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FAQ

What does Push The Rock believe?

See our Mission, Vision, and Value Statements

What are the benefits of a mission trip?

The trip will be a life-changing experience that will broaden your global view of missions. It will allow you to use your God-given gifts and abilities in a specific sport to fulfill the Great Commission. Your faith will grow and be challenged as you move beyond your comfort zone. We will also come alongside a local church to help them use sports to bridge the gap into their community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Where has Push The Rock been?

God has given us the opportunity to share His message of Truth in a number of areas, including Asia, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and Central and South America.

Who do we partner with on these trips?

We partner with local churches, missionaries, and / or Christian organizations in-country to help them reach their local communities for Jesus Christ through sports.

What kinds of teams are put together?

Push The Rock sends out all different kinds of sports teams. We have sent out basketball, soccer, and volleyball teams consisting of both men and women. In the near future we will also be sending out baseball, softball and lacrosse teams. The size of the teams depends on a number of factors: the sport; whether it is a mens’ and womens’ team, a men’s team or just a women’s team; and location.

Can we send a whole team on a trip or do you only take individuals?

We would love to talk to you about taking your team somewhere. In addition to your team benefitting greatly from a trip together, there are places around the world that would love to have your team come alongside them in ministry. We also have the teams that are made up of individuals from all over. If you do have a team, please contact us about how we can best serve your team!

What are the qualifications for the team?

  • Personal relationship with Jesus Christ
  • Passion to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others
  • Desire to work with kids
  • Desire to share the Gospel through sports
  • Commitment to fulfill financial obligations for the trip
  • Commitment to prepare spiritually and physically for the trip

Is there an age requirement for the trips?

There is no maximum age requirement for a trip, but there is a minimum requirement. Applicants must be at least 15 years of age, unless accompanied by a legal guardian. Legal guardian must also apply and be accepted to the team. Any person under the age of 18 must fill out additional paperwork to be authorized by his/her legal guardian, notarized and submitted to Push The Rock before the trip.

What positions are available on a trip?

  • Players
  • Coaches
  • Athletic trainers
  • Chaplains
  • Administrators

How “good” of a player must I be to go on a trip?

There is no set requirement on the level of play for team members because we believe that God can use anyone. However, because we run daily clinics and play evening games, it is important that team members have played before and have a working knowledge of their particular sport. Tryouts are not necessary for potential team members, but references will be followed up with. The level of competition varies from trip to trip. We compete against club, pro and college level teams, thus most games would require between a strong high school and small college level of play. We do play these games at night, but our main focus remains the daily clinics.

How long does it take to process an application?

Once we have received your application, including the $100 deposit, we will contact you within 7 days to schedule a phone interview.

What is the length of a trip?

Trips run anywhere from 7 – 24 days.

What does a typical day look like?

  • 7:00 AM – Wakeup
  • 7:30 AM – Breakfast
  • 8:30 AM – 12:00PM – Clinics
  • 1:00 PM – Team Time (team devotions and worship time)
  • 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Rest
  • 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM – Clinics / Informal ministry and community service
  • 6:30 PM – Dinner
  • 8:00 PM – Evening Competition
  • Dinner may follow the evening competition depending on game time
  • Games are generally played every other night, giving us time for other informal ministry in surrounding areas, including but not limited to one-day clinics in other towns, visits to orphanages or detention centers, and activities with the local church

How long are the daily clinics that we run?

Daily clinics run for 3-5 days in each location. On a single trip we will hit mulitple locations, including often splitting our team up into multiple groups to run simultaneous clinics. We may focus on 2-3 areas and then have the opportunity to run one-day clinics in other areas.

How many games will we play on a trip?

Depending on the length of the trip, we play anywhere from 4-7 games.

Is there orientation before the trip?

Yes. The first two days of the trip are two days of orientation at the Push The Rock offices in Emmaus, PA. We bring you here to meet the rest of your team, practice together, worship together, pray together, receive cross-cultural training and prepare your heart for the ministry that lies ahead.

Is there a debriefing?

Your team leader on the field will handle the debriefing process with you. This is meant to give you a time to relax and to express your experience verbally. The debriefing time focuses on the re-entry process, how to share your experience with other and what to do with what you have learned. There is a daily debriefing at each Team Time, with the last day of the trip devoted to a complete Debriefing together.

How much does a mission trip cost?

Every trip is different depending on the destination of the team and the length of the trip. Push The Rock tries to provide the highest quality trip and experience while keeping the cost as low as possible. Check out this website for the cost of specific trips and contact the Push The Rock office with any questions.

What is included in the listed price?

Basically everything but snacks and souvenirs on the trip. In more detail, the listed price of your trip includes: application process, orientation (pre-trip weekend), team equipment, all international travel, room and board, ministry expenses, visas and medical evacuation insurance.

What is NOT included in the listed price?

The listed price does NOT include: passport fees, immunizations, your travel to and from Emmaus, PA, health insurance, and personal spending money.

How do I cover the cost of the trip?

Push The Rock team members raise support to cover the cost of their mission trip by contacting friends, family and churches through letters, phone calls and face-to-face meetings. It is important to note that there are times when a personal financial investment on the part of the team member is needed. We have seen God provide abundantly for team members just like you over the years. Once you are accepted as a part of the team, we will provide fund-raising tools and other materials to help you raise the necessary funds. We will also be praying with you throughout the process!

What airports can I fly into?

The following three airports are the best ones to fly into when coming out prior to the trip:
(1) ABE (Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton): Closest to PTR Headquarters (~15 minutes), but small and tends to be more expensive than the other two
(2) EWR (Newark International Airport in NJ): About 75 minutes from the PTR Headquarters
(3) PHL (Philadelphia International Airport): About 75 minutes from the PTR Headquarters
Once you have been accepted, you would coordinate arrival and departure time with PTR before purchasing your airline tickets to come in for training.