How to become a CMS missionary

What are the steps to becoming a missionary with CMS?  The question comes up quite a bit, which is tremendously encouraging for someone in my position!

The person who has administered applications in Victoria has just retired.  Myrla left me a document outlining a forty-eight point process!!!  What??!?  

Let me make a few brief points about CMS missionary culture:

- we aim to place long-term cross-cultural Gospel workers

- long-term means something like a decade or more

- we believe that the longer a missionary stays on location, the more effective they are for the Gospel

- that kind of staying power requires thorough preparation, training and careful selection

- it also requires a high level of support and pastoral care throughout the deployment

- under God, everything depends on the quality of the people we send

So the forty-eight point process reflects the care we take in selection and training. Truth be told, it also reflects on the history and complexity of a missions society that's been around since 1799!  

I'd be happy to talk about more details - just ask if there's something you want to know.  If you're a person interested in missionary service, here are a few pointers:

- talk to your pastor and ask what they think

- start a prayer group with trusted friends who know you well, get their wisdom and discernment

- get to know the different missions agencies - we're different!  

- check out websites, publications, missionaries, keen supporters

- make a time to have a coffee n chat with a staff member (like me!) or drop us an email

CMS....

- requires that our missios have the equivalent of one year of full-time theological or Bible college training 

- never works independently, all our missios work under the authority and leadership of a local partner with whom we have a partnership agreement

- the CMS process can take up to two years

- it all starts with a conversation with someone like me (good thing I'm friendly, and like good coffee)

Mmmm... coffee...