We developed our candidate process intentionally to help us meet our mission goals.  This process blends the collective experience and wisdom of years of global cross-cultural ministry.  We direct candidates in a life reflection process, in which they learn about the Missiology of CBF and respond to ideas like missional church, contextualization, sustainability, and networking.  The encourager church process is a crucial step for candidates as they determine a church that might fill this role.  It is our desire to aid, equip, and guide candidates so that they can serve God as called. 

 

1.       Reflection and discernment of calling

2.       Responding to, and shaping of, a service assignment

3.       Learning and engaging in CBF GM Missiology and team structure

4.       Encourager Church Covenant development

5.       Health and wellness

6.       Character exploration

 

 

 

The first step of the three-part application process is a 10-week online session (exceptions are considered for candidates needing to work offline). Candidates work through a process of self-discernment, reflecting on God’s development of giftedness, character and calling over their lifetime. In addition, candidates to learn about CBF Global Missions, reflect on mission practice, and interact with other candidates through online discussion boards. 

 

The second phase of the candidate process involves face-to-face interviews. We schedule interviews with a member of CBF Global Missions staff who has interacted personally with your written materials from the ten-week online discernment process. These interviews will take place in your hometown or as close as possible, and usually last about 2 hours.

 

The final phase in the candidate process is the Exploratory Conference. Candidates who successfully complete the ten-week discernment stage and personal interview phase are invited to meet with CBF Global Missions leadership in Atlanta at the expense of global missions. This conference allows candidates as well as key CBF personnel to meet and conference around Missiology, CBF vision and values, calling and discernment, as well as offer broader opportunity for interviews and candidate interaction. Upon completion of the exploratory conference, the leadership of global missions meets to discern whom to approve for commissioning as CBF field personnel.

           

We do not enter lightly into the appointment of field personnel.  We want to make sure that we are strategic and careful as we move ahead. This is an in-depth and selective process. We usually do not appoint all the candidates that begin the process. After each phase, we consider prayerfully and diligently, the candidates that we would like to continue in the process. 

 

Each year we are only able to appoint a specific number of candidates from each category of service. We base our Career and GSC appointment projections upon the Offering for Global Missions budget and giving trends over previous years. We do not appoint all persons who raise their own support. We have a very specific mission and vision that focuses upon the most neglected of peoples around the world—the least evangelized and the most marginalized. It is not an easy process—this is by design.

 

Because we do not appoint all that enter our candidate process, we maintain a highly confidential process designed to protect the privacy of candidates. We take this confidentiality seriously—to such an extent that we often cannot respond to expressed concerns about why a person was or was not appointed. We do our very best to ensure that the process is marked by care and deep respect for the individuals who are seeking appointment. The Global Missions leadership cluster, not one or two people reach consensus regarding our new appointments.