posted on January 1, 2023
aXcess: Multicultural Church Planting and Outreach in Paraguay
Your primary role will be multiplying church networks in Ciudad del Este (CDE), a diverse international community. You will help the local multinational church to grow and reach people from around the world who are living in CDE. A secondary role will be developing people. You will mentor Latino IW candidates in a multinational partnership and potentially teach at a three-year ministry formation program run by the national church that helps develop national pastors and leaders. Another secondary role will be serving communities. You will develop and serve with an economically disadvantaged indigenous people group.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)–aXcess–Clergy Track
- Church planting, discipleship, evangelism, leadership development, refugee or immigrant ministry
- Single or couple
Responsibilities:
- Evangelism
- Relationship building
- Discipleship
- Teaching
- Service
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
- Full professional proficiency in Spanish and ability to adjust to life and the diverse cultures of Ciudad del Este
- Ability to build and maintain multicultural relationships
- Willingness to take initiative to recognize needs and create ministries to meet them
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:
Paraguay is a diverse, quirky, friendly, laid-back country. Ciudad del Este is a busy trade city on the border with Brazil and Argentina. Although small, it is home to merchants and workers from the Middle East, Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Europe, and local indigenous communities. Many languages are used in the city, and there is great religious diversity. The opportunities and challenges typically found in urban environments around the world are present in CDE. The climate is similar to the southernmost United States, with seasons flipped.
Joshua Project – Paraguay
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.
Spanish fluency is preferred but not required. The successful applicant(s) will receive one year of intense language study followed by ongoing language and cultural acquisition. 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:
Ciudad del Este has health care facilities with additional facilities across the border in Brazil. It is possible to find physicians in-country who have studied in the United States and speak English, but finding specialists may be a challenge.
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, team, and community.
Children’s Educational Plan and Options:
Educational options exist in CDE, including international schools conducted in Spanish. In conjunction with our regional educational consultant and conversations with current workers in the city, 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].