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applicant has obtained district approval and completed the
application, the DFM evaluates the application. At some point
during evaluation, a DFM representative conducts a home-interview
with the candidate. Finally, if all indications are favorable,
the DFM asks the candidate to travel to Springfield, Missouri,
for additional orientation, tests, and interviews. The
applicant's geographical foreign field location is defined in the
final interview. If the tests and interviews are satisfactory,
the DFM will recommend the candidate to the Foreign Missions
Board for endorsement.
b. The Missionary's 5-year Cycle
The National Church and the missionary candidates consider
missionary service to be a lifetime career. Missionary service,
however, is generally divided into repeating 5-year cycles.
Missionaries spend the first year in the cycle, frequently
referred to as the year of "deputational ministry", itinerating
local Assemblies of God churches seeking financial support for
the foreign mission. They spend the remaining 4 years in the
cycle ministering in the foreign field. At the conclusion of the
fourth year in the foreign field, missionaries return to the
United States and begin another year of deputational ministry,
thus initiating a new 5-year cycle.
The DFM provides no formal training with respect to
deputational ministry. Generally, missionaries solicit funds
from churches and individual donors through pledges that
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Last modified: May 25, 2011