Have you ever thought about going on a mission trip but the cost of the trip turned you away? Maybe you heard about a wonderful opportunity to make Jesus known amongst a people that God had placed on your heart through the exact methods God had gifted you in, and then, you found out the price. What seemed like a trip tailor made for you then seemed like a trip for anyone but you. This is a common occurrence in the life of many Christians who want to be involved in global missions. 

Unfortunately, mission trips do have a cost involved. And sometimes, it’s an uncomfortable amount of money. So, how does anyone afford to go on mission trips? There are a select few who have the financial resources to join a trip at a moment's notice, but many of us aren't able to function like that. So, what do you do if you desire to participate in a short-term trip but you just don't have the financial resources?

Raising Support 

The most natural way we see people close the financial gap is through raising support. Raising your own support is simply sending out letters, making phone calls, or writing emails to people that care about you and asking for help. You may be thinking, “Asking for help? This sounds more like begging to me!” The process of raising support can feel uncomfortable to many people, but don’t write it off too quickly. Support raising is one of the best ways to practice humility and to welcome others into the joy of seeing the gospel taken around the world. When you ask for support, you are laying down the idea that you are self-sufficient, you are trusting God to provide, and you are opening the door for others to make an impact for Christ. 

As you raise support, you may be surprised at how God provides as you seek to serve Him. As you humble yourself and seek God’s provision, you will learn to trust that He takes care of your needs. You will learn to pray in ways that are stretching and gather a group of people to pray alongside you. You will allow the church to be the church and meet the needs of one another in an effort to make Christ known. These do not even scratch the surface of the ways that support raising will benefit you and those you ask for help. 

Is trying to raise support really worth it? Recently, a staff member at Brook Hills came to me and asked about joining in for a mission trip this year. She was deeply concerned about the financial commitment. After a short conversation, she decided to commit to raising support with the safety net that the church could help her if she did not raise quite enough. She came back to me just a few weeks ago with a smile on her face, beaming that her trip was fully funded with 5 months to spare. She added that she had only sent letters to her closest friends and family. She was overwhelmed by their generosity. If you are willing to step out in faith, you will be amazed at how God provides.

God Provides in Unique Ways

Over the years, we have seen God provide for mission trips in a number of unique ways. These are not usually obscure ways, but generally are very practical, even normal. Occasionally, we do see God provide in obviously miraculous ways that we cannot explain outside of God’s grace to His people. But, much more often, we see normal blessings that God provides at just the right time.

Earlier this year, we had a young lady approach us wanting to join in for one of our summer trips. However, she did not have the money up front and would not have long to raise support. We encouraged her to try and see if God would provide for her to serve Him. Without thinking about this trip, she filed her taxes. When she received her tax return, it provided what she needed to cover her trip. We all file taxes each year, yet in this instance, God providentially timed this return to meet her need. 

Personally, God provided for me through a friend’s mother who heard about my opportunity to serve midterm. She reached out with an offer to cover what I needed to raise with only a few weeks left before my trip. I thought I had no one left to call for help, and then, she called me. God also sometimes works through an abundance of resources. We have many stories of individuals who raised more than enough for their trip and shared the excess with their team members to help meet the gap.

God wants to provide for His children to serve Him. He calls us to cast our cares on Him. He wants to deepen our faith and trust in Him, not only through the mission trip itself, but through our dependence on Him to provide all that we need.

Plan Ahead

One of the best ways that you can ensure that you have the financial ability to participate in mission trips is to prayerfully plan ahead. Begin praying about how to go. Ask God to give you wisdom with your resources. Ask Him to show you where you may be able to sacrifice in areas for a short time in order to be able to set aside funds toward a trip. If you truly desire to go, begin setting aside a small amount of money each month with a commitment to going on a trip at a later date. Small, faithful sacrifices can add up quickly to allow for you to go on trips consistently. 

We often hear testimonies of how God's faithfulness inspires the members of our church to go again and again. God truly changes people through mission trips. We have heard of every kind of challenge faced on our mission trips, yet outside of extreme circumstances, we hardly ever hear of anyone who wishes they had never gone in the first place. The typical response after coming back from a trip is to begin planning for the next one.

We Can Help

Lastly, if you are a member at The Church at Brook Hills, we can help you. We believe that God has a desire for all of His people to be involved in taking the gospel to the ends of the Earth. Because of that, we have set aside funds to help those that want to be involved in Short-Term missions but do not have the financial means to do so. If you are hoping to go on a mission trip but the price keeps turning you away, come talk to us. We would love to help bridge the gap for you and help you to be involved in making Jesus known around the world.

Will you go with us?