posted on January 1, 2024
aXcess: National Church Developer in Ukraine
Ideally, we would have three national church developers to serve in three distinct regions: Kyiv and central Ukraine, eastern Ukraine (Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Odessa regions), and northwestern Ukraine. The developers will work with the local national district bishops to rebuild and renew churches affected by the war. The developers will assist with new church plants. Developers will coordinate with CAMA and Envision in their areas of expertise.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)–aXcess–Clergy Track
- Business development, church planting, discipleship, evangelism, leadership development, refugee or immigrant
- Partially funded
- Single or couple
Responsibilities:
- Aid the local bishop in the development of ministries in the region
- Care for national church pastors
- Help the local region to maintain an evangelical and missions focus
- Help initiate new church plants
- Help all churches further their spiritual development and growth
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
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:
Disruptions to electricity, heat, and water are likely. One will see areas of total destruction, but most of Ukraine is still normal. Expect little access to American products and unreliable access to European products.
World Factbook – Ukraine
Joshua Project – Ukraine
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.
Several good language schools as well as online and tutorial possibilities are available.
Health Considerations:
Getting around Ukraine requires a lot of walking. The ability and willingness to walk is essential. Medical facilities are adequate for basic needs. Surgeries are available through private clinics.
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:
Kyiv Christian Academy offers educational programs beginning in kindergarten. Homeschooling is legal and acceptable. National schools provide education programs in various languages, including English. Black Forest Academy is a boarding school option available for students in grades 9–12.
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].