Associate Missionaries

As from January 1st, 2003, all missionaries other than the executive directors, are classified as associate missionaries, as will be, in the future, all long and short term missionary individuals or teams. Therefore any individual or team wishing to work with EAB should kindly read the following prior to applying:–

EAB / ACEV would warmly welcome new workers on short term and long term bases, for specific situations with specific gifts and capacities, as long as they conform to the guidelines agreed by the 2 organisations. However we need to clearly define the process of becoming an EAB Associate Missionary or Associate Missionary Team. As EAB and ACEV work in a unique partnership, it is clearly vital that these two organisations must be respected and consulted, as necessary and appropriate, in the defining and acceptance process of Associate Missionaries, and with reference to their ongoing ministry in Brazil. Any brother or sister in Christ feeling the call of God upon their lives to work with EAB /ACEV in Brazil should follow the following procedure:

1.Approach the EAB committee in writing with appropriate references from their pastor, and any other relevant references. Following examination of this documentation the committee would then arrange to interview the candidate. If the committee still felt at least possibly favourable regarding the candidate, then the EAB Directors would be involved in the discussions. (This process could happen in the opposite order, with the EAB Directors being approached first and then the candidate being referred to the EAB Committee.)

2.The EAB Directors would correspond with the candidate, preferably by email.

3.After ample favourable discussion with both the EAB Committee and Directors, the next step would be to consult the ACEV Directorate. If this body was also favourable then initial arrangements would be made, as it was felt appropriate, to receive the candidate, either for a short term visit to Brazil, or for a short term period of service, prior to a possible longer term commitment. Above all else, an eventual ACEV invitation would be vital for the candidate’s acceptance to proceed.

4.It must be made clear right from the start that any new candidate to service in Brazil, having had their proposal prayerfully and cautiously considered, would need to raise all the financial support relevant to their period of service in Brazil, for their air fares, and for any other connected expenses, from their own church, family and friends’ contacts, without under any circumstances encroaching on existent EAB supporters. The responsibility of financial support is therefore clearly the responsibility, before God, of the candidate.

5.Health insurance is also considered as essential for all new workers coming to Brazil. Long-term missionaries would need to join the Brazilian UNIMED Health Insurance Company immediately upon arrival in Brazil, and short-term missionaries and teams must have travel health insurance before leaving the UK.

6.It must be made clear that all long or short term EAB Associate Missionaries and Missionary Teams must be willing to accept the leadership of the EAB Directors and the ACEV Directorate. The long experience in Brazil of these brothers and sisters in Christ will be of vital importance to the successful development of any ministry with EAB/ACEV in Brazil.

7.EAB will offer all the advice possible in the UK to associate missionaries, and will channel, through its normal routes, all designated gifts to associate missionaries when in Brazil, through their Directors. Associate Missionaries will be able to receive, through EAB, the advantages of tax refunds through Gift Aid etc. EAB will offer space in its regular publications about the work carried out by associate missionaries, subject to the discretion of the EAB Directors and Publications Editor. EAB’s Directors will offer full guidance and advice to new Associate Missionaries, especially in their first period of service in Brazil. Such vast experience will prove invaluable to new workers and will be ignored at the Associate Missionary’s risk.

8.ACEV will offer the new Associate Missionary, whether long-term or shortterm, the vital infrastructure and national Brazilian support and space for development of the new worker’s ministry for God. ACEV will be looking for well capacitated workers to fill gaps in the expanding work according to the necessity of the hour. Associate Missionaries must be willing to be flexible, adaptable, be prepared to travel, and to grasp a good working knowledge of the Portuguese language. New Associate Missionaries should seek to acquire at least some knowledge of Portuguese prior to arrival in Brazil, but further language teaching will be arranged for new arrivals, though this will have to be paid for by the pupil in question.

9.Any EAB Associate Missionary or Associate Missionary Team would have to be willing to abide by ACEV’s rules, teachings and practices. For example:
* It would not be appropriate to consume alcoholic beverages publicly as an
evangelical Christian in Brazil.
* Short-term Missionary Team members would not be expected to get involved in any form of physical involvement with the opposite sex.
* ACEV’s doctrinal position is pluralistic and happy with a variety of Biblical interpretations on some controversial issues. ACEV believes in the beauty of the complex variety of harmony, so any dogmatic attitudes sowing discord amongst the brethren would not be helpful.

10.Any other matters that arise which are not dealt with in this memorandum will be dealt with by the EAB Committee and Directors, and by the ACEV Directorate.