General program questions and online help

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What if I don’t have any overseas experience?

Although not a prerequisite for short-term service, previous overseas experience is something that is extremely helpful for someone who desires to spend the next two years in ministry outside of the United States. Since the IMB is into international cross-cultural missions, perhaps you have some involvement in the international community here in the States. Consider talking to your associational office about ethnic ministry in your area or work with your BCM's international ministry on campus.

While it is preferable that our applicants have some form of overseas experience, like a volunteer trip or a student summer missions experience, a few of our applicants have never been overseas. If you have a sense of God’s leadership to serve in a cross-cultural missionary setting overseas, you should complete the online information form anyway. ISC, Journeyman and Masters programs involve a screening process whereby we want you and the IMB to make good decisions.

What kind of preparation would help for overseas service?

Culture shock is a real entity out there, and it is good for people to know what it is like in a foreign country before they decide to live out an incarnational witness there. A volunteer trip overseas is always good preparation.

Formal witness training is a real plus because if one can’t witness here in the states, we don’t expect that person to be able to lead others to Christ overseas. Perhaps look into Continuing Witness Training (CWT), FAITH or Evangelism Explosion (EE).

Involvement with the international community here in the States can be great preparation for a possible overseas term. Is there a university nearby where you could get involved? Perhaps ESL certification and ESL teaching experience would help prepare you for an overseas ministry.

Another good preparation is to continue to exercise your gifts of Bible teaching, discipleship of newer believers and intentional evangelism through your Baptist Campus Ministry or your local church. Check out what makes a stronger application.

Do I have to be a Southern Baptist?

Yes. We are an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention and our denomination expects the IMB to send out those who are Southern Baptist. That’s the short answer.

The other reason is that we desire to plant indigenous baptistic churches overseas (churches that hold to Baptist distinctives, theology and polity) and not simply make disciples. How can someone who lacks a Southern Baptist identity work effectively with our overseas personnel and national Baptist partners? Our field representatives in unity promote Southern Baptist distinctives such as a...

• Born again theology
• Autonomy of the local church
• Priesthood of the believer
• Teaching and training through small groups
• Immersion as the mode of believer's baptism
• Security of the believer, and a
• Testimony of every Christian ought to be shared

Notice the first letter of the points above. If you agree with all these points above you should have no problem identifying with Southern Baptists!

What is the Cooperative Program?

Starting all the way back in 1925, Southern Baptists have depended upon the Cooperative Program to fund missions causes around the world. A single church can only do so much for missions, but the strength of a denomination with thousands of churches can accomplish so much more.

The smallest Baptist church may never be able to support a missionary by themselves, but through the Cooperative Program they help to send and support over 5,000 full-time international missionaries around the world. Their dollars, added to millions of dollars from other churches, make the Cooperative Program work.

Why do I have to be active in a Southern Baptist church for the past two years?

Since we are in the business of making disciples around the world, we expect all of our personnel to be involved in developing these new believers into indigenous Baptist churches. A good Southern Baptist identity means more than knowing the right answers to our questions. We want to see a track record of Southern Baptist ministry and involvement. Church membership for at least two years tells us that you have such a track record and helps us to know that you have a history with the SBC.

We expect to send overseas only those who are actively involved in a local church, and your local church must be affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. We are unapologetically denominational.

What does Southern Baptist identity mean, and why is it so important?
Southern Baptist identity basically means that you …

• Know who Southern Baptists are (identification)
• Know what we believe (doctrine)
• Know what we practice (polity)
• Understand what we hold dear as a denomination (experience)
• Understand how we help to carry out the Great Commission through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®.

If you don’t have a good Southern Baptist identity, you really won’t enjoy working overseas with our missionaries and national believers who do!

What if I don’t have any formal evangelism training?

Although formal evangelism training is required for IMB long-term missionary service, it is not required for ISC, Journeyman or Masters service. It certainly is a great idea to have formal training because it will help you to be a better prepared and more effective missionary. So what would prevent someone who desires to be a missionary from getting such vital and needed training? Talk with your pastor or associational leadership and get the evangelism training every believer ought to have! The best training methods involve biblical study along with opportunities for the training team to go out together for practical experience. A new evangelism training product and other evangelism resources are available through the North American Mission Board.

Do I qualify since I have been a Christian for only two years?

This depends on your background, spiritual maturity and growth. If you are brand new to the faith and have no Southern Baptist church background, it may be too soon to send you overseas, even if you have been quite active in a Southern Baptist church since your conversion. Paul has a great warning for Timothy regarding new believers and leadership in First Timothy 3:6. But, we process applicants case by case. It could be that you have grown and matured in the faith far beyond many believers who have been saved for 10 years!

My church membership is less than two years–can I still qualify?

Sometimes we are able to go case by case on this depending upon your involvement (not just attendance) in a Southern Baptist church prior to your actually joining the church. Active involvement in Baptist Campus Ministries while at school is a big advantage, too. But, this exception is more likely made in a newer convention area where Baptist work is not that strong.

Since the budget shortfall of summer of 2003, these sort of exceptions have been rare. The reason is that there are so many good and qualified Southern Baptists that desire to move ahead, it will be difficult to move ahead with someone needing an exception to stated policy.

What if I am not a U.S. citizen?

We can only send those who are citizens of the United States or permanent residents holding a valid green card. If your U.S. citizenship or residency is still in progress we encourage you to take care of that before coming to screening conference. You might also need to maintain continuous residency if you are in the process of securing U.S. citizenship, so it is best that you wait until everything is settled before continuing in the process.

I was born in Venezuela, immigrated to the U.S. when I was 10; can I go back to Venezuela as a Journeyman?

There is a policy against our sending a missionary back to their country of origin. We are committed to sending missionaries into cross-cultural situations, not back home. An exception may be made on a case by case basis if you have been away for at least 10 years, there is a strategic need that only you can fill in that country, and the assignment does not put you near any family or friends. This exception is approved at the highest levels of the IMB.

How long will the application process take?

The screening process takes up to six months for most applicants. This timetable is based upon our published application deadline, attending screening conference and then on to orientation.

You must remember that this is not the same as applying for a volunteer trip. We are screening for missionaries who will represent the Lord and Southern Baptists around the world.

What does it mean to be “called” as a missionary?

There is significant biblical precedent for God calling out various individuals for His special service. He called Abraham to leave all that he knew, and that which he called home, to go to a place that God would show him. He called Amos to leave the flocks of Tekoa to speak the Word of God to the nation of Israel. He was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet (Amos 7:14) but God called him to take His message to the nations.

As in Isaiah’s time, the call still goes out, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Perhaps our only answer is the same as Isaiah; "Here am I. Send me!" (Isaiah 6:8). The New Testament precedent may come from the life of the apostles, where God instructs the gathered church to "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." (Acts 13:2).

You’ll know it when God calls you and the Christian community should confirm it.

There is a theology that says all Christians are called to go unless God specifically tells you to stay. Matthew 22:14 records Jesus saying, "many are called, but few are chosen." This fits our day as well!

Must I have a seminary degree to be a missionary?

No. At least not through the ISC, Journeyman or Masters programs.

Long-term candidates have a seminary requirement (an M.Div. degree down to as little as 20 hours of seminary courses–it depends upon the job to which one is appointed).

It is best to contact the candidate consultant for your state for the most up-to-date information regarding long-term qualifications. Call (800) 765-0011 to talk to your candidate consultant.

I’m interested in long-term service but have no seminary, what should I do?

There are several options for you. All of our Southern Baptist seminaries have what is called the 2+2 program. This is an M.Div. with International Church Planting degree (the actual name of the degree will change depending upon the school). It involves two years of on-campus coursework, then going overseas for two years through the ISC/Journeyman programs (or three years as an apprentice in the 2+3 option). This can take care of the educational and the “current and continuous experience” qualification for long-term service.

Also, depending upon the job assignment, you might need as little as 20 hours of seminary–business platforms, medical specialists, educators could fall into this category.

Long-term strategy coordinators (those who focus on a specific unreached people group and do whatever it takes to reach them) require 30 hours of seminary.

Since I don’t qualify for long-term service, can I continue serving as Journeyman, ISC or Masters for several years?

The short answer is “No.” There are no retirement benefits provided for ISC, Journeyman or Masters missionaries. It would be irresponsible for us to continually allow you to go overseas through our programs, no matter how great the needs on the field.

However, if you are in the Masters category and your retirement is set, all we require for subsequent assignments are a good field evaluation (from your previous term), evidence of continued good health (with medical clearance) and a good job match. Check out the subsequent assignment page for more details.

Am I limited in the number of terms I may serve through ISC?

The short answer is, “Yes.” We will send you overseas for one term, then perhaps a second term because God presents such a great opportunity. If you are young, a third term is basically discouraged.

The reason? There are no retirement benefits provided for ISC, Journeyman or Masters missionaries. It would be irresponsible for us to continually allow you to go overseas through our programs, no matter how great the needs on the field. If you sense God’s call to full time missions, get serious and move through the long-term service process.

However, if you are in the Masters category and your retirement is set, all we require for subsequent assignments are a good field evaluation (from your previous term/s), evidence of continued good health (with medical clearance) and a good job match. We have a lot of repeaters in our mature crowd.

What are the differences between ISC, Journeyman and Masters?

• Journeymen are basically college graduates, single, 20-something, going for two years.
• ISCer may not need a college degree, may be married, may serve up to three years.
• Masters are basically ISCers age 50 or more serving either two or three years (declaring the length up front).

The application, screening process and jobs listing are the same for all three service programs.

What are the age limitations for ISC, Journeyman and Masters?

• Age 21 is the minimum age for ISC and Journeyman (some college seniors may apply while they are still 20). ISC has no upper age limitation.
• Masters minimum age is 50 (for couples, at least one in the couple must be age 50) with no upper age limitation.
• Journeyman has an upper age limit of 29 (prior to orientation).

Can I use the ISC/Journeyman/Masters programs to meet the long-term experience requirement for missionary appointment?

It is best to discuss this with your long-term candidate consultant. Long-term service requires that the missionary candidate have two years of current and continuous ministry during the two years prior to appointment. Long-term qualified individuals, and many seminary students, will use the ISC/Journeyman program to help meet this experience requirement.

Those in this category must work with a long-term candidate consultant during our process to ensure that the ISC/Journeyman job will meet long-term missionary expectations.

Will I be a real missionary?

Yes. Sometimes there is a sense (on the field) that ISC/Journeyman and Masters are only support personnel, but the fact is that long-term folks sent in a specific request for two-year personnel because they could not get the job done without them!

You will be meeting a vital need! ISC/Journeyman/Masters are out on the cutting edge of evangelism and church planting—doing real missionary work. Everyone going for two years and longer also is included in the official IMB missionary count.

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