TEAM
Organization
Founded in 1890
Vision
TEAM is an evangelical, non-denominational, international mission whose purpose is to help churches send missionaries to establish reproducing churches among the nations to the glory of God – to reproduce the Body of Christ wherever the most people have the greatest need. This involves following the “moving target” of least-reached peoples, using creativity and innovation, and partnering with churches and agencies around the world. World mission demands servanthood and the incarnational representation of Jesus Christ. We seek to accomplish this through healthcare, theological education, English teaching, missionary children’s education, and technical and professional services (business / construction / agriculture / media / consulting), and through local church ministries (evangelism / youth / children / music / pastoral). TEAM has over 600 missionaries serving in 39 countries.
Networks/Affiliations: IFMA,ECFA,WEA,EMS
Staff
64 full time employees inside North America.
626 field personnel outside North America.
Missions Opportunities
Expected terms of service:
1-3 months
3-18 months
2-4 years
4 years or longer
Qualifications for Applicants
TEAM evaluates short term applicants in a number of areas. These include their relationship to Christ, involvement in their church, character, flexibility, adaptability, teamwork, and the skills necessary for the particular assignment. TEAM evaluates long term applicants (those going for 6 months to career) in four major areas: character, call, competence, and compatibility. For both short and long term assignments, applicants are also evaluated on the basis of requisite credentials for their assignment (medical school for doctors, higher degrees for seminary professors, etc.).
Application and Candidacy Process
SHORT TERM (up to 6 months)
TEAM evaluates short term applicants on the basis of a written application, references, and a background check. We look for strong character, flexibility, teamwork, and the skills necessary for the particular assignment. Once accepted, short term missionaries put together their support team and attend a one week training session before leaving for their overseas assignment.
LONG TERM (6 months to career)
TEAM evaluates long term applicants (those going for 6 months to career) in four major areas: character, call, competence, and compatibility. The application process begins when someone fills out the preliminary information form on TEAM’s website. After initial dialogue, an application is sent out. When we receive the completed application, we phone the pastor of the applicant’s sending church to affirm the church’s endorsement of the application and the applicant’s call to cross-cultural ministry, as well as to discuss placement issues. This is a requisite step to proceeding. We collect more information (resume, transcripts, references, etc.) and then conduct a telephone interview with the applicant. This is followed up with a biblical beliefs questionnaire, physical and mental health assessments, and a background check. The entire file of the applicant is then reviewed by a team of assessors who make the final decision regarding acceptance as a TEAM missionary candidate. Once approved as a candidate, the person attends a placement consultation to finalize the location and ministry in which the person will be serving. Once placement is confirmed, the person becomes an appointee and is able to start raising a support team.
Training Program
Life-long learning is one of TEAM’s core values, both for short term and long term missionaries.
SHORT TERM (up to 1 year):
Short term missionaries attend a week long briefing prior to their departure overseas. This includes training in theology, cross-cultural skills, travel safety, church relationships, dealing with expectations, and team building. Upon returning, short term missionaries attend a debriefing session to process their experience and look at next steps.
LONG TERM (1 yr to career)
Once appointed, new TEAM personnel attend a week-long training session. During this week, appointees are welcomed into TEAM, introduced to professional development, and given the tools needed to begin the support discovery process. As they launch into support discovery, appointees are linked together though online learning groups to facilitate growth. They also pursue any additional individual training that TEAM has recommended (this may include linguistics training, training for working with third-culture kids, etc.). When all their support is in, appointees attend another week of pre-departure training at TEAM headquarters to learn about intercultural skills and ministry effectiveness. Once overseas, missionaries begin language learning and cultural acquisition. Ongoing learning takes place as recommended through an evaluative review process.
Funding
TEAM missionaries are funded through the generous support of churches and individuals around the world who are committed to the vision of TEAM and the ministry of the specific missionary which they support. TEAM assists appointees in building these partnership relationships through the support discovery process. TEAM also works with foundations to obtain grants for various projects.
Demographics & Policies
This agency invites:
- Non-English speaking candidates (A non-English speaker would have to rely heavily on translation if going through the US Office. TEAM would have to be able to provide sufficient training/orientation for a non-English speaker despite this obstacle. A stronger option would be to apply through one of TEAM’s overseas partner agencies.)
- Non-North American Candidates (TEAM accepts non-North American citizens provided they have a green card (in the US) or a work permit/landed immigrant status (in Canada). Non-North American citizens who do not meet these conditions yet wish to serve with TEAM may apply through a foreign partner agency of TEAM and have full TEAM missionary status on the field of service.)
- Graduating international students to work in their home country (See above stipulations.)
- Those who practice ?charismatic? gifts such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, healing prayer, etc. (TEAM accepts those who practice “charismatic” gifts provided they do so only in private, not in public. TEAM also asks that they not teach regarding the use of those gifts. TEAM understands from experience that in some situations in certain areas of the world, the public practice of charismatic gifts can be divisive to the national church. Our desire is to prevent that possibility and preserve unity.)
- Divorced candidates (TEAM will consider divorced candidates on a case-by-case basis. The circumstances surrounding the divorce and the position of the national church in the target country are significant factors in the decision making process.)
Statements
No Our agency has standard policies for the education of missionaries? children. Yes Parents make decisions regarding the education of their children. Yes Children are included in our orientation and on field support. Yes Both spouses are required to apply and qualify for missionary service. No Both spouses are considered paid staff members. Yes Non-employee spouses are expected to participate in the ministry on a volunteer (non paid) basis. Yes Non-employee spouses are included in orientation and on field support. Yes Our agency has a sexual harassment policy. Yes Women may hold any position in our organization.
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