Long-Term Competency Profile

MISSIONARY COMPETENCIES PROFILE

 

adapted from "Training for Cross-Cultural Ministries"  Vol. 91 Number 2.  September 1991

 

 

Areas of Development

 

CHURCH RELATIONS

Competencies

 

 

Active member of a local church. Evidences good personal testimony.

 

 

 

Participates in approved local church ministry.

 

 

 

Able to inform church of missionary task. Has church's support in missionary task.

 

 

 

Knows and can explain church's purpose and vision.  Knows local church form & function.

 

 

 

Understands cultural differences in local church form.

 

MISSIONS STRUCTURES

 

Understanding of mission history & current implications.

 

Understand how mission boards function. 

 

Study church-mission relationships.  Writes good prayer letters.

 

Study Field-mission relationships.

 

Understands Biblical basis for mission support, including faith promise.

 

INTER-PERSONAL RELATION-SHIPS

 

Applies Biblical principles to inter-personal relationships.

 

Able to manage inter-personal conflicts, failure, criticism, praise, and success.

 

Maintains healthy family/marriage relationships.

 

Has healthy relationships with diverse kinds of people.

 

Knows how to handle same sex & opposite sex relationships.

 

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

 

Demonstrates healthy self-image. Maintains emotional equilibrium.

 

Consistent in motivation.  Knows how to take breaks. 

 

Willing to deal with emotional dysfunctions.

 

Has dealt with significant emotional or physical problems.

 

Emotional, psychological, & physical approval for field.

 

SPIRITUAL LIFE

 

Building intimate relationship with God.

 

Consistent Bible study, prayer life, disciplines.

 

Demonstrates fruit of the Spirit.

 

Knows & uses the spiritual gifts.

 

Understanding of spiritual warfare.

 

LEADERSHIP

 

Able to work with a team.  Has leadership experience.

 

Plans, creates objectives, & delegates responsibility.

 

Encourages, motivates, transmits vision.

 

Knows personal limitations.  Flexible.

 

Servant leader.  Develops others gifts & leadership.

 

PRACTICAL ABILITIES

 

Able to take advantage of a situation.Skilled and willing to work.

 

Knowledge of preventive medicine, first aid, & hygiene.

 

Able to perform household duties.

 

Ability in practical areas:  Agriculture, Repair, Crafts, Music, Hi-tech.

 

Shows fiscal responsibiblity.  No debt.  Biblical financial planning.

 

EVANGELISM

 

Knows gospel message - personal &public presentations.

 

Able to communicate it adequately -  methods.

 

Practices personal evangelism.

 

Aware of super-natural dimension of evangelism.

 

Identifies with receptor of message.

 

DISCIPLESHIP

 

Has been discipled. Has a mentor.

 

A disciple worthy of imitation. 

 

Knows strategies & methods of discipleship. 

 

Experience as a discipler/mentor.

 

Forms disciples who disciple others.

 

BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE

 

Convinced Bible is the Word of God & able to defend that position.

 

Demonstrates knowledge of Bible content.

 

Knows Biblical basis of mission.

 

Habit to memorize Script. & applies to daily life.

 

Able to teach Bible using various methods.

 

THEOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE

 

Knows God, His person and work.

 

Familiar with systematic and biblical theology. Knows contemporary theological currents.

 

Knows God's mission and Kingdom concepts.

 

Knowledge of different religions. 

 

Understands mission of the church and church growth principles.

 

MISSIOLOGY

 

Understands current missiological vocabulary, i.e. 10/40 Window.

 

Applies biblical truth and behavioral sciences to field problems.

 

Reads current relevant journals:  i.e. EMQ, Missiology, IBMR, etc.

 

Can define an "unreached people" and understands the deep significance.

 

Competent to strategize for  a given people group or missiological task.

 

CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICA-TIONS

 

Knows  & applies communication principles

 

Willing for incarnational ministry.

 

Distinguishes biblical principles and human customs.

 

Sensitive to cross-cultural bridges for evangelism.

 

Experienced in cross cultural situations.

 

CULTURAL ANTHROPO-LOGY

 

Able to analyze own culture and other cultures.

 

Able to contextualize biblical principles.

 

Conscious of own ethno-centricity & able to manage culture stress.

 

Respects other cultures and can adapt to other cultures.

 

Has inter cultural experience.

 

LINGUISTIC ORIENTATION

 

Disciplined, persistent, convinced of importance to learn.

 

Humble, uninhibited, can laugh at own mistakes.

 

Knows language acquisition techniques.

 

Knows rules of linguistics, syntax, phonetics.

 

Experience with language learning.

 

CHRISTIAN ETHICS

 

Knows biblical ethical principles.

 

Conduct is according to values.

 

Can facilitate the adoption of an indigenous biblical ethic.

 

Respects laws & regulations.

 

Knows the difference between ethics & doctrine.

 

Notes:

1.  Each of the above "Areas of Development" are usually developed progressively over time in the following way:

1.1  Personal knowledge.  This is simply knowing something or knowing about something.  Fairly cognitive.

1.2  Integrate into life.  In addition to the above the discipline is now a life habit or commitment.  This level is much more affective and behavioral.

1.3  Influence others.  Because of habits and commitments one now influences others in these areas of competence. 

1.4  Broad applications.  Now the missionary is able to strategize and influence beyond his or her local situation.

2.  There are several parallel paths to the accomplishment of these competencies.  Local church involvement while key is one that will lead to formal education, mission board relationships, relevant short-term ministry, and strategic reading and skill building activities.

3.  Each person seeking a long term mission appointment should have a church approved ?mentor? who will help the person through the maze of options toward accomplishing competency in the above listed areas of development.