FAQ

An Intercultural missionary is called by God to live and work among a specific people group or special needs population. Missionaries teach, preach, resource, train, feed, pray, comfort, build, repair, and counsel, using their gifts and talents to reach people groups that require specialized understanding and communication to make the gospel accessible. The missionary is trained and equipped to meet these specific needs and share Christ.

The easy answer is people groups of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds, whether native, immigrant, or refugee, but Intercultural Ministries also sends missionaries to other unique groups that may surprise you:

Those needing compassionate ministry—orphans, the homeless, victims of human trafficking, those deceived by cults, the blind or visually impaired, the deaf culture, and persons with disabilities.

Our nation is home to nearly five hundred diverse people groups speaking over six hundred languages. The opportunity to reach many tribes, ethnic groups, and cultures, as well as each person who is blind, deaf, living with a disability, or in need of compassionate outreach, is right in our neighborhoods in the United States. Most of those people won’t be reached by a traditional church. They need a missionary to take the gospel to them.

U.S. missionaries are engaging with refugees and immigrants in key population centers throughout the nation. Immigrants and their United States-born children now number over eighty-four million people in the United States. Many of them are eager to find friends and jobs and learn more about their new home. U.S. missionaries do several things to reach out:

• Teach English classes

• Help prepare resumes and provide transportation to job interviews

• Explain and show how to navigate a grocery store, use local public transportation, or enroll children in school

• Be their friend (friendship evangelism)

• Serve as a bridge to the ethnic pastor to help them reach their people in the United States

You can connect with Intercultural Ministries missionaries, leadership, and staff on Facebook to stay in touch with ministry activity. You can pray, support a specific missionary or area of ministry financially, or even become a missionary associate or U.S. missionary yourself.

Intercultural missionary associates are volunteers age eighteen or older, who offer their services and talents to assist with a missionary ministry, church ministry, or district ministry in an Intercultural field, usually for a one- to two-year period. You can start the process by contacting the missionary, pastor, or district you wish to work with. After finding out their needs, contact the Missions Support office, to talk to them about your call to ministry and begin the process. The application and approval process typically takes six to eight weeks. You do not have to have ministerial credentials to become a missionary associate, but some people do get their credentials and prepare to do missions work full time.

A missionary associate is responsible for raising his or her own support. An account number with U.S. Missions is assigned upon approval, so that contributions can be recorded for tax purposes and donors provided with a receipt. Missionary associates do not itinerate as career missionaries do, but are encouraged to speak to family, friends, and churches where they are known. Some MAs work part-time while serving.

Yes! Click on Get Involved for some opportunities for short-term or seasonal volunteers. Information will be provided for you to connect with the missionary ministry directly, to learn about the services they need and see how you can fit in. 

Your church can take a missions trip with a U.S. missionary, too. If your church is interested in a participating in a missions trip, please contact our office, and we’ll connect you with a U.S. missionary.