Group Mission Trips Resources
Group Mission Trips is driven by our commitment to provide the best possible experience for all participants in a safe and secure environment. We require the following:
Requirements:
All participants that are age 18 or older, who are registered for a Group Mission Trip event, must submit to a national background check and have authorization from the pastor submitted to Group Mission Trips at least 30 days before the event starts.
Administration of the required background check is the sole responsibility of the participant or their church. The background check must be conducted by a qualified service provider and include the following minimum criteria:
- Multi-State Criminal Record/Sexual Offender
- Search Social Security or Identity Verification
Retention Of Records:
The church must keep a copy of the background check on file for six years from the date of the event. This requirement meets the statute of limitations in the State of Colorado for filing a civil claim of child sexual abuse. The documentation is to be available if any allegation or charge of misconduct is made against the participant while on the Group Mission Trip. This requirement is in place whether or not the participant or the church participates in a Group Mission Trip event again.
Authorized Signature:
Group Mission Trips requires the lead pastor, or an authorized ministry leader of the church, to authorize that screening has been done for each adult. No one may complete an authorization for themselves. Every authorization must be done at least 30 days before the event starts.
Adult Leader Disqualification:
For the sake of participating as an 18 or older participant at a Group Mission Trips event only, the following behaviors discovered in a background check will automatically disqualify a person without review or recourse:
- Having any traits or tendencies that could pose any threat to children, youth, or others
- Sexual misconduct including crimes resulting in conviction
- Violence against another person resulting in a felony conviction within the last 10 years
- Use/distribution of illicit drugs or controlled substances resulting in conviction in the last 10 years
- Property crime resulting in conviction in the last 10 years
We cannot make exceptions to this requirement for any reason, including testimonies of miraculous rehabilitation. The church is not obligated to report specific findings to Group Mission Trips. Other infractions that may show up on a background check will not necessarily disqualify a person by our standards. Call GMT if there are any questions about the suitability of a participant to attend.
Age Of Documentation:
Group Mission Trips requires that multi-state background checks on file at the church be no older than two (2) years old (from the start of the mission trip) for active 18 and older participants. Participants with background checks on file that are older than two years must submit to a new check. The completion of the screening authorization from the lead pastor, or an authorized ministry leader of the church, includes an acknowledgment that, to the best of their knowledge, none of the infractions that would disqualify a participant (see above) have occurred since their last background check.