posted on November 5, 2021
aXcess: TCK Education Assistant and Community Development in the Middle East
In a country with a slower pace of life, you will join a team that operates an NGO and, alongside our local staff, meets felt needs of our city and surrounding villages. Team goals, aside from the NGO, include relational evangelism, equipping local leaders, and church planting in surrounding villages through life-on-life experiences like drinking tea, sitting with neighbors, and making connections on local transportation.
Position Type
- International worker (IW)—Vocational Track
- TCK education, community development, NGO, evangelism, discipleship, church planting
- Partially funded
- Single or couple
Responsibilities
- Spend focused time learning the local language
- Attend and participate fully in team events (meetings, worship times, group activities, etc.)
- Assist TCK’s parents in focused areas of homeschooling
- Join in community-development projects
- Advance and support team goals
Required Qualifications
- A recognized bachelor’s degree
- Completion of Alliance Polity course
- Completion of the World Perspectives Mission Course (minimum of certificate level) or equivalent
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in childhood education
- Demonstrated positive ministry involvement in a local church
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
This is a beautiful, mountainous country with moderate four-seasons weather. The majority religion of the Middle East has taken over this country, keeping a majority of the people bound in fear and darkness. There is a small body of believers that make up 0.02 percent of the total population. However, most of the registered churches in our city are Russian-speaking. We desire to see the Kingdom multiply among local people in their heart language. Because of deep poverty in this post-Soviet country, many families are separated or broken due to one or both parents working in another city or country. While people may have few resources, they are quick to invite you into their homes, creating opportunities to build relationships and share the good news. Locals love to talk about religion, creating open doors to share faith in a variety of settings.
Language Expectations
Language is an essential part of ministry. 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.
Our language study is a self-driven, curriculum-based program carried out with the help of local language helpers. Over the course of your language-study time, you will use self-study, class time, and intentional immersion time to work through language proficiencies. Together with the team leader, you will set goals and receive support through the language-learning season.
Health Considerations
The health-care system is available for mild injuries and illnesses. Serious medical conditions are difficult to address in-country.
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
At least one parent should be willing to homeschool. The local school is an option, but the style of teaching is based on rote memory in the local languages; supplementation in English is necessary as their school levels are not equivalent to American school standards.
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.