Hero Image

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ERC Missions

What type of mission trips do you offer?
We offer evangelistic mission trips in which the student is actively engaged in preaching the Good News. This mission trip is organized through the ERC directly.
How long are the mission trips?
Our summer mission trips are about three weeks long, including a day or two for travel each way. We also have a mission trip during spring break with a day set aside for traveling. The exact travel dates are listed on the home page.
Do you offer mission trips where I would build a church?
A physical church? No. ERC Missions only organizes mission trips that consist of an evangelistic series. So, you will be building God's church in another country, but in a slightly different and more enduring way. 
I want to be a student missionary for a few months/year(s), do you offer that?
No. If you want to be a student missionary for an extended period of time you will need to visit Student Missions.
What am I paying for exactly?
When you pay through the Evangelistic Resource Center, you are paying for your part of the site that you will be preaching at, the food you will be eating, the hotel, and the plane ticket to and from the country.
How is the price so low?
Several organizations subsidize the cost of attending an ERC Missions trip through Southern Adventist University. So you only have to pay a fraction of the cost thanks to the generosity of our donors.
I am not a Southern student. Can I still go at the price listed on this website?
Unfortunately not. These trips are heavily subsidized by several organizations that require that the participants must attend the university that is receiving the subsidy.

Preaching

How does the preaching work?
The ERC will provide you with a USB drive with the sermon series on it. You will need to bring a laptop with you or you can rent one from us for a small fee, which you will use to preach your sermon. At the church you'll be preaching at, you
will connect your laptop to a projector to display your slides for your congregation to read as you preach. You will also be preaching with a translator, so a knowledge of the local language is not necessary.
Do I have to create my own sermons?
No. You will be preaching the evangelistic series provided by the ERC.
How many sermons am I going to preach?
If you are attending the spring mission trip you will preach eight, and if you are attending the summer trip you will preach 16. You will likely start preaching on the Friday of the week that you arrive at your site and ending on the Sabbath before you travel back to Atlanta. You will be preaching one sermon each evening except for Sabbath, when you will be preaching two sermons, one in the morning during church service and one in the evening. The list of what sermons are preached can be requested from the ERC office (downstairs in Hackman Hall, room 104).
I would prefer to use another series; is that allowed?

No. Everyone that goes on a mission trip through the Evangelistic Resource Center must use the sermon series with which  we provide you.

Will I be able to view the sermons before I leave on the mission trip?
Yes. Not only will you be receiving a copy of all the sermons, you can visit the Evangelistic Resource Center and practice preaching any of the sermons in a designated sermon booth.
Do I have to purchase the paper notes that accompany the sermons?
No. You will be using PowerPoint, so make sure you have the latest version! We have set it up so that you view your sermon notes on your laptop in English, while the sermon slides displayed are displayed in the local language of the country.
Are the sermons contextualized?
Yes. The sermon series uses different graphics and, occasionally, different illustrations depending on your designated country. The core message is the same for all countries.
I speak the local language, do I still need to use a translator?
No. If you want to, you can preach in the local language without the assistance of a translator. The sermons notes are also available in the local language, if that is what you would prefer to use.

Travel

What are the travel arrangements?
You will travel with your group from America to your assigned country and back. You may leave with your group from campus (transportation is arranged) or you can meet your group at the Atlanta airport.
Do I have to buy my own plane ticket?
No. The Evangelistic Resource Center buys the tickets for the entire group and the price of the ticket is factored into the total cost of attending the mission trip.
Can I arrange my own departure/return flight?
No. The entire team travels on the same flight to and from America. No exceptions can be made.
How much luggage can I take?
You will receive detailed information concerning this roughly two weeks prior to your departure date.

While There

Where will I be staying?

You will be staying in a safe hotel with the other people in your group. There are typically two students per room.

Where will I be eating?
Breakfast and lunch will be provided at the hotel or at a restaurant near the hotel. Dinner will typically be provided by your host church and arrangements will be made upon your arrival. You may want to bring some of your favorite snacks from America to supplement your diet.
Will the food be vegetarian?
Yes. The food will be cooked by someone hired by the local conference who will be given specific instructions to make only vegetarian food. If you have any food allergies or dietary preferences we will also do our best to accommodate those.
Will there be time for sightseeing?
The main purpose of the mission trip is for evangelism, but there will be some time set-aside for sightseeing. Remember though, you are going as an evangelist, not a tourist.
I heard that I have to write a short testimony on my experience, is that true?
Yes. Since the trips are heavily subsidized by sponsors (such as The Quiet Hour, etc.), you will need to write a 250-500 word testimony about your experience before the campaign ends. This should be submitted (with a few photos) to the Evangelistic Resource Center's email at erc@southern.edu as soon as you arrive back to the States.