals, you will be enabling them to develop into better, more effective people. 

It is important to confront individuals immediately. Attitudes or behavioral issues will never just go away. If left unchecked, attitudes can ruin the effectiveness of an entire team and your ability to lead. They can hinder other members of the group from opening up and sharing as well as affect the overall success of ministry. It is crucial that you confront an issue right away, before it develops even more, or has a chance to spread throughout the entire group. 

The most important thing about confrontation is to do it out of love. Do not think about confrontation from a combative and harsh perspective, but think about it from a caring perspective, having the individual’s best interest in mind. The growth of every individual on your team should be important to you. Let them know that you care about them and desire to see them succeed. People will respond more positively when they know that you are sincere and that you truly are confronting them because you care about them. 

Keys of Successful Confrontation 

Prior to confronting an individual, you want to make sure you create a safe and conducive environment to maximize the cooperation of the team member. Unless safety will be compromised, never confront an individual in public. Always protect their dignity. If they are in a group, ask if you can talk with them for a minute. Do not give them the option to stay in front of their friends. 

Assume a non-threatening posture and stay relaxed. Maintain a calm tone of voice and show the individual that you care. In the information that follows are some steps to utilize when confronting an individual; these steps will teach you how to maintain control of the situation, but allow the person to take full responsibility for their actions. 

Use Leading Questions 

You want to give the person the ability to win and save face in a confrontation. People want to repent and admit they have done wrong, but avoid doing so because they do not want to lose their dignity. To this end, you want to make sure you are confronting in such a way that the team member doesn‘t feel demeaned, but they can take full responsibility for their actions and walk away saving face. 

One of the ways to do this is by avoiding any direct accusation or using the word “you” (I heard that “you” did this, “you” have a bad attitude, etc). You might say things like, “I noticed that a comment was made and I was wondering what that was about ...” or “I heard that it was said ...” By doing this, you will avoid putting the individual on the defensive. 

Open-ended questions allow you to guide the conversation. Think things through ahead of time on how you can get from the beginning point to the end point. Then, be prepared to adjust as necessary. Your goal should be to get the team member to take responsibility for their actions. Often, the person will try to blame their responses on outside circumstances; be cautious of allowing excuses to be made. Try to get the individual to recognize that their decision was a choice that they made and they have full control of how they respond to situations. 

If the person you are confronting does not take ownership of the problem, help them do so by painting a picture of how their decision was perceived. For example, “When ...was said. . .it could have come across as. . .”

Important Things to Remember During Confrontation 

• Remain calm

• Always use low volume (a quiet answer turns away wrath)

• Assume a non-threatening posture (hands in pocket, relaxed, etc.)

• Show that you care

• Confront the action, not the character of the person

• Avoid mentioning discipline during the confrontation

• If possible, do not get anyone out of bed

• Avoid confronting issues from the past

• Refrain from using “always” and “never” statements

• Note their non-verbal communication

• Avoid using physical contact

• Confront with the desire to see the participant win

• Allow for silence, do not be afraid of it

Conflict Resolution

You will need to become the expert in conflict resolution. There is a possibility that you will encounter some conflict during your trip, perhaps with your co-leader, group leaders, team members, or ministry partners. Your ability to handle that conflict and bring about resolution is essential to the success of your trip. Study Matthew 18:15-16 before coming on the trip and build a Biblical basis for resolving conflicts. 

There will be times when you will need to address conflict between you and another person (offending your co-leader, overhearing that someone didn’t agree with a decision you made, etc). Be strong in addressing the conflict immediately, by taking the initiative to go to the person first. Do not fix or defend, just listen. Ask for their perception of the situation or concern and then go from there. Remember, their perception is their reality. Once you understand their perspective, you can share your position on the situation. Avoid blaming the other party. Take responsibility for what you are responsible for and reiterate your desire to work out a solution. Talk about situations that you know are going to come up in the future so that you can work things out before they arise. 

There will also be times when you will observe conflict problems among your team members. It is likely that your team members do not know the Biblical way to resolve their conflicts and you may need to coach them through it. Pull the team member aside and find out what is going on. Encourage your team member to resolve the problem themselves by approaching one another with the intent to establish a solution. Use discernment. If you sense that they will not be able to work things out alone, gather the parties together and guide the discussion. Remember, your goal is to teach them the Biblical guidelines. You are there to make sure the conversation is appropriate, but not to take control of the discussion.

Red Flags

When working with individuals, never promise them confidentiality. There are some circumstances that you are legally obliged to pass on to authorities. Avoid the awkwardness of those situations by telling the individual you will only tell those who need to know. 

There are two areas of concern that you need to listen for when a person is confiding in you; first, when the person is in danger or has the potential to be in danger, and second, when the person may put someone else in danger. 

If any situations arise that fall into the above category, talk with COTM Missions Staff immediately, after finishing your conversation with the person.  We want each person to feel cared for, so pastor them in the moment, and then let us help walk you through next steps. You should be briefing COTM Missions Staff anyway on any red flag issues. If there is mention of suicide, sexual abuse, physical abuse, wanting to self-harm, etc. are brought up, get in contact with COTM Missions Staff for further direction on how to handle the situation. 

Medical & Legal Issues

Each medical and legal matter that you become aware of with a participant is not to be discussed with other participants. A medical or legal issue is only to be shared with other leaders if it helps to better care for the participant. This is to help better protect our participants privacy. Participants may share their personal medical or legal information at their discretion. This includes knowledge of medications, abuse, incident reports, etc.

If a legal issue does arise that needs to be reported, such as abuse or talk of suicide, please contact our COTM Missions office to help walk you through what needs to happen. Our missions pastor will be on call 24/7 for the duration of your trip. You can reach Phillip Villarreal at 918-550-9024.

Abuse Protocol

Every person is legally bound by the state of Oklahoma to report all signs/suspicions of child abuse, therefore, every leader is asked to sign the Child Abuse Reporting Agreement stating that they will do as such.

If you have reason to believe that a student in your care is a victim of abuse or neglect, immediately report the matter to COTM Missions Staff. The matter is not to be discussed with other members on the team aside from leaders.

An incident report (supplied in your Leader folder) must be filled out and kept until your return home. Upon your return, submit all reports to COTM Missions Staff. It is up to a member of COTM Pastoral staff to decide how to handle the matter during the trip and upon return. A copy of all incident reports must be given to a member of the COTM Security staff.

Documentation

All red flag situations need to be documented. Documentation is at the end of this manual. Write down all of the details after you have talked with the individual so that you don’t forget anything. For situations of a more serious nature, the documentation is a legal safeguard and a point of reference for COTM and all of the parties involved. 

Emergency Situations

National or International Emergencies

In the case of a national or international emergency, a contingency plan will be invoked at the direction of COTM Missions Staff. If this happens, all parent communication should follow the steps outlined in the contingency plan. Any normal or otherwise scheduled communication should continue, but strict adherence to the contingency plan is vital. Should such a situation arise, you will contact the COTM Missions Office and they will give you further guidelines on what needs to happen. 

You will have the emergency travel insurance information in your leader packet given to you the week before the trip starts. Should you be unable to reach our COTM Missions Staff, you can call the insurance directly. We just want to serve you as best as possible and help walk you through any emergency situation, should it arise (we pray it never does)!

How to Handle an Emergency

Have the following phone numbers with you at all times: a number to reach COTM Missions Staff, your contact’s number, country emergency numbers (hospitals, “911”, etc.) and any other numbers that would help you quickly reach someone in senior leadership in the case of an emergency. 

If you have a medical emergency, stay calm and think clearly. Follow through with your First Aid/CPR training. Transport the individual to a care facility and make sure you pray for them. Notify COTM Missions Staff immediately when you encounter an emergency situation with your team. Any time an ambulance is called, the parents or emergency contact and the COTM office must be notified as soon as possible.

Hospital & Doctor Visits

There will be some instances when you have a team member who needs to see a doctor. Go to a doctor or hospital recommended by your ministry contact. You will want to bring a pen and paper with you to document every detail of the visit. Make sure you have the team member’s medical information with you. The team member should bring money with them as well, since most foreign hospitals will require payment up front (this is also a scenario when you have permission to pay on behalf of the team member if it seems right to do so). Please keep receipts, as it is likely we can be reimbursed by our travel insurance.

During the visit: 

• Make sure needles are sterile. To do so, make sure the needle is taken from an unopened package prior to use.

• If you did not see this happen, ask the doctor if the needle has been sterilized.

• Do not let students go into a hospital or operating room alone. There must be a leader with them at all times.

• The only exception is if a sterile environment will be compromised (surgery, etc).

• Always ask numerous questions before allowing medications to be administered. Such questions might be: what kind of medication is it? What is it for? What are the side effects? How will it help the symptoms?

• If a patient needs to stay overnight, a same gender leader must stay with them.

• Document the doctor’s name, signature and phone number, as well as the hospital’s address and phone number. Acquire the doctor’s business card and as much written material as you can for documentation.

• For insurance purposes, keep all documentation (receipts, print-outs, etc) for reimbursement. Don’t forget to include the exchange rate.

A parent must be contacted any time a young person is taken to a medical facility (preferably twice). First, call the parent prior to seeking medical attention and let them know the problem. Do all that you can to put the parent at ease and assure them that their child is in good hands. Let them know you are doing everything you can. 

Second, call the parent again after the doctor visit to let them know the results. Be ready with information from the doctor, medications prescribed, and details regarding necessary follow-up. You cannot communicate too much with the parents. Make sure you have noted as much information as possible to answer any questions the parent may have. Let the parent know if and when you will be contacting them again. 

A doctor or hospital visit is required in the following situations: 

• If knocked unconscious or received a significant blow to the head (keep them awake until they see a physician)

• Abnormal bleeding or you can’t get the bleeding to stop

• Possibility of pregnancy

• A seizure

• Any ongoing health problem that is not getting better

• Possibility of a broken bone

• A temperature of 102 degrees or a fever of more than 48 hours

Incident Reports

Thoroughly write-up all medical incidents in the documentation provided for you at the end of this manual. Include the location of the hospital or office, the doctors name, the reason for the visit, the action taken, any drugs prescribed, the date, the time parents were called, who was spoken to, etc. Try to obtain business cards of the hospital/doctor to attach to the documentation. Be as detailed as possible when filling out the medical reports. It is better to have too much information than not enough. 

Medications

There are three categories of medications:

• Rescue Meds (EpiPen, Inhaler, etc)

• Prescription (Prescribed by a doctor)

• Over-the-Counter (Can be purchased without medical advisement)

Participants are able to bring and keep medications with them on trips and they cannot stop taking prescription medications during trip. We do not allow prescription marijuana on missions trips. Even if it is legal in your state, it is not legal internationally, and you can be arrested for traveling with it.

Student Trips:

Students must hold their own medications, each medication that a student brings must be verbally communicated to a designated trip leader. Any time a medication is taken it must be done in front of a student leader, leaders are not required to record it and they are not to administer a medication to a student or share a medication with a student without the written permission of a legal guardian.

Helpful Over-the-Counter Medications to Bring:

• Dramamine

• Ibuprofen

• Tylenol

• Allergy Medication

• Antacid (such as Tums)

Watch for illnesses among your team. Make sure your group leaders are watching as well. Verify that your team members are drinking lots of water and eating properly to avoid dehydration and sickness. When team members are sick, take appropriate action, but don’t neglect to pray for them. 

Cultural Barriers

Breaking Down Cultural Barriers

Here are some ways to help break down cultural barriers.

• Relate with the people

  • Ask for and remember names---a very personal way to connect

  • Talk with them and ask questions about their life

  • Be genuinely interested. Don’t just ask questions that you’ve memorized. Think about getting to know that person better and ask some of the questions that would help you to do so

  • Playing with the children

  • It’s fun for you and it warms the children up to you

  • Parents and community members appreciate you showing interest in their kids

  • Speak their language

  • Nationals love to hear you even attempt to speak their language

  • This shows that you have taken the time to learn to communicate with them in their language

  • Smile

  • The international sign for friendliness; Shows people you are approachable

  • A smile can penetrate a hard heart

  • Make locals laugh and smile

  • Show Compassion

  • Never bash the people’s belief or culture

  • Always point to how awesome Jesus is

  • Know everything you can about the country’s primary religion so that you can speak the truth in love

Become Familiar with Your Country 

We cannot emphasize enough the importance of researching the history, politics, current events, geography, culture, and religion of the area to which you are traveling. You will have numerous opportunities to share with your team the information you have researched. This will be invaluable as you build a focus and vision for the ministry on your team. Also, begin learning some of the basics of the country’s language. This will not only open up many doors in the country, but it will also empower you to teach your team members to do the same. 

Try to find answers to the following questions: 

• What are the common traits, needs, and desires of the people of this area?

• Is there anything that stands out in their history that still has an effect on the present?

• What is the dominant religion?

• What do they believe?

You can begin praying specifically that God will open up many doors of opportunities for ministry to take place. The logistics that go into each trip can be difficult at times. Pray that God would give everyone involved wisdom so that we can make the greatest impact possible.

Colossians 4:2-4 - Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak.

Final Trip Days/Debrief

End of Trip Processing

This end of trip processing has two major components, the hot seat and highlight moment. This will take a minimum of two hours and may need to be done in two separate time frames. The final debrief is meant to provide the team with a look behind and a look ahead as they prepare to go home.

Hot Seat

Have the whole team sit in a circle and everyone will take a turn in the “hot seat” where at least two to three people from the team speak directly to that person and tell them what they mean to them, how they have impacted them personally, or encourage the gifts in them. It is important to not speak in third person, but rather look the person you’re speaking to in the eyes and talk directly to them. No back ended complements allowed (ex. “When I first met you, I didn’t like you that much, but...." OR “I wasn’t sure if we’d get along on this trip, but...”) 

Highlight Moment

This is designed to help members solidify one event that took place during the trip that really impacted their life. Each person will describe a snapshot of the one experience that summarized their time. Some examples might be when they prayed with someone for salvation for the very first time, or about something God revealed to them in their quiet time that really impacted them. The main point is to come up with an experience they can share at home that gives specific details about a moment that changed their life. 

Go around and ask each person of the team “What was the most impactful experience on this trip or something God spoke to you on the trip? What did He say?” 

Debriefing

This will be a final processing time, culminating all that happened; celebrating and challenging participants to live differently upon returning home. At this point, your teams may begin to “checkout”----feeling that the trip is over. You too may feel this way, but it is important to keep yourself and the team focused during debriefing. The elements presented during this time are essential in helping participants process their trip, adapt to life back in a familiar environment, and help them implement the things they have learned throughout the course of the trip ensuring lifelong change.

*See Post Trip Connects/Next Steps section on how to prep your team to return home.

WHEN YOU RETURN

Post Trip

Preparing to Return Home/Once You are Home

When your team comes back from the trip, many team members may experience what people call “Re-entry Stress” or “Post-Missions Trip Blues.” It is a common thing people can experience to varying degrees, and it can catch team members and their family off-guard if they aren’t expecting it. Here’s what it may look like: 

• They are exhausted.

• They have a hard time talking about the trip and expressing how they felt about it.

• They break down crying for seemingly no reason.

• They are withdrawn and moody.

• They have a hard time getting motivated for anything, like school or work.

• They feel guilty about the things that they have.

It is a normal reaction to go into a bit of a funk like this when returning from a mission trip. After all, here are some things that they may have experienced on the trip that contribute to these feelings:

• Seeing real poverty, possibly for the first time.

• Seeing a new culture and trying new and exciting things.

• Experiencing God in a new way and being used by Him in ways that they never have been before.

• Building friendships and bonds with people from another place who they will likely never see again.

• Spending 24 hours a day for an entire week with the same group of people, sharing the same experiences, struggles, highs and lows, and growing together in the process.

None of that is bad. In fact, it’s great! But once they are back, they can experience something similar to grief. It is a little bit like suffering a loss, not of a specific person, but of everything that made the trip so special, and they miss it. All of the sudden, they are back home, back to normal life, no longer around their 15-30 new best friends, thousands of miles away from the new people they met, not being used by God or feeling His presence the same way, and the things they cared so much about 2 weeks ago seem kind of trivial compared to what they just experienced. They are exhausted and have all of these thoughts and emotions that they don’t know how to process.

They’re happy to see their family and friends, of course, but it’s hard to talk to them about what they experienced because nobody really understands. They know that something has changed in them, but everyone else seems to have stayed the same, and they don’t know what to do with that. They don’t want to go back to how things were, but they don’t know how not to! 

Because of that many of them struggle when they first get back. And again, this is a normal part of the process for a lot of people. Thankfully, there are some things that we can do to help them readjust after a missions trip.

1. Give them a heads up! Before you ever return, while you’re still together as a team, talk about what could happen when they get back. If they know ahead of time what to expect and what steps to take, they are more likely to take them. 

2. Pray! It goes without saying, but continue to pray for your team after you return. Specifically, pray for comfort, peace, and wisdom on what to do next. For some, their next step may be to get plugged in to a Go Team at church, get involved with a local outreach, or start planning their next mission trip. For others it may be taking steps to develop a new-found gift or passion they discovered on the trip, or getting more serious about their daily chair time with God.

Secondly, pray that God would give them the words to say and help them verbally process what God did in their hearts on the trip and what the trip meant for them personally. This isn’t easy to do, but it is an important step!

3. Prep them on Questions to Expect

People are going to ask “How was the trip?” about 100 times in the next couple of weeks. Give them some good questions that help them process the trip so they can be ready to talk about it. Helping them to identify one or two stories that they can share as a “standard answer” is huge. This will give them an answer to “How was the trip?” that doesn’t involve immediately bursting into tears or a 30-minute monologue!

Some good questions include:

• Who did you feel like you connected with the most on the trip? Why?

• What was your favorite thing about the culture?

• What is something that you feel like God was teaching you on this trip?

• Was the trip different than you expected? How?

• What was the most memorable moment with your team?

• How do you think this experience changed you?

If they are more introspective, it may be helpful to have them write it down. Some people process and communicate much better in written form, so making time to write it out is often very helpful.

Post Trip Connects

Get the team back together 

The people who can understand what your team members are feeling after the trip are other people on the trip! Being around the team provides them with a support group and helps them process what they are feeling and feel less alone now that they’re back. There is a post-meeting trip planned for a couple of weeks after the trip, but feel free to get together before then. Keep the group chat going and give people an outlet to process what they’re going through!

Post Trip Meeting

This can take on many forms, like a dinner, or a game night, or just a party at someone’s house. The setting doesn’t matter as much as what takes place at the meeting.

1. Celebrate the trip - Reflect what God did in us and through us, reminisce on stories, funny moments, and amazing things that happened!

2. Check up - Take the pulse on the group and each individual to see how they’re doing now that they’re back… spiritually, mentally, physically, etc.

Next Steps

Continue the process of identifying next steps and encouraging them to take it. This happens on the trip as well, but it’s a good time to reinforce the gifts that they discovered and developed and help them find a place to use that gift. (This doesn’t have to take place in a formal, group setting. It can happen through individual conversations as well.)  Here are some potential next steps:

• Get baptized

• Get serious about having a consistent, daily chair time

• Join a small group or start one of your own

• Start serving

• Get involved in a local outreach or start one of your own

• Get involved with the worship team

• Develop your gifts by hosting/speaking in J-Hi or KOTM

• Plan your next mission trip

• Support someone else as they go on a trip

• Write out your story and share it with someone

• Find a new friend group

Have Fun - Keep building community with the group, and do something fun! Part of the fun is just having everyone back together, but consider having an activity or a game as well. 

Remember, getting the gang back together can be good for the soul as well. You may not know what kind of situation your team members stepped back into when they got home. Some may need this more than others, so be sensitive to how much this may mean to people. Don’t treat this as optional… think of it as part of the trip. It’s easy to get too busy once you get back and forget about or neglect this meeting. Don’t let it happen! 

Feeling Called to Full Time Missions?

Is someone on your team feeling called to full time missions? Our missions team would love to connect with them and with you, as the leader, to help walk them through what a next step might look like. Have them email: missions@churchonthemove.com to set up a time to come talk to one of our pastors, along with you.