Tim Schmoyer | Online Missions Trip

Author Archives for Tim Schmoyer

Facebook app to use during the Online Missions Trip

During the Online Missions Trip, the Xtreme Bible Study Facebook app will be updated every day with both a Bible study and 3-minute audio podcast Bible study geared specifically toward your unsaved friends.

Invite your unsaved friends to add the app and check out the daily short Bible study and the 3-minute Xtreme Bible Study audio podcast. Use it to spark conversations about Christ and allow them to have learn a bit more about what Christianity is all about.

And even after the missions trip is over, use the app and the daily podcasts to stay in the Word yourself!

Here’s a download of the Bible studies that will be coming up over the next two weeks during the Online Missions Trip:

Online Missions Trip Bible Studies

(The Xtreme Bible Study Facebook app was written by Tim Schmoyer. Bible studies are written and recorded by Xtreme Talk Live, an international youth ministry based in Nashville, Tennessee.)

Written on 30 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under New Resources with 2 Comments
Tagged with Bible Study, Facebook App

Radio interviews about the Online Missions Trip

I lost count of how many radio interviews I did about the Online Missions Trip, but it was a lot. For about a week or two I was doing several of them every day.

This first recording is an interview that aired several times on the Pilgrim Radio Network in Nevada, Wyoming, and Montana.

This second recording is an interview that aired on Moody Radio’s Prime Time America.

I find it interesting that Christian radio stations edit out any references I make to World of Warcraft, Xbox Live, or other social online gaming. Editing it out doesn’t detract from the message of the trip at all, but people in those online places need Jesus just as much as the people on Facebook, MySpace or YouTube do. I’m not saying teens should create a WoW account or sign up for Xbox Live for this trip — I’m just pointing out that it’s another place to share your faith with people online if you’re already in those places anyway.

NOTE: If you’re viewing this in an email or RSS reader, you may need to visit this post directly in order to listen.

Written on 28 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Trip Updates with No Comments

Starting this Sunday! Woo hoo!

Just sent this message out to our Facebook group:

Hey guys! As you know, the Online Missions Trip officially starts this Sunday, on Super Bowl Sunday (if you’re in the US). There’s a forum discussion started in our Facebook group about it. Are you using the Super Bowl to share Christ with your friends? Discuss it here.

Also, don’t forget to pray for this experience. The ONLY way anything good will come out of it is if the Lord is working through it, not because of our own human efforts. That’s why it’s so critical that we spend time in prayer about it, asking Him to move, to work, and to prompt those spiritual conversations with our friends. If you haven’t committed to pray for a time slot in the 24/7 Prayer Room yet, check it out.

I’m really excited about the Kingdom impact you all are going to have! Eternity will be impacted! There are well over 3,000 teenagers participating, with almost every continent on earth represented. You all are a part of a huge movement where God will use you to change lives forever! How mind-blowing is that?!

If you need any info, tips, or anything else about this trip, check out our website: OnlineMissionsTrip.com

Written on 26 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Trip Updates with 1 Comment
Tagged with prayer

A FREE new believer follow-up book

TheSource4YM.com has a free book available for download called, “Welcome to the Family,” by Youth for Christ. It’s 6 chapters long and would work perfectly for introducing a new believer to their faith in Christ. It works best in a one-on-one format, but it could also be used in a small group. Download it from TheSource4YM.com.

Of course, there are several other good options for new believer follow-up here at OnlineMissionsTrip.com.

Written on 23 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under New Resources with No Comments

Check out this youth group who are doing the Online Missions Trip

Elevate Student Ministries is one of the youth groups joining us on the Online Missions Trip. Their youth pastor, Shawn Shoup, made this video to promote it with their youth group:

(If you’re viewing this message in an email, see the video on their youth group’s Online Missions Trip page.)

They also have a Online Missions Trip registration form that they’re using with their group. Hadn’t really thought of doing that before. Cool idea!

They’re also integrating some cool things with their pre-trip training, like a parent/teen Internet workshop training. Great ideas! You can download their missions trip registration form and see more details of their plans for the Online Missions Trip here.

Written on 16 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Ideas with 1 Comment

Want to be interviewed about your participation in the trip?

The Online Missions Trip is getting a decent amount of press coverage. There are some radio shows, magazines and online news sites that would love to interview youth pastors whose churches are participating in this “missions trip to Facebook.” Since your church registrations are confidential and there’s no way I’d turn your contact information over to a third-party, I’ll let you guys opt in to this instead. If you’re interested in being available for interviews, please comment below and I’ll be in touch with you for more information.

Thanks guys!

Written on 15 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Trip Updates with 7 Comments

FREE youth ministry mentorship application is now open!

If you’ve been in youth ministry for 2 years or fewer, the Youth Ministry Mentorship application is now open for you! Apply for a FREE mentorship where you and a youth ministry veteran will talk one-on-one every week for 10 weeks. Plus, get $300 worth of resources for free, thanks to Lifeway Students.

We believe in you and all the wonderful investments you make into the lives of teenagers. Here’s an opportunity for a youth ministry veteran to invest into you.

See more details about the mentorship here.

Written on 12 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Other Opportunities with 3 Comments

Pre-trip training starting next week

I just sent this message out to everyone in our OnlineMissionsTrip.com Facebook Group. Thought I’d include it here for everyone else, too.

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Hey everyone! Welcome to the OnlineMissionsTrip.com Facebook Group! It’s been fun to see how this group has grown as momentum for February 1-14 picks up steam.

To give you a sense of what this “missions trip to Facebook” has grown to, there are youth groups from all over the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and even a group from Bermuda that have officially registered at OnlineMissionsTrip.com, accounting for almost 2,000 teenagers! That’s AMAZING! Keep spreading the word, guys!

My group is kicking off our three weeks of pre-trip training this Sunday. There’s plenty of resources available for pre-trip training for your group.

In fact, if you’d like, here’s the lesson I used with my youth group to discuss the Great Commission and introduce the Online Missions Trip.

A student who’s going on this trip with you had the great idea of sending out support letters for the missions trip, not to raise money, but to raise prayer support. Read more about it on our Facebook group’s discussion forum.

And finally, remember to get yourself and/or your youth group signed up for the 24/7 Prayer Room. This missions trip will only make a difference in your friends’ lives if it is saturated in prayer and the Lord is working and moving. I’d LOVE to see this trip covered in prayer for two-weeks straight, 24 hours a day. Check out the 24/7 Prayer Room.

If you have any comments, ideas, questions or whatever, feel free to post it here in this group.

Have fun starting your pre-trip training this week! The Lord is going to use you guys to make an incredible impact for Him. Woo hoo!

Written on 07 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Trip Updates with No Comments
Tagged with prayer, pre-trip training

An idea for sending missions trip support letters

Over on our Facebook group, Hannah Nooshin suggested the idea of sending out support letters just like you would if you were going on a “normal” missions trip, except instead of asking for financial support, ask for prayer support. This is a great idea! In fact, you can even ask people to sign up in our 27/4 Prayer Room and claim a couple time slots to help saturate this missions trip in prayer.

If you haven’t yet joined our Facebook group, be sure to check it out and meet some of the other people joining you on the Online Missions Trip.

Written on 02 January 2009 by Tim Schmoyer under Ideas with 3 Comments
Tagged with prayer

Free youth group lesson on the Great Commission

Last Friday Life In Student Ministry posted a free Bible lesson you can download and use with your youth group. It discusses the Great Commission and introduces the Online Missions Trip.

It also has an idea of how to use Nickelback’s music video, Savin’ Me, too.

Check it out at timschmoyer.com

Written on 27 December 2008 by Tim Schmoyer under Trip Updates with No Comments