Most of our participants are college students, but any 18-25 year old can participate (we’ve even had a few who were older than 25)! We’ve had married couples, students, teachers, young professionals and college graduates do GenSend. If you have any questions about if you’re eligible, contact us and let’s chat.

Most students stay in dorm style housing on college campuses in Boston near the church plants they are serving with. This type of housing provides access to kitchens and shared spaces as well as security.

In terms of transportation, most of our teams use public transportation in Boston (buses and subway) which is called the “T.” We rent vehicles and identify approved drivers for the teams that work with church plants further outside the city and the reach of the T.

Once you pay $1200 and for travel to Boston and back home (this is a roundtrip plane ticket for most people, averaging around $260), there are no additional costs or expenses for the 8 weeks while you’re in Boston. The $1200 goes to help subsidize the actual cost of the summer (which is closer to $5,000). We pay for housing and transportation (a T pass for while you are here) and then provide you with a PEX card (think pre-loaded debit card) to pay for meals (usually around $20-25/day). If you wanted to buy souvenirs or anything above and beyond these expenses, that would be on you.

It is a lot but compared to the actual cost of the summer (ca $5,000), it’s a pretty sweet deal. Once you get to the city, we provide housing, food, and transportation while you’re here. There’s really no other opportunity where you can spend two months in the city of Boston for only $1200! This doesn’t even begin to factor in the spiritual and relational benefits you get from this experience.

Start saving now. Pick up some extra shifts at work or get a job. Ask for money for Christmas or your birthday from family and friends. Fundraise by sending support letters or selling handmade goods. Ask your church, school or sending organization for help. Many churches and organizations offer scholarships to help with the cost of GenSend! Plus, remember that if you don’t do GenSend, you’ll have food, transportation and probably housing costs over the summer. Those are costs we cover once you get to Boston.

Yes! There are a number of options that might be a fit for you.1) Get a paid internship and go through our Faith and Work Cohort. 2) We sometimes offer stipends for ministry intensive positions or for those serving on the GenSend Leadership Team (on a case by case basis). Share your situation with us and we’ll explore if this might be a fit. 3) There may be a way where we can explore you getting a part-time job and them committing to give at least 20 hours to GenSend (this last option is very rare and priority would be given to returning students).

GenSend can add to your resume! You’ll get volunteer experience, leadership experience, and the cultural experience of living in a city for 8 weeks. There is also the possibility of doing a work internship and participating in our Faith and Work Cohort. If you’re looking to build out a resume for a job in ministry, this would be a great addition!

Absolutely! What you’ll gain from this summer experience is worth much more than just the monetary gain of a job. You’ll get to live in the city, work with church planters and learn what it’s like to live as an everyday, spirit-led missionary. Additionally, for many students, God has used a GenSend Summer to completely change the trajectory of their lives. You won’t get this from just working a job all summer. Remember that your college summers are rare. There will most likely never again be a time in your life where your summers are free like this. Take advantage of this opportunity! If you absolutely must work, explore the work options in Boston (LINK to above question about working in Boston). Finally, don’t forget that if you stay at home or school and work, you’ll have to pay for food, transportation and probably housing costs over the summer. These are costs that we take care of once you get to Boston. So make sure you subtract those expenses from what you think you’ll net by staying and working.

That is a tough situation to be in. If you decide to participate in GenSend Summer at the cost of your job, we want to support you! You could get a work internship here and participate in our Faith and Work Cohort. It’s possible this could lead you to a new job down the road! Our leaders would also gladly be references for you if you need to look for a new job after the summer. Following Jesus often means going without knowing. Trust that God will provide where He calls! If He is calling you, leave everything else behind in pursuit of obedience!

Jon Chasteen is the City Director for GenSend Summer. He provides oversight to the entire GenSend Summer experience in Boston. Underneath his leadership, you would be placed on a team of 6-10 students. Your team will have one male and female student leader. Your team will be partnered up with a church plant who provides a coach for your team (these are the church planters, pastors and ministry leaders). Your coach provides leadership and oversight for your specific team (scheduling, logistics, etc.). Their primary investment is in the leaders of your team and then those leaders are equipped and empowered to lead your team.

We’re looking for men and women of F.A.I.T.H.: Faithful, Available, Intentional, Teachable and Hungry.

Here are three questions to help you discern if GenSend Summer would be a good fit for you:
- Are you faithfully following Jesus in the current stage of your faith journey?
- Do you display a humble desire to learn and grow from those around you and serve with others on a team?
- Do you have a growing burden and passion to see those far from Jesus come to know him?

Additionally, we’d encourage you to talk with your ministry leader! They can provide guidance for you. Finally, we also provide a pre-summer training before you get to the city. This training will help equip you for the experience as well as help you understand what is expected of you.

Seek God through time in his Word and prayer. Commit to listening and being obedient to his promptings. Ask God to give you wisdom and discernment.

Live in community! Talk with your pastor, other ministry leaders and mentors and other students who have done Gensend in the past. Listen to their advice. Ask questions.

Here are some questions to wrestle with as you seek God in community. What can you do this summer that will…
…grow you as a disciple?
…make you a better leader?
…give you clarity on your future?

Finally, if you can’t come up with a good reason for why you shouldn’t do GenSend Summer, then do it! Trust God, walk in faith and pursue until God makes it clear that it’s not what he wants you to do.

Yes! You’ll have bible studies within your team, as well as investment from the church leaders that you’re working with. The whole experience is designed to stretch you and grow you in your faith.

For students: Talk to them and help them understand what the experience is, why you want to go, and what the benefit is. You could also talk to your pastor or ministry leader. They may be willing to have a conversation with your parents and help share more information about the experience. You could also send them to our FAQ page, assure them of the safety measures that we’ve taken, and show them how it will benefit you!

For parents: We are excited that your son or daughter is considering taking part in GenSend Summer. We firmly believe that this is one of the best things a college student can do with his or her summer. These students will grow exponentially in their character and develop skills and leadership abilities that will form who they will be for years to come. At the same time, we support you, both as a parent and in your role as a guide and guardian for your child. Please explore the information on our site and contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.

Here are three articles that give some great wisdom and advice as it relates to this question.
- “When your parents are apprehensive”
- “I want to go on a mission trip: how do I tell my parents?”
- “How to talk to your parents about going on a mission trip?”

Yes, of course. We just encourage you to check with your leaders to help you identify the best time for them to visit in light of your schedule. If it works, attending a Thursday equip night would be a great way for them to see and experience all that’s going on.

We ask everyone to commit to the entire GenSend Summer experience. Having said that, we are willing to work with you on a case-by-case basis, especially if it’s just a few days. Typically, we can make arrangements for things like having a role in a wedding but not for vacations or family trips. Any costs for travel would be your responsibility.

In order to get the full GenSend experience, we wouldn’t recommend taking more than one summer class. However, you can definitely find the time to do that! We do ask that you run your plans by the City Director and Team Leaders so we can make sure everyone is on the same page.

You’re not giving up your summer! You are choosing to strategically use and steward your summer in an exciting way to serve in the city of Boston, grow exponentially in the Lord, and make new friends. Who knows: this summer might even change the trajectory of your entire life!. It might be a sacrifice of your own summer plans, but it’s worth it. Check out our testimonials to hear stories from other students!

There’s a lot of variation within the GenSend participants. It’s open to 18-25 year olds and we get all kinds of students within those ages from various schools and churches in the US! You’ll have calls with your team leading up to the summer so you’ll know them by the time you get to the city. You’ll also be in a small team of less that 10 people, and there’ll be plenty of opportunities for you all to grow together in community.

While no one can guarantee the complete safety of anyone, anywhere, we do take common sense precautions to try and minimize risk and set you up for a great and safe summer experience. All participants, leaders, and ministry staff will have been background checked and gone through MinistrySafe Training. All drivers will have been approved through our driver screening process. In addition to placing students on teams with trusted church plants and partners, upon arrival, we’ll spend time at orientation walking through safety principles in our city including street smart travel and what to do in the case of an emergency.

Yes! You could find an internship in the city and be a part of our Faith and Work Cohort or we can craft an experience for you that gives you the internship experience that you need (ex. Communications). If you’re coming from a Christian school, there may be a way for this to count as a class or internship credit. Reach out to us and let us know what you’re considering, and we’d love to explore a good fit for you.