The purpose of Discovery Weekend is to give you a place to listen and “discover” your next step in missions. You will be in a retreat setting with other students from across Texas who also have a heart for missions. Discovery Weekend will include great worship and teaching times, small group interaction, a mission fair and your individual interview. Our goal is to get to know you well so that we can place you in a mission position that is the right next right step for you in missions.

There will be a late interview for students who are unable to attend Discovery Weekend. However, you will only be considered for positions not filled at Discovery Weekend.

Begin with prayer. Ask God to open your heart and mind to the people he is calling you to. Say “yes” to Him, before you know the “who, what or where” of your service. In Isaiah 6:8 it says, “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’" Isaiah said “yes” without knowing any of the details! After you say “yes,” begin to think about “who, what, and where.”

Who?

God calls us to people not places. Are you called to reach children, college students, those living in poverty, those who have never heard? What group do you have a passion to reach for Christ?

What?

Begin to think about the gifts, abilities and experiences the Lord has given you. These can be indications of the type of ministry for which God has already prepared you. Then think about how you can use these gifts to reach the group for which you are most passionate.

Where?

The location is the least important part of your mission position. Would you be just as willing to minister to the African immigrant in New York City as you would be to minister to them in Senegal? Or would you be just as willing to feed the homeless in Calcutta, India as you would be to feed the homeless in Houston, Texas? With all of this in mind, begin to prayerfully read through the list of opportunities. Let the Spirit lead you to the opportunities that best fit your passions and gifts. You will list three positions on your application. At Discovery Weekend you will have a chance to read more details about the mission opportunities you see on the positions list. At the conclusion of Discovery Weekend, you will list your top three choices. Then, the Go Now Missions committee will meet to place students in positions that fit their passions and gifts.

The primary purpose of a local interview is to offer support and encouragement as you seek God's best for you in exploring mission opportunities. The interview is a chance for you to verbalize your sense of God's direction and where you are in your personal spiritual growth and ministry. Also, the local committee ensures you meet the qualifications. The interview is not an opportunity to "trap” or “trick" you and keep you from serving, but rather to have another group of people involved in your support.

The needs list will indicate college hours needed and any other special requirements for each position. The number of hours listed is credit hours received AFTER high school graduation.

Yes. College graduates may apply up to 6 months after graduation. Current graduate and seminary students are also encouraged to apply.

Yes! Many Go Now Missionaries reapply. If you completed your original application less than 1 year ago, contact the Go Now Missions office for details about an abbreviated application. If you applied more than 1 year ago, you will need to complete all parts of the application process again.

Go Now Missions is predominantly for college students who have completed high school. However, a few of the positions on the needs list are open to High School graduates who are enrolled in college in the fall.

Length of service varies for each type of project. The specific dates for each location are indicated on the positions list. Generally:

• Summer Missionaries serve 8-10 weeks between the end of May and early August.
• Impact Team Missionaries serve 2-4 weeks between the end of May and early August.
• Semester Missionaries serve 4-10 months.
• Camps Missionaries serve 10 months between mid July and mid May.
• Christmas Break Missionaries serve 10-21 days between mid December and mid January.

Opportunities are available for non-Baptist students, too. If a project is for Baptist students only, it is indicated on the list of opportunities. Students who are not members of Baptist churches must be active in their campus Baptist Student Ministry.

Now! The sooner the better! Don’t surprise them the day your application is due. Remember that your parents are taking a step of faith too. You need to give them time to think and pray about your decision. If parents have questions they are free to call the Go Now office. You might also point them to the parent page of this web site.

Most likely, yes. In some instances there may be a team of students assigned together. A few positions are without a partner. If your partner is also a Go Now missionary, you will receive their contact information after Discovery Weekend. Sometimes you will be partnered with students from other states. In some cases, an adult coordinator also accompanies the team.

You will find the required fundraising amount listed for each position on the positions list. You only have to raise a portion of the total cost of your trip. BSM's all across the state work hard throughout the year to raise funds to offset the additional cost. Fellow Texas students are sending you on mission!

Every student who serves as a Go Now missionary is asked to enlist at least 25 Partners in Missions. Partners in Missions are friends, church members and family members who agree to support you through prayer, encouragement, and/or financially.

All costs for transportation to and from the field of service, meals, lodging, local transportation, insurance, orientation & debriefing materials, visas, and required immunizations are covered. Your passport application fee is not paid for by Go Now.

No. You will receive lots of eternal benefits but no direct salary. All basic expenses are paid by Go Now Missions: travel, food, lodging, insurance, and personal supplies. The only additional money you will need will be for sightseeing, souvenirs, long distance phone calls, internet use, etc.

Go Now Missions will handle all travel arrangements.

Go Now Missions provides insurance coverage for all student missionaries. If a student already has major medical coverage, we will provide secondary and accidental insurance coverage. If a student has no medical coverage, we will provide a limited primary insurance policy for the time of service. For all students serving outside of the USA, Go Now will provide comprehensive medical and accidental insurance.

Go Now Missions staff are available to parents and students at any time. If for some reason there is an emergency at home or on the field, we are always able to communicate with the students and will do whatever is necessary in that particular situation.