How to Build a Student Missions Program That Lasts

Student missions can start to feel like an event on the calendar instead of a way of life. In this episode of the Road to Elevate, Evan Kunz sits down with Billy Mahaffey, our student minister for groups and leadership, to talk about what it actually takes to build a student missions strategy from the ground up, from budgeting and choosing the right partners to helping students carry what they learn on a trip back into their everyday life. This is a preview of their full breakout session at the Elevate Church Conference on September 21 and 22, 2026.In this episode, you’ll learn:Why starting with the "why" matters more than starting with logistics, and how to help students see missions as part of following Jesus rather than a separate activityHow the post-COVID years reset a lot of the missions culture in student ministry, and what it takes to rebuild itWhy Gen Z and Gen Alpha students often think of "sharing the gospel" as street apologetics, and why that definition needs to be reset earlyWhat to look for in a long-term mission partner, and why the same site for years can matter more than a new destination every summerHow to bring parents into the process, not just for safety and logistics, but for their own spiritual investment in their student's tripWhy taking students outside their own city can actually help them live on mission inside itWhat it really looks like behind the scenes, budget surprises, lodging problems, and all, when a mission strategy is still being builtMeet the GuestsEvan Kunz serves as student minister at Brentwood Baptist, where he has spent several years working alongside Billy to build missions into every part of the student ministry's discipleship strategy.Billy Mahaffey serves as student minister for groups and leadership at Brentwood Baptist, where he has led mission teams to Greece, England, and, most recently, Zimbabwe.Register for the Elevate ConferenceThis episode is part of our March focus on worship ministry, leading up to Elevate Church Conference on September 21–22, 2026. Learn more and register at elevatechurchconference.com.