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Jen Bradbury
Jun 18 · 5 min read

Is this the end of short-term missions?

Filed in Missions

I was supposed to be on a mission trip last week.

With the exception of the two summers I was on maternity leave, this is the first time since 2003 that I haven’t spent my summers leading mission trips.

Mission trips are – for so many junior...

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#grace #hope #justice #A Mission That Matters #pregnancy #Pandemic #Missions

Jen Bradbury
Aug 05 · 5 min read

Picture Rules for Mission Trips

Filed in Missions

My four-year-old daughter, Hope, LOVES taking pictures. I mean LOVES it. Spend a moment scrolling through our phones and you’ll typically see three types of photos:

1. Those obviously taken by my husband and I, typically featuring our family or...

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#A Mission That Matters #parenting #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Jan 17 · 5 min read

Why you shouldn’t prep for mission trips during your regular gatherings

Filed in Missions

Effective mission trips require preparation. Preparation is needed to prepare your team for all that awaits it and to enable it to behave effectively as a team.

Given this, when is the best time to hold your mission trip meetings?

If you’re in a...

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#A Mission That Matters #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Jan 09 · 5 min read

4 reasons why bigger isn't always better

Filed in Missions

A mission trip adult leader recently mentioned that my predecessor believed that every student (and their friends) should participate in a mission trip. As a result, for years, my church has filled a coach bus with 40-50 students and headed out...

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#Rwanda #cross-cultural #Leaders #A Mission That Matters #Missions #discipleship

Jen Bradbury
Aug 17 · 5 min read

Why you shouldn't try out adult leaders on mission trips

Filed in Missions

Because mission trips are, by their very nature, short-term, it can be tempting to use them as an opportunity to try out new leaders.

Please don’t.

While mission trips are indeed short-term, their short-term nature makes them incredibly...

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#Leaders #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Jun 27 · 5 min read

12 Things Students Need from Adult Leaders on Mission Trips

Filed in Missions

I've just returned from one mission trip and now my focus turns to the next one. This week is littered with several meetings related to our upcoming mission trip, one of which is our adult leader's meeting.

At this meeting, we'll cover logistics...

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#youth ministry #Missions #Leaders #leadership #conflict #scripture #doubt #grace

Jen Bradbury
Aug 04 · 5 min read

Recent Reads: Unlocking Mission & Eschatology in Youth Ministry by Andrew Root

Filed in Recent Reads and Missions

Unlocking Mission

What the book's about:  Unlocking Mission & Eschatology in Youth Ministry is part of the series, "A theological journey through youth ministry", which tackles pressing theological issues as they relate specifically to youth...

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#books #youth ministry #Missions #Jesus gap #Jesus #atonement #refugee #hope #Sabbath #Community

Jen Bradbury
Jul 21 · 5 min read

Mission Trip Prayer Buddies

Filed in Missions and Missions

One finding that's stuck with me from Sticky Faith is, "More than any program or event, what made kids more likely to feel like a significant part of their local church was when adults made the effort to get to know them."

One of the best ways my...

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#Intergenerational #Sticky faith #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Mar 10 · 5 min read

Eliminate boredom: Make students teach

Filed in Missions

Ever feel as if your students are bored during your mission trip meetings? If so, perhaps that's because you're the one doing all the teaching, even though students learn by doing. For this reason, require students on your mission trip team to...

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#Youth Worker Journal #Teaching #Missions #youth ministry

Jen Bradbury
Aug 16 · 5 min read

Millennials on Missions

Filed in Missions

Millennials love social justice.

Give today's high school students an opportunity to serve, and most will take it. They'll readily fork over their money in support of companies, such as Toms, that benefit others. They'll also wield a hammer, make...

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#justice #scripture #Missions

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