WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES - World Evangelical Alliance

108 WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES
SUMMARY
Candidates for the mission field require certain essential qualities and
qualifications. Spiritual qualifications relate to the candidates’ relationship with
God, having stable family relationships, qualities such as humility, love and
perseverance, and ministry proficiency. Natural qualities include sensitivity,
flexibility, physical and emotional capacity and language aptitude.
Tentmakers need additional qualifications: namely, bi-vocational
conviction, marketable skills, perspective on work and ethics and a healthy
sense of independence balanced with interdependence.
Prospective candidates for cross-cultural assignments should be carefully
and responsibly assessed before being selected and sent for their assignments.
These assessments should be made by those responsible for their welfare and
by the candidates themselves.
The placement of workers needs to be carefully considered with longterm
service in mind. Long-term assignments are preferable for the laying of
foundations for a multiplying work. However, there is also a place for shorttermers
on the field.