Qualifications for Missionary Service

As a prospective missionary and when you serve on the field, you need to take personal responsibility for your own growth and learning. In the MDP, you will receive help from your church, the MDP team and BICWM to develop yourself in the following four areas:

CALL – Is there evidence that God has been at work preparing and directing you to missionary service? This should be observable and confirmed by those in positions of spiritual leadership.
CHARACTER – Do you display attitudes and actions that reflect a growing Christ-likeness? This should be evidenced primarily through relationships within and outside the church.
COMPETENCE – Do you exhibit skills and abilities that are needed for the intended missionary service? These skills and abilities should be demonstrated “here,” as opposed to hoping they will be developed “there.”
COMPATABILITY – Do you “fit” into BICWM’s strategy, philosophy, aims, and relationships, and the particular ministry and team you project to serve?

Although people normally focus on the first two areas, call and character, significant attention must also be paid to the last two, competence and compatibility. Many missionaries have returned home prematurely because they were not competent in their field of intended service or did not fit the organization or context where they were sent.

The Missionary Development Team (MDT) of BICWM is committed to establishing meaningful training and development programs to aid those called by God into missionary service. This will represent a collaborative journey for the MDT and you, a prospective missionary, as we together seek God’s wisdom and guidance, both for you and for Brethren in Christ World Missions.