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Before deciding which short-term mission trip you'll go on, ask yourself these key questions to help select the right trip for you.

Questions to Ask Yourself

• Why are you going? What is your motivation?
• What type of experience are you looking for? (discipleship, cross-cultural exposure, ministry experience …)
• Which level of cross-cultural experience is right for you?

What to Look for in a Mission Agency

• Fit: Do they have programs that match your interest and experience?
• Experience: Do they have experienced mature leaders onsite? Does their communication with you show signs of quality and professionalism?
• Preparedness: Have they thought things through? (Expect some flexibility but also thorough planning). Do they have emergency management procedures in place?
• Comprehensive: Do they provide adequate training to prepare you? Do they help you process the trip with a debriefing?
• Dependable: Have other groups or individuals found that they do what they say they do? What do people who went last time say? Do they practice the Standards of Excellence in Short Term Missions?

What to Look for in a Mission Trip

• Long-term plan: Does it fit into a broader long-term plan for the area you will be ministering in? How does it match up with local churches and career mission work in the area?
• Great Commission Focus: How does what you will be doing contribute to accomplishing the Great Commission? Is there an evangelism/outreach element even if it's mainly a construction trip?

Other articles about selecting a mission trip:
Taking Your First Short-term Mission Trip by Steve Collins
Discover the Best Short-Term Mission for You by Steven C. Hawthorne

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David Armstrong is the Director of Agency Services for Mission Data International and serves on the steering committee for Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission. Peter Armstrong is the Executive Director of Mission Data International.