Short-Term Mission  Resources

Short-term Mission Team Resources

~ STM Team Planning Resources ~
~ STM Team Training Resources ~
~ STM Trip Follow-up Resources ~
~ Go to Long-term Mission Resources ~

STM Team Planning

This gives short-term mission team leaders a basic understanding of some of the responsibilities of leading a mission team, as well as some tools to assist in that process. (Adapt it with your church's policies and procedures.)

You may use this form to gather information from persons requesting a STM team from your church. Potential team leaders and/or hosts can go to bit.ly/stm-team-request to submit a request for a short-term mission team. A copy of the completed form will be sent to the person/email address that they list on the form as the church contact.

This Excel spreadsheet is designed to help determine the budget for a short-term mission team and the amount of money to be carried on the trip.

This Excel spreadsheet helps to track information (application, passport, medical/emergency, and training completed) related to each team member.

You may use this form for persons applying to serve on a STM team from your church or another short-term mission trip or assignment. Applicants can go to bit.ly/stm-apply to complete the application, and forward/deliver a copy to your church. 
(Note: If you want the completed applications sent directly to your church so the applicant doesn't need to forward them, or if you want the application customized with questions specific for your church, please contact Dwane Reitz to discuss your church's needs.)

This online form can be completed by the mission applicant's character references. This is a two-part form:
  1. Part 1 of the form is to be filled out by a missions leader at your church. Upon submission, an email request with a link to Part 2 of the form (questions for the reference person) is sent to the reference for them to complete.
  2. When the reference completes the form, your church missions leader/church contact receives an email with a PDF copy of the completed reference form.
Click here to see a sample Reference Form for a short-term mission applicant.

STM Team Training

This training, consisting of 3 training sessions (each ranging in length from 21-31 minutes), gives team members some basic preparation for a short-term mission trip. The training content includes: 
- Purpose of missions
- Basic qualifications for serving on a mission team
- Spiritual preparation
- Physical preparation
- Attitudes of a team player & basic team guidelines
- Importance of cultural understanding
- Tips for speaking with a translator
- Travel health tips
- Preparing for reentry 

You may use the online video training sessions at www.hopewellnetwork.org/stmtraining or you may teach the training yourself and customize it to fit your needs. The following PowerPoint files are available if you teach it yourself:

This leader's guide for the STM Team Training sessions includes sample outlines for team orientation and debriefing meetings as well as the training guide that accompanies the STM Team Training sessions.

Each team member should have a copy of this training workbook as they complete the STM Team Training sessions.

STM Trip FOLLOW-UP

This Excel spreadsheet is designed for team leaders to record short-term mission team expenses in multiple currencies, and balance team funds upon return from the trip.

Team leaders can go to bit.ly/stm-trip-report to submit a trip report after returning home. A copy of the their report will be sent to the person/email address that they list on the form as the church contact.

Team members can go to bit.ly/stm-team-survey to submit a brief survey/evaluation after the trip. (They may remain anonymous, if they desire.)  A copy of their survey will be sent to the person/email address that they list on the form as the church contact.

Other Mission Resources

Check back here, as additional resources will be added.