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Our Missionaries

CALLING

  1. An ACTION Zambia missionary should be able to articulate his or her calling to cross-cultural ministry.   They should be able to verbally express why they feel God is calling them to Zambia, the ministry area where they feel equipped and called to serve, and some sense of timing regarding their call.
  2. A missionary’s calling originates from the Holy Spirit’s prompting to sacrificially serve others for the glory of God.  It is imperative that candidates feel “recruited” by the Holy Spirit, not by ACTION or their church.
  3. There should be clear external evidence of this calling, both in observed effectiveness of past and existing ministry and confirmation of this calling by mature, godly leaders in the candidate’s life
  4. Calling often involves decisions that require courage in the face of opposition from family, friends, and sometimes, even other believers; missionaries will evidence a readiness for sacrifice in this area if need be.
  5. Calling sometimes dictates an extended period of preparation before deployment (Moses, David, Paul); some candidates may be asked to complete additional preparatory work even though others have attested to their calling.

CONVICTIONS

  1. ACTION Zambia missionaries must have deeply held convictions on which they intend to build their ministry.
  2. Convictions are more than intellectual assent to an idea — they are deeply held ideas that influence and guide ministry.  Convictions are the foundation for strong “religious affections” which are, likewise, indispensable.
  3. Sound doctrine matters — we believe in and strive for unity within the body of Christ, but we also value truth. There should be strong alignment with AZ’s theological position — we are building a team which is like-minded in doctrinal matters.
  4. A qualified missionary will have a good theological foundation for ministry; the mission field is not the right place to develop ones own theological convictions.
  5. In particular, ACTION Zambia missionaries must share our convictions about church-based & gospel-focused ministry.

CHARACTER

  1. ACTION Zambia missionaries must be mature, godly believers.  While we agree that God can use young believers in missions, we would direct new and growing Christians to short-term opportunities.
  2. A missionary’s character demonstrates an on-going pursuit to conform his or her life, conduct, family, finances, and ministry into the pattern seen in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
  3. Humility and deference to others should be evident in the life of each member.
  4. Missionaries must be compassionate servant-leaders who are ready to lay down their lives for others.
  5. They must be secure in their identity in Christ.  Missions is not the right place to try to “find oneself” or figure out what God is doing in your life.
  6. While no one is perfect, missionaries must have a passion for sanctification and the pursuit of holiness

COMPETENCY

  1. A missionary must have ministry skills which are relevant to the work of ACTION Zambia.  Two years of leadership experience in a local church context is a requirement.
  2. Every ACTION Zambia missionary is an evangelist and discipler — and must have demonstrated the ability to function in these capacities with a minimum of training/orientation.
  3. Missionaries should be able to work in a team context and understand normal team dynamics.
  4. They must be able to feed themselves on the Word and have demonstrated ability to do basic inductive Bible study on their own.
  5. Missionaries must be able to articulate biblical peace-making truths and their references should be able to cite specific examples of when and how these were demonstrated within family, ministry, or church contexts

CHEMISTRY

  1. ACTION Zambia missionaries must be a good “fit” for our team.  Chemistry is a product of personality, convictions, and character.  It is not necessarily a reflection of calling or maturity — not every candidate will be a good fit for AZ and AZ will not be a good fit for every missionary.
  2. They must be able to function in unity and harmony with one another — chemistry refers to the ability of our team members to function as a cohesive, like-minded unit.
  3. Missionaries with the right chemistry for ACTION Zambia will be motivated and energized by the team, they will enjoy each other’s company and spending time with team members will naturally fuel their passion for ministry and godliness.
  4. Successful missionaries will enjoy worshipping with the ACTION Zambia team and feel comfortable praying with colleagues.

CONDUCT

  1. ACTION zambia missionaries must live in a way which represents our Savior appropriately, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  We seek to maintain a ministry environment which is God-centered & God-glorifying.
  2. Excellence in personal conduct and interpersonal relationships is vital.
  3. Missionaries must be committed to godliness and the pursuit of holiness.  We ask team members to be conservative in their choice of entertainment, modest in dress, and wise in male/female relationships at all times.
  4. Missionaries must be committed to setting their minds on the things of the Spirit and not the things of the flesh, even on their days off or weekends.
  5. Participation in a local, Zambian church is required of every missionary.  Participation extends well beyond attendance on Sundays; it involves participation in the life of the local church body.