Frequently Asked Questions
What makes OB different from other mission trips?
What is the cost for OB 2010?
What does that cost include?
What is not included in the OB cost?
Where do the OB leaders come from?
How many are on a team?
When do you divide the teams?
Can I request to be on a certain team?
Where do students sleep when on tour?
What do you do to safeguard students on Operation Barnabas?
Is there a luggage limit and how much can I pack?
Am I able to bring my cell phone, Ipod, or computer on Operation Barnabas?
What makes OB different from other mission trips?
OB is longer than the typical 2 week mission/ministry trip. Operation Barnabas is a ministry training program because there are guaranteed experiences that will be included and can be taken back home after tour. Students will meet approximately 100 like-minded teens from all over the country, will be poured into by quality leaders, will travel to several different states, and will see ministry in urban and cross-cultural settings. At the end of the summer, each "OB" member will have experience with sharing his/her faith, puppets, music, clowning, drama, public performance, testimonies and team relationships. He/she will have learned forty verses of scripture, been a part of a discipleship group, studied a book of the Bible, and done numerous manual chores. Each young person also receives a personal evaluation from leaders while having an opportunity to learn about the joys of serving in local church ministries. He/she will know what it's like to sleep on both a floor and a bed ... eat church carry-in dinners and McDonalds ... work in inner-city as well as rural settings..
And, students will make friendships that will last a life time! Ask anyone who has gone on Operation Barnabas and they will likely tell you that some of their closest friendships started with fellow team members on their OB team! It is a summer that is life-changing for most students, as they work together, learning, serving, and being a part of something bigger than themselves.
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What is the cost for OB 2010?
We are pleased that in spite of costs going up for almost everything we buy these days, the cost for Operation Barnabas 2010 is the same as it was in 2008 & 2009 ---$3089.
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What does that cost include?
Included in the OB support cost are food, lodging, transportation during OB tour, laundry, OB syllabus, and Momentum youth conference.
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What is not included in the OB cost?
Team t-shirts (approx. cost $30), team outfit (approx. cost $60), and transportation to orientation and back home after OB tour is over.
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Where do the OB leaders come from?
Our leaders are quality adults who love the Lord, love teenagers, and are active and experienced in youth ministry. Because leaders are asked to give up seven weeks of their summer, we often have school teachers or older college students who serve on our leadership teams. Some churches release their own youth pastor to come and serve with Operation Barnabas for the summer. And we’ve had some secular companies who have allowed employees to leave their job for seven weeks and then let them come back due to the integrity and work ethic displayed by that employee!
All of our leaders have to apply, receive positive references and each has a background check. Also, all of our bus drivers are legally certified to drive.
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How many are on a team?
The typical size team is around 30 students and five adult leaders.
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When do you divide the teams?
This decision will not be made until the week of orientation. We meet as leaders after the first days of orientation to decide and will then let you know in which group you'll serve. Copies of itineraries are available on the OB website by early June and at orientation and include the addresses of where you'll serve so you can receive mail during tour.
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Can I request to be on a certain team?
Parents or youth pastors/workers are welcome to submit a written request with reasons stated for a student to be on a particular team and all requests will be read and considered. However, teams are divided very prayerfully and many factors must be considered, including guy/girl ratio, leadership potential, musical ability, and personality type so we can’t promise that all requests will be honored.
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Where do students sleep when on tour?
During orientation, students are divided by gender into six different rooms (each supervised by at least two adult leaders), where they sleep in their sleeping bags during the 10 day training period. Once tour begins, students will either be sleeping as a gender group in the church they are visiting, or else housed with a family from that host church. Each host home is asked to follow OB guidelines while housing students.
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What do you do to safeguard students on Operation Barnabas?
All leaders go thru an application process and submit to a background check.
All of our leaders go thru standardized training regarding safety issues and wise decision making. No student is ever left alone, whether in a host home situation, out canvassing the community, or assisting the church with ministry. There will always be at least two students together.
Each team has one leader who is designated as the leader responsible for the health issues on the team—leaders travel with health information that parents/guardians provided on the health form of the application. Should a health issue arise with a student, leaders will do their best to contact parents/guardians to see how they would like the situation handled.
All of our bus drivers are part of a state required standardized drug and alcohol testing program and have their Commercial Drivers License.
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Is there a luggage limit and how much can I pack?
A packing list will be posted online in the spring to guide you in what to take on Operation Barnabas. You are limited to one suitcase, one overnight case or gym bag, and one sleeping bag and pillow.
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Am I able to bring my cell phone, Ipod, or computer on Operation Barnabas?
Please leave all electronic devices at home. OB students will not be able to carry cell phones during tour and will not have email access. A blog for each team will be frequently updated with information and pictures so that parents and others interested in following the teams can know what is happening. Students are encouraged and provided opportunities to call home once a week, so having a pre-paid phone card for any long distance charges is helpful. Top...
