About Lipscomb
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a question that was not answered in the Trip Planning Guide or other sections of Team Leader Central. If so, consult the following frequently asked questions. If you have still not found an answer, please email your question to missions@lipscomb.edu. We will provide an answer and add it to this page.
TEAM FORMATION / DYNAMICS
I have a student who has signed up for our trip and paid their deposit, but they are not coming to team meetings. What advice would you give?
Remind them of the team member covenant that they agreed to upon registering for your trip. If they consistently miss team meetings and you feel as if their participation will be detrimental to the team, as a team leader you have the right to dismiss them from your team and they will not be issued a refund for their trip deposit or any money raised for their trip. Contact your missions point-of-contact prior to dismissing any team members.
FUNDRAISING
How do I track the fundraising efforts for my team?
From the Missions homepage, click on “Track Your Fundraising,” when prompted for username/password, type in missions 11 in both spots. This will take you to your team’s spreadsheet. Each participant has their individual tabs at the bottom of the main spreadsheet.
I have a student who has raised over and above the amount needed for our trip and they want to carry that money over to next year’s trip. Do you allow this?
Participants do not have an individual account within your trip or Lipscomb Missions. Their money is designated for their expenses on your trip, so therefore the money is for your trip. In a situation such as this we leave it to the team leader’s discretion. We advise that nominal amounts be rolled into the next year’s general fund. If someone has raised a substantial amount over and if they seek permission ahead of time, allowances have been made for that money to be made available to them the following year.
I have an international student going on our trip and they do not have as many networking contacts for fundraising as your typical undergraduate student. What should I advise them to do?
This is a growing opportunity for Lipscomb Missions where we are seeing more and more international students participating on our trips. Although it can seem like a challenge for them to fundraise, it really is a unique opportunity for them to get connected with those who have a heart to support missions. Contact your missions program point-of-contact for more information.
My team has money left over from this year’s trip. What happens with it?
As a team leader, you are able to use this money at your discretion with the approval of Lipscomb Missions. Typically teams that have excess funds will choose to either (a) make a donation to the ministry/community on their mission trip location or (b) rollover the funds to the next year’s trip. It is recommended that you never zero out your account balance, so that you can have funds available throughout the year for if/when ministry opportunities present themselves.
FINANCES
My team has some general shopping to do for trip supplies that will come out of our trip expenses. Does Lipscomb Missions have a tax-exempt number we can use to save money?
Yes. The University has a tax-exempt number that we have available within Lipscomb Missions for you to use strictly for trip-related expenses. Contact your missions program point-of-contact for more information.
We have had someone drop-out of our trip for unexplainable reasons and they want their deposit returned. What should I do?
Deposits are non-refundable as stated in the team member covenant when someone registers online for their trip.
PASSPORTS
Can I include my passport fees in the cost of my trip?
Yes. If you raise and above the necessary amount for your trip and keep your receipts, you can get reimbursed for the cost of your passport.
Someone just signed up for our trip last minute and needs a passport. What should we do?
To expedite a passport, allow 1-2 weeks. Find out more information on the State Dept website. Work with your missions point-of-contact to coordinate a same day turnaround at a passport issuing office in Chicago, New Orleans, etc.
A team member has applied for their passport, but it has not come in yet and our trip departure date is rapidly approaching. What should we do?
Check the status on the State Dept website. If no luck, please contact Mark Jent as soon as possible. Lipscomb Missions has contacts within U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander’s office who helps us track down last minute passport issues.
Lipscomb University Missions Program
One University Park Drive Nashville, Tennessee 37204-3951
missions@lipscomb.edu | 615.966.6049 | Ezell 238