Serving full time in missions is a high calling. My objective is to help you discover if God is leading you to work with the Ethnos360 team in some way. Ethnos360 missionaries establish thriving churches among ethnolinguistic people groups where there are no Bibles, no Christians, and no Gospel witness — “efforts shall be directed … where no witness of the Gospel has yet reached.”
New to missions? Zeal is a gift — aim it. Before you fill out anything, take the five keys in order. It is the fastest way to learn what you don’t yet know you need to know.
All Christians have this in common: someone told us about Jesus. Some of us heard and believed early, some late. All of us have only one lifetime to hear, believe God, and tell other people so that they may believe. One third of the people in this world have not yet been told. How will unreached people groups know who Jesus is unless someone who has believed the message goes to tell them? (Romans 10)
What the work requires
The objective is thriving churches led by local people who are reaching out to tell and equip other people groups. Such a work might require: ordination of church leaders, interactive discipleship, accessible Bibles in the hands of the congregation, foundational Bible teaching from eternity to eternity, Bible translation, sustainable literacy, knowledge of culture, heart-language communication to high fluency — and being there, on location.
It takes a team.
Many of these people groups are still unreached because of where they live. Some take missionaries days or weeks just to reach. Once there, missionaries must sort out housing, food, supplies, and how to protect their progress in language learning, culture discovery, literacy, and translation until the work is complete. Just living where the people live takes a huge toll on time, health, and effectiveness — adding years or decades to the work. Anyone who can join the team to relieve the logistical load of building houses, managing electricity, and providing transportation can speed the work by many years. These support missionaries are vitally important: they enable the church-planting missionaries to accomplish what all the missionaries are there together to do.
Ways to serve full time
- 01
Career missionary — church planting roles
Career missionaries have usually sold everything to complete their mission. They live by faith, supported by friends, family, and churches who believe their work is a worthy investment. After completing Ethnos360’s two-year training, some serve in church planting: gifted and qualified to learn languages, translate the Bible, teach everything, disciple, and ordain church leaders.
- 02
Career missionary — support roles
Others are gifted to help the whole team: aviation, mechanics, builders, school teachers, administrators, government liaisons, supply chain, IT, human resources, trainers, consultants, and oversight. After training and raising their sending team, career missionaries usually serve overseas four years at a time, returning home for a year to reconnect before the next term. Prepared to Thrive →
- 03
Skilled Associate
Associates serve from six months to four years with very short training, usually in a support center alongside experienced missionaries — automotive technicians, IT personnel, school teachers, cooks, construction, guest house managers, and more. At the end of four years, continuing overseas means completing the career training. See current roles and needs →
Next steps
If you are interested in discovering more about working full time with Ethnos360, fill out the Preliminary Questionnaire. There is no commitment in doing so; the purpose is to help you and Ethnos360 discover each other’s values. After you fill out the PQ, the Ethnos360 Connection Center will contact you to help you discover what you need to know, where more training might be necessary, or how to immediately jump in. Or begin by just talking — the Connection Center, an Ethnos360 representative, or me personally. No obligation or expectations.
Go deeper
- Ethnos360 Training — the two years that prepare career missionaries.
- The Bible Basis for Support — how faith missionaries are funded.
- The Big Picture of Church Planting — video series on the whole process.
- Missions FAQ — including “isn’t it dangerous?” and “do I have to learn a language?”