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Mission Service FAQ | Print |  E-mail

What does the process for becoming a missionary with TEAM look like?

You probably want to think of it as a five stage process. Each phase is an opportunity for you and TEAM to learn together and prepare for your ministry.
  • phaseone—application, interviews, assessment and placement
  • phasetwo—on-site (TEAM-Wheaton) introductory orientation
  • phasethree—support development at home among friends and churches and further training through other organizations
  • phasefour—on-site (TEAM-Wheaton) cross-cultural training just prior to departure to your ministry area
  • phasefive—language acquisition and cultural orientation in your location of ministry.

Once I’ve sent in my application, how long does it usually take to know if I’ve been accepted as a missionary?

This part of the process usually takes 6 months. This is because many people are involved in gathering and reviewing information about you. Here are some of the things that will happen during this time. TEAM will:
  • call your pastor to let him know we received your application and to discuss your church’s endorsement of you and your proposed ministry.
  • check with the ministry area you are interested in about your future ministry with them.
  • set up and conduct a telephone interview with you to get better acquainted.
  • send out your reference forms.
  • send you a Health Assessment packet that you will complete and mail back.
  • have professionals review your materials and write reports for your file.
Once all these people have gathered your information, reviewed it carefully and reported their findings, your file will go to a group of independent assessors for final approval.

How do I prepare for the telephone interview that is part of the application process?

Gina Rollins will mail you a telephone interview packet to help you get ready for the interview.

Why does TEAM call my pastor?

Early in the process someone from TEAM will call your sending church to talk about your application to TEAM. This is to establish a relationship from which we can help your church send you out.

How will I know if something from my end is holding up the application process?

Gina Rollins, your “case manager” will call or email you whenever TEAM needs something from you.

Is there anything I can do to speed up the application process?

While timing on some things is out of your control, there are numerous ways you can keep things moving forward and even speed up the process. The quicker you answer emails and return forms the faster your paperwork can be moved through the process. Here are a few ways you can really help:
  • Schedule your medical physical, do the health assessments, and return them to us promptly.
  • Finish any outstanding parts of the application quickly and return them to us. (Biblical Beliefs Questionnaire, résumé, autobiography, read and sign the Child Protection Policy, telephone interview)
  • Encourage your references to complete and mail them right away.
  • Check your email regularly to see it there is any request from us for additional or missing information.

What will TEAM be doing for me during the application process?

TEAM will be working behind the scenes to make sure all the needed information about you is gathered. This includes background checks, medical reports, references and personal histories for you and your children. These are reviewed by appropriate professionals and summary reports are made. 

Sometimes this takes longer than expected because many of the people in the Wheaton office also travel around the world helping missionaries. Once all this information is prepared, it is sent to the independent assessors who carefully and prayerfully consider you for ministry with TEAM.

How long does it take for the assessors to make a decision about my suitability for missionary service with TEAM?

This usually takes about 2 weeks. These assessors prayerfully go over all the information you and others have provided before making this decision of great importance to you. TEAM will quickly notify you of their decision. Once you are approved you become a CANDIDATE.

After the assessors have approved me for service with TEAM what else will happen?

TEAM’s Placement Cordinator, Dave Davis will contact you about coming to TEAM for a placement interview or consultation.

How soon after all my paperwork is in can I attend phasetwo orientation, assuming I am accepted?

Your file needs to go to the assessors 2½-3 months before the training you would like to attend. That would mean, for example, that in order to attend February orientation at Wheaton your file must be complete and ready to be assessed by November. During these 2 months you have your Placement Consultation and begin telling people about your plans. Other applicants are also meeting these deadlines so don’t put off scheduling your Placement Consultation. Because Placement Consultations are done on an individual/couple basis, not in groups, if you wait too long you might not be able to schedule the consultation in time to register for the next phasetwo orientation.

 phasetwo Dates   File Completion Date 
 Placement Deadline
 Registration Deadline
 October 22-29, 2011
July 29, 2011
September 9, 2011
September 30, 2011
 February 11-18, 2012
November 11, 2011
December 17, 2011
January 21, 2012
 July 21-28, 2012
April 6, 2012
May 18, 2012
June 10, 2012
 October 20-27, 2012
June 30, 2012
September 14, 2012
September 28, 2012

What is a Placement Consultation?

A placement consultation is usually conducted here at TEAM, and it takes about 1½ to 2 days. You’ll meet a lot of people in those days, and after you leave, a Placement Committee convenes to discuss both the recommendations from the Assessors, the findings from your various interviews with home office personnel. At this stage you may be asked to fulfill certain training requirements, educational requirements, or follow-up medical or psychological consultations before being appointed. When those are satisfactorily met, you have successfully completed phaseone and are then appointed for missionary service with TEAM.

When will I be invited to phasetwo orientation?

After you have been officially appointed for service with TEAM, you will be invited to the next available phasetwo training. You must be appointed at least three weeks before an upcoming training to be included.

What is phaseone all about?

This is a time when you and TEAM to get to know each other. You investigate ministry strategies, philosophy and opportunities within TEAM. TEAM looks at your:
    •    call (personal sense of mission),
    •    Godly character,
    •    competence (effectiveness in ministry) and
    •    compatibility with TEAM as an organization.

We will ask you for lots of information and you are encouraged to ask lots of questions. Gina Rollins will be your “case manager” and will guide you to the answers. 

The final step in phaseone is a placement consultation in which you are appointed to a specific ministry.

What happens during phasetwo?

You enter phasetwo, when you come to TEAM for a week of introductory training. This takes place no sooner than 3 weeks after you have been officially appointed to a specific ministry. The purpose of the week is to help you become better acquainted with TEAM’s strategic vision and goals, to give you tools for doing support development, and to launch you on the journey of life-long learning within TEAM.

How often do phasetwo and phasefour orientation take place?

Three times a year; usually in February, July and October

What will I be doing during phasethree?

phasethree is a time for support discovery and further learning experiences to equip you for cross-cultural ministry in TEAM. TEAM will assign you an Appointee Advisor who will mentor you through this process. 

You will be gathering spiritual and financial resources as you develop a support team. This is a time to encourage others to join you in the mission God has called you to. Some of them will eventually join you on-site in your new ministry location. Others will be your advocates while you are overseas; keeping you and your ministry in front of your church people. Some will contribute financially to your ministry. Others will pray regularly for the ministry needs you communicate to them. All of them are essential to your effectiveness in ministry. 

This is also a time to do further learning in preparation for overseas ministry. TEAM will assist you in choosing those experience, seminars or workshops which will enhance your cross-cultural effectiveness.

How long does phasethree usually take?

It has been taking appointees about 15 months to raise support and complete the learning experiences in phasethree. Of course everyone’s experience is different. For a few this has taken up to 30 months but many have done it in less than a year. Currently the average time from application to departure overseas is 24 months.

What is phasefour and when do I do it?

phasefour is a weeklong orientation event sponsored by TEAM in Wheaton. It focuses on strategic vision for ministry areas, church planting, contextualization, and cross-cultural training—furthering your preparedness for ministry. This takes place just before you actually leave for your new ministry location. Most appointees leave for their new country less than three months after they finish the phasefour week.

What is phasefive, when and where do I do it?

phasefive takes place overseas. It is the time when you begin learning the language and the culture of the people where you will minister. It is a great rime of expanding your world view.