21 Jan 15 Best Mission Trip Devotionals for Summer 2026
Your mission trip packing list probably includes sunscreen, bug spray, and comfortable shoes. But what about the most critical preparation of all—preparing your heart?
A mission trip without spiritual preparation is just tourism with service projects. The difference between a life-changing experience and a forgettable week of manual labor often comes down to one thing: how deeply you engaged with God before, during, and after your trip.
We’ve spent years working with mission teams across 75+ countries, and we’ve seen the pattern repeatedly. Teams that use quality devotional resources don’t just serve better—they experience transformation that lasts long after they return home.
Whether you’re a youth pastor preparing your summer team, a college student heading overseas for the first time, or a seasoned mission leader looking for fresh resources, this guide will help you find the perfect devotional to deepen your team’s spiritual journey.
What Makes a Great Mission Trip Devotional?
Not all devotionals are created equal. After reviewing dozens of mission trip resources, here’s what the best ones have in common:
- Biblical Foundation: Rooted in Scripture, not just inspirational stories
- Practical Application: Connects biblical truth to real mission experiences
- Team Discussion: Includes reflection questions that spark meaningful conversation
- Pre/During/Post Structure: Guides you through the entire mission journey
- Cultural Awareness: Addresses cross-cultural challenges and service ethics
- Action-Oriented: Moves beyond information to transformation
With that framework in mind, here are the 15 best mission trip devotionals for your summer 2026 team.
1. Storyline Study: Discovering Your Story in God’s Global Mission
Best For: Teams wanting comprehensive biblical foundation and long-term missional engagement
Format: 8-week study with videos, discussion guides, and action planning
Cost: $24-$199 (solo to church packages)
If you’re looking for more than just a devotional—if you want your team to truly understand how their lives fit into God’s global mission—Storyline Study is the gold standard.
Unlike typical mission trip devotionals that focus on the short-term experience, Storyline takes a comprehensive approach. Over 8 weeks, your team will:
- Discover God’s heart for all nations from Genesis to Revelation
- Understand what “unreached people groups” actually means
- Identify their specific role in the Great Commission (not everyone goes—but everyone plays a part)
- Create a personal action plan for missions engagement that extends far beyond the trip
What Makes It Stand Out: This isn’t just trip prep—it’s life transformation. More than 20,000 people in 75+ countries have completed Storyline, and the results speak for themselves. Teams don’t just serve better on their trip; they become lifelong mission mobilizers.
Each week includes high-quality video teaching (15-20 minutes), discussion guides, and personal reflection exercises. The study works perfectly as pre-trip preparation (complete it in the 2 months before your trip) or as an ongoing small group resource.
Pro Tip: Use Storyline as your pre-trip training, then use one of the shorter daily devotionals (listed below) during the actual trip itself.
Where to Get It: www.storylinemissions.org/storyline-study
2. Drawing Close to God: Mission Trip Devotions (Faithward)
Best For: Teams on a budget looking for quality free resources
Format: 8-day devotional series with Scripture, reflection, and prayer
Cost: FREE
One of the best free resources available, Drawing Close to God from Faithward provides 8 days of thoughtful, Scripture-centered devotions designed specifically for mission teams.
Each devotion includes:
- A Bible passage for reflection
- Brief takeaway to guide your time with God
- Reflection questions perfect for journaling or group discussion
Why It Works: The structure is simple but profound. It doesn’t try to do too much. Instead, it focuses on helping your team draw closer to God through Scripture meditation and thoughtful questions.
Faithward also offers several other free devotional series:
- Engaging with Psalms – 10 devotions through the Psalms
- The Character of Jesus (Matthew) – 10 devotions on Christ’s character
- Stories of Service – 10 devotions on biblical models of service
- Disaster Response Devotions – 10 devotions for relief/recovery trips
Best Use Case: Download and print for your team, or read together online. Perfect for morning team devotions that are brief but impactful.
Where to Get It: www.faithward.org/short-term-mission-trip-devotions
3. God, Use Me: Devotions for Your Mission Trip (YouVersion)
Best For: Individual preparation and post-trip reflection
Format: 10-day plan (5 pre-trip, 5 post-trip)
Cost: FREE
Available on the YouVersion Bible App, this devotional addresses one of the most critical aspects of mission trips: examining your motives.
The plan is divided into two parts:
Pre-Trip (Days 1-5):
- Day 1: Check your motives (Why are you really going?)
- Day 2: Understanding your role as Christ’s ambassador
- Day 3: Preparing your heart to serve
- Day 4: Cultural humility and learning
- Day 5: Surrender and trust
Post-Trip (Days 6-10):
- Processing what you experienced
- Avoiding “savior complex” mentality
- Continuing missional living at home
- Sharing your story wisely
- Long-term engagement strategies
Why It’s Valuable: The pre-trip section forces honest self-reflection. Before you board the plane, you’ll wrestle with questions like: “Do I want to serve God, or do I just want to travel? Am I doing this to look good to others?”
This kind of heart preparation is what separates transformational trips from spiritual tourism.
Where to Get It: Download the free YouVersion Bible App and search “God, Use Me”
4. On Mission: Devotions for Your Short-Term Trip (Patric Knaak)
Best For: Leaders wanting a comprehensive devotional journal with depth
Format: 10-day devotional journal with pre/during/post sections
Cost: $12-15
Published by New Growth Press, On Mission is one of the most thorough mission trip devotionals available in print.
Author Patric Knaak (Deputy Director of Mission at Serge) draws from years of leading mission teams to create a resource that addresses real challenges:
- How to spiritually prepare when you’re nervous or scared
- Dealing with culture shock and discomfort
- Processing disappointment when ministry doesn’t go as planned
- Avoiding the “mountaintop experience” trap (wanting to stay vs. returning home)
- Translating mission trip lessons into everyday discipleship
Each devotion features:
- A passage from Jesus’ life and ministry
- Thoughtful article connecting the passage to mission trip experiences
- Journaling exercises and reflection questions
- Space to record important lessons, events, and prayers
What Leaders Are Saying: “This is the devotional I wish I’d had for so many short-term trips in the past. It’s a daily, poignant, and personal reminder that God’s mission isn’t first ‘out there’; it is first to me, in my own heart.” – Cartee Bales, MTW International Director
Best For: High school students through adults. Works for both individual study and group devotions.
Where to Get It: New Growth Press or Amazon
5. Therefore Go: Mission Trip Devotionals (Servant Life/YM360)
Best For: Youth groups and student mission teams
Format: 4-week interactive journal with devotions focused on Paul’s missionary journeys
Cost: $10-12
If anyone knew about missions, it was the Apostle Paul. Therefore Go walks students through Paul’s example with interactive journaling and age-appropriate devotions.
The 4-week structure covers:
- Week 1: Prepping for Your Mission – Spiritual preparation before you leave
- Week 2: On Mission – Daily devotions while serving
- Week 3: Reflecting on the Mission – Processing what God showed you
- Week 4: Your Mission Moving Forward – Applying lessons to life at home
Why Students Love It: The journal format gives teens a place to process their experiences. It’s not just reading—it’s engaging, writing, thinking, and growing.
The language is accessible without being dumbed down. It treats students as serious disciples while meeting them where they are developmentally.
Pro Tip: Order these for your team a month before your trip. Have students complete Week 1 before you leave, use Week 2 during the trip, then finish Weeks 3-4 together in your first few youth group meetings after returning.
Where to Get It: www.servantlife.com
6. The Hands and Feet of Jesus (YouVersion)
Best For: Pre-trip team preparation (14-day plan)
Format: 14-day devotional plan on the YouVersion app
Cost: FREE
Created by MissionExcellence, this YouVersion plan focuses specifically on what it means to be “the hands and feet of Jesus” in practical, everyday mission contexts.
The 14-day pre-trip format allows teams to:
- Study together in the weeks leading up to departure
- Build team unity through shared Scripture reading
- Discuss expectations, fears, and hopes
- Establish a foundation of service rooted in Christ’s example
Best Use Case: Assign this as “homework” 2 weeks before your trip. Have team members read individually, then discuss together at your final pre-trip meeting.
Where to Get It: Search “The Hands and Feet of Jesus” on the YouVersion Bible App
7. Mission Trip Checkup: A Prescription for Spiritual Health (Blessings International)
Best For: Teams going AND teams returning (all phases)
Format: 9-day devotional plan designed for all mission team types
Cost: FREE on YouVersion
What sets this devotional apart is its medical theme—treating your mission trip like a spiritual health checkup. Each devotion addresses a different aspect of spiritual wellness:
- Diagnosis: Where are you spiritually right now?
- Prescription: What does God’s Word say about it?
- Treatment: How do you apply this truth?
- Follow-up: What will you do to maintain spiritual health?
The 9-day structure works for teams before they go, teams currently serving, or teams that have recently returned and need to process their experiences.
Bonus: Blessings International also offers free downloadable video series covering practical aspects of preparing, going, and returning from mission trips.
Where to Get It: Search on YouVersion or visit blessingsinternational.org
8. CRC Network Service Team Devotions
Best For: Teams wanting meaty, discussion-heavy devotions
Format: 10-11 day devotional series with extensive reflection questions
Cost: FREE (downloadable PDFs)
The Christian Reformed Church Network offers several comprehensive devotional resources designed by experienced mission leaders.
What makes these stand out:
- Theologically rich without being academic
- Discussion questions that go deep (not surface-level)
- Multiple series to choose from based on your trip focus
- Completely free to download and share
Available resources include:
- Service Team Devotions – 11-day series for any mission context
- Group Meditations – 10-day series with theological depth
- Seeing the Poor – Single devotion on poverty and justice
- Justice, Not Charity – Examines attitudes toward the poor
Best For: College students, adults, and mature high schoolers who want to wrestle with deeper theological questions.
Where to Get It: CRC Network Resources
9. One Week of Group Mission Trip Devotionals (Praying Pelican)
Best For: Teams serving for one week who want daily structure
Format: 7-day devotional series based on the book of Joshua
Cost: FREE
Praying Pelican Missions offers a week-long devotional series that walks through Joshua’s leadership and challenges teams to consider their own faithfulness to God’s calling.
Each day addresses key mission trip themes:
- Obedience to God’s calling
- Trusting God in uncertain situations
- Seeking God’s wisdom before making decisions
- Leading others faithfully
- Finishing strong and leaving a legacy
Discussion Questions Include:
- How are we inquiring of God on a consistent basis?
- What challenges are we experiencing right now?
- How are we making a mark in others’ lives?
- Do people see us being faithful to Jesus?
Where to Get It: www.ppm.org/mission-trip-resources
10. Before You Pack Your Bag, Prepare Your Heart (Cindy Judge)
Best For: Comprehensive pre-trip preparation guide
Format: Workbook combining instruction, Bible study, and journaling
Cost: $15-18
Called “the best-selling book of its type,” this workbook by Cindy Judge is less a devotional and more a complete preparation curriculum.
It weaves together:
- Biblical teaching on missions
- Practical trip preparation advice
- Personal reflection exercises
- Cultural sensitivity training
- Spiritual formation practices
Teams typically work through this together in the 4-6 weeks before departure, using it as a comprehensive training manual rather than a daily devotional.
What Makes It Valuable: It doesn’t just prepare your heart—it prepares your mind, your expectations, and your understanding of what it means to serve cross-culturally without causing harm.
Where to Get It: Available through STEM International and Christian bookstores
11. Short-Term Missions Workbook: From Mission Tourists to Global Citizens (Tim Dearborn)
Best For: Teams serious about ethical, effective mission work
Format: Comprehensive workbook for before, during, and after
Cost: $18-20
Tim Dearborn’s workbook addresses the elephant in the room: not all mission trips are helpful, and some can actually cause harm to the communities they intend to serve.
This resource helps teams:
- Move from “mission tourism” to genuine partnership
- Understand power dynamics in cross-cultural service
- Serve in ways that empower rather than create dependency
- Think critically about motivations and methods
- Develop long-term missional mindset
Why It Matters: Your team will grapple with hard questions: Are we helping or hurting? Is this about us or them? What happens after we leave?
These conversations are uncomfortable but essential for teams that want to serve with wisdom and humility.
Where to Get It: STEM International or Christian retailers
12. rfour.org Mission Trip Devotions
Best For: Leaders who want ready-to-read devotions with no prep
Format: 7-day devotional with morning and evening sections
Cost: FREE (downloadable PDFs)
These devotions from rfour.org are designed for maximum ease of use. Each day’s devotion is structured so the leader can simply print it out and read it to the group.
Format:
- Morning section: 15 minutes, simple and focused
- Evening section: 45 minutes, more in-depth discussion
- ASK and TELL format: Questions followed by teaching points
- Bible story-centered: Each day focuses on a different biblical narrative
Best For: New leaders who aren’t confident leading devotions, or experienced leaders who want a reliable resource that requires minimal preparation.
Where to Get It: rfour.org/mission_trip_devotions
13. 5 Easy Devotions for Your Mission Trip (Mission Discovery)
Best For: Teams wanting simple, focused devotions on key themes
Format: 5 thematic devotions covering essential mission trip topics
Cost: FREE
Mission Discovery offers five devotions that get straight to the point:
- Love and Service (Romans 12:9-14) – The foundation of all mission work
- Unity in the Team – Working together despite differences
- Patience in Ministry (Galatians 6:9-10) – When you don’t see immediate results
- Humility in Service – Serving in the “upside-down Kingdom”
- Faithfulness in Small Things – Your role in God’s bigger story
Each devotion includes Scripture, brief teaching, and practical application questions.
Why It’s Useful: Sometimes simple is better. These devotions can be read in 10-15 minutes but provide plenty of discussion material for teams that want to go deeper.
Where to Get It: www.missiondiscovery.org
14. Pre-Trip Devotions (Group Mission Trips)
Best For: Youth groups using Group Mission Trips organization
Format: Interactive pre-trip devotions with games and activities
Cost: FREE
If your youth group is traveling with Group Mission Trips, they provide free pre-trip devotional resources designed to build team unity and spiritual readiness.
These devotions include:
- Team-building games and icebreakers
- Interactive activities that illustrate spiritual concepts
- Discussion questions tied to the year’s theme
- Prayer and reflection time
The format is engaging for middle and high school students—combining fun, learning, and spiritual growth in ways that keep teens interested.
Where to Get It: Group Mission Trips Resources
15. Create Your Own Custom Devotions
Best For: Experienced leaders wanting personalized resources
Format: DIY using Bible study guides and reflection questions
Cost: FREE (your time and effort)
Sometimes the most powerful devotions are the ones you create yourself. Here’s why: they’re rooted in YOUR walk with God, tailored to YOUR team’s specific needs, and connected to YOUR unique mission context.
How to Create Your Own:
- Choose a Book of the Bible – Philippians, John 17, Sermon on the Mount, or the “one another” verses work well
- Use Inductive Bible Study Questions:
- What does this passage say? (Observation)
- What does it mean? (Interpretation)
- How do I apply it? (Application)
- Connect to Mission Context: Add questions like “How does this passage relate to what we’re doing this week?” or “What would it look like to live this out in our service today?”
- Rotate Leadership: Have team members take turns leading devotions. This distributes responsibility and gives everyone a voice.
Pro Tip: Combine this approach with one of the free resources above. Use a structured devotional for most days, then have team members create their own for 1-2 days of the trip.
Resource Recommendations:
- YouVersion Bible App – Free access to multiple translations
- BibleGateway.com – Searchable Bible with commentary
- The Traveling Team – Free missions-focused Bible study guides
How to Choose the Right Devotional for Your Team
With 15+ quality options, how do you decide? Ask these questions:
1. What’s Your Timeline?
- 6-8 weeks before trip: Use Storyline Study for comprehensive preparation
- 2-4 weeks before: Use “Before You Pack Your Bag” or “Therefore Go”
- During the trip: Use daily devotionals like Faithward or Mission Discovery
- After the trip: Use “God, Use Me” (days 6-10) or custom debrief questions
2. What’s Your Budget?
- $0 budget: Faithward, YouVersion plans, CRC Network, rfour.org
- $10-15 per person: “On Mission,” “Therefore Go”
- $24+ per person: Storyline Study (includes videos, leader guides, coaching)
3. What’s Your Team’s Maturity Level?
- Middle/High School: “Therefore Go,” Group Mission Trips resources, simpler devotionals
- College/Young Adults: “On Mission,” Storyline Study, Tim Dearborn’s workbook
- Adults: CRC Network devotions, Storyline Study, custom Bible studies
4. What’s Your Mission Focus?
- Disaster relief: Faithward’s Disaster Response Devotions
- Local/domestic missions: Faithward’s SENT Local series
- International cross-cultural: Storyline Study, Tim Dearborn’s workbook
- Any context: “On Mission,” Faithward’s Drawing Close to God
Our Top 3 Combinations
Most effective teams don’t use just ONE resource—they combine several for maximum impact:
The Comprehensive Approach:
- Pre-Trip (8 weeks before): Storyline Study – Build biblical foundation
- During Trip (daily): Faithward’s Drawing Close to God – Short morning devotions
- Post-Trip (2 weeks after): God, Use Me (days 6-10) – Process and apply
The Budget-Friendly Approach:
- Pre-Trip: The Hands and Feet of Jesus (YouVersion) – 14 days before departure
- During Trip: Faithward or Mission Discovery – Free daily devotions
- Post-Trip: Create your own debrief questions using mission trip Bible verses from articles like this
The Student Ministry Approach:
- Pre-Trip: Therefore Go (Week 1) – Interactive journaling
- During Trip: Therefore Go (Week 2) – Daily team devotions
- Post-Trip: Therefore Go (Weeks 3-4) – Youth group processing
Beyond Devotionals: Complete Spiritual Preparation
Even the best devotional is just one piece of your team’s spiritual preparation. Don’t forget these other essential elements:
1. Pre-Trip Prayer Strategy
Start praying as a team at least 6-8 weeks before departure:
- Pray for the community you’ll serve
- Pray for local ministry partners
- Pray for team unity and spiritual growth
- Pray for open hearts to receive what God wants to teach you
Resource: Check out 7 inspiring Bible verses for mission trips to guide your prayer time.
2. Cultural Preparation
Spiritual preparation without cultural preparation leads to well-meaning harm. Make sure your team learns:
- Basic cultural customs and etiquette
- Key phrases in the local language
- History and current events of the region
- How to serve with humility, not superiority
Resource: Read our guide on 10 Essential Resources to Help You Prepare for Your Mission Trip
3. Team Covenant
Create a team covenant that outlines:
- Communication expectations
- Conflict resolution process
- Social media guidelines
- Service standards
- Spiritual commitments
4. Personal Testimony Preparation
Help team members prepare their faith story in 3 minutes or less:
- Life before Christ
- How you came to faith
- Life since following Jesus
After the Trip: Don’t Waste Your Experience
Here’s the hard truth: most mission trip transformations fade within 2-3 weeks of returning home.
Why? Because teams don’t have a plan for sustained engagement.
To make your mission trip impact last:
1. Schedule a Debrief Within One Week of Return
Gather your team to process:
- What did God teach you?
- What surprised you?
- What challenged your assumptions?
- How will you live differently now?
2. Create Ongoing Mission Engagement
- Continue supporting the ministry/community you served
- Share updates with your church/small group
- Pray regularly for the people you met
- Look for missions opportunities in your own city
This is where Storyline Study really shines – it doesn’t just prepare you for one trip; it equips you for a lifetime of missional living.
3. Plan Your Next Step
Don’t let the momentum die. Within 30 days of returning, decide:
- Will you return to the same location next year?
- Will you recruit others to join future trips?
- Will you increase your financial support for global missions?
- Will you commit to prayer partnerships with missionaries?
Final Thoughts: The Devotional Is Just the Beginning
The right devotional can transform your mission trip from a week of service into a catalyst for lifelong discipleship.
But here’s what we’ve learned after training 20,000+ mission mobilizers in 75+ countries:
Information doesn’t change lives. Transformation does.
You can read the best devotional ever written, but if you don’t:
- Engage honestly with the questions
- Allow the Spirit to challenge your motives
- Wrestle with hard truths about yourself and God’s mission
- Take action on what you’re learning
…then it’s just words on a page.
So whatever devotional you choose—whether it’s Storyline Study, a free Faithward resource, or something you create yourself—commit to engaging with it fully.
Your team, your ministry partners, and the communities you serve deserve your best.
And your best starts with a heart prepared to meet God in unexpected places, humble enough to learn, and willing to be transformed.
Ready to Start Your Mission Journey?
If you’re looking for comprehensive mission trip preparation that goes beyond a single trip and equips your team for lifelong missional engagement, we’d love to help.
Check out Storyline Study and discover how your story fits into God’s global mission. Over 20,000 people in 75+ countries have already experienced the transformation.
And if you want more practical resources for your upcoming trip, explore our other mission preparation guides:
- 10 Essential Resources to Help You Prepare for Your Summer Mission Trip
- 7 Inspiring Bible Verses for Your Next Mission Trip
- 7 Motivating Bible Verses for Church Mission Trips
- 25 Bible Verses for New Year’s Resolutions
May God bless your mission journey, and may it be just the beginning of a life lived on mission.