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WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES - World Evangelical Alliance

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HOW TO ASSESS PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES<br />

105<br />

The purpose of having criteria for evaluation is not meant to disqualify people<br />

from the mission field but to help them consider their cross-cultural career<br />

carefully and realistically. Those who go will be made aware of what it takes to<br />

be a cross-cultural worker. They will also need adequate orientation to prepare<br />

them for their assignment.<br />

CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE PLACEMENT<br />

OF CANDIDATES<br />

The placement of cross-cultural candidates is not an easy or<br />

straightforward matter. Besides considering the qualities and qualifications of<br />

the candidate, the specific assignment has other important ingredients.<br />

1 Cross-Cultural Ministry Skills<br />

Not only must the candidate be proficient in the ministry in his home<br />

country but he must be able to modify methods and approaches in the new<br />

context. The chapters on Culture and Contextualisation deal with these issues.<br />

The candidate must not only be aware of these issues but would need proper<br />

cross-cultural orientation.<br />

2 Spiritual Gifts and Motivation<br />

Certain assignments demand corresponding gifts to perform<br />

responsibilities on the field. The candidate must be personally motivated to<br />

carry out the responsibilities, and have the needed capacity to carry out an<br />

effective ministry. Usually a “job description” lists qualifications necessary, and<br />

describes the responsibilities of the assignment.<br />

3 Personality Characteristics and Style<br />

The candidate should have a style of leadership or way of ministering<br />

that is acceptable to the people. He should also complement the team with<br />

whom he is ministering. He does not need to have similar personal<br />

characteristics as the culture, but his personal style must be compatible with<br />

the culture. Personal style needs to be assessed in relation to how flexible or<br />

structured a person is, or how relational he is. For example, some Northeast<br />

Asian countries may respond to a directive leadership style especially in<br />

structured ministries, but many Southeast Asian ministries require a more nondirective<br />

relational type of leadership.

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