At Journey, one of our core beliefs is the importance of global impact, because we believe we are called to make a difference in the world. (Mt. 28:19-20) Because of this, we also believe everyone should go on at least one mission trip in their lifetime. Not only will you help transform the lives of people in developing countries, but we pray that you come away transformed as well. Our Global Impact trips are a great way to serve those in need, while growing in your walk with Christ.
We have several different trip categories to help you find the best fit with what you’re looking for and how you want to serve. These categories reflect our church’s overall discipleship strategy, which we call the four Es: Experience, Engage, Embrace, and Equip. Whether you’re brand-new to missions or you have specific skills you’ve been using in a global capacity for years, we have trips that will expand your horizons (literally!) as well as your heart for other nations. Check out some of the upcoming trips we have planned!
Experience trips are great for anyone who has never been on a mission trip before! They are designed to provide exposure to a variety of different ministry opportunities on the foreign mission field, allow for the experience of another culture, and see first-hand God’s heart for all nations. Those who participate in an Experience trip will leave with a better understanding of how God has shaped them with specific skills and giftings to serve Him and His global church.
On this trip we will be partnering with Pastor Jorge and Monte de Dios church to support the ministry they are currently doing and share Jesus in their community. You will be involved in projects such as kids’ ministry in local schools, community outreach through prayer, evangelism, and food distribution, as well as engaging with the church through Sunday service and discipleship classes. All activities will have the goal of supporting Pastor Jorge and Monte de Dios as they reach the community, as well as helping to strengthen relationships that they are currently building. You will be encouraged as you engage with the Costa Rican people and learn more about the work God is doing in this part of the world!
Our efforts in Guatemala are part of what is called a Total Village Transformation Project. Total Village Transformation is a unique opportunity to partner with an organization called Hope of Life that works with villages to bring a sustainable impact. We have a partnership with the villages of Peña Blanca and Las Sidras, where we help with humanitarian aid efforts in order to bring the Gospel to these communities. On the Guatemala Experience trip, we will participate in outreach such as kids’ and youth ministry, visiting with families in the communities, food distribution, and helping with other ministry efforts in the villages and on Hope of Life’s campus.
This trip will be focused on serving communities in the Amazons of Peru with a ministry called “Catch the Vision.” Trip participants with partner with local pastors to share the Gospel in the communities, participating in a variety of ministry activities such as kids’ ministry, student ministry, food distribution, and serving the people of the church. The purpose of this trip is to build connections with the local pastors and their churches, supporting them as they reach their communities. You will be greatly encouraged by the Peruvian people as you serve and encourage them!
Las Vegas is one of the world’s largest tourism hubs with an average of 42 million visitors every year. Las Vegas also has the highest rate of human trafficking per capita in the United States, which creates additional issues with poverty, homelessness, and the number of children in foster care. But God is moving and changing Las Vegas! Our partners, the Send Relief Las Vegas Ministry Center, are helping to serve the most vulnerable in the city. On this trip, you will participate in outreaches geared toward finding and reaching new individuals in need, special events for foster children, working with local partners to provide help and resources for people experiencing homelessness, foster families, and individuals who are high risk to experience human trafficking.
If you’re looking for a trip that your whole family could experience, or something within driving distance, this is it! We will be partnering with Elevate Branson to serve in homeless outreach, kids ministry, and poverty alleviation right here in Missouri. This will be a shorter trip over one of LSR7’s school breaks. Your only costs will be lodging, meals, and a day of fun in Branson. What an easy way to be introduced to mission trips for any age!
This trip is for our Journey Residents and Interns serving over the summer term. The team will have the opportunity to partner alongside local churches, colleges, nonprofits, and Christian camps to host activities such as sports camps, park ministry and VBS. There will also be opportunities to engage Alaska’s diverse populations through home visits and prayer walks, construction projects, and more. If you are involved in our summer residency or internship, you won’t want to miss the chance to build spiritual community while serving in God’s mission!
The student mission trip is an incredible opportunity for students to serve others, build meaningful relationships, grow in confidence with evangelism, all while developing a heart for service and growing in their faith. This trip is specifically designed for high school students who would like to spend a week of their summer serving in another US city with their peers. Projects could include working with a local church to host children and youth activities, service to homeless and immigrant communities, evangelism, and other hands-on service projects. Students, come be a part of the impact!
Engage trips are designed for people who desire to put their specific gifts and skills to work. There are trips that focus on construction, medical assistance, kids’ ministry, evangelism, and more. These trips are organized to offer opportunities to use your God-given gifts to serve those in another culture. Those who participate in Engage trips will use their skills to engage with the community they are in, serving others in a practical way. The goal is to share the Gospel, support the local church, and connect the community with that local church so that they can be a part of on-going follow-up and ministry.
This trip is in partnership with our partners in Scotland and is focused on construction and community service. The trip offers a unique opportunity to serve in practical ways—helping with building, renovation, and maintenance projects that support Young Life Scotland ministries, specifically through their camp Cairn Brae. Our work may include tasks like painting, carpentry, landscaping, or assisting with larger renovation efforts—all while building relationships and sharing the love of Christ through hands-on service.
This trip is for medical professionals and will be focused on supporting Life Pediatric Ministry in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Trip participants will partner with local Dominican doctors and New Life Baptist Church to provide free medical care to under-resourced children and families. Clinic days will also include outreach in the community through prayer, evangelism, and kids’ activities. This is a great trip for anyone who would like to serve God on the foreign field by using their medical talents and sharing Christ! You will be encouraged as you experience the joy of the Dominican culture and people, as well as have a greater understanding of how providing humanitarian aid and the sharing of the Gospel must go together!
This trip is in partnership with World Help in the village of Zimuddi, Uganda, where JCI is engaged in a Total Village Transformation project. In Uganda, Journey has engaged in ministry such as child sponsorship, medical care, and the funding of community projects and ministries such as Good Samaritan School. On this trip, you will see the impact first-hand as you engage in children’s ministry, home visits and food distribution, ministry through Good Samaritan School, and more! You will be incredibly blessed by the warm Ugandan people, form friendships that will last a lifetime, and engage with ministry that will impact generations.
This trip is primarily, but not exclusively, for young adults to partner with Crown Jesus Ministries to assist with outreach in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The trip includes training and outreach to children, youth and adults, some of which are homeless and those struggling with addiction. This is a great opportunity for people who want to grow in confidence in evangelism with an organization committed to reaching the whole Island for Jesus.
On these trips we will work with Samaritan’s Purse to help with disaster relief ministry. That means we could tarp damaged roofs, mud out flooded homes, cut and remove fallen trees, sift through the ashes of someone’s home, or help repair and rebuild destroyed neighborhoods. Whatever the needs are from the natural disaster that occurs is what we will be doing. This is a great trip for people who love doing hands on serving projects, and a great way to show the love of Jesus to those who have lost so much in just a moment. It is also a great way to form a spiritual community as we will spend a lot of time together.
Embrace trips are focused on visiting and encouraging our missionary partners. These trips are comprised of smaller groups with the goal of being a refreshing source of encouragement to our partners serving full-time on the field. They may also have serving opportunities to help the missionary with specific projects. For many of our partners, it is a tremendous blessing to have their community visit and bring a little bit of home with them. This is especially true for those who live and serve in countries where there is little Christian presence.
The goal of this trip is to visit and intentionally connect with our global partners serving in an undisclosed region in West Asia. We want to encourage them with our presence, words, and prayers, as well as engage with and encourage the local church they are serving with. Activities will be focused on spending time with our partners and their community, attending the local church, and being a blessing to them and the people that they serve.
Equip trips primarily focus on equipping local people groups to make disciples and lead others spiritually. This can look different depending on the trip. On some trips it may be teaching discipleship classes for local church members. On other trips, perhaps teaching classes with a more specific focus such as apologetics. Other Equip trips may have a heavier emphasis on pastoral training for the local pastors. While these trips can look quite different, they are all driven by the same goals of equipping the local community with tools that will help them grow in their walk with God, establish a firm foundation in their local churches, and lead others well spiritually.
On this trip, we will be partnering with World Help to facilitate pastoral training for a group of local pastors. These pastors, who are from different areas across the country, will travel to be a part of the conference where this training will happen. We will help host and facilitate this conference in an effort to strengthen the local church ministry in Nicaragua. Areas of training and discussion could include theology, discipleship, apologetics, and specific books of the Bible. This trip will be a smaller group, with a heavy emphasis on equipping pastors so that they can then teach the people they are leading.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."