posted on January 1, 2023
aXcess: Church Planting in Uruguay Outside Montevideo
This opportunity involves partnering with the national church to plant communities of faith in coastal or inland cities among a highly atheistic and agnostic population. This endeavor requires being a positive presence in the community by meeting societal needs and building relational bridges that can support the weight of the gospel. The IW will be expected to contribute by creatively meeting the community’s needs and engaging in relational outreach, hospitality, discipleship, Bible studies, preaching and working alongside IWs and/or Uruguayans to establish new communities of faith in under-evangelized cities.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)–aXcess–Clergy Track
- Church planting, discipleship, evangelism, leadership development, theological education
Responsibilities:
- Learn Spanish to full professional proficiency
- Develop relationships and maintain a meaningful, impactful presence in Uruguayan society
- Develop, host, and lead small group Bible studies or other outreach/discipleship events
- Help lead church plants and ministries as the church grows
- Be willing to work on a team and/or alongside a national pastor
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 20
- A clear call to church planting in a post-Christian context
- Experience developing relationships with nonbelievers, leading people to Christ, and discipling them
- Self-starter
Preferred Qualifications:
- Ministry experience and training in church planting
- Cross-cultural experience
Biblical Characteristics Desired:
- Kingdom-minded
- Biblically grounded
- Spirit-dependent
- Competently skilled
- Self-aware
- Self-disciplined
Timeline for Deployment:
Summer/fall of 2024. Following appointment, and once fundraising goals and other qualifications are met, the appointee is required to attend a cross-cultural and language-acquisition program and pre-field orientation prior to deploying.
General Information:
Uruguay has a population of 3.5 million people. The arts, athletics, education, and travel are highly valued. Public transportation is safe and inexpensive. Montevideo and most cities in Uruguay have potable water and a modern sanitation system. Comfortable housing is available. Utilities, internet, and cable are readily available. This position will be located in a least-reached coastal city. Quality medical care is available in Montevideo but may be limited in outlying areas.
Joshua Project – Uruguay
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.
Language learning is accomplished by attending a one-year, on-site program at the Spanish Language Institute in San José, Costa Rica. Second year language requirements are fulfilled on the field through formal tutoring, reading requirements, videos, cultural events, and constant interaction with Uruguayans.
Health Considerations:
Quality health and dental care are readily available in Montevideo. There are no major health risks. The level of health and dental care in coastal cities is lower than in the capital city.
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.
It is expected that both spouses will be meaningfully involved in meeting ministry objectives, serving in the local church, with the team, and in the community.
Children’s Educational Plan and Options:
Many quality bilingual options are readily available within Montevideo for children of all ages. In coastal cities, there are usually good options for children in grades K–5. Middle and high school options are limited in coastal and interior cities outside of Montevideo. In conjunction with our regional educational consultant and conversations with current workers in the area, a recommended plan for families with school-age children will be developed.
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].