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
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
The Antioch Factor
Growing in Cultural Intelligence
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!
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…
Cross-cultural marriage
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….
Ignorance is NOT Bliss
We had a fantastic launch event! We are so excited for this next season of FieldPartner, to see more people…
Ordinary People: 7 Keys From Amos Chapter 7
Ross gives some specific examples from China colleagues and then shares 7 key lessons from the life of Amos to…
Radical Prayer with Katie Chen
Scroll down for podcast options! < After being baptised at only 5 years old, Katie felt a clear calling…
Transition and Change, Grief and Loss
At some point in our lives, we all face different types of changes that can lead to feelings of loss…
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…
Nations on the Doorstep with Peter Askew
Peter Askew serves cross-culturally in the north of England! His title is “Operations Manager for the Antioch Network Manchester”, an…
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…
Equipping Servants with David & Vicki Frazier
After a season of cross-cultural preparation and discernment, David and Vicki worked as missionaries for 20 years in Turkey before…
Five Fundamental Mistakes re: mission
Ross Paterson lists 5 traps we can fall into which make us miss the invitation to reach the rest of…
The Syro Phoenician woman
This sermon is by Ross Paterson on the Syro Phoenician woman from Matthew 15. Explore more sermons on our YouTube Channel.
What Is Donar’s Oak?
Howard Peskett made some mission related comments when writing on Deuteronomy chapter 13 in Scripture Union notes. Howard wrote: “Missionaries…
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 Made An Eternal Difference!
Last week, in the light of the few folk that James Gilmour saw come to Christ, I asked a question:…
An Unusual Missionary Story – David & Svea Flood
A Singaporean friend of many years, Gideon Lim, shared with me a most unusual missionary story this weekend which I…
Paul’s New Year ‘Resolutions’!
Philippians 4:10-23 contains two wonderful challenges for 2023! 1. Challenge #1 for 2023. Paul had learned the secret of contentment….
Silas – The Pentecost Man
Today is Pentecost Sunday in some traditions. Jesus’ last recorded words on earth in Acts 1:8 give a clear definition…
Brad’s 23 keys To Being A healthy Cross Cultural Missionary
How to be a Healthy Cross Cultural Missionary? Here are some keys I’ve picked up over the years of being…
Peace, Real Peace – Easter Week Pt 9
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
Your Choice – The Comparison Game Or A Unique Destiny – Easter Week Pt 12
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
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…