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Deliverable #1: Selection
Posted by
Bob Fetherlin
,
30 March 2008
·
853 views
One of the questions I've wrestled with is, "Why a missionary sending structure? Why not just have every church send its own missionaries instead of a using a sending structure supported by Alliance churches across the country to help with the sending process?" I see at least seven key deliverables that our sending structure provides . . . all are critical and valuable.
Deliverable #1 is SELECTION. An assessment process has been developed and fine-tuned over many years to select those missionary candidates who have high potential for impactful, cross-cultural ministry. Some make it through this assessment process, others with good reason do not.
The danger is that sending everyone who wants to go . . . and has the financial backing to do so . . . can result in people being sent who have not-so-easy-to-discern issues in their lives that often preclude effective cross-cultural ministry. It could be rigidity . . . or physical problems that can't be treated well in many overseas settings . . . or low potential to learn a new language . . . or unresolved personal / family history issues which unaddressed hinder effectiveness . . . or psychological issues that tend to be magnified with the stresses of cross-cultural living . . . or relational difficulties. These and many other dimensions of a person's character, ministry gifting, track record, physical / mental health, and history are important to assess. The end view of the assessment process should be answering the questions, "Does this candidate have what it takes to make a positive, helpful contribution in a cross-cultural ministry setting? Are they likely to thrive . . . or just barely survive?"
An objective assessment including the hard questions is difficult for those in a local church context to do on one of their own. That's why having a third party assessor who has lots of tools and experience to do a thorough assessment is a huge, much-needed deliverable.
The C&MA has this . . . and its purpose is to serve the local, sending churches. They are still the senders . . . and this deliverable enhances the effectiveness and impact of their missionary sending!
I'll talk about other deliverables in future entries.
Deliverable #1 is SELECTION. An assessment process has been developed and fine-tuned over many years to select those missionary candidates who have high potential for impactful, cross-cultural ministry. Some make it through this assessment process, others with good reason do not.
The danger is that sending everyone who wants to go . . . and has the financial backing to do so . . . can result in people being sent who have not-so-easy-to-discern issues in their lives that often preclude effective cross-cultural ministry. It could be rigidity . . . or physical problems that can't be treated well in many overseas settings . . . or low potential to learn a new language . . . or unresolved personal / family history issues which unaddressed hinder effectiveness . . . or psychological issues that tend to be magnified with the stresses of cross-cultural living . . . or relational difficulties. These and many other dimensions of a person's character, ministry gifting, track record, physical / mental health, and history are important to assess. The end view of the assessment process should be answering the questions, "Does this candidate have what it takes to make a positive, helpful contribution in a cross-cultural ministry setting? Are they likely to thrive . . . or just barely survive?"
An objective assessment including the hard questions is difficult for those in a local church context to do on one of their own. That's why having a third party assessor who has lots of tools and experience to do a thorough assessment is a huge, much-needed deliverable.
The C&MA has this . . . and its purpose is to serve the local, sending churches. They are still the senders . . . and this deliverable enhances the effectiveness and impact of their missionary sending!
I'll talk about other deliverables in future entries.
