posted on January 1, 2023
aXcess: Creative Church Planting in France
This opportunity is for a person or couple with a heart for French people, namely a younger, urban French generation that is spiritually lost with little gospel witness among them. The workers will be serving in a culturally diverse, economically growing metropolitan area to creatively engage in relational evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development as a foundation for establishing faith communities. They will work as a team alongside the current C&MA Bordeaux cohort with the goal of starting new communities of faith in the Bordeaux area.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)–aXcess–Clergy Track
- Church planting, discipleship, evangelism
- Single or couple
Responsibilities:
- Learn the French language and culture
- Build a community of faith where Christ is worshiped and served
- Be engaged in evangelistic outreach through building relationships, making creative connections, and coordinating events
- Mentor and train local leaders to serve
- Contribute to the growth of the national French Alliance
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 50
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:
French people are very proud of their language and appreciate those who can communicate well within their language and culture. Bordeaux is the sixth largest metropolitan area in France and one of fastest growing urban areas, with the goal of having one million residents living in the CUB (greater Bordeaux area) by 2030. It is also home to the University of Bordeaux (four campuses with 82,000 students) as well as many other private professional schools. Two major local industries are aerospace manufacturing and wine production.
Many of the existing evangelical churches are in communities just outside of Bordeaux proper. There is a young, dynamic population of Bordelais (young professionals, students, and displaced people) in the heart of this busy city where there are limited opportunities to encounter the gospel.
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.
International workers (IWs) receive two years of intensive French language and cultural study. The CEFR–C1 fluency level is required (effective operational proficiency).
Health Considerations:
France has modern health care facilities with well-trained doctors. Health care is generally significantly less expensive in France. There are some notable differences in care between France and the United States. If there are specific health concerns, please discuss with the team on the ground.
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.
Children’s Educational Plan and Options:
French schools work well for students with no special educational needs. Students who have individualized educational plans (IEP) may struggle in-country, and a consultation with the Alliance regional education consultant (REC) is advised in the case of a child with an IEP. Homeschooling is not an option under French law. Bordeaux has numerous private schools that offer classes in English, French, and other languages that could accommodate third culture kids. Some of these private schools can also accommodate an IEP. We do not recommend that children learn in an English-only context. There is one middle school and one high school in the Bordeaux district that have American sections. Black Forest Academy in Germany is an easy and relatively inexpensive direct flight (to Basel/Mulhouse) from Bordeaux.
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.
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].
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.