Trek-X

An elite 4-year journey for the next generation missionary...the STUDENT

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Trek-X

An elite 4-year journey for the next generation missionary...the STUDENT

  Apply Now

Trek-X Explained

 

Many students who’ve been overseas on a mission trip have experienced a personal awakening that has led them to understand that they are called to a life of missions. Trek-X removes all the typical barriers, so you don’t have to wait to engage your call. This journey enables you to FINISH YOUR COLLEGE / MASTERS / SEMINARY at the online university of your choice, BE DISCIPLED by our staff, and TRAVEL THE WORLD ON MISSION.....NOW!

So, if you’re ready to change the world now without having to wait, then apply to join other 18-25 year old students from around the globe as they come together to begin an ELITE, 4-YEAR JOURNEY that will change their lives forever.

DISCLAIMER:
It's very important to know what Trek-X IS, and what it is NOT.

It is NOT:

  • a spiritual boot-camp for new believers or troubled teens
  • a college alternative for students who want to avoid the secular culture of a college campus
  • a quick path to your favorite country
  • for the faint of heart, it is real world missions immersion

It IS: an elite 4-year missionary training journey designed to train, disciple, and launch students to the nations with the Gospel, while allowing them to complete their education at the same time
Students must show maturity, a love for people & each other, a teachable spirit, respect for authority, and a confident calling to missions. Students who come for this reason will fit like a glove and have the most incredible time of their lives.

College

We have designed Trek-X with education in mind because we believe it is absolutely vital to your personal success & long-term global impact. While students are being personally discipled, and traveling the world on mission, they will enjoy the convenience and flexibility of pursuing their bachelor's/master's or seminary degree at the online university of your choice.

  Reasons to consider online education

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Top online picks:

Universities / Colleges / Seminaries

College Plus Southern Seminary
Liberty University Southeastern Seminary
Moody Bible Institute Luther Rice Seminary
This list is optional / You can attend any online university of your choice

View More Online Schools

Discipleship

Our goal is to "Launch the Next Generation Missionary" and pouring the right spiritual DNA into each student is critical to that process.

We believe Jesus' model of intentional, focused, personal discipleship that is immersed in experience and done in that context of community, is the best way for that to happen.

So, we spend two hours each morning, five days a week, reading the Word together, praying, and memorizing over 100 passages of Scripture a year. In addition, the students live in a very diverse, multi-ethnic apartment complex surrounded by unreached people groups. This allows students to be immersed in ministry on a daily basis. By using a HEAR IT, SEE IT, DO IT method of training that combines the personal time together with practical hands-on ministry, each student will gain a rich understanding and confidence in how to share Christ & plant the church. In addition, we meet with our mentor twice a month in a guys only/girls only setting where we hold each other accountable on a much deeper level.

   Download the Trek-X discipleship plan and schedule

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Missions

In addition to the daily ministry in Nashville, students will get to travel the world leading our mission teams to plant house-churches and minister to the poor and marginalized on five different continents.

All travel expenses are included in your Trek-X tuition.

Everything we do during the first two years is preparation for the last two years that students will spend overseas. That's why we house the students in multi-ethnic apartment complexes where over 70 language groups exist. By living where they live, sharing life with those who've never heard the Gospel, and serving refugees and their families on a daily basis, students perfect the skills needed to share Christ & plant the church with a compassionate heart.

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Travel

Years 1 and 2: Summers Overseas

Years 3 and 4: Live Overseas

Missions Locations

Training Plan

Trek-X program: Years 1-2 (Basic)

Discipleship Training

  • Trek-X offers a limited number of spots in order to maintain the integrity of true discipleship.
  • All students are required to stay in Trek-X housing.

Basic training lasts for 2 years and is designed to personally and intentionally disciple each one of our students. Our founder, Chris White, serves as the primary mentor for Basic Training and is excited to pour his life into each student missionary.

Basic Discipleship Training

SEMESTER STUDY BASIC TRAINING (YEAR 1) BASIC TRAINING (YEAR 2)
FALL Spiritual Foundations How to Study the Bible for Yourself Personal Evangelism/The Meta Narrative
FALL Theology/Bible The Pursuit of God/Sovereignty/Grace/Atonement Syst Theology II: Scripture/Resurrection/Eternal Security
SPRING Missions/Worldview Spiritual Leadership Church Planting Movements/World Geography
SPRING Spiritual Leadership Principles Let the Nations Be Glad/World Religions and Cults 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership

Trek-X Discipleship Plan

*When Helping Hurts (read over the summer)
**We will also do an in-depth review of each book in the Old Testament during year 1, and the New Testament in year 2. The study will provide a book-by-book outline and will include the historical background study of each book, major themes, and key biblical characters.
***Students will have access to an online language training resource that allows them to begin learning their language of choice.

Notes

  • Trek-X has been intentionally limited to clusters of 12 in order to maintain the effectiveness of true discipleship.
  • Each student will be directly responsible to their Trek-X mentor, while also remaining accountable to their accountability partner, ministry team, and their larger coed cluster of 12.
  • The Discipleship Plan is discussion-based & experience rich, not academic. (Some reading required)
  • Building relationships & starting Discovery Bible Studies among unreached people groups will be an ongoing, weekly activity challenging each student to perfect their skills in personal evangelism, starting & facilitating Bible Studies, making disciples who make disciples, while also developing a spiritual sensitivity to God's activity.
  • Each semester, Trek-X will invite a different well known Christian leader to join us during our training time, where students will have the freedom to rub shoulders and ask real questions. (ie: Pro Athletes, Famous Musicians, Pastors, Missionaries, Entrepreneurs , etc.)
  • Graduation will take place each year in Jerusalem. Each student will kneel to be commissed as a missionary in the same place King David was anointed king over Israel.

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Trek-X Location: Southeast Nashville

Nashville is the capital and the second most populous city in Tennessee . It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County , in the north-central part of the state. Nashville is a major hub for the health care, music, publishing, and transportation industries.  If you love music, you're definitely going to love Nashville Tennessee ! Although the city is rather spread out, properties are concentrated in three main areas: East Nashville Tennessee, which covers the Opryland area; Midtown Nashville, near "Music Row"; and Downtown Nashville Tennessee, which includes the business district. Founded in 1779, Nashville was originally called Fort Nashborough, in honor of acclaimed Revolutionary War hero General Francis Nash. In 1784, the community's name was changed from Nashborough to Nashville. The city became Tennessee's capital from 1812 to 1815 and was permanently established as the capital in 1843.

Nashville is also a vital transportation, business and tourism center for North America. The Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), in the state's center, comprises eight counties and over one million in population. The Nashville region's economy is diverse and mirrors the national economy. The area benefits from low unemployment, consistent job growth, substantial outside investment and expansion, and a well-trained, growing labor force.

Downtown Nashville is a unique neighborhood-not a carbon copy of suburban developments. Residences are in a wide variety of locations-large high-rise apartment buildings, small historic structures that have been renovated, and upper level units above retail or office space.  From young single professionals to "empty nesters," more and more people want the urban lifestyle that downtown Nashville offers. With high occupancy rates at existing units, developers are eying other existing buildings downtown that have great potential as residential sites.

Nashville Convention & Visitor's Bureau - Travel & Leisure magazine recently named Nashville America's Friendliest City! Learn all about Nashville, and also receive a free visitor's guide!

Metropolitan Nashville Government Website

The Gulch - This is to be the enlivened community downtown where people reside, work, interact and enjoy a contemporary lifestyle that is uniquely Nashville. Loft apartments, studios and condominiums make up the residential component of The Gulch. Whether you are looking for a true loft or a contemporary condominium, The Gulch promises to offer something that Nashvillians have yet to experience. Envision living in a neighborhood where you can visit the grocery, an art museum, and a chic boutique without getting into a car.  Nashville is also home to a large variety of locally owned & unique restaurants, 100's of incredible coffee shops, lots of ethnic food, live music being played somewhere in the city every night, and is an outdoor haven for those who are very active.  

Area Information & Recreation Links:

The following are links to sites I have found that have very useful or entertaining information about the Nashville area:

Nashville City Info - Facts and statistics about the Nashville area.

NashvilleLife.com - The online directory of everything Nashville

Hello Nashville.com - Nashville City Guide

Nashville City Search

Country Music Hall of Fame

Music Guide & Calendar

Nashville Zoo

Metro Nashville Arts Commission

Nashville Dining:

Use our Dine Site Guide to find restaurants in the Nashville area.

Area Hotels & Accommodations:

Urban Living Nashville Hotel Search - Offers a search of availability and rates for all Nashville area hotels, with discounts of up to 70%!

Nashville Rental Car Search - You can also search for a rental car in Nashville using this link.

Search Flights to Nashville - You can search for the best airfares and schedules to Nashville.

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Housing and Tuition

The Highlands Apartments

    Apartment Features
  • 1,2, & 3 bedroom apartments
  • Air conditioning/Heat
  • Utilities & wireless internet included
  • Carpet/Hardwood floors
  • Private Showers/Toilets
  • Full-size refrigerator, dishwasher
  • Electric stove, oven
  • Sink disposal
  • Laundry facilities on site (3Bedroom apts have W/D hookups)
    Property Features
  • 24hr security
  • Playground/soccer field
  • Personal grills allowed
  •  
  • NO PETS ALLOWED

The Highlands Apartments

 View Photos

All Trek-X missionaries are housed in apartments where they will enjoy biblical community in a safe, friendly atmosphere.

COST: $1300/month or $15,600/year
All payments are Tax-Deductible
TERM: 2 years
DEPOSIT: $2000 due by March 15th prior to entry
(Non-Refundable)

Trek-X Teams

Every student will operate out of four different groups. First they will choose their own accountability partner of the same sex. Second, they will serve on a coed ministry team of 3-4. Third, they will meet with their mentor in a gender-based accountability group, and finally, they will serve as a larger coed group within their overall cluster.

Each team will operate as a ministry team, serving together all throughout the school year to evangelize and plant Bible-studies in our ministry areas that will eventually become a local church. This will provide them with the hands on experience needed to lead our summer mission teams, plus it will allow them time to learn each other and gel together before serving internationally.

The teams will serve in ways that will foster a humble spirit, a servant’s heart, a love for people, and a boldness to share the Gospel.

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Things to do in Nashville

Nashville is a beautiful city of 1.5 million and has everything a large city has, yet you can drive 15 minutes in any direction and be held captive to the beautiful rolling hills, red barns, and horse farms.

Many movies have been made about Nashville. Enough books about Music City have been written to fill a bookcase. And, of course, scores of songs are dedicated to the city of music. But, while music is the lifeblood of Nashville, visitors will also find here a city of culture and history, of haute cuisine, of pro sports, outstanding academics, natural beauty and pure Southern charm. Nashville is a place where the past and the future peacefully coexist and build, one on the other, to create a destination that appeals to the interests of every visitor. This city is alive. You can feel its pulse when you walk down its sidewalks. And, fortunately, you can also hear it almost anywhere you go.

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Trex-X Program: Years 3-4 (Advanced)

Discipleship Training

Advanced training lasts for 2 years and is spent living overseas in one of our international locations. It is designed to provide hands-on real-world field experience for all Trek-Xers where they get to experience everything a career missionary would experience. As they share Christ and plant churches internationally, they will continue their online education, and their training & discipleship will also continue under the leadership of the international Trek-X mentor for that location.

*Basic Training is a prerequisite to Advanced Training
*All students are required to stay in Trek-X housing.

Advanced Discipleship Training

SEMESTER STUDY ADVANCED TRAINING (YEAR 3) ADVANCED TRAINING (YEAR 4)
FALL Foundations Making Disciples that Make Disciples Fasting & Personal Holiness
FALL Theology/Bible The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer The Attributes of God by AW Tozer
SPRING Missions/Worldview The Organic Church/Survey of Great Missionaries Training House Church Leaders
SPRING Servant Leadership The Secret: What Great Leaders Know & Do Called & Accountable by Blackaby/Global Purpose

Trek-X Discipleship Plan

Graduation will take place each year in Jerusalem, Israel. Each student will kneel to be commissioned as a missionary in the same place King David was anointed king over Israel.

Note: The graduation ceremony & trip expenses are covered by Trek-X for each graduate. Parents & family members are encouraged to join us for graduation and a tour of the Holy Land at their own expense. ($1600 plus airfare & bag fees; approx $3500)

Notes

  • Trek-X has been intentionally limited to clusters of 12 in order to maintain the effectiveness of true discipleship.
  • Each student will be directly responsible to their Trek-X mentor, while also remaining accountable to their accountability partner, ministry team, and their larger coed cluster of 12.
  • The Discipleship Plan is discussion-based & experience rich, not academic. (Some reading required)
  • Building relationships & starting Discovery Bible Studies among unreached people groups will be an ongoing, weekly activity challenging each student to perfect their skills in personal evangelism, starting & facilitating Bible Studies, making disciples who make disciples, while also developing a spiritual sensitivity to God's activity.
  • Each semester, Trek-X will invite a different well known Christian leader to join us during our training time, where students will have the freedom to rub shoulders and ask real questions. (ie: Pro Athletes, Famous Musicians, Pastors, Missionaries, Entrepreneurs , etc.)

 

  Ask a question

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ADVANCED TREK-X LOCATIONS

The last 2 years of your Trek-X journey will be spent as a team in one of our international locations (Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Kenya, Romania, Philippines, etc.) where they will continue to live as a team in a biblical community under the leadership of one of our international Trek-X Mentors. The pursuit of your college degree through online study will continue, and the personal discipling that began in Basic Training will be continued by your Trek-X Mentor in the field.

God’s answer for the world is JESUS, and his plan is THE CHURCH. That’s why our strategy is to SHARE CHRIST and START BIBLE STUDIES that grow into house churches. Our desire is to be used to start a house church movement on every continent. This phase is about immersing yourself in experience to flesh out your calling & refine your skills in personal evangelism & church planting.

You will be in areas of great spiritual & physical poverty where you will become the hands and feet of Christ to a broken world. Feeding starving children, playing with orphans, and caring for those broken & abandoned are some of the things you will do while overseas. However, planting churches that will minister Christ’s grace & healing for a lifetime is our ultimate goal in bringing about social justice to many hurting & needy people.

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Housing and Tuition

No, you won’t be living in a hut even though that would be fun. Our international housing will vary by location, but will maintain our commitment to safety, biblical community, and proximity to local conveniences.

As students adapt to their international location, they will experience varying degrees of culture shock...which is normal, but it is much better handled in the context of safety, togetherness, and pastoral oversight/wisdom from your Trek-X Mentor.

Advanced Training includes lodging, monthly meal allowance, transportation, utilities, wireless internet, and insurance. The only things not covered internationally are your personal spending, souvenirs, and any trips back home during the 2 years.

Each team will be required to video skype with our Trek-X staff in the U.S. for ministry reports, encouragement, and staff meetings each month.

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All Trek-X missionaries will be housed together in separate guy/girl facilities where they will enjoy biblical community in a safe and secure environment.

COST: $1300/month or $15,600/year
All payments are Tax-Deductible

TERM: 2 years
Basic Training is a Prerequisite

 

NOTES: Cost includes housing, monthly meal allowance, water, electricity, wireless internet, an in-country phone for calling home free of charge, transportation, liability & short-term missionary insurance, visas, Trek-X programming & all mission travel. Students will be allowed to come home during Christmas each year during Advanced Training, but at their own expense. We pay to get you to your country of service, to Jerusalem for graduation, and home from Jerusalem at the end of Trek-X.

Trek-X Teams

Every student will operate out of four different groups. First they will choose their own accountability partner of the same sex. Second, they will serve on a coed ministry team of 3-4. Third, they will meet with their mentor in a gender-based accountability group, and finally, they will serve as a larger coed group within their overall cluster.

Each team will operate as a ministry team just like they did during their first two years of Trek-X. During these last two years while living overseas full-time, they will continue serving together, working to facilitate all our short-term teams, discipling any new converts won to the Lord by our teams, and training local believers how to plant house-churches in strategic areas. They will serve as our “on the ground” missionaries.

The teams will serve in ways that will continue to foster a humble spirit, a servant’s heart, a love for people, and a boldness to share the Gospel. It will also increase their ability to problem-solve on the go, practice their forward thinking, lead groups with confidence, and make disciples who make disciples.

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Students will serve on teams internationally as they work together to share the Gospel & plant house-churches in one of our international locations.

Trek-XD

Trek-XD provides middle and high school students with the chance to be mentored by a Trek-X missionary by serving along-side their missionary mentor overseas during the summer, and receiving 9 months of personal discipleship throughout the school year.

What's included?

  • Serve 1 to 2 months overseas with your mentor during the summer
  • 4 weekend retreats to Nashville, TN to hang and serve with your mentor (travel not included)
  • Skype weekly with your mentor for an hour of reading the Bible, prayer, scripture memory, accountability, and training (2 books per year; chosen by mentor)
  • Shadowing your mentor on any possible ministry events or mission trips
  • Receive community service hours for your time on the mission field

Deadline and Cost

$3000 due by May 5 of each year

  Download Promo Card

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Worship Leaders

Attention all student worship leaders!

The worship leader's track is a very intense worship-mentoring program. It includes all the training, discipling, & international missions experiences that every Trek-X missionary experiences, but it adds the musical component as well. We believe that true worship is a vertical lifestyle pursuit of Christ which fuels a passion for missions. When we pursue Christ, we begin to see His heart...and His heart is for the world to know Him, which is missions.

If you're in college or graduating from high school, and want to be mentored as a worship leader, while traveling the world on mission, be personally discipled, and finish your degree online, then the "Worship Leader's Track" is for you.

SPACE IS LIMITED!

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Tuition and Fees

All Trek-X missionaries are housed together in separate guy/girl facilities, both in the US & abroad, where they will enjoy biblical community in a safe, friendly, and secure atmosphere. The fees listed below DO NOT include the price of online school. Your online school tuition will vary depending on the institution.

Basic: Years 1 & 2

COST: $1300/month or $15,600/year
All payments are Tax-Deductible

TERM: 2 years

DEPOSIT: $2000 due by March 15th prior to entry
(Non-Refundable)

Before entering Trek-X each Fall, new students are required to attend our fundraising seminar weekend in the Spring. There is a $100 fee to attend, plus you cover your travel expenses. We require you pay for part of the expense, so you have some skin in the game. You will walk away with all the tools necessary to fully fund your ministry before you join us in August. All students are required to have a minimum of 50% of their first year funded before entry, either through lump sum or recurring monthly commitments." Watch this video on fundraising.

Watch the video

 

NOTES: Cost includes all lodging, utilities, wireless internet, monthly meal allowance, international travel, travel insurance, training, & retreats.
Expenses such as personal medical care, medicines, gas for vehicles, cell phones, life insurance, or retirement investments, etc. are not included.

Advanced: Years 3 & 4

COST: $1300/month or $15,600/year
All payments are Tax-Deductible

TERM: 2 years
Basic Training is a Prerequisite

 

NOTES: Cost includes housing, monthly meal allowance, water, electricity, wireless internet, an in-country phone for calling home free of charge, transportation, liability & short-term missionary insurance, visas, Trek-X programming & all mission travel. Students will be allowed to come home during Christmas each year during Advanced Training, but at their own expense. We pay to get you to your country of service, to Jerusalem for graduation, and home from Jerusalem at the end of Trek-X.

NOTE: Don't let finances be a discouragement to you. If God has led you here, He will most certainly provide your funding. Plus, we provide every student with professional training on how to raise your support from experts who've raised their support for decades.

 

  Financial Policy

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Financial Aid

Finances can be a very frustrating part of missions & the college experience, but it doesn't have to be.

According to Dave Ramsey, 1 out of 4 people in the U.S. who filed for bankruptcy were college students who amassed excessive debt for college, only to realize that jobs were scarce upon graduation and the type of jobs they were receiving left them unable to maintain their payments. No one should begin their new life beyond college with $60,000-$200,000 in debt.

Biblically, we believe in avoiding debt altogether or extremely minimizing your college debt to insure personal freedom and increase your ability to serve the Lord for the long term. That’s why we’ve specifically chosen online colleges that are very feasible, and in some cases inexpensive enough to be paid as you go rather than acquiring debt. (click here for our top online school picks)

Here are some suggestions for reducing or avoiding college debt:

1. Use funds saved for college, or get a part-time job & work your way through the first 2 years of Trek-X. (You would obviously not be able to have a job while in Advanced Training overseas)

2. Raise support for the full 4 years of Trek-X. You are being trained as a missionary and will be serving as a missionary. 90% of all missionaries are funded by raising support from their church, family, peers, and friends. This is no different. Also, all students are required to show proof of attendance at a fund-raising seminar and have their first year of Trek-X 50% funded upon entry, either through lump sum payment or recurring donor commitments. (Should you be approved to serve as one of our career missionaries upon graduation from Trek-X, you're support can continue with you.) Here's a great resource on funding your ministry...”People Raising by William P. Dillon.”

Example: Trek-X fees = $1300/month or $15,600 per year

13 supporting groups/families/etc. X $100 per month = $1300/month or $15,600 annually
*Supporters can be churches, family members, Sunday School classes or small groups, friends, or anyone willing to support you through the Trek-X journey.
Download the sample Support Letter for Trek-X
Download the Trek-X Student Fund raising Packet

You are considered a missionary in training while in Trek-X; therefore, all Trek-X fees are considered a TAX-DEDUCTIBLE CONTRIBUTION to Mobilizing Students for you and your supporters.

All donations/payments/contributions to Mobilizing Students are income tax-deductible and are made with the understanding that Mobilizing Students has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds.

3. And finally, Financial Aid that is offered through your online university will allow you to receive money to cover your college tuition and Trek-X (Trek-X is simply your housing & meals portion of the aid). Once you apply and receive aid, you will use your funds to pay for college tuition, books, and Trek-X.

Try to minimize your loans to avoid debt problems beyond graduation. For those who will go on to serve as career missionaries within Mobilizing Students (based on available positions), our goal will be to help you become DEBT FREE within 3-5 years after graduation.

NOTE: Don't let finances be a discouragement to you. If God has led you here, He will most certainly provide your funding. Plus, we provide every student with professional training on how to raise your support from experts who've raised their support for decades.

 

  Financial Policy

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Frequently Asked Questions

General

What is Trek-X?
Practically speaking, Trek-X is missionary training and focused discipleship for the college student who wants to begin traveling the world NOW doing missions while accomplishing their education at the same time. If you're going to go to college or seminary, you might as well change the world in the process.
Trek-X is NOT
  • a spiritual boot-camp for new believers or troubled teens
  • a college alternative for students who want to avoid the secular culture of a college campus
  • a quick path to your favorite country
  • for the faint of heart, it is real world missions immersion
What does Trek-X mean?
“Trek” means journey. “X” is the greek letter that represents Christ in the New Testament. Therefore, “Trek-X” means “Journey with Christ”. This is what we want students to experience in its purest form.
Where did the idea of Trek-X come from?
It was birthed out of 20 years of full-time student ministry experience, student worship environments, and international mission trips where students would encounter God, be ignited & called to go, and then be confronted with the reality of how they could do this full time....NOW.
Trek-X is our bold response to the desperate need for hardcore, biblically rooted, mission-minded believers and is a blending of three primary needs with one central goal...
1. College - We believe students should finish their college NOW rather than taking years off to go through other programs or explore the world. Education is vital to the long term effectiveness of any missionary. Is it any wonder why God so powerfully used the Apostle Paul to take the Gospel to the gentiles while also using him to write 13 books of the New Testament? He was the most educated of all the apostles.
2. Discipleship - Christ’s last words on earth were to go and make disciples of all nations. (Mt. 28:18), 88% of all students who have been actively involved in their student ministries for 6-7 years are leaving the church in record numbers upon high school graduation, never to return. That screams lack of biblical discipleship!! Therefore, we have chosen to model Jesus’ form of discipleship with students. It is focused, personal, intentional, and immersed in experience. We want to grow oak trees that stand the test of time, not grass that springs up quick and fades.
3. Missions - We believe missions is the true calling of every believer. Charles Spurgeon said, “ Every Christian is either a missionary or an imposter”. Our goal is to engage students in missions all over the world, enabling them to flesh out their calling, build experiences of sharing Christ & making disciples internationally, while learning how to plant churches & lead teams around the world to do the same.

 

The end goal of all our efforts is to "Launch the Next Generation Missionary"!

Who can apply for Trek-X?
Any student who will be at least 18-25 years of age at the point of entrance and has completed high school or their GED. College graduates, transfer students, or master level students may apply also. All applicants will be screened through an interview process to determine acceptance. Once you apply, your interview will be scheduled and acceptance will be determined within 30 days of your interview.
Do you allow students to transfer in from other colleges to attend Trek-X?
Yes.
I'm graduating from college soon, and have just found out about Trek-X. Can I still apply if I'm planning on doing online graduate school/seminary or commuting locally while in Nashville?
Yes. As a college graduate you would have the option to do your masters/seminary online, or simply just focus on Trek-X. Once your bachelor’s degree is compete, there are no further educational requirements from us. Our main priority is making sure students get their Bachelor’s. Any education beyond that is recommended, but is not required. However, the same Trek-X training requirements would be required, and we would expect a higher level of leadership responsibility from you because of your age.
How long is the Trek-X training for me if I'm under 25 years of age, and yet already finished with my Bachelor's degree?
4 years, just like everyone else / 2 years in Nashville (Basic), 2 years overseas (Advanced)
However, beyond your bachelor’s degree, school is optional. At that point, you can simply focus on missions, or work on your master’s/seminary degree.
Is there an age limit for applicants?
Yes. You must be 25 years of age or younger at the point of entry into Trek-X, regardless of where you are in your education.
Can married couples go through Trek-X?
This training is for singles only and our housing dictates separate guy/girl living quarters for those in training. However, should you marry another Trek-X student upon graduation, you would be allowed to apply for career service within Mobilizing Students & serve together. We would simply arrange separate housing for you as a married couple. Email us to discuss this possibility. Tuition costs may be a little higher for married couples.
Are we allowed to date other Trek-X students while going through Trek-X?
Yes, but we discourage it for the sake of focus and to avoid the unnecessary drama. We do realize that this just might be the perfect place to find the person God has for you, and who is already on the same track spiritually. Sometimes this can’t be avoided; however, any relationship that becomes a distraction or causes inappropriate behavior will result in your removal from Trek-X. Our Kingdom mission simply cannot be compromised.
When does Trek-X begin?
Registration is open year around, meaning, you can apply at any time. Trek-X runs from Fall through Spring, requiring all students to enter in the Fall.
When is the registration deadline?
You can register for Trek-X at any time prior to entering in the Fall, but no spots are guaranteed until we have received your (non-refundable) $2000 deposit by the March 15 deadline prior to your arrival in the Fall. All sessions begin in the Fall.
Where will Trek-X be located?
Year 1-2: (BASIC TRAINING)
Nashville, TN for years 1 & 2.
Year 3-4: (ADVANCED TRAINING)
Students will live overseas at one of our international mission points where they will continue their training & discipleship under the leadership of one of our international Pastors/Team Leaders. These locations are where we send our short-term mission teams during the summer for ministry.
Eventually, we will offer Trek-X in other cities. This will give students a variety of locations to choose from, and will allow us to increase the number of students who can be trained as missionaries. However, each cluster of students will be limited to 18-24 students and a mentor couple. Although we may have hundreds of students in a single city, limiting the size of each cluster helps us insure the integrity of true discipleship.
How much does it cost & what does that cover?
Tuition and fees
How long is the financial commitment to Trek-X and what happens if I drop out?
This is a 4-year program, but we only make students sign a financial contract for 1 year at a time. The contracts run from August to end of July and cannot be broken. If a student decides they want to drop out, they forfeit all monies donated at that time, plus they are also responsible to pay the full amount of the 12 month contract. Mobilizing Students makes financial commitments each year based upon the commitments we get from students, and those commitments simply must be honored.
(PLEASE NOTE: Our policy dictates that all funds donated to Mobilizing Students stays with Mobilizing Students. They are non-refundable by IRS law because although your donor may be supporting your journey, their tax-deduction comes from them giving funds to Mobilizing Students. Refunds are viewed as laundering money through a non-profit organization to an individual which is illegal.)
Read our full Financial Policy Here.
Again, I'll work on that this week and get it to you. This is an issue we've run into with students wanting to drop out, so we're giving full disclosure and making it clear before they get here.
What about meals?

BASIC TRAINING: Each student is required to open a Wells Fargo checking account and provide us with the routing & account number, which we will then use to automatically deposit your meal allowance each month while in Nashville. Your meal allowance will be combined with the meal allowance that each of your roommates get to create your monthly food budget. You will be trained how to plan a monthly budget, a weekly menu, how to shop for your own food, and how to cook your own meals. All of this is part of the preparation and life skills needed to make it through your advanced training while overseas. Any other expenses beyond your food allowance such as medical expenses, medicines, vending, or personal spending are not included.

ADVANCED TRAINING: Yes, all living expenses, travel, supplemental insurance, meals, internet, and transportation is included. Personal cell phones, souvenirs & spending are not covered.
(A cell phone with unlimited international calling will be included in your living expenses) You will also have broadband wireless internet, enabling you to video skype with your family & friends back home.

What about transportation during Basic Training?
You are responsible for your own vehicle & gas expenses, unless you use your personal vehicle to attend a Trek-X sponsored event, at which point we will reimburse your gas. This does not apply for the Advanced Training portion of Trek-X. Your transportation is provided for while overseas in advanced training.
for getting accepted into Trek-X?
  1. Must be 18-25 years of age at the point of entry, and a High School graduate
  2. Must have an average GPA of 2.0 or higher
  3. Must have a strong walk with Christ, and understand that you are called to serve Christ as a missionary at the point of salvation
  4. Must be enrolled in college while in Trek-X until your bachelor's degree is acquired (or parents must sign a waiver otherwise); school is optional beyond your bachelor's degree
  5. Must attend our fundraising seminar prior to entrance (Held in Nashville, TN)
  6. Must have your first year of Trek-X at least 50% funded, either through a lump sum amount, by monthly recurring donations, or from supporters. (Don't worry! We'll train you how to raise your support at the fundraising weekend each Spring)
What personal expectations & time commitments are placed on Trek-X students (X’ers)?
  • All X’ers are expected to adhere to our code of biblical ethics in their public & private life
  • X’ers must also attend all Trek-X programming (6 weekly meetings, community ministry & 2 retreats per semester)
  • X'ers will be expected to give up 2 weekends per semester for retreats
  • X’ers will be expected to serve as summer staff on multiple mission trips
What does a typical day in the life of a Trek-X’er look like?
Whatever you want it to look like. You will be responsible for your college, so your college schedule will be determined by your course load & study needs. You will be a part of all weekly discipleship meetings listed above, and serving as staff on our mission trips during summers. Other than that, your time is your time, and you make your schedule. However, here’s a sample day for all you type A’s out there.
Sample Daily Schedule

Monday-Friday
8AM: Breakfast
9:30AM: Group Bible Study (Reading the Bible, group prayer, & Bible memorization)
10:30AM: Core Training (Spiritual Foundations, Bible/Theology, Missions/Worldview, Servant Leadership)
11:30AM: Dismiss
NOON: Lunch/Work/Online School
7PM: Dinner
8PM: Free time
*2 Tuesday nights per month are reserved for group worship, praying for oppressed Christians, and all the nations of the world
*2 Retreats per semester are also included to help all students get away, unplug, reflect, and relax (technology free weekends)

What supplies or equipment are required for Trek-X?
  • A Bible, Pen & journal
  • A laptop
  • A cell phone
  • A carry-on sized travel suitcase (for international travel & Trek-X retreats)
  • An inflatable air mattress (for mission trips)
  • A backpack & travel pillow
Will I have wireless internet (WIFI) in our Trek-X housing?
Yes. It will be paid for by Trek-X as a part of your monthly fee.
If I’m in college throughout the year, and involved in missions during the summer, when will I have vacation breaks?
You will have all the normal Spring, Fall and Christmas breaks that regular college students enjoy. We occasionally have mission trips scheduled during these breaks. Serving on those trips is voluntary. Summer trips are scheduled based on when we actually have teams traveling. Those dates and details are different from year to year and are worked out over the spring with your Trek-X mentor and MS trips staff.
Will I be able to come home at all during Advanced Training, or will I have to stay overseas the entire 2 years?
Yes, you will be able to come home for about 1 month if you like. This will give you a break during non-peak ministry months throughout the year (with the exception of summer), and allow you to refresh yourself emotionally, and spend time with family & friends. (This visit home is an additional personal cost & not part of your monthly tuition)

College

Do you endorse your list of recommended online colleges/universities on your site?
We do not endorse any institution because we don’t control what they do. However, we have researched each institution and feel confident recommending only those that have solid academic track records. Many are institutions where we have a personal connection with one of their faculty members. You are free to do your online college at ANY school you choose, whether we recommend it or not, Christian or secular.
Can I attend a local university, or do I have to do all my college online?
No. Because of the nature of our program, it’s mobility, and the frequent travel schedule, it would be impossible for students to commute effectively. All students will need to find an accredited university with an online degree program. Students who have already graduated with a bachelor’s degree are not required to attend college unless they want to pursue their master’s, seminary, or doctorate degree.
Can I live where I want in Nashville?
No. You must live in Trek-X housing as a part of the Trek-X community in order to remain in the program. This is required to insure the integrity of our discipleship process, accountability, and to help each student experience biblical community.
Will I receive any college credit for being a part of Trek-X?
Not at the moment. We are working to get certain schools to recognize some of the training for credit, but as of now, no. We recommend giving your particular school a copy of our syllabus once you arrive and speak to your advisor about the possibility of school credit, internship credit, or international travel credit.
Am I required to maintain a certain GPA in order to remain in Trek-X?
Yes. An average college GPA of 2.0 or higher is required.
Will I be permitted to take summer classes?
No. Your time commitments while serving out of country during the summers will make it impossible for you to keep up with studies.
Is my college tuition included in the cost of Trek-X?
No. All college tuition, books, & fees are your responsibility. Consider Trek-X to be the room & board portion of your college experience.
Can I include my Trek-X fees in my school loan?
Yes. When you apply for a school loan, the online college/university you attend will be your qualifying organization. You simply add the Trek-X cost to your loan as your room & board (living expenses as if living off campus). The loan institution will write you one check for all. You deposit that check in the bank, pay for all your online tuition & books, and then write one check to Mobilizing Students for your Trek-X fees. Visit our Financial Aid page for ways to avoid or reduce your college debt.

Discipleship

Where can I get a copy of the Trek-X Discipleship Plan?
Click here for a copy of the discipleship plan
How is the discipleship plan formatted and when will we do it?
It is cognitive, followed by experiential immersion. It is born out of Jesus’ biblical model of discipleship where He would gather His disciples together on the hillside for a time of teaching. Then he would send them out to experience it. All students will be taught in a casual setting, followed by unlimited ministry opportunities within the apartment complex where they are living. This is where they have a chance to flesh out in the real world, everything being taught during our training times.
Who will lead the discipleship time each week?
Your Trek-X mentor, along with the second year students, will be involved in leading the various training times. We want to make disciples who make disciples, and using our second year students in our training times helps us accomplish that goal of replication
What is a Trek-X mentor?
Your Trek-X mentor is your primary trainer and the person you are directly responsible to. They are employed full-time by Mobilizing Students, and their only responsibility is to disciple their students as missionaries and to engage them in evangelism & church-planting, both locally and internationally. The Trek-X mentor & his wife will serve as a couple, giving male & female students access to gender-specific counseling & mentoring.
Will I be a part of an accountability group?
Yes. Each student will choose their own personal accountability partner, a 3-4 person ministry team, and serve within the larger coed cluster of students. We strive to keep each cluster limited to a size of 12 students and their Mentor. This allows each student to play a vital role in the group, it gives each student a voice & a chance to thrive in biblical community, it allows us to personally know & disciple each student, and it creates a strong sense of family.

Missions

When and where will I get to go on mission trips?
You can voluntarily sign up to staff any of our mission trips year-round. You are required to participate in the summer missions sessions overseas during years 1 & 2.
Will these mission trips cost me anything?
No. All your missions travel is included in the cost of Trek-X. Personal spending & souvenirs will be your expense.
Is this for real or am I just dreaming?
Yes, pinch yourself because it’s real. We believe these out-of-country experiences are necessary for personal awakening, life-change, and hands-on missions training. They are simply part of the DNA of Mobilizing Students.
What will I do on these trips?
You will serve with your Trek-X team as our staff where you will lead middle, high school, & college students, who are on a short-term mission trip, to share the Gospel, and help expose them to global missions.
How will I prepare for these trips?
You will be leading Bible studies with multi-ethnic students & planting house-churches locally in your Trek-X city all throughout the year, so you will lead our teams to do what you’ve been doing all year long.
Do I have to participate in the summer mission trips?
Yes. You will serve overseas at one of our locations for 6-8 weeks, facilitating our mission teams who are coming to serve. This serves as a warm-up to your 2 years of international service.
Who will I be leading on these mission trips?
Middle, High School, and college students, their adult chaperones, and their youth pastors.

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