Page History

...

Why Is It So Important?

It Invests in the Goers - Preparing to go overseas is overwhelming. Many are still working, raising support, selling belongings, finalizing paperwork, and soaking up time with loved ones—all while carrying the emotional weight of goodbyes. Pre-field training offers a pause. It’s a chance to step away from the chaos and be poured into by people who’ve walked this road. It says to Goers: You matter more than what you can do or how fast you can do it.

It Covers What Discipleship Often MissesMay Miss - Cross-cultural ministry brings unique challenges. Even seasoned believers may never have learned how to grieve the loss of everything familiar or manage the stress of living in a foreign context. This work requires not just spiritual maturity, but practical resilience. A worker’s ability to navigate daily life can make or break their incarnational witness.

It Normalizes the Struggles - Pre-field training helps Goers set realistic expectations for the emotional and psychological challenges they’ll face—especially in the first two years. Recognizing a struggle as normal and having tools to address it can be the difference between thriving and burning out.

It Helps Avoid Costly Mistakes One phrase from our training stuck with me: - Consider the quote from a pre-field trainer “Everyone will make a million mistakes. We’re here to help you avoid the 10,000-point ones.” Cultural blunders are inevitable (and often make great stories), but major relational or ministry-damaging missteps can often be prevented with basic awareness and preparation.

It Benefits the Receiving Team - We recommend pre-field training as one of the final steps before launch. By then, Goers have likely moved out of their homes and said many goodbyes. Training gives space to grieve, reflect, and arrive on the field filled up—not depleted. It equips them with tools for culture, stress, and conflict—tools that will make the transition smoother for both the worker and existing team members.

...