Employment

South Asia International Worker

August 29, 2012

Location:

South Asia (CAC*)

Position Type:

1. International Worker-Clergy Track
2. Creative Access Country (CAC)
3. Fully Funded
4. Ordination required for male applicants
5. Couple or Single

Description:

This is an opportunity for a couple or an individual who has a strong calling to be vitally involved in a brand new initiative to one of the most needy and challenging countries in the world. This country has more unengaged and under-engaged people groups than any other single nation. It will be a tough place to serve and demand a high level of tenacity. Workers will be members of a team dedicated to a culturally sensitive approach to pioneer church planting, using some form of a business initiative. Each team member will be expected to make a strong contribution in the areas of relational outreach, discipleship, and leadership development, as core methodologies in this effort.

Important Clarification: Applicants should be aware that serving in the international world typically requires a higher-than-normal degree of grace and flexibility. Overseas cross-cultural positions can be a bit of a moving target. For example, overseas teams can be suddenly and unexpectedly impacted by illness, government decisions, financial realities, team changes, or other factors beyond the team’s control. The challenge for applicants is that these factors can sometimes necessitate the sudden redefining of a position. This redefining can take place before, during, or even after the application/interview process has begun or is completed.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Academic Qualifications:

• A recognized bachelor’s degree
• Completed a minimum of 30 hours of Bible/Theology/Ministry, 15 hours of Intercultural Studies (ICS).
• A wife must hold a recognized bachelor’s degree and have completed a minimum of 18 hours of Bible/Theology, 15 hours of missions/ministry studies. Of the 15 hours of missions/ministry studies, at least 6 hours must be in cross-cultural or missions fields.

2. Ministry Qualifications:

• Two years of Alliance Licensed Ministry Experience (ALME)
• Alliance ordination completed.
• Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) Score of 55 or higher

Preferred Qualifications:

1. A minimum of one year of graduate or seminary training in missions and cross-cultural studies from Alliance Theological Seminary or an IM-approved alternative degree program.
2. Previous ministry experience in an urbanized and cross-cultural context.
3. Some business training and business experience preferred.

Responsibilities:

1. Learn the local language to a high level of proficiency.
2. Adjust to the culture in healthy and positive ways.
3. Make new contacts, share the gospel, and develop relationships on a weekly basis.
4. Be prepared to travel, when invited by new contacts, for the purpose of relationship building and evangelism.
5. Initiate Bible studies or discipleship activities with new contacts.
6. Have an open home regularly for entertaining new contacts and team events.
7. Attend, lead, or contribute to a weekly Bible study, discussion, or other types of meetings and events designed as outreach, discipleship, or worship meetings as a part of the church planting effort.
8. Maintain an in-depth knowledge of the team’s business plan including: mission, goals, core values, structure, administration, market strategies, financial issues, processes, personnel, implantation, design, and evaluation.
9. Participate in business planning, strategy sessions, and in actual implementation, as agreed on in consultation with the team leader.
10. Strengthen personal knowledge of general business principles, best practices, and local business issues.
11. Carry out any work duties related to a professional ministry platform.
12. Regularly communicate effectively and securely with the local team leader, IM, and supporting churches and individuals in the U.S.
13. Perform any other duties as assigned by the Team Leader.

Timeline for deployment:

Summer 2014

General Information:

Life and ministry in this country will not be easy for the reasons cited above, but it is highly strategic for advancing the Great Commission. Workers should be prepared for the long haul. It will be through friendships and networks of relationships that the gospel is most effectively shared, and making many friends is very possible.

Geographic Information:

The team will be located in a large fairly sprawling urban center with approximately five million people. Extremes of poverty, riches, class distinction, heat, noise, filth, cleanliness, modern facilities and outdated infrastructure all exist within the city limits. The target areas are in the northern region, which is known as the most populated and crowded part of the country.

Work and Living Environment:

Workers will live in a dynamic urban environment that is likely to be congested, hot, noisy, and lively, all at the same time. Housing will probably be a rented apartment or townhouse like facility. Because incarnational ministry is viewed as highly strategic, team members will live in, or very near, the areas targeted for ministry.

Status of Christian Witness:

These areas are critically under-engaged with the gospel. The people are difficult to reach and yet God is opening many hearts. Currently the overall number of Christians in the area is under 1% of the total population.

Language Expectations:

Learn the local language to a high level of proficiency. Funding will be provided for the new worker to complete this important task in an appropriate location that allows for significant local language immersion.

Health Considerations:

Local hospitals may not be considered adequate for some health issues. Much better medical care is available in the major cities of this country and regional hubs, such as Singapore and Bangkok.

Team Make-up:

Teammates will be highly-motivated, talented, and well-trained individuals committed to the task of being effective culturally sensitive witnesses in a very challenging environment. While this describes all members of the team, some will come with strong business training and business experience and therefore focus more on the business dimensions of the ministry. Others will come with traditional ministry training and church leadership experience and thus will focus more on the ministry aspects of this effort. This is not to say that these two basic types of worker or work are mutually exclusive. On the contrary, it is rather to point out different, and yet highly complementary, backgrounds and experiences which will blend to form an effective kingdom advancing team, pulling together, in diverse ways, for the same objectives.

Health Considerations:

Local hospitals may not be considered adequate for some health issues. Much better medical care is available in the major cities of this country and regional hubs, such as Singapore and Bangkok.

Expectations for Spouse:

Spouses are considered equal team members. Consideration will be given to an appropriately reduced team involvement because of children’s needs.

Children’s Educational Plan and Options:

Educational options include: home schooling, possible co-op schooling, and local international schools. Boarding school is not an option before the child reaches high school age. Local regular schools may not be considered adequate.

Compensation Package:

This is designated a fully GCF-funded role. See our compensation page for details on how compensation would work. You will see there a comprehensive package that would be offered with this role covering all costs related to a monthly living allowance, housing, travel, children’s education and full benefits. GCF-funded workers share corporate responsibility for raising of GCF dollars from among Alliance churches and other possible sources.

*CAC (Creative Access Country) Specific location information related to this ministry description will only be released in later stages of application process.

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