Missions

NRCA desires for our students to have a heart for the nations and a desire to share the truth of the gospel beyond our local community and throughout the world. Jesus calls his followers to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15). To encourage this heart for missions, NRCA requires each high school student to complete at least one mission trip prior to graduation. Students may meet this requirement by going on a mission trip with their local church (our first choice for our students), a parachurch organization, their family, or NRCA. Mission trips completed during the summer before ninth grade or later count toward the graduation requirement.

Mission trip qualifications

Three consecutive days with eight hours of work each day
Outside the local community (100+ miles away from NRCA’s campus)
Partnered with a gospel-centered ministry

Our program consists of three levels of mission trips:

Missions 101

This mission trip takes place within the continental United States for at least three consecutive days of ministry. NRCA offers at least one trip to a domestic location each year that would qualify for this level of mission trip. Missions 101 trip locations have included Florida, Kentucky, and the coast of North Carolina.

Missions 201

The second level of NRCA missions is a cross-cultural trip outside the continental United States. The NRCA-sponsored trip provides opportunities to work in orphanages, perform church services, and conduct street evangelism. Missions 201 trip locations have included Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.

Missions 301

The last tier of the missions program is the most extensive international mission trip NRCA offers and is geared toward those who show a heart for missions and ministry. The trip lasts approximately 6 to 10 days. Missions 301 trip destinations have included China, Africa, Russia, and Thailand.

Honors Credit Option

Students can earn honors credit for their senior Bible course by completing one trip within each level of our missions program and submitting an 8- to 10-page paper on their experience and how their trips shaped their worldview on missions.

Documentation

Upon completion of any mission trip, a student must complete a Mission Trip Form, signed by their trip leader, and submit it to the Spiritual Formation & Discipleship office.

Mission Trip

Form

Mission Trip Form

Mission Trip Opportunities

Our first choice for NRCA students is that they join a team from their local church on a mission trip. When that is not possible, NRCA offers two additional categories of mission trips that will also fulfill the graduation requirement: NRCA-led mission trips and independent mission trips.

NRCA fully coordinates the details of NRCA-led mission trips, from picking the location and dates to arranging ministry partnerships and scheduling travel. The Spiritual Formation and Discipleship Department plans the itinerary, selects chaperones, and coordinates meals.

Students will first hear details about each trip’s location, serving opportunities, and application deadlines in Chapel. Following the Chapel announcement, these details will be shared in the weekly News Blasts. NRCA-led trips fill up fast, so we encourage students to complete and submit their applications as soon as they are available.

NRCA offers two scheduled mission trips each year, one during Easter break and one over the summer.