Kentucky Changers is a ministry of KentuckyWMU. Our projects are pre-packaged mission trips designed specifically for student ministries to serve in the capacity of construction missions. Kentucky Changers partners with local city agencies, local Baptist associations, churches, and ministries, to mobilize volunteers needed to help them serve local residents. 

Participants spend a week serving on crews with students and adults from other churches—completing assignments ranging from painting and siding, to building handicap ramps—all to improve the quality of life for local residents.
 

Your group will be serving the community by working at someone’s home, at a local church or a ministry center. Most often groups will serve through painting, siding replacement, building or repairing porches, or building decks and wheelchair ramps. Students and adults are equipped and encouraged to build relationships with homeowners and community members in hopes of sharing the Gospel.

Yes, but very rarely. Some ministry sites involve crews replacing or repairing roofs. We do require everyone working on a roof to be over the age of 16. Every person on the roof will be required to wear a safety harness.

Please remember that this is a mission experience. Participants are on mission at all times, both at the ministry site and at the lodging facility. Participants should make a special effort to wear clothes that are modest and appropriate for the work to which we have been called. 

•    Sleeved shirts are to be worn by all participants at all times (no tank tops, spaghetti straps or midriffs, this includes dresses). If the sleeves are torn or cut off the shirt, it no longer meets the dress code.
•    Long pants must be worn at the construction work sites. Pants made of heavy cloth, like denim, are preferred. Pants at the worksite should not have any rips or distressing. Pajama pants and tights are not allowed at the worksite.
•    Yoga pants and leggings are allowed; however, they should be paired with a long t-shirt, dress, or skirt. Tights cannot be worn as pants, they need to be layered underneath, shorts, dresses, or skirts.
•    Shorts are acceptable at the lodging facility. No short shorts. Any skirts or dresses should also be modest in length. 
•    Participants are to be fully dressed in accordance with this dress code any time they are outside their assigned room at the lodging facility. Shorts or long pants and a sleeved shirt are required in hallways, in worship, and on the way to showers and restrooms.
•    Durable shoes with closed toes must be worn at all work sites. Sandals are not acceptable. Shoes or boots with heavy soles are recommended for construction projects. Crocs are not to be worn on worksites. 
•    Always wear shoes outside of rooms.
•    For Sunday, we wear the Changers themed T-shirt. Ladies can pair it with long pants, jeans, capris, or a long skirt to go to church. Males will wear Theme T-Shirt with jeans or dress pants. The theme shirts will be distributed at the project.

•    A $100 per person deposit is due at the time of registration.
•    All deposits are non-refundable but can be applied toward the final balance due.
•    Final payments are due on May 15.
•    No discounts are given for late arrival or early departure from a project.
•    Any spots dropped within a week of your project start date, or at the project may incur additional cancellation fees. 

Contact us for more information on payments.
 

1. Lodging (local school or church)
2. Meals at project
3. Pre-Project Study
4. Group Leader Manual & Materials
5. T-shirt for each participant
6. Secondary accident insurance
7. Program materials (booklets, name tags, etc.)
8. Experienced staff at the project

1. What does the cost NOT cover?

Travel to and from project locations

Gas for the group leader's rental or church vehicles

A pre-packaged approach to missions involvement is a worthwhile investment. Kentucky Changers promotional videos are available to help you raise support. Many groups make a long-term commitment to raise funds through work projects and church activities. Participants are more willing to pay their own money when they see the difference they can make on a mission project. Churches often set aside budget funds when an informed presentation about the project is made. The key? Start early!

Online registration is set up to take credit card payments.  Other forms of payment are accepted, but you may have to contact the KYWMU office to arrange those.

Minimum Age: We require all students to have completed the 6th grade. Group Leaders are strongly encouraged to bring only sixth grade students who have already been a part of their youth ministry. Those students just completing the fifth grade are not old enough to attend a Kentucky Changers project.

College Students: Are welcome at all projects.

We do not allow adults to bring their own children (younger than sixth grade) due to how lodging and ministry sites are assigned.

Each project is open on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can add additional registrants if there is room available for that project. Your deposit reserves the number of spots, and you are welcome to change the specific participants filling those spots.

We leave it at the Group Leader's discretion as to which students are ready for Kentucky Changers. You know them the best!

Our mission is to help participants grow in the Gospel and develop an on-mission lifestyle.

A project not only requires participants to come ready to work hard and sleep on the floor, but also to share the Gospel authentically.

Each church group is required to bring one adult for every six youth (under the age of 18) participants of the same gender.

Adults must be 21 years of age or older and must reside in the same room as their youth, assist with activities, and work alongside youth on crews and ministry sites. 

Adults are not allowed to bring children who are ineligible to attend Changers because of grade level to participate in the project. 

No private sleeping arrangements or other arrangements are available for sponsors with children or for couples.
 

In recent years, churches, state conventions and organizations like Kentucky WMU have recognized the need to be more proactive in protecting our children and students from harm.

 Background checks provide information about any reported criminal behavior, allowing organizations to make responsible decisions about who should and should not be allowed to work with students and children. 

Kentucky WMU is requesting that our sponsoring churches conduct their own background checks on potential church chaperones. The church leaders are asked to sign our Acknowledgement and Assurance Form, indicating that they have conducted background checks on all adults that they are bringing with them.

This form should be signed by the pastor and church officer or trustee.

Kentucky Changers runs regular background on all our volunteers.
 

We require groups to provide transportation for the entire week, equal to the number of adults and students in their group. Many groups use church owned or rented vehicles. Your vehicles are used (driven by your church approved drivers) to transport crews to and from their ministry sites.

At Kentucky Changers we mix and match participants from your church with participants from other churches to form a ministry crew. We will place at least two participants from a church group together on a crew. If you have participants that need to serve together or participants that need to be on separate crews, we will do our best to accommodate those requests.

Participants will have the opportunity at registration to indicate what type of work they would like to do.  We will do what we can to honor those requests.

We divide church groups into what are called crews. Each crew is comprised of students and adults from multiple churches. Your students will have at least one other person from their church serving with them on their crew. Students that have just finished the 6th grade will be placed on a crew with an adult from your church. A crew has adult leadership (comprised of adults from attending churches) assigned by Kentucky Changers staff.

Approximately eight hours are spent serving on ministry sites. Students will eat lunch at the ministry site.

Usually, lunch is provided by local churches.

A daily devotional time will also be held during lunch at the worksite.

Every night at Kentucky Changers we gather for a time of corporate worship. The Worship Gathering includes a time of musical worship and a speaker teaching on the theme of the week.

Following the time of worship is a time for your church group to meet together in a church group devotion.  That is time for you to recap the day, talk to students about decisions they may have made during worship, and get to know your students better.

Most nights there is also a late-night event led by our Ministry Team.

Most Kentucky Changers projects are hosted by local churches or schools.  Church groups will sleep in classrooms.  You will need to bring a cot or an air mattress (unless you just want to sleep on the floor).

Breakfast and supper are served at the school.  We use trained volunteers to oversee the food preparation and serving. We will do our best to accommodate dietary needs.  There is a place during the registration process to indicate food allergies.

Lunch on Sunday is provided by the host church the work crews are visiting.

Lunch Monday-Thursday will be on the worksite.

Showers will be in a shower trailer.  Trailers are located outside of the lodging facility.
 

Bible                                                            Heavy Work gloves
The Blue Print (Devotional)                         Rain Gear/Jacket
Sturdy shoes or work boots                        Insect repellent                
Chapstick                                                    Cot/ Air Mattress
Pen or pencil                                               Towels & washcloths
Sunscreen                                                   Pillow, Sheet & Blanket            
Snacks in sealed containers                        Personal Items (soap, shampoo, etc.)

INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT LIST

Safety glasses (OSHA approved)            Heavy Work gloves            

*Important Note!  Kentucky Changers and the Kentucky WMU are not responsible for personal items lost or stolen at the project.
 

Kentucky Changers Ministry Team is designed for young adults (preferably college-aged students) who are, or might be, called to ministry. 

Ministry Team Members have the opportunity to serve as student leaders by mentoring younger participants on project sites, helping to prepare and host the nightly worship sessions, hosting free time activities, and providing helping hands behind the scenes. 

Most are former Kentucky Changers participants.

Qualifications for ministry team are:
•    have a relationship with Jesus Christ
•    be at least 17 years & in the 12th grade or above by Dec. 1, 2025
•    be an active church member
•    participate regularly in missions projects, activities, experiences, etc.
•    agree to serve at least FIVE weeks during Summer 2026
 

The Blueprint is a daily devotional for all participants, both students and adults. The Blueprint is designed to help you prepare for your Kentucky Changers project. The Blueprint has been fashioned to help participants build a healthy pattern for living On Mission lifestyles.

Each participant will need a copy of the Blueprint. The Blueprint will have several sections:
Pre-Project Week –This section is to be completed before the project begins.
Project Week – Will be completed during the project.
Post Project Week- Participants will take a devotional home and complete the last week.

This year the Blueprint was written by Lexie Moore.   Lexie is from Dry Ridge, Kentucky and a senior at the University of Pikeville.  She has been a changers participant, has served multiple years on ministry team, and this year she is serving as our Ministry Team Coordinator.

Most are former Kentucky Changers participants.

Qualifications for ministry team are:
•    have a relationship with Jesus Christ
•    be at least 17 years & in the 12th grade or above by Dec. 1, 2025
•    be an active church member
•    participate regularly in missions projects, activities, experiences, etc.
•    agree to serve at least FIVE weeks during Summer 2026