Qualifications for Missionary Service
The General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) is the mission sending agency of the United Methodist Church. The United Methodist Church sees the need to respond to the needs of colleague churches, projects and institutions both here in the United States and in other countries. Therefore, we make missionary assignments primarily by request of partner churches, agencies, institutions and/or organizations.
- Faith Confession: All persons assigned as General Board of Global Ministries mission personnel must be Christians. Although membership in the United Methodist Church or other Methodist Churches is not required for missionaries, it is recommended. Deaconesses and home missioners must be members of The United Methodist Church since they are members of the annual conferences in which they actively serve. Familiarity with and commitment to the United Methodist Discipline, that is, its polity and its structures, are required.
- Church Experience: Leadership experience and mission service through congregations and annual conferences are desirable.
- Clergy and Laity: Lay persons as well as clergy can be assigned to mission service. Seminary training is necessary only when assigned as a pastor or seminary professor (persons assigned as pastors must be ordained clergy and be in good standing with an annual conference).
- Assignments: All mission personnel of the General Board of Global Ministries missionaries are assigned to locations where there are defined mission needs and where personnel is requested by local mission partners (Central Conferences, partner autonomous Methodist or united churches). Missionaries do not initiate, create, nor design their own assignments. Deaconesses and home missioners may serve in church related vocations or helping professions.
- Terms: Different programs require different terms of service. Missionary assignments do not require a lifetime commitment, although long term commitments are encouraged and anticipated. Missionaries typically serve three-year, renewable terms.
- Education Requirements: A bachelor degree is required as a minimum; however, educational requirements vary with each mission service category. If an applicant does not have an academic resume, necessary equivalent vocational and/or life experience can be considered.
- Professional Credentials: All professionals (clergy, physicians, educators) must have the appropriate credentials/licenses for their field in order to be commissioned as mission personnel.
- Experience with Diversity: Experience working with and serving persons of different racial-ethnic, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds is advisable.
- Language: Fluency in a language or languages other than English is an asset although not a requirement for application. Language study may be required for a particular assignment.
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