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
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!
Growing in Cultural Intelligence
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….
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
The Antioch Factor
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
Cross-cultural marriage
How Is Your Prayer Life?
Summary: Ross shares from Luke 18 on the battle and the potential of prayer.
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 –…
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…
Finding Treasure in all the Bible – 2 Kings 15
Loren Cunningham (1935-2023) became the first missionary to go to every nation in the world with the last country visited…
Joseph #7: Blessing or Obedience or Both?
The final in this 7-part series on Joesph, Ross looks at the important balance between God’s sovereign grace and empowerment…
Jacob’s Encounters with God – Sermon
This sermon was given by Ross Paterson at Holy Trinity Cheltenham on August 16, 2020. This sermon is shorter than…
Are you a grumpy, happy or both?
Ross looks at two different kinds of believers – happies and grumpies – or are you both? Listen and analyse…
Interview with Ross Paterson
We hear from co-founder Ross Paterson sharing his experiences from over 50 years in the mission field. It’s…
Radical Prayer with Katie Chen
Scroll down for podcast options! < After being baptised at only 5 years old, Katie felt a clear calling…
Obedience & Family on the Field with Grant & Jean
Grant and Jean are missionaries from South Africa. In this interview, they share their journey leading to mission work in…
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:…
Resolution #6 – Go On A Mission Trip
Chuck Lawless’ 6th New Year’s resolution with a cross-cultural mission flavour says: “I will plan to take a mission trip…
Quiet Time 2: Should we follow a fixed structure?
This is the second in a 3-part series: Quiet Time 1: Importance of Quiet Time with God Quiet Time 2:…
What Cross-Cultural Couples Wish They Knew Before Saying “I Do”
The hidden challenges in cross-cultural relationships Cross-cultural marriages are often celebrated for their richness and diversity, but behind the beauty…
Article 3 of the Serampore Agreement
Thirdly. It is necessary, in our intercourse with the Hindus, that, as far as we are able, we abstain from…
Explore & EnVision & Intercultural Coaching
All Nations Christian College is a world-renowned mission training college. They are currently offering two courses which we would highly…
The Short Missionary Service of Nellie and Topsy Saunders.
In one sense, there is not a great deal to say about Eleanor (Nellie) and Elizabeth (Topsy) Saunders. Their missionary…
Seven reasons why learning as an online cohort is better than self-study
In the vast digital landscape, where information flows relentlessly, we have started offering small online cohorts as a new way…
Each Meeting Was An Awesome Encounter With God: Pearl Young
When I searched for Pearl Young on the internet, I found that there is very little information about her. That…
Missionaries Do Sometimes Fail
Sometimes missionaries don’t make it to the end. The New Testament has a powerful example of that – Demas. Demas…