Individuals and Families

We take the commission to make disciples of all nations seriously. Whether you’re looking for a cross-cultural experience or pursuing long-term service, we’re here to journey with you.

Long-Term Missions

Long-term missions provides an opportunity to invest deeply in a community over an extended period of time. Defined as cross-cultural service lasting more than one year, long-term missions can take many forms, from teaching, to planting churches, to providing medical services.

While each assignment looks different, they share a common desire: to serve God’s people around the world and to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

BIC U.S. World Missions has three categories of relationship with long-term missionaries: covenant, partner, and associate.

Covenant

Covenant missionaries have the closest relationship with World Missions. World Missions is their sending agency and provides administrative and financial support. Covenant missionaries raise a portion of their own support and are eligible to receive full benefits, including medical, retirement, and resettlement.

Under our care, covenant missionaries fulfill the following guidelines:

• Prepare for deployment through the Missionary Development Program (MDP)
• Serve terms ranging from one to three years, typically with a period of home ministry between terms
  
• Participate in an annual retreat with other missionaries, typically in the region of service

View current list of long-term service opportunities.

Partner

For those serving full-time with another missions organization, World Missions offers support through our partner missionary relationship. For partner missionaries, World Missions provides limited administrative and financial support, such as processing contributions from donors.

Partner missionaries typically commit to serve a minimum term of two years working with a least-reached people group. The assignment must fit the strategic global priorities of World Missions.

Additional requirements for partner missionaries:

• Being a member in good standing of a BIC congregation before approval for service
• Having completed a shortened version of the MDP or the primary employer’s comparable training program
• Serving with a missions organization recognized by a body such as Missio Nexus

Associate

For those serving full-time with another missions organization yet wishing to be affiliated with World Missions, we offer support through our associate missionary relationship. For associate missionaries, World Missions provides connections and prayer support, yet no administrative or financial support.

Additional requirements for associate missionaries:

• Being a member in good standing of a BIC congregation before approval for service
• Having completed a shortened version of the MDP or the primary employer’s comparable training program
• Serving with a missions organization recognized by a body such as Missio Nexus or an organization approved by the Leadership Team

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Short-Term Missions

Short-term missions takes many forms. Defined as cross-cultural service lasting less than one year, these opportunities may only place us in another culture for a short period of time, but the effects can be deeply transformative for all involved.

Our short-term missions programs fall into three categories: trips, internships, and global volunteer positions.

Short-Term Trips

Facilitated by World Missions staff, our short-term trips (one to two weeks) offer a unique opportunity to connect with believers across cultures, encounter God at work around the world, and grow deeper in personal faith.

See Upcoming Trips

Internships

World Missions Internships go beyond the adrenaline high of short-term missions to deeper cross-cultural exposure.

	Ages	Open to families?	Service duration	Location
Thrive	18+	No	3 months	United States
STEP	18-30	No	6 months	Locations vary
Customized Internships	18+	Yes	6-12 months	Locations vary

• Thrive is a hands-on internship in the United States equipping young adults to impact the Kingdom and to explore their callings at ministries, businesses, or nonprofits. Download THRIVE Application.
• STEP creates opportunities to learn from international leaders, immerse yourself in local language and culture, and serve in practical ways. Download application.
• Customized Internships provide an opportunity for you to work alongside long-term BIC U.S. missionaries. With personalized location and term length, interns gain invaluable experience in the field and an opportunity to discern a call to long-term missions. Download application.

Global Volunteer Positions

Global volunteering is a way for individuals and families to use their existing skills and experience to serve God in a cross-cultural assignment. Through this program, we partner with interested candidates to place them in their desired field for a defined period of time (generally between three and twelve months). Download application.

Looking for ways your congregation can get involved? We partner with U.S. congregations through speaking engagements, short-term trip preparation, and BIC U.S. World Missions short-term trips.