FAQs

Relationships are important to us. We want to get to know you and we invite you to get to know us. This relational approach involves several important steps, including:

• Endorsement by your church
• Application papers
• Medical and psychosocial review
• Gathering of feedback from referees
• Discussion and prayer with members of the Pioneers team
• Orientation Week
• Training and development (an individual preparation plan)
• Possible survey trip
• Invitation to join a team
• Partnership development
• Commissioning by your church

We serve where unreached peoples live – places where there are no churches or where the church is not sufficiently able to reach their own peoples with the gospel without outside help. We currently have 324 teams serving in 104 countries. Our teams are always looking for new members! Equally important, members are free, in consultation with others, to explore creative ways to start new teams where teams do not yet exist. Where, and among whom, is the Lord calling you to serve?

We’ll answer this question by asking you some questions first!

• What are you planning to do in mission?
• What is your past experience?
• How has God wired you?
• What skills and gifts do you have?
• Do you have a good understanding of the bible?
• Can you share it with people of other faiths and other cultures?
• Does your church endorse you?

Our ethos is to help you prepare well so that you will thrive, not just survive, in cross-cultural life and ministry. We want to work with you to form an individualised preparation plan to suit your needs. You may need language learning skills, bible college training, or cross-cultural awareness. We’ll encourage you to learn from those who have gone before by reading good books and interacting with former workers.  Each step of the way, we’ll aim to serve you as you prepare to serve others.

Pioneers is a servant of local churches because local churches are mandated to engage in mission activity.  Your church will be your sending body and we will work with you to ensure your church understands the responsibility they embrace when they send their members to other parts of the world.

We’ll invite your church to be involved all along the way:

• As you are thinking about mission: share with your church leaders, ask for their prayer and include them in your discernment process.
• Before we formalise the application stage of joining Pioneers, a member of our team will meet with your pastor or mission advocate.
• The relationship with your church is essential at every step of your missions journey; before you go, while you’re serving cross-culturally, and when you’re back in Australia to reconnect with family, church and supporters.

Absolutely! Mission is about living as a passionate follower of the Lord Jesus Christ in some other postcode of the world. You get to be yourself, living and serving and sharing life through the gifts and skills that make you who you are. All over the world, every day, followers of Jesus are using creative ways to do ‘life on life’ with people who don’t yet know him.

Yes. All our members trust the Lord Jesus to meet their financial needs. Most seek the commitment of financial partnerships before they leave. Others have a portion of their financial needs met through employment when they are overseas, or through other forms of income generation.

Together, we can determine the answer to this question. It may take weeks, months or even years. The goal is to prepare well so you can serve well. It is not uncommon for people to be overseas within a year or so of joining Pioneers.

From two years to fifty years!

We are committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ, which means we are committed to serving long-term by learning language, adapting to culture, and serving people. Our goal is that the good news of Jesus is shared with people who don’t know him and that churches are strengthened.

The cost of living varies dramatically from country to country. By drawing on the experience of our many workers across the world, we’ll help you determine an appropriate budget for you and your family.

Pioneers is committed to the principle of body life, or team.  There really is no typical team today, we simply know that we need each other. Our teams are often multi-faceted and culturally diverse, seeking to demonstrate love in a powerful way.