At Lake Forest Church, we beleive that the church is not THE Missio Dei, (mission of God). The church instead exists to JOIN the Missio Dei in His love for the world.

At Lake Forest we are not called to ‘build up the church’ or ‘get people busy serving the church.’ We believe our highest purpose is to be authentic, compelling expressions of God’s love for his people and creation in order to draw people into a love relationship with the God who loves them.

To accomplish this, we seek tangible ways to express our witness of God’s love, grace, and mercy to places where spiritual and physical brokenness, poverty, and injustice exist. We believe the fullest and most obedient expression of joining Missio Dei is, within the context of a long-term relationship, serving both locally and beyond our local community.

Short-term mission trips are not just for mature Christians - or even just for Christians. However, they are spiritual-growth accelerators and will be most impactful for those who are already growing spiritually and joining the Missio Dei locally.

“On these trips, we build and repair houses and care for children. But that’s not the whole story. We are really living out our identity as ministers and messengers of God’s love. We are exploring the transformation that only comes when we join God’s mission in this world. ”
~ Director of Mission Michael Flake

Download more information about the application process.

Summer Trips at a Glance

Piedras Negras, Mexico
Saturday, June 12 - Saturday, June 19
Saturday, June 19 - Saturday, June 26
More on Piedras, Negras.

Cochabamba, Bolivia
Thursday, July 1 - Saturday, July 10
Thursday, July 8 - Saturday, July 17
More on Bolivia .

Athens, Ohio
Sunday, August 1 - Saturday, August 7
More on Athens.

How to Get Involved:

1. Begin seeking God’s direction as to what your contribution to these projects should be.
2. Attend an informational meeting on January 10, 2009 at 12:15pm at LFC. There, we will communicate specific details, purpose and plan for the trips.
3. Fill out an application online at lakeforest.org and come in for an interview. (Available January 10) Why? We feel its important that we match all applicants with an experience that is a best fit for his/her gifts and passions. Applications are due by January 31, 2010 and interviews will take place in February.
4. Visit the Missio Dei Blog to view reflections and pictures from last year’s trips.
5. If you have questions about the application process or fundraising, please contact the short-term missions coordinator Lindy Glass.