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As the sending agency and the employer, Reliant Mission maintains liability and takes on the risk for its staff serving internationally, particularly in secure locations. With this in mind, Reliant's Crisis International Crisis Management Team (CMTICMT) is ultimately responsible for decisions regarding crisis response for Reliant employees. In all crisis response, Reliant's CMT ICMT will work closely with field leadership, empowering field leaders to make decision decisions for their teams. In some situations, Reliant will also allow an approved third party (supervising network or sending church) to make decisions on behalf of the team. 

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Reliant utilizes a partnered and decentralized approach to ministry leadership, so authority and responsibilities are often things that are shared. This includes criss crisis management and in most cases, we believe the best decisions are made, and situational awareness best occurs, closest to the ground. With this in mind, it is important for Field Leaders to be in regular communication with Reliant and any approved third-party decision-makers (Supervising Field Network, Sending Church, etc). Reliant will provide channels for communication and protocols for response in to various crisis events.   

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• Reliant is the sending agency and employer, partnering with local churches and ministries to support ministry on the ground (rather than initiate or guide those works). Reliant holds fiduciary responsibility and a duty of care for our missionaries/staffworkers, and associate volunteers. In the international crisis management field manual, the use of "Reliant" refers to the organization, often central leadership. 

• Field Leader guides the strategy and day-to-day work of the ministries where Reliant workers serve. The capacities of field leaders vary; they may be a pastor, a church plant leader, a leader of a network of churches, or the team leader of a ministry. The Field Leader may or may not be employed by Reliant. The Field Leader(ship) has agreed to a partnership with Reliant according to the Memo of Understanding (MOU). One of the responsibilities assigned to the Field Leader is crisis response management and preparation. In the event of a crisis, the Field Leader will actively work with Reliant's CMT ICMT to guide decision-making and response.  

• Reliant Team Member is the Reliant employee or volunteer actively involved in the field work of a Reliant ministry partner. The Reliant Team Member reports directly to a Field Leader and agrees to follow his/her guidance in crisis response and decisions for the team. The Reliant Team Member is responsible to create personal contingencies and needs to think through personal appetites for risk that could dictate a different response in various crises.  

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• Sending Church The sending church is the entity that is affirming the calling and sending of the missionaryinternational worker. When the sending church has an expectation or duty to assist in crisis management, this will be detailed in an MOU with Reliant and the Field Leader. 

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Field Leader:  When a Field Leader wishes to enter a new international location as a Reliant employee, or if a non-Reliant Field Leader wishes to enter a new location with Reliant employees, he/she needs to be confident (and able to articulate) that the potential risk carries kingdom value, and aligned with stewardship of kingdom resources. Reliant will work with the Field Leader and any approved third-party decision-maker (field network or sending church) to approve work in the new location. The Field Leader is the one to initiate this process and will invite a team (or team members) to join in the strategic endeavor. 

Reliant: Reliant will aim to support the Field Leader in the desire to launch a ministry in a new international location. Reliant will initiate discussions and ask appropriate questions to allow the Field Leader to articulate confidence in God's call to a new location. In locations of greater security risk, Reliant will provide a basic assessment to gauge the Field Leader's readiness (and willingness) to lead out in crisis management. Reliant will also assess the availability of resources to empower ministry in the high-risk location. The final decision making is ultimately the responsibility of Reliant, but as spelled out above, Reliant seeks to share authority and will work with the Field Leader and any approved third party decision-maker to make a final approval on starting ministry in a new location.  

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Supervising Field Network: When an approved sending field network is present, Reliant will work with leadership within the network to make a final decision on the new location. Often, it will be the responsibility of the sending field network to gauge the strategic nature of sending a team to a new location, especially one with a greater security risk. 

Sending Church: At times a sending church will be involved in decision making, but more often, the sending church releases, prays for, and supports the individual workers as they are guided by field leadership and Reliant. The sending church is invited to express concerns about sending team members to a high-risk location. Reliant will involve the sending church in decision making on a new location if the sending church has pre-approved third party authority as detailed in a signed MOU.  

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• The risk assessment will outline the 3-5 greatest risks to the team and plans for response. They will include information about communication, potential trigger points, responsibilities, and preparedness required of team members (including finance, documents, and other items to have ready).  
• General team-wide crisis management plans should include things like in-country rallying points, shelter in place locations, out-of-country rallying points, evacuation plans by air, land, sea, etc. Reliant will provide the Field Leader with tools and templates to complete this. 

Reliant: It will be the responsibility of Reliant to provide the necessary tools and templates for the team to use in order to create crisis management and contingency plans. Reliant will also be responsible to review/approve these plans and have them accessible for will hold affected parties accountable to use them in crisis events. 

Reliant Team Member: Each Reliant Team Member will be responsible to have personal/family plans in the event of a crisis. The Reliant Team Member must know and understand the team's contingency plans in various scenarios and how he/she will specifically respond in each event. 

Supervising Field Network: If a supervising field network is present and has approved decision-making authority in the event of a crisis, it will be the responsibility of the network to review (and possibly approve) contingency plans. The supervising field network will provide Reliant a clear point person with the authority to make decisions and provide guidance in the event of a crisis. It will also be important for them to communicate with Reliant and the Field Leader the resources they hope to provide in the event of a crisis. 

Sending Church: If a sending church has pre-approved third-party decision-making authority as detailed in a signed MOU, it will be the responsibility of the network to review (and possibly approve) contingency plans. The sending church will provide Reliant a clear point person with the authority to make decisions and provide guidance in the event of a crisis. It will also be important for them to communicate with Reliant and the Field Leader the resources they hope to provide in the event of a crisis. 

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Decision-Making Authority in the Event of a Crisis

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Field Leader: The Field Leader is the primary party responsible to respond to crises as they develop. The Field Leader may delegate management to another responsible party, as outlined in the contingency plan. The Field Leader is responsible to balance the local priorities of the ministry with kingdom values and stewardship of personnel. The Field Leader should ensure the safety of the team and is responsible to implement/follow team contingency plans when necessary. Decisions on team security levels and trigger points will be made by the Field Leader. When real-time immediate decisions on sheltering-in-place and evacuation is necessary, the Field Leadership has the authority to make those. Whenever possible, the Field Leader will be required to involve Reliant and any approved third-party decision-makers in the decisions regarding crisis response.  

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Supervising Field Network: If a supervising field network is present and has approved decision-making authority in the event of a crisis, it will be the responsibility of the network to provide Reliant a clear point person with the authority to make decisions and provide guidance in the event of a crisis. It will also be important for them to communicate with Reliant and the Field Leader the resources they hope to provide in the event of a crisis. 

Sending Church: In general, sending churches will not have decision-making authority in the event of a crisis, especially if an approved supervising field network is present. However, if a sending church is present and has pre-approved decision-making authority as detailed in the MOU, it will be the responsibility of the network to provide Reliant a clear point person with the authority to make decisions and provide guidance in the event of a crisis. It will also be important for them to communicate with Reliant and the Field Leader the resources they hope to provide in the event of a crisis.

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