Church-based Missionary Training

This training has a focus on competency issues, not credentialing issues

There are four things every church can do to increase the preparedness of their missionary candidates

The first thing any church can do is to provide an assessment process

By assessment, we mean helping a candidate take an inventory of themselves. It is also helping the church understand the suitability and readiness of a candidate.

An inventory may involve the following areas: 1.Scriptural gifts inventory 2.Evangelism skills and experience 3.Bible knowledge and understanding 4.Moral purity or family of origin well-being

The easiest way to begin the assessment process is to have your candidate fill out an application.

The second thing any church can do is encourage spiritual life development.

Spiritual life development may involve the following areas: 1.Self-directed Bible study skills 2.Spiritual disciplines like prayer 3.Servanthood mentality 4.Healthy interpersonal skills

The easiest way to begin the spiritual life development process is to assign reading and interact with the candidate and the material.

Several recommended books are: 1.Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney – Nav Press 2.The Complete Book of Discipleship by Bill Hull – Nav Press 3.Cross-cultural Servanthood by Duane Elmer – IV Press 4.The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Warfare by Neal Anderson and Timothy Warner – Regal Books 5.The Peacemaker by Ken Sande – Baker Books 6.Survival Kit for Overseas Living by L. Robert Kohls – Intercultural Press 7.Overcoming Missionary Stress by Margaret Foyle - EMIS

The third thing any church can do is to seek a mentor for your candidate.

Mentors can be found among your missionaries that may be on home assignment. A mission agency may alert you to an available missionary. A church elder/leader may be considered.

The mentor and candidate should agree in advance to meet face to face on a regular basis.

The mentor and candidate should agree on some type of reporting mechanism.

The fourth and final thing any church can do is provide ministry experience for the candidate.

Candidates will benefit from local cross- cultural experience. Candidates should attempt to gain experience in their sending church working with others and in the area of their gifting.

Candidates should invest themselves in the lives of people in their sending church. These people in turn will invest in the candidates’ overseas ministry.

A candidate should be able to demonstrate here that they can serve effectively.

Contrary to most personal opinions, the financial cost to basic missionary training may only be about $ per candidate. The real cost is in ministry effort and time on the part of the church and the candidate.

Most churches don’t need a great deal of experience. Church participants can grow in their understanding at the same time their candidate grows. Other churches, missionaries and agencies can share their expertise with you as you move through the process with your candidate and request help.

Every church should do two main things: 1.You should pray that your church will raise up a missionary candidate. 2.You should create a ministry environment that produces missionaries.

For more information: This PowerPoint presentation was produced by Steve Beirn, Missions Pastor at Calvary Church, Lancaster PA. For more information, contact Steve Beirn at: Please do not reproduce or redistribute this presentation without permission.