Discerning and pursuing your calling can be a confusing process.
It may be long or short. However our hope is that, by the time you leave, both you and your support team will be prepared to keep you there for the long haul!
Calling
If you feel any kind of calling to work cross-culturally, we suggest seeking early endorsement from the leadership in your local church. Our calling mini-course will help you!
Confirming
Take time to process and test the calling. Don’t do this alone! Look to your church, loved ones, and other trusted voices.
Equipping
Practically prepare for the road ahead. We strongly advise taking cross-cultural training. Our own Crossing Cultures 101 courses will give you key foundations.
Resourcing
Commissioning
Leaving is a process, not a single event. How are you preparing for a smooth transition? We’d advise building a RAFT and ensuring everything practical is ticked off.
On-Field
A Sender’s Role
Any fieldworker needs a great team of friends, family and colleagues supporting them. You have a huge part to play in ensuring their success. Check out what you can do to ensure your fieldworkers thrive!
- A church should establish a discernment process for anybody who may feel a call to work cross-culturally.
- The call needs to be tested, and the candidate’s maturity and readiness need to be assessed
- The church’s role is critical – sadly many missionaries who end up leaving prematurely for preventable reasons should never have gone in the first place!
- Give opportunities for the candidate to learn by serving and leading in the church.
- Ensure good mentoring is in place for the candidate. Make use of people with prior cross-cultural or mission experience.
- Consider mentoring for practical skills such as financial management or pastoral care.
- This is a season of practically preparing for the road ahead
- Choices need to be made about an agency or a process for training and equipping. Ideally, the church leaders would walk alongside the candidate through this.
- We strongly recommend the raising of personal support teams by the candidate and the church’s backing in that endeavour would be important.
- If the church endorses, hopefully they will also partner with the pre-field missionary in the matter of financial support.
- Clarify the level of support required with the field worker and consider how the church can support through the process of fundraising beyond providing money.
- Remember it is much easier for others, particularly those in authority in the church, to advocate for their financial support than for the candidate to do that on their own behalf!
- Read Acts 13. You will see that this is more than just a rousing send-off, with a ‘goodbye’, at the end. The sense of still belonging, even when serving at the other end of the world, is so important.
- Maintaining that connection through thick and thin might make all the difference between success and failure.
- Encourage the field worker to maintain the connection to the church – and make sure you do too!
- See our on-field resources for more details on what is next.
Start Your Journey
Here are some useful materials for you
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Developing Leadership for Cross-Cultural Ministry
Mission thrives on cultivating leaders who embody the life and character of Jesus, the most effective figure in history who…
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
Building a Support Ecosystem
In this course, we examine the different dimensions of support that are needed for a successful cross-cultural experience or lifestyle….
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
The Antioch Factor
Caring for Third Culture Kids
Currently in development, this exciting new course is created by our Dean of Studies, Ben Gilbert. British by birth, raised in India, with time living in Sri Lanka and the Middle East – the TCK experience is familiar to Ben, who is excited to share personal experiences, research and helpful insights for both TCKs, and those caring for them to thrive across cultures. Sign up to be notified when the course is released!
The Faithfulness of God and Our Response | 2 Tim 2:11-13
Ross shares from 2 Tim 2:11-13 on the faithfulness of God and how totally dependable that is for every area…
Interview with Jennifer Bishop
Christine sits down for an interview with our own team member Jennifer Bishop. Jennifer grew up in Burundi and…
Sermon | Hannah: Ordinary People Making a Difference
Ross Paterson’s sermon on the example of Hannah. If you’d like a more in-depth look into the example of Hannah,…
Podcast: Cross Cultural Mission Experiences That We Can Learn From Abraham
Abraham, the father of our faith and of cross cultural mission! Hi, this is Ross Paterson, I’d like to take…
Prayer and Fasting – Choice or Mandate?
Ross discusses a difficult question – is fasting (as a part of prayer) an option or a necessity today?
Miracles and Mission with David and Joyce Lamb
We were privileged to interview two legends in the Kingdom—David and Joyce Lamb. Their stories of divine provision, angelic encounters,…
Where Should We Go Next? | Acts 2
Ross shares how the early church responded to the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.
Go and do likewise…
Ross speaks from the story of the Good Samaritan with a powerful call to us all…
Transitions and China with Amy Young
Amy Young spent many years as a cross-cultural worker in China, and now works to support cross-cultural workers through various…
5 Lessons Joseph Teaches About God and His Plans for Our Lives
Ross Paterson’s message, recorded at Bread of Life International Church. He encourages us with five lessons from one of his…
What should Christian discipleship mean to us?
Contents What is a disciple? ‘No Man is an Island’ Step-by-step Thoughts for reflection What is a disciple? In…
J. O. Fraser – James Fraser’s reaction to the strong setback
Here we take a look at James Fraser’s reaction to the strong setback, which I described in the previous article. …
Resolution #4 – Make Friends with Those From Other Places And Cultures
Today we come to the fourth of Chuck Lawless’ ten New Year’s Resolutions that are intended to help us grow…
J. O. Fraser – Something That Fraser Never Had – A PACTeam
It is vital that cross-cultural mission moves with the times and takes advantage of modern technology. When I went as…
Damascus Road Or Gradual Conviction?
In my previous post, I defined cross-cultural mission. It contains two vital elements. Firstly, going. Secondly, the venue, a people whose…
Who or What is a Third Culture Kid?
Who or what is a TCK? A while ago, I met with a missionary family from a large Asian country…
James Gilmour – God Hadn’t Called Him To Stay Home.
Having written recently about the lives of some of the New Testament colleagues of the apostle Paul, it’s easy to…
Quiet Time 1: Importance of Quiet Time with God
This is the first in a 3-part series: Quiet Time 1: Importance of Quiet Time with God Quiet Time 2:…
Article 7 – Part 5 of the Serampore Agreement
In conversing with the wives of native converts, and leading them on in the ways of Christ, so that they…
Mary Slessor – An Extraordinary Scottish Missionary
Mary Slessor, 1848-1915, was a Scottish Presbyterian missionary to Africa. She made a huge impact on Nigeria and beyond. One…
