Driving Change Through Global Health Initiatives

God calls missionaries to fill different roles in different contexts. Some might be called to medical missions, while others share the gospel through church planting or marketplace ministry. There are many roles of a missionary, some might pursue short-term missions with several trips over a lifetime, while others embrace long-term mission opportunities. If you feel like God is moving you toward long-term missions, you’ve got a lot to think about and a lot to plan. Short-term missionaries often have the trips planned out for them and follow the agenda for a given adventure. But long-term mission opportunities mean investing large portions of your life in the nation you choose. You also must consider things like finances and insurance. But the biggest challenge you face is identifying a mission-sending organization that best fits your needs.   Keys to Identifying Sending Agencies Let’s be honest, there is no shortage of sending agencies that provide long-term mission opportunities. And that’s a good thing. God is using many organizations to help individuals realize their calling to missions and to fulfill the Great Commission.    Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit   Matthew 28:19   But the sheer number of agencies does present a challenge as you prayerfully examine your choices. The list of important questions to answer as you look at long-term mission opportunities include things like: • Does the agency align with your theology and philosophy of missions? • What training does the agency offer long-term missionaries? • What role does the agency play in financial support? • What additional support (financial, insurance, mental health, furloughs, and so forth) does the agency provide? • What are the expenses you will need to cover? • What nations does the agency serve? • What kind of reputation does the agency have in the long-term missions community? As you can see, finding your best fit for long-term mission opportunities requires a lot of time and a lot of research. But, through some solid research and a lot of prayer, you can find a long-term mission adventure that will place you in the sweet spot of God’s call on your life.     10 Long-Term Mission Opportunities Available to You   As mentioned, you have a lot of options for long-term missions. To help you get started, we’ve listed 10 agencies that can point you in the right direction. These agencies aren’t the only ones sponsoring long-term missionaries, but they have stood the test of time and are faithfully working to fulfill the Great Commission.    1. CRU. Founded in 1951 as Campus Crusade for Christ, CRU shares the gospel in nearly 200 countries around the world. CRU teams seek to establish common ground with local residents through things like sports, media, humanitarian aid, and more.    2. Adventures in Missions. Missionaries serving in long-term opportunities have the chance to immerse themselves in the culture, which helps them earn a hearing. Adventures in Missions challenges Christ followers to make those necessary connections on the field as marketplace missionaries. Founded in 1989, Adventures in Missions has placed more than 125,000 missionaries in short-term and long-term opportunities over the years.   3. Word of Life. Word of Life has been sending missionaries on long-term mission opportunities around the globe for some eight decades. At present, more than 1,500 Word of Life missionaries serve in 70 different countries. The career opportunities are diverse, including Bible clubs, education, and camps.   4. Team. For more than 130 years, Team has worked to fulfill the Great Commission by offering long-term mission opportunities. Since its inception in 1891, Team has moved from a narrow focus on a couple of areas to an expansion around the world. Today, it’s network includes more than 500 missionaries and some 2,000 churches. Team provides numerous long-term options, including medical and health care missions.   5. Samaritan’s Purse. Through its World Medical Mission teams, Samaritan’s Purse has been supporting the work of overseas hospitals and clinics since 1977. In addition to providing supplies and technical support, World Medical Mission also sends missionaries to serve in medical settings around the world.   6. Operation Mobilization. For more than 50 years, Operation Mobilization (OM) has carried the message of Jesus to men, women, and children across the globe. OM currently sponsors nearly 7,000 individuals in 188 nations. Some serve in remote areas, while others work in large, urban centers. Many even serve on OM ships, stopping at a variety of ports around the world.   7. Pioneers. Pioneers has been pursuing its passion to plant churches among the least-reached people groups in the world since 1979. These days, Pioneers has more than 2,800 missionaries ministering in many different arenas, including community health. The group’s goal is to use an individual’s personal calling and strengths to determine which long-term mission opportunity best fits their situation.   8. Equip International. Founded in 1996, Equip International strives to spread the gospel through community improvement. For example, the organization’s long-term opportunities include medical programs like Community Health Evangelism, Missionary Medicine Intensive, and Missionary Medicine for Physicians. In these settings, a missionary might serve as a medical professional in an underserved area or support a local physician who has limited training and experience. The key is empowering the community, while sharing the gospel and promoting discipleship through everyday interactions.   9. Frontiers. Frontiers began its work in 1982 and focuses its ministry on training and sending field workers to Muslim nations in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. By meeting the physical and medical needs of individuals, long-term missionaries can speak into their spiritual needs. In addition, such medical missionaries have the potential of reaching nations that are closed to more traditional workers.   10. SIM (Sudan Interior Mission) Founded in 1893 as Sudan Interior Mission, SIM provides international missions with an international flavor. The roughly 4,000 missionaries now serving with SIM come from more than 70 different nations. In addition, this diverse group of leaders ministers in a wide variety of missions settings.     Other Mission Options for Long-Term Missionaries If you’re still looking for ways to hear God’s voice regarding long-term mission opportunities, we have two more suggestions. First, check out your denomination’s sending organizations. For example, the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board each serve the Southern Baptist Convention. Your denomination may have similar sending agencies. Also, you can attend mission conferences, such as the Global Health Missions Conference. At these events, you can learn more about what it means to be a missionary, connect with missionary-sending agencies, and network with long-term missionaries already on the field. If God has called you to embrace long-term mission opportunities, He will guide you and equip you. Prayerfully see where He is leading and follow His directions. Your life will never be the same!     Discover Medical Missions. Medical Missions serves to connect your professional skills and biblical calling to the largest database of healthcare mission organizations, professionals, and thought leadership. Join us at the Global Missions Health Conference to find your Medical Missions calling. Or, browse our full list of partner organizations to find the right mission for you.

Mission trips have been a go-to for ministries for decades. They are great experiences for leaving your comfort zone and taking your faith on the road. Whether a college student looking to dive into missions work, a ministry servant, or a medical professional, there are many doors open to you. You have choices, and so it's worth doing some research to find the best Christian mission trip organizations for you.   Key Takeaways Most mission trip organizations faithfully pursue the Great Commission, but finding the best fit requires evaluating how each aligns with your calling and skills. Prayer should be your starting point, asking God for wisdom and clarity as you consider which mission opportunity to pursue. Personal reflection and wise counsel from trusted friends and family can help you identify your strengths, passions, and practical needs before committing. Location, length of service, and financial considerations—such as missionary salary or trip costs—play an important role in narrowing your options. While the six highlighted organizations offer strong starting points, many other reputable groups—including denominational agencies—may provide the right mission experience for you.   Finding the Best Mission Trip Organizations for You Let's be clear about two things from the start. First, most mission trip organizers are great agencies that love Jesus and want to spread the gospel worldwide. So, as you start your search for the best mission trip organizations for your particular calling and passion, you may encounter a lot of win-win situations. If you find that narrowing your list is a tough task, that's a good thing. Second, not every mission trip organization is going to meet your needs. Mission opportunities vary from working with healthcare organizations that travel to a group that builds houses. The body of Christ is pretty unique, and God uses all kinds of people with all kinds of skills to share His love. So, if you have to scratch a few good groups off the list because they aren't a good fit, that's also a win-win. “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.” — Matthew 28:19-20   What Is Your Starting Point? So, what are some things you need to look for as you start your search for the best Christian mission trip organizations? The best place to start any endeavor is prayer. Talk to God about the decision you need to make and ask for His wisdom and leadership. If He wants you to go on a mission trip, He will show you the path you need to follow to get there. His plans always come through. You also need to think about your personal calling. Of course, this is part of the prayer step, but you can also talk to friends and family who know you well. Ask them to help you think through your skills, abilities, and passions. The insight and advice of trustworthy counselors can help you tremendously. You'll also need to identify what missionary salary you'd need to work for your situation. Finally, think about where you'd like to serve. The best mission trip organizations provide experiences around the world. So, whether you feel called to a certain part of the United States or to another country, the location of the opportunities has to be part of the equation.    6 Best Christian Mission Trip Organizations You Should Consider Most of these have been around for decades and have helped thousands of missionaries find a place to serve.  1. World Venture. This is one of the "granddaddies" of mission organizations, having sponsored trips since 1943. World Venture serves in the United States and around the world, focusing on a variety of needs. Along with church planting and evangelism, World Venture also shines the light of  Jesus through sports ministries, education, and business. Your commitment can last less than a year (Pathfinders), up to two years (Global Apprenticeship), or even for a career. 2. Operation Mobilization. This is another long-standing mission trip organization. Operation Mobilization (OM) began with a group of friends distributing Scripture and Christian literature in Mexico in 1957. By the 1960s, OM was working in Muslim and Communist countries. Today, the group sponsors short-term experiences in the United States and worldwide, including its OM Ships ministry. 3. Navigators World Missions. The Navigators was founded in 1933 and has become known for its discipleship and Christian growth resources published by NavPress. But the group also sponsors mission trips through Navigators World Missions. Short-term opportunities include domestic trips (like to Texas and Florida), along with international trips to places like Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Longer experiences are available through its mid-term and long-term plans, as well as its iEdge program. 4. Youth with a Mission (YWAM). This non-denominational mission organization was founded in the early 1960s with a focus on bringing glory to God, sharing the gospel with the world, and empowering young people for lives of service. Today, in addition to providing mission trips around the world, YWAM offers an in-depth, six-month Discipleship Training School that includes classroom training and field experience for college students and young adults. 5. Appalachian Service Project. You don't have to travel across the globe to leave your comfort zone. Plenty of places in the United States can introduce you to the needs of another culture. Since 1969, the Appalachian Service Project has been providing hope by providing safe homes for residents in some of the poorest areas of the country. Appalachian Service Project focuses on repairs and replacement of sub-standard housing, offering ministry trips throughout the year for every age group. In addition, the duration of your trip can be flexible—everything from a weekend to a year-long immersive experience. 6. MissionGo. If you're looking for a mission trip organization that can work with you in shaping a mission experience, MissionGo might be the answer. The group offers several short-term ministries in areas like health care (including medical, dentistry, and chiropractic), education, water purification, evangelism, construction, and media. However, MissionGo also works with individuals to help them find the best mission trip experience for their skills and passions. In addition to short-term experiences, career opportunities are available.   Mission Trip Organizations are Everywhere To be honest, this list only scratches the surface. As noted earlier, dozens of mission trip organizations plan and execute trips with integrity and excellence. Many of these groups are considered among the best mission trip organizations because they combine strong theology with practical service. But here's another option to add to your list: your own denomination. If your church is a member of a larger denomination, it's likely that the body has at least one mission-mobilizing agency that offers short-term trips, longer internships, and career training and opportunities. For example, the Southern Baptist Convention has two agencies that focus on missions: the International Mission Board for overseas work and the North American Mission Board for domestic work. Each offers short-term and long-term experiences, along with career support. Of course, all the principles for finding the right fit still apply, even when evaluating what your denomination has to offer. The key is finding the best Christian mission trip organizations for you so you can be the most effective witness possible.   Related Questions   Where do Christians go on mission trips? Christians go on mission trips both locally and internationally, serving in churches, schools, clinics, construction projects, and underserved communities around the world.   Should Christians go on mission trips? Christians should prayerfully consider mission trips as one way to obey the Great Commission, using their gifts and availability to serve where God leads.   How much does a mission trip typically cost? A mission trip typically costs anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on location, length, airfare, lodging, and ministry expenses.   Do churches pay for mission trips? Some churches provide partial or full financial support for mission trips, while others encourage participants to raise funds individually or through sponsorships.