How Setting Goals Can Increase a Trip’s Potential
Goal-setting is so important!
When I was a youth pastor, taking trips was a key part of the ministry. One year we took a significantly larger trip than normal. We connected a Christian music festival called CreationFest in Washington, not far from Seattle, with some short-term mission work, in and around Vancouver, British Columbia.
Before we left, we would have an evening of spiritual preparation; a group session to discuss the spiritual goals for the experience. Goal setting can be a great addition to any conference or mission experience, to increase the impact of the trip.
That session was awesome!
The setting was perfect! The campfire blazing. We had a great time of worship with guitars and bongos. The Spirit was moving in the students, preparing them. There was a reverence for their Creator and the journey He had them embarking on. It was a beautiful thing.
Following a time of worship, we opened our Bibles to our focus passage for the trip, Philippians 2:1-16. Throughout this experience, both day and night, we would be pouring over this passage. The goal was to seek out God’s guidance in how we could bring these Biblical principles into our interactions throughout the trip.
- First, this passage would aid our relationships with each other.
- Second, this passage would propel us toward the people we would serve.
- Lastly, this passage would be impressed upon our hearts and minds.
Lord willing, this passage would become a part of us, as a group, that we might bring the principles home as core values and second nature attributes.
Philippians 2:1-16
“Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.” (Phil. 1:1-16)
Following the reading of our passage, each of the students wrote down three personal goals for the trip. The students were encouraged to write three goals that were centred around the principles found within this focus passage.
The trip ended up being one of the most memorable for them and for me. The goals were crucial, and the debrief afterward told the story, as the student relayed what they had set to happen, and how the Lord provided in more ways than they ever thought could be possible. Goal setting made all the difference, in seeing the trajectory and following the journey God outlined for them at that campfire.
Join the Conversation, Leave Your Thoughts
- How have you set goals for a trip or experience?
- If you had to set three goals based on Phil, 1, what would they be?
