posted on January 1, 2025
aXcess: Relational Church Planter in Berlin, Germany
Berlin is one of the fastest growing capital cities in Europe. People from more than 180 different countries call this city home. Located in former East Germany, the most atheistic region on planet earth, this city of four million people is less than 2 percent churched. A hub of artists, musicians, students, and immigrants, Berlin is an integral part of reaching the rest of former East Germany.
This project focuses on reaching out primarily to Germans through intentional relationship building, evangelism, developing disciples, and helping establish new churches in Berlin.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)–aXcess–Clergy Track
- Church planting, community center, community development (urban), discipleship, ESL/TESOL, evangelism, leadership development
- Partially funded
- Single or couple
Responsibilities:
- Learn to speak German––B2 proficiency on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required
- Use your home to host new contacts, church events, and a small group
- Make a healthy, positive adjustment to the local culture
- Attend, lead, and develop Bible studies and other discipleship activities
- Impact the community through service and engagement
Required Qualifications:
Clergy Track
- 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 ordination/consecration
- Minimum of two years successful Alliance Licensed Ministry Experience
- Completion of Alliance Polity course
- A minimum Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) score of 40
Preferred Qualifications:
- Small group/house church leadership
- Pastoral experience
- Experience in mentoring/coaching
- Experiance in active evangelism
Biblical Characteristics Desired:
- Kingdom-minded
- Biblically grounded
- Spirit-dependent
- Competently skilled
- Self-aware
- Self-disciplined
Timeline for Deployment:
Summer/fall 2027. 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 – Germany
Joshua Project – Germany
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 takes place in private schools with times of self-study and private tutors also available. Creative tandem partnerships with locals are an important part of language learning. Language students are expected to reach a B2 level of learning.
Health Considerations:
Germany has modern, quality health-care facilities with well-trained doctors.
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:
Kindergarten care is available through age 5/6 and is quite well-focused on learning and development. Good local German schools are available for students through high school. There are some bilingual and international schools available. Black Forest Academy in Kandern, Germany, is a good option for high-school age children, and there is a relatively inexpensive direct flight to Basel/Mulhouse from Berlin that allows for fairly frequent visits. Homeschooling is not a legal option in Germany.
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.
Important 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].