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As the sending agency and the employer, Reliant Mission maintains responsibility for liability and takes on the risk for its staff serving internationally, particularly in secure locations. With this in mind, Reliant's Crisis Management Team (CMT) will ultimately make the final decision when it comes to is ultimately responsible for decisions regarding crisis response for Reliant employees. In all crisis response, Reliant's CMT will work closely with field leadership, and in some casesempowering field leaders to make decision 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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Shared Crisis Authority and Responsibilities in Reliant Partnerships

Reliant Mission utilizes a partnered and decentralized approach to ministry leadership. The purpose of this document is to summarize the roles of the various parties to whom we relate, as it pertains to potential crises and management. This document is intended to be supported by Risk Policies and Risk Management Standards., so authority and responsibilities are often things that are shared. This includes criss 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 various crisis events.   

While Reliant wishes to entrust decision-making as closely as possible to the field, if a Field Leader is unable or unwilling to carry these responsibilities, Reliant will step into active management in the event of a crisis. Unless approved by Reliant and outlined in a signed MOU, it will not be appropriate for other parties to step into the management of a crisis, including relationally and financially invested partners. 

Definition of Parties Involved

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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/staff, 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  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 to guide decision making and response.  

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• Sending Church The sending church is the entity that is affirming the calling and sending of the missionary. 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. 

Our Guiding Principles:

We look to support the local leadership of our partnering churches to be the primary decision-makers and crisis managers in our international locations.  We believe the best decisions and situational knowledge are held closest to the ground in most cases. We expect local leadership to be responsive to their agencies and to Reliant as there are times when non-local parties need to guide response. (Note- how do we state that as an employer we maintain duty of care of employees? Is it a form of final say? Or something different?)  

While we wish to entrust decision-making as close as possible to the field, if field-level parties are unable or unwilling to carry those responsibilities, Reliant may step into management or delegate management to a ministry partner who can function within our employment and confidentiality framework.  It will not be appropriate for other parties to step into the management of incidences unless that responsibility was pre-planned and expressed in an MOU, or unless Reliant expressly designates that involvement during or following a crisis incident. This includes relationally and financially invested partners.  During and following a crisis incident, interested partners may present resources to Reliant, and Reliant will appropriately disburse those offerings. 

Here are specific examples of how Reliant hopes to share authority and various parties are involved in crisis management and response:Reliant has outlined the roles of various parties with who we partner below.

Location Preparation

Field Leader:  In order to enter a ministry setting where risk is present or probable, the leadership of the church/team/partner ministry needs to be confident that the potential risk carries kingdom value, and aligned with stewardship of kingdom resources. The local leader initiates the ministry choices and invites a team (or team members) to join in the strategic endeavor. 

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