THE MISSIONARY SELECTION PROCEDURE
The following procedure should be followed in selecting new candidates for support. (This applies to Regular Budgeted support as well as Faith‑Promise allocations)
1. Candidate must complete an application and submit to the missions office. A copy of the current application should be included in this policies and procedures manual as an exhibit.
2. Preliminaryscreening would take place next. This is the process of considering whether we believe that the Lord would have us consider supporting this candidate. The Screening Team or subcommittee should review these applications from time to time in light the criteria set forth in this manual and make a decision, based on the application and any contact with the applicant whether to proceed further.
Items in particular to deal with at this time would include:
‑ Is the Missions Agency approved by us? If not, this must precede the approval of the candidate.
‑ Do we have the necessary funds available for this sort of candidate if we were to proceed to approval?
‑ Does the candidate's background and experience seem to have prepared him/her for the situation they are moving into? Have they been in missions before?
- When do they leave for the field?
- Are they career or two year commitment?
- Do they know the language?
- What contacts do they have at Covenant?
‑ Would this candidate be available to minister at Covenant from time to time and would they be effective?
‑ Are you able to get excited about what the Lord is doing in the life of this candidate?
‑ Does the area to which the candidate is going need his/her skills and abilities?
3. If the screening subcommittee gives the preliminary OK in step 2 above, an interview with the screening subcommittee is set up. Special attention should be given during this interview to the candidate's Conversion, his/her Spiritual Gifts and Training, his/her "Call", and the candidate's past effectiveness in ministry.
4. The next step is a decisionbytheScreeningSubcommittee to either Recommend or Not Recommend Covenant support of this applicant. If they recommend support, the subcommittee should present this recommendation to the Missions Committee for a decision.
The Missionary Selection Procedure ‑ continued
5. Presentation to the Missions Committee come next. The missions committee acts on the screening subcommittee's recommendation to either Recommend, Modify, or Not Recommend the candidate for support.
6. Any recommendations for support are then presentedtotheSession for their approval. The session is the final authority on all matters relating to the support of new applicants.
Special Note:
Swift processing and regular communications are very important in the above process. The screening subcommittee should keep both the candidate and the missions committee updated concerning the status of each candidate.