WHEN YOU CROSS CULTURES - World Evangelical Alliance

TYPES OF BI-VOCATIONAL LABOURERS
2 Model B, partially supported
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This person is usually backed by a support group, a church or organisation
which remits some or almost all of his budgetary needs. This person may choose
a job which is less consuming in terms of time and energy. The job is a means
of partial support. Sometimes, in poorer countries which are less developed,
remuneration from the job will not be sufficient to fully support the tentmaker
and his family. Teaching is often a suitable job - either language teaching or a
subject in line with the person’s expertise. Other avenues would be research,
social and development work or relief work. The student route, including
learning the language, would be another possible way.
With the greater amount of flexible periods in between or during the job
assignment, this person focuses more of his or her time and attention to
ministry-related activities among locals other than his work colleagues. The
ministry may focus on students or unreached groups or helping a local church
grow. This person may sometimes have more opportunities of having a ministry
than the other model. Inevitably there will be a range of other valid options in
between the two models.
GETTING TO THE FIELD
Tentmakers are people of purpose and usually get to the field through
their own initiatives. Here are some ways.
1. Get job information from Trade Commissions or Embassies and read
advertisements in newspapers and publications in major city centres. Job
applications can also be made through the internet. An Asian tentmaker
responded to an advertisement and worked as an engineer with a large
corporation in East Asia. Later he extended his stay with another company.
2. Write to agencies which give information on job opportunities overseas.
Hundreds of Caucasians in particular have received jobs through these means.
3. Ask friends or other tentmakers who know of contacts. Two Asian women
received information from friends who had contacts on the field. They wrote to
these people and obtained teaching posts in East Asia. Both these women
developed networking relationships with other tentmakers and had fruitful
ministries in the country.
4. Visit the field to explore opportunities. A Caucasian couple visited East Asia
as tourists and they were invited to teach at a university.