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At Reliant we love to see our missionaries called into greater opportunities. On a regular basis our missionaries sense God is calling them from the U.S. to an international ministry. This page is intended to help you understand the steps along the way and the timeline needed.


Steps in the Transfer Process

The process for a current U.S. missionary with Reliant to transfer to an International role includes the following main stages:

Establish the Ministry Partnership (if needed)


All missionary roles at Reliant result from a partnership between Reliant and the ministry where our missionaries serve. Usually a move overseas indicates a need for a new partnership. Even if the ministry is being managed by a large church, there are usually supervisors for the particular location who will want to understand how we partner together. 
The process for establishing a partnership with Reliant includes the following:
  • Partnership Call is completed with Reliant's International Team and the new supervisors. It takes 30-45 minutes.
  • Reliant MOU signed by new partner ministry
  • New supervisor is oriented to need for a budget & international support goal
  • MTD coach identified, if needed

For an international missionary, the partner church/ministry is most often the receiving church (located internationally). However, there are scenarios where Reliant partners with the sending church (located in the U.S.). It is important to determine whether the receiving or sending church is the appropriate partner for Reliant and continue the rest of the process with leadership from that church/ministry involved.

Refresh Assessment Process (8-10 weeks)


When someone is already a missionary with us, we know they have been effectively assessed for their current ministry. An international move triggers new levels of stress and the need for greater preparation. Also, at Reliant we make sure that a new ministry's supervisor has had the opportunity to interview our missionaries for the roles they will carry. This is valuable to each party in the discernment process. 

Therefore, an abbreviated "refresh" assessment process will be completed at apply.reliant.org. Missionaries can feel free to start a new application now and reach out to our Assessment Coordinator at apply@reliant.org to abbreviate the application. A Refresh application will include: 


Documentation (application)


  • International testing in partnership with International Personnel Consultants & Mission Training International
  • References from spouse and current supervisor
  • Job Description/Ministry Skills - for new ministry
  • Calling - for new ministry
  • Emotional and Moral Questionnaire
  • MTD readiness (financial updates)

Supervisor Interview


After submitting an application, an interview will be held with the anticipated future supervisor for the international role.

Reliant Interview


The missionary will also talk with a Reliant interviewer, which will include discussing some of the information reported from the international testing packet.

Decision


The anticipated future supervisor and Reliant will make a decision in regards to the transfer. If the transfer application is approved, the missionary will be notified of the new ministry offer.

The standard time for this process, once a transfer application is submitted, is 8-10 weeks.

New Ministry Offer


A new ministry offer is an affirmation that the missionary is well-suited for the new role and that Reliant and the new ministry leadership believe God's blessing is on the transition.

At this point, the missionary will be released to work out their plans for release and transition from their current ministry. In most cases, the missionary is carrying responsibilities that need to be transitioned to other people, and we expect our missionaries to leave well by making the space for a healthy transition.

In best-case scenarios, Reliant hopes that the current ministry views themselves as "senders." One aspect of that is that the current ministry continues to supervise the transitioning missionary during their fundraising and international preparation season. Not every ministry situation can allow for that. If the current ministry is not able or willing to provide oversight, Reliant will look to the receiving ministry to provide this oversight. 

International Orientation & Support Goal Development

International Orientation 


Once a new ministry offer has been extended for the transfer to an International role, the missionary will need to connect with the International Department of the Missionary Resources team for an international orientation. During this orientation, we will explain the aspects of employment that are unique to international missionaries, discuss your anticipated timeline and review the following:

    1. International Support Goal Worksheet
    2. International Checklist
    3. Cross-Cultural Training plans and requirements 

International Support Goal and International Allowance (formerly Bonuses)


International Missionary salaries are set on a needs-based system. This is very different from the U.S. structure, which uses market-based salaries. The supervisor of the missionary is highly involved in the process by providing budget and expectations regarding the local standard of living. 

 A new needs-based support goal will be calculated using the International Support Goal Worksheet (SGW). This support goal will be added to StaffNet to help track progress towards 100% of the fundraising goal but will not be used for payroll initially.

MTD - Active Fundraising for the New Ministry (typically 3-6 months)

Missionaries will be required to raise:

      • 100% of monthly recurring gifts

      • 100% of one-time gifts OR a 3-month buffer of expenses in MTD account (whichever is greater)

The amount of time needed for this fundraising varies greatly depending on things like the amount of funding currently developed and the amount of time the missionary can give to the process. 

Cross-Cultural Training

Reliant Missionaries who are serving internationally for more than 9 months are required to have cross-cultural training. Usually Reliant Missionaries utilize COMPASS training with MTI. Reliant is continuing to develop new partnerships for the cross-cultural training needs of our missionaries. Reliant's Missionary Resources leadership needs to approve any alternate cross-cultural training. The request for acceptance of alternate training needs to be initiated by the leadership of the supervising ministry.

Typically, missionaries should aim to register for their approved cross-cultural training once they pass 50% of their monthly international support goal.

Release to Assignment & Roundtable Call

International Release to Assignment 


Since this transfer involves a new ministry assignment and new international support goal, a new release to your international assignment will be required. A few key things happen after the Release to Assignment has been approved:

  • Plane tickets may be purchased
  • Salary will change to the international needs-based salary calculated in the SGW
  • Insurance will change to international coverage

Roundtable Call


The Roundtable Call is a simple, yet important time when Reliant, the missionary and the new supervisor meet one last time before the missionary's departure. We review plans for the arrival, the first few months of ministry, first furlough and safety issues together. We also formally commit the missionary to their new role at this juncture. The call is usually scheduled by the missionary and held 1-2 weeks before departure. It takes 30-45 minutes. 

Getting Started

When you wish to move internationally, it helps if you reach out to Reliant 6-12 months prior to your desired deployment. Answering the following questions will help us serve you and begin the transfer process. 

  • When do you plan to start MTD for your international role, and how much time do you plan to devote to MTD?
  • When do you plan to transition away from current job responsibilities?
  • Do you need to change your employment status while you raise additional support (you have the opportunity to change to Associate or a Part-Time status in order to accrue funds more quickly)? If so, when?
  • When do you hope to attend MTI cross-cultural training?
  • When do you hope to complete your fundraising? (Fundraising must be completed in order to be released to your new assignment.)

  • When do you hope to move to your international ministry location?

The transfer process includes an assessment and a Hiring Decision between Reliant and the leadership of the international ministry. That decision may result in identifying areas in which the missionary needs to develop before being invited to this new role. The missionary is only free to announce a change and officially raise funds for the new ministry after the hiring decision has resulted in a New Ministry Offer. For these reasons, we encourage current missionaries to communicate wisely to friends, family and ministry partners. Helpful language includes comments like: "I believe God is calling me, and I've started a discernment process with my leadership"; "I hope to be released to an international assignment"; "Our hope and dream is to minister internationally, and we are preparing ourselves for that"; and "We hope you will continue supporting us if we are released to our new ministry." 


Milestones During MTD


At 50% - Plan Training Logistics

    • Register for Cross-Cultural Training — usually Reliant Missionaries utilize COMPASS training with MTI. Make sure these plans have been approved by Reliant and your current supervisor first.

    • The missionary registers for MTI when they reach 50% of their goal, with the aim of attending training when they have 80-95% of their goal.

    • The cost of MTI is covered by funds that are raised by the missionary.

Between 50-80% - Get Oriented with Reliant's Financial Processes

    • Contact international@reliant.org to register for International Financial Orientation where we discuss international banking plans. and international reimbursements.

Around 80% - Attend Cross-Cultural Training

    • Official transfer happens in Reliant's databases. This reflects a transfer of responsibility from the previous U.S. assignment to the future International assignment and updates ministry information on Reliant.org profiles (if not already updated). Aim to attend the approved cross-cultural training with MTI around this time.

      Be aware, there will always need to be four weeks between the end of cross-cultural training and departure for the international assignment.


At 98-100% - Request Release

    • Request Release to Assignment 
    • Plane tickets may not be purchased prior to the missionary being Released to Assignment. 
    • Schedule Roundtable Call between Reliant and the Local Supervision

    • Finish all International Checklist requirements and submit remaining paperwork to international@reliant.org

      Be aware, a minimum of 10 business days is required between Release to Assignment and departure for the international assignment.

Report to New Assignment!

    • Send us your prayer letters (smile)

Differences between U.S. and International Employment with Reliant


As U.S. missionaries with Reliant consider transitioning to an International role, there are various aspects of employment with Reliant that are similar and others that are different from employment in a U.S. role.


USInternational
SalaryMarket-basedNeeds-based
Support Goal (and tool used)
  • Offered market-based salary is used to determine support goal
  • Support Goal Calculator tool used to submit

Insurance

(when benefits eligible)

BonusesMinistry Expense Bonus planned into support goalInternational Bonuses requested as applicable, instead of a monthly ministry expense bonus
TaxesReliant witholds state tax based on where you are residing and working.Reliant does not withhold state tax.

Questions?

Adrienne Lansing

Email: adrienne.lansing@reliant.org

Phone: 407-801-8397

Title: International Liaison

Department: International

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6 Comments

  1. Unknown User (ed.courtney@reliant.org)

    Unknown User (kate.pendola@reliant.org) Do you want this in Missionary Policies or International? It read more like an International space page to me.

    1. Unknown User (kate.pendola@reliant.org)

      Yeah, good question Ed - user-1a794 and I thought through that and actually decided we wanted it in Missionary Policies (since the audience we're going for is current US missionaries). We thought it would be more likely to be seen by the people who are needing the info this way. I'm open to discussion on that though!

  2. user-1a794

    Ed and Kate, Yep, like Kate said, open to discussion.  I think we could update the title.  What we are experiencing is that there is rapidly increasing number of US folks who want to move to int'l.  We learn late in their process becuase we don't have information available to them.  An alternate approach would be a solomon page w title:  "So you would like to change ministries" ... and then we have Transfer Ministry page, which links to : new supervisor, new location, new partnership, going int'l.  

  3. Unknown User (kate.pendola@reliant.org)

    Unknown User (kate.pendola@reliant.org):

    Table on this page should moved to a separate child page, linked in the Intl Orientation/Support Goal Development step/section.

    Split out the transfer process stages, based on how Cori structured her page (Process for Transferring from a Reliant Role in the US to an International Placement)

  4. user-a88de

    Unknown User (ed.courtney@reliant.org) - could we change the Questions? to have my contact information on it since I will be the one handling this process going forward

  5. Julie Thomas

    Julie Thompson & Mike Easton - Kristina has been going through all the pages in the Missionary Policies section to update "missionary" language and do a quick review.  She noticed that "Missionary Resources" is still in this section. (See below; I can't add an inline comment in a drop down.) What should we change it to? (cc: Kristina Lilly)