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
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…
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
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
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….
Growing in Cultural Intelligence
Waiting for God – James 5: 7-11
Ross Paterson’s sermon recorded for the pacesetters at Hinghwa Methodist Church, Singapore In this sermon, Ross examines James 5: 7 –…
Where the Holy Spirit is Free to Work
Ross explores the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, posing the question; ‘is there any area of our…
Joseph #5: Joseph and the Goodness of God
Ross shares in this 5th episode, Ross talks about how Joseph laid hold of the promises of God and saw…
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…
Self-care for God’s Servants
FieldPartner was proud to host ‘Self-care for God’s Servants’, an excellent presentation from Tony Horsfall. ‘Self-care for God’s Servants’ asked the…
Joseph #4: The Lies of Joseph’s Brothers
In this 4th teaching on the life of Joseph, Ross discusses the lies of Joseph’s brothers that they lived with…
Blessed or Buried to Bless? | John 12
Ross looks at John 12:20-25 to discuss a secret to God’s blessing flowing through us to others, with two unusual…
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…
What do you want Jesus to do for you? | Mark 10:46-52
After many months away from Taiwan, Ross Paterson returns to The Hope Church in Taiwan to preach on the topic of ‘What…
Global humility – church planting and serving in Istanbul with Andy McCullough
Having grown up in Cyprus, being married to Jessica – who is South African – and with four children who…
The Struggle – Adoniram Jason – Pt 1
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was an American missionary who served in Burma (Myanmar) for almost forty years. When Judson began his…
Eric Liddell: A Scotsman Surrendered To God
Eric Henry Liddell (1902-1945) is best known as one of the heroes of the Oscar-winning film “Chariots of Fire”. The…
Who Is In Charge Here? – Easter Week Pt 1
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
The Beauty of Collaboration
I recently received an update from a soon-to-be partner and found that they were starting to offer online options for…
James Gilmour’s Unusual Courtship
I wrote last week about James Gilmour and his work in Mongolia. This week is about his courtship (or lack…
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:…
On Teaching English As A Second Language
Teaching English as a second language is a way to gain entry into a country that is partially, or even…
Isobel Kuhn – A Extraordinary Missionary
Isobel Kuhn (1901-1957) was a Canadian Christian missionary to the Lisu people of Yunnan Province, China, and northern Thailand. She…
Lilias Trotter – A Remarkable Missionary
Until recently, I had never heard of Lilias Trotter. She is a hidden but amazing person, like many missionaries. I…
He Took His Time, But He Made It! – Easter Week Pt 6
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
