posted on January 1, 2024
aXcess: Church Planting and Discipling in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Team members participate in relationship evangelism, church planting, small church ministry, and discipleship in partnership with local churches. The team will mentor you as you learn the language and culture. As a mission, we work closely with the national church to heal our heart-shaped country—one heart at a time. Overwhelmed by the greatness of the task? Can’t imagine what it is like to be the only believer on your block or in your town? Jesus has all you need, and He will provide what you need to run the race with perseverance. We are not saying it isn’t really hard, but we know that He is eternally faithful.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)–aXcess–Clergy Track
- Church planting, community center, discipleship, evangelism, leadership development
- Partially funded
- Single or couple
Responsibilities:
- Learn the local language and adjust to local culture
- Share the gospel on a regular basis and disciple new believers
- Participate in holistic ministry as determined by the local team
- Participate in the building and leading of the local church by gathering believers, attending, contributing to, and possibly leading weekly Bible studies, discussion groups, or other types of events as a part of the church planting and development efforts
- Communicate effectively with supporting churches and individuals
Required Qualifications:
- A recognized bachelor’s degree
- Completion of at least 30 hours of Bible/theology/ministry and 15 hours of intercultural studies
- Spouse must hold a recognized bachelor’s degree and have completed at least 18 hours of Bible/theology, 12 hours of missions/ministry studies (with a minimum of 6 hours in cross-cultural or missions studies)
- Completion of Alliance Polity course
- Completion of Alliance ordination/consecration
- Minimum of two years successful Alliance Licensed Ministry Experience
- A minimum Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) score of 60
- Humility and willingness to cooperate with existing team and national church
Biblical Characteristics Desired:
- Kingdom-minded
- Biblically grounded
- Spirit-dependent
- Competently skilled
- Self-aware
- Self-disciplined
Timeline for Deployment:
Summer/fall 2025. All appointees are required to attend a cross-cultural and language acquisition program and pre-field course/experience prior to deploying.
General Information:
World Factbook – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Joshua Project – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Language Expectations:
Language is an essential part of ministry. Those who do not know the language will attend a language study program. The goal will be to speak, read, and write the language at a functional level in order to mentor, teach, and train others.
Health Considerations:
Bosnia and Herzegovina has poor air and sometimes poor water quality. Smoking is common in public and homes. The country is generally not wheelchair accessible.
Expectations for Spouse:
Spousal roles vary based on the spouse’s gifts, training, and abilities as well as the needs of the team. It is expected that both spouses will be meaningfully involved in meeting ministry objectives depending on the nature of family roles, children, etc.
Traditional gender roles are expected in smaller cities and rural areas.
Children’s Educational Plan and Options:
There are both local and international schools in several major cities. Parents can choose which option will best fit the needs of their children. Black Forest Academy in Germany is a great option for students in grades 9-12. Please note that children must be registered in a local school. Homeschooling is not allowed.
Compensation Package
The successful applicant(s) will receive a full compensation package with the expectation that, once appointed, efforts will be made to raise a portion of support costs through the applicant’s network of friends, family, local church, or other resources. Information on support costs will be made available upon application. Training and/or coaching in fundraising is available.
Whole-Life Health
As part of an evangelical denomination, we are committed to biblical holism, which is modeled and reflected through our work. Due to this commitment, part of the required qualifications includes optimal emotional, spiritual, and physical health. These will be assessed during the application process.
Importance Clarification
Applicant(s) should be aware that serving in the international world often requires a higher degree of grace and flexibility. For example, overseas teams can be suddenly and unexpectedly impacted by illness, government decisions, financial realities, team changes, or other factors beyond the team’s control. The challenge for applicants is that these factors can sometimes necessitate the sudden redefining of a position, which may take place before, during, or after the application/interview process has begun or is completed.
Questions?
Please email the IPO office at [email protected].