Contact:
Drew Dyck
Phone: 630-260-6200 x4271
E-mail: ddyck@christianitytoday.com

Christianity Today International
465 Gundersen Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188

Carol Stream, Ill., Jan. 18, 2010—Christianity Today International has launched RoundTrip Missions.com, a website designed to equip short- term mission teams for effective service while emphasizing a firm belief that mission trips should lead to lasting change, both for those who go, and for the host recipients.

Annually almost two million Americans go on short-term mission trips, sponsored by the more than 40,000 American churches, schools, and other organizations that send teams around the world. Unfortunately, statistics often show that these trips don't make a positive difference in the lives of those who go and those who are being served. RoundTripMissions.com aims to change that by helping these travelers embark on mission trips better prepared, more culturally aware, and equipped to build lasting change and relationships.

The catalyst for RoundTripMissions.com came from the groundbreaking Round Trip documentary DVD and curriculum that Christianity Today International released in early 2009. The DVD curriculum is a tool for short-term mission teams to use in preparing practically and spiritually before, during, and after a trip.

Editor Drew Dyck states, "We're taking the same core values of cultural awareness and long-term partnerships from the Round Trip DVD, and—with some of the best, most thoughtful voices from the short-term mission movement—aiming to help redefine short-term missions for more lasting change."

Some unique features of this new site include the following:

• Dozens of free articles written by short-term mission leaders
• Premium, downloadable training tools providing practical help to trip leaders
• An Online Fundraising Tool that can be used to raise support and save administrative time
• Free Group Blogs for connection and communication between teams and supporters
• A Free Trip Planning Calendar that's a customizable tool to plan the details of an upcoming trip

Many of these tools are available for free to mission teams with an account. To create a free account today, visit: http://www.roundtripmissions.com/user/register

You can follow what's new at RoundTripMissions.com here:

E-Newsletter - http://www.christianitytoday.com/lyris/subscribe/roundtripmissions.html

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/roundtripmissions

Twitter - http://twitter.com/roundtripmissio

Christianity Today International (CTI) publishes 9 print magazines and newsletters and operates an award-winning website reaching more than 2.5- million unique visitors monthly. A leading journalistic voice of Evangelicals, CTI equips Christians to renew their minds, serve the church, and transform their cultures.