“The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.” - Fabinne Fredrickson

“Our high and privileged calling is to do the will of God, in the power of God, for the glory of God.” -J.I. Packer

We are excited that you have said “yes” to this upcoming adventure of living out your God-given talents, abilities, and passions within a new country and context! Your passions provide a crucial road-map to your calling, and you are about to embark on a unique opportunity to learn more about what you have been called to do, and who you have been called to be, both in the present and for your future. It is our hope that what you learn about yourself and your calling through this experience will help you to scatter with greater intention and confidence wherever the Lord sends you in the future. 

Professional Development: Identifying Skills

Most short-term workers are asking two main questions when they move somewhere new to serve with OM: Who am I? and How can I effectively bring this person for the good of others and the glory of God? One of the most important opportunities in this short-term experience is to gain a deeper, long-term understanding of how God wants to use you in the Great Story He is writing through your life. The potential for growth in a short-term trip is immeasurable, and part of what will determine how much you will grow is your intentionality to discover more about your calling and what professional skills you bring wherever God calls you to be.

Soft Skills vs Hard Skills

One of the greatest realities of today’s hiring culture is that employers are looking for workers who have been developed in both soft skills and professional hard skills. The term “hard skills” refers to the job-related abilities that employees need to perform their job successfully. “Soft skills,” on the other hand, are the personal, character qualities that help employees truly thrive in a workplace environment. It is our hope that each person serving with OM would leave their experience better prepared to live out ALL of these crucial professional and relational skills in a Kingdom-oriented way.

The following Skills Worksheet is a great tool to help you better measure both the hard skills and soft skills you bring, and to give langage to how you can articulate these skills both now and to future employers. Please take some time to fill out this Skills Assessment and bring the results to our next meeting.

While this is just a small sampling of the many skills that would be useful in a work environment, they are abilities that will serve you well in your lifelong journey as a kingdom-minded worker. We want to invite you to continually re-evaluate throughout this experience which skills you are growing in and developing as you serve abroad, and how those can be a benefit to your workplace, neighborhood, and community both now and in the future.

Personal Development: Creating an “All-of-Life” Plan

A crucial step to creating a successful experience abroad as a follower of Christ- is having a well-formed plan. What you will do at your workplace from “9 to 5” everyday will be defined by you and your supervisor when you arrive in-country as you create an official “Work Plan” together. It is our hope that you will be intentional about sharing about your passions, skills, and S.H.A.P.E. with both your present and future employers so that you can be an effective markeplace worker during your “work hours” each day.

However, there is a reason we are called “human beings” and not “human-doings” and that is because who you will be …and how you will live out the gospel in a an all-of-life way (both during and after your “work” each day)… is what will be your greatest impact for Christ in this new place. One of the most important questions you will need to ask yourself while interning abroad is what it will actually look like to effectively impact your workplace and community as an ambassador for Christ in a day to day, “all-of-life” way.

It will be largely your own personal responsiblity to figure out how to live out the gospel in your workplace and community, and that can be a huge and holy undertaking. The answer to this question is both an exciting adventure (and a somewhat scary prospect) so we wanted you to invite you to consider some important questions along the way.

We wanted to give you some time and space to create your own “All-of-Life” Plan that will help you identify your “beyond-the-workplace” goals, both spiritually and relationally, for your time in-country. Please take some time to think through the following questions and what it would look like to intentionally create an “All-of-Life Plan” for your time in-country…

How can you pursue meaningful connections and community within the body of Christ? 

How am I going to stay connected with God and His Word?

Where could I attend church?

How am I going to connect with local believers?

Who could I ask to mentor me or pray with me each week?

How can I cultivate meaningful connections with my community of non-believing co-workers and neighbors?

Who is the “person of peace” at my place of employment and in my community and neighborhood?

Who could I invite over for dinner, or out for coffee?

How could I meet a felt need in this community?

Who could I invite over for a weekly game night?

Who could I invite over to introduce to an American custom, holiday or party that I could host?

Could I gather people for a book club or Bible Study that others would feel welcome to check out?

What can I do to be a good steward of these answers?

How does my unique S.H.A.P.E. inform my answers to these questions and how can I make a difference in the lives of my community and coworkers here out of who God has made me?

What are some measurable goals I can create for myself (and ask people to hold me accountable to do) out of these questions and answers?

Who can I ask to come alongside me to accomplish these goals and be intentional about doing these things during my time in this place?

Please bring your answer to these questions to our next call so we can process together what it would look like for you to be a light for Christ in this new workplace and community where you will be sent to live out your calling. We know that what we are inviting you to do something that will require great intentionality and planning and we are excited to join you in this journey!

Thank you again for your willingness to go to the ends of the earth to bring the light of Jesus to the world! We believe that this experience will be used by God to reveal more of your calling in how you have been uniquely made to serve the Lord Jesus both now and future chapters of your story. It is our hope that this will be a rich experience in your lifelong journey as you walk with God and scatter into the places He will send you for His glory and renown!