Going FAQ
"I want to be a missionary."
In most cases, learning a foreign language will be part of the missions training period. It is not required before joining WIM.
The missionaries are paid from designated contributions received. Funds are kept in reserve for them until needed. They are not given to anyone else or used for any other purpose.
Yes. Rather than being afraid of this aspect of missions, think of it as an opportunity to bring along a team of others to be part of the ministry to which God has called you. This is done through relationships with churches and friends. You will be taught more during orientation.
To become a WIM missionary, you must be a committed follower of Jesus Christ and a growing disciple and be actively involved in the ministry of a local church. You must have a clear call to missionary service. Bible college training is also valuable, but it is not a requirement.
A minimum age of 18 is required for becoming a WIM missionary. In order to make legal decisions on his/her own, an applicant for missionary service with WIM must be an adult. WIM does not have a maximum age for applicants
WIM missionaries are located all over the world. By completing a preliminary questionnaire, we can begin the conversation with you about how to get to where the Lord is leading you. We would love to help you navigate the calling God has placed on your life.
Yes. Anyone seeking to become a WIM missionary must attend the WIM Orientation & Training, held annually.
WIM does not dictate to people where they are to serve. Each missionary must hear from the Lord where He is placing him/her. WIM desires for each person to live and serve where he/she can develop and be most effective as a missionary in order to thrive and fulfill the calling God has placed on his/her life. WIM may direct the apprentice missionary to receive on-the-field training in a different area but in a cultural setting similar to the area where he/she will be serving long-term.
As a WIM missionary you are expected to live by our core values. As part of the WIM family, our core values are demonstrated practically–through involvement in regional conferences, the international conference (which is once every three years), and timely reporting to the board with an annual report. Your first two years on the field are usually training with another missionary. After successful training, you are free to begin ministry in the country or region to which God has called you. As you work in the field, Kingdom perspective is imperative. You are expected to build the Kingdom of God and not your own. Servant leadership should be your leadership style; mentoring is a must; indigenous principles are the guide, in order to keep the people you are serving from becoming dependent on you.
To be a part of something bigger than yourself. To be part of a family and accountable to others. To enable those in the office to take care of much of the business of missions, so that you can focus on ministry to the people to which you have been called.
"I am a seasoned missionary."
Missionaries need a support system. WIM connects you with other missionaries who can encourage you and possibly work together.
WIM provides financial services which include receiving, distributing, and receipting of funds. We provide appropriate end-of-year financial reports to the IRS such as the 1099.
WIM provides member care for all of our missionaries. This includes international conferences for all missionaries, regional member care, and field visits.
WIM provides spiritual oversight and prayer covering for our missionaries. Our staff begins each day with a time of prayer for all of our missionaries.
WIM assists in communications to donors, including the creation and distribution of newsletters.
Yes. Experienced missionaries are always welcome to join WIM. A key condition for their acceptance in WIM is their earnest commitment to our core values, including especially, indigenous principles. Missionaries with WIM are committed to the discipling of local believers in the host culture so that the resulting ministry becomes self-supporting, self-propagating, and self-governing. Please contact us.
Yes. Everyone coming into WIM goes through an interview and acceptance process. This helps us get to know you and the scope of your experience and see the correlation between your ministry background and WIM’s core values. You would need to schedule time in the United States to attend the annual Orientation & Training Week, so you will want to get started in the process as soon as possible. In most cases, you will be able to return to your place of ministry right after this important event.
Although a missionary with years of experience on the field may not require training regarding cultural adaptation, many components of the Orientation and Training Week are beneficial, even for experienced missionaries. Among these are the discussion of WIM operations, policies and procedures, and presentations on good self-care, handling stress, team ministry and conflict resolution. The interview process helps us learn more about your missionary experience and enables us to determine what sort of orientation may be most appropriate and what additional training, if any, may be needed. Please feel free to contact us regarding any questions you may have concerning this.