Supporting the Road to the Field

Singles and families seeking to leave from the U.S. to serve in the Muslim world often face many obstacles and years of hard work. Many times, the process of preparing to go takes longer because they must continue their careers as they inch toward the field. Here are some ways your church can help clear obstacles from their future workers’ road to the field:

• Frontiers requires the local church’s endorsement, so explain to prospective field workers any conditions they will need to meet before they can expect to be endorsed by your church. For instance, your church may require some Bible training, seminary, or a number of years serving in the church.
• After singles or families apply to Frontiers, consider subsidizing their cost to attend Frontiers’ required 12-day Candidate School. Future workers do not receive a Frontiers ministry account until they successfully complete Candidate School, so funds can’t be donated to Frontiers on their behalf until then. However, your church can take a special offering to help the future worker cover the one-time costs of travel and accommodations at Candidate School.
• Organize a lunch or dessert where future workers may present their plans for sharing Jesus’ love with Muslims and request prayer and financial support. Be sure that some key church leaders attend and speak on their behalf as well.
• Send a few church members, including a pastor, on a field visit to the location where your new workers will be doing long-term ministry. Take pictures and video, pray, and afterwards give the short-term participants an opportunity to share about their experiences with the whole church.
• Schedule a commissioning service to precede new families’ or singles’ departure overseas. Use this time to pray, testify about God’s faithfulness, and cast vision for the future.