5c0tt J. Brenden
Casas Global Outreach
Policy for Support, Blessing, and Commissioning for
Long-Term Global Workers
Casas overflows with great joy and deep passion to send out those who have been part of the heart of our Casas family, who meet Casas' qualifications, who are approved by the Outreach Leadership Team, and whose ministry lives out Casas’ definition of global outreach: going outside our normal sphere of influence (culture, language, or nation) to share the message of the Son, mentor new followers of the Son, start new intentional communities, and partner with existing intentional communities to reach their communities, in Tucson and around the world.
Casas would love to be able to provide full funding for each Casas member doing this beautiful work. However Casas does not have the resources to send out all its family members who want to go, so no one has a “right” to be sent out or to receive financial support. Casas encourages each Casas member who is pursuing long-term cross-cultural service to follow the unique call Father may place on their lives. At the same time Casas as a body strives to follow the unique call Father places on her, and those two calls may not necessarily be the same. Casas gives priority to her members who are part of the church's priority: helping start new intentional communities within least-reached people groups.
Of those who are approved, Casas has to carefully steward the limited funds available for long-term global workers. It may commission some (without financial support), support some with a one-time gift, and support others on an ongoing basis. For those who are approved, Casas support will be given after the candidate has raised the vast majority of their support from other individuals and from other c0ngreg8tions.
In this document, “long-term” refers to service lasting from four months to a career and “individual” refers to a single person or to each spouse of a married couple serving together. If a member is approved for ongoing support, that support, blessing, and commissioning is annually renewable based on annual evaluation. There is an application process. (There is another policy that describes the criteria Casas will use on those rare occasions when it may, by invitation only, ask a global worker sent in partnership with other congregations or a national worker to apply for support, blessing, and commissioning.)
1. Requirements for support, blessings, and commissioning of global workers from Casas. The applicant shall:
Qualifications
A. Live out life as a part of the heart of our Casas family. This will be obvious to everyone because the person is actively involved in service, outreach, and attendance at Casas for at least the previous two to five years, and is a member (or associate member) of Casas.
B. Respond to our Father's call to global outreach from within Casas. Unfortunately Casas does not have the resources to send out or support those who already have their work and then come to Casas.
C. Have an intended work that fits the definition of Casas Global Outreach: Casas sending our people outside our normal sphere of influence (culture, language, or nation) to share the message of the Son, mentor new followers of the Son, start new intentional communities, and partner with existing intentional communities to reach their communities, in Tucson and around the world. Casas gives priority to her members who are part of Casas' priority: helping start new intentional communities within least-reached people groups.
D. Have an exemplary spiritual life.
E. Demonstrate effective ministry at home related to the intended ministry on the field (for example, an ability and desire to plant intentional communities in other cultures can be demonstrated by participating in and starting or multiplying a Bible Fellowship or a small group at Casas).
F. Be accepted as an official member of one of the sending agencies already approved by the Casas Global Outreach Team (see below). Fill out the appropriate forms and provide letters from their sending agency showing financial support needs (if any) and acceptance by the agency. Have completed all education and training requirements required by the agency that will be sending the individual to the field.
G. Be approved by the Outreach Leadership Team, after it considers the application and references and possibly an interview.
H. Have an assignment outside the U.S. and Canada.
Commitments if accepted for ongoing financial support
1. To spend at least part of their home assignment at Casas and, if possible, participate in Casas’ principal global outreach awareness events.
2. To furnish a quarterly personal newsletter to the Casas Global Outreach Team unless other arrangements are made.
3. To annually provide the Casas Global Outreach Team a Yearly Update report of their ministry and a current family photo.
4. To consult with Casas Global Outreach leadership before making major ministry changes.
5. To joyfully communicate with Casas groups, especially adult classes, that may choose to relate to them.
2. Definition of Support and Commissioning from Casas
A. Financial Support - The amount of financial support, and whether it is one-time or monthly, for each long-term person will be determined based on several factors which may include how closely the person has fulfilled the qualifications listed above, including (1) the percentage of funds raised, (2) to what degree the person has been part of the heart of the Casas' family, (3) to what degree their ministry is part of Casas' priority (helping plant intentional communities among least-reached people groups). The goals for the Global Outreach financial support for long-term global workers are:
1. A goal of a minimum of 85% of financial support shall be directed toward work among least-reached people groups (and at least 75% serving least-reached people groups outside the U.S.).
2. A goal of a maximum of 5% of financial support shall be directed toward cross-cultural work to "reached" people groups beyond our culture, language, or nation - and beyond our "home" sphere of influence (which for this purpose is Pima County and Sonora).
3. A goal of a maximum of 10% of financial support shall be directed toward cross-cultural work to "reached" people groups beyond our culture or language - but within our "home" sphere of influence (which for this purpose is Pima County or Sonora).
B. Commissioning - Casas wishes to officially commission each Casas member who is approved by the Outreach Leadership Team. Casas may occasionally commission workers who are not going cross-culturally but have been raised up out of Casas.
3. Sending Agency Approval
Because one of Casas' highest priorities is the well-being of the workers it commissions, blesses, and supports, approved agencies are limited to the organizations of Casas-supported full-time global workers:
A. Each agency must demonstrate that it faithfully carries out the four main functions of a sending agency:
1. Financial accountability and transparency - by membership in a recognized body such as ECFA, IFMA, or EFMA or by documenting that it follows the same high standards these organizations require.
2. Providing its workers true supervision and physical and logistical support.
3. Providing its workers true pastoral care.
4. Requiring its workers to have adequate initial education and providing its workers ongoing training.
B. The agency must fit with Casas:
1. The agency must fit within Casas’ definition of global outreach: Casas sending our people outside our normal sphere of influence (culture, language, or nation) to share the message of the Son, mentor new followers of the Son, start new intentional communities, and partner with existing intentional communities to reach their communities, in Tucson and around the world.
2. The agency must demonstrate doctrinal agreement with Casas.
4. Expectations for Casas Global Workers
A. Expectations for all Casas Global Workers
- Meet with Global Outreach Past0r when they are in Tucson
- Attend Casas when they are in Tucson
- Get involved in Casas activities when they are in Tucson
- Attend the Pathways to Global Understanding course if it is offered when they are in Tucson (usually third week of January through last week of April)
- Keep confidential the amount of financial support given by Casas.
- Consult with Casas Global Outreach leadership when considering major changes such as relocating, new job, etc.
- Spend at least part of their home assignment at Casas and, if possible, attend Casas’ principal Global Outreach awareness events.
- Furnish a quarterly personal newsletter to the Casas Global Outreach Team unless other arrangements are made.
- Provide the Casas Global Outreach Team each year a financial update, a current photo of themselves (if single) or their family (if married), and a Yearly Update report of their ministry, including accomplishments and goals.
B. Additional Expectations for Global Workers who are have a Partner With A Pro relationship with an Adult Class
1. The Philosophy
Casas is focusing its efforts to help people grow on the adult classes. If an adult class has chosen to have a relationship with a global worker, the worker's part of that relationship because very important. The worker is not just a recipient of pr8yer and care; they have a responsibility to keep the adult class connected to the adventure of our Father’s expanding klngdom among the least-reached.
Casas sees it like this: Casas' global workers are as much a part in this mlnlstry of building up the body at Casas as any past0r on staff! If they are well connected to Casas, then in turn Casas is well connected to the Klngd0m. Casas is asking her global workers to allow the people of Casas to see themselves as a part of our Fathers’ work through them among the people group they work with. Casas is asking her global workers to see themselves in a dual role – as a part of our Father’s work both (1) to the people group they work with and (2) to the body of Casas, building them up in understanding and love for the least-reached peoples. Global workers can do this like no one else! The role of Global Outreach staff is help facilitate this connection between the global workers and the people of Casas.
Like any healthy relationship this takes work and good communication, it is this kind of relationship Casas hopes to have with her global workers. This is the kind of relationship Casas would hope to see between her global workers and the adult class they are partnered with. Casas needs the help of the global worker to pass on God's heart for the world to our c0ngregati0n. Specific ways Casas sees this philosophy lived out is that Casas would hope and expect that the global worker would do the following:
2. When in Tucson, the global worker will :
Meet with Global Outreach Past0r
Attend Casas
Attend Casas functions where the global worker can meet new Casas people
Initiate visiting their adult class(es)
Initiate scheduling time to share about their work in your adult class(es)
Help Casas spread the vision of their beautiful work through our leadership by setting up appointments with Associate Past0rs and Past0rs - the global worker approaches this as a learner asking the past0rs to speak into their life, tell them what they as past0rs been learning and dealing with, explain the work as past0rs, and share how the global worker can pr@y for them as past0rs
Sharpen their skills by attending Pathways to Global Understanding if it is offered when they are in Tucson (and if they haven't already attended) (usually offered each spring from the third week of January through the last week of April)
3. When on the field, the global worker will:
· Joyfully communicate with their adult class(es) and to individuals while they are on the field; share pr@yer requests, encouragement, and affirmation (these could be cut and pasted if there are several people to write)
Arrange simple procedures so it is easy for people to communicate with them and send you birthday cards, small packages, etc.
Adjust their schedule to accommodate receiving phone calls from their adult class(es) at least quarterly; share stories, pr@yer requests, encouragement, and affirmation
Work with their class and Casas Global Outreach to receive class members when they go on a short-term trip to visit and serve with them
Consult with Casas Global Outreach leadership when considering major changes such as relocating, new job, etc.
4. Wherever the global worker is on stateside assignment, they will:
Spend at least part of their stateside assignment time at Casas and, if possible, attend Casas’ principal Global Outreach awareness events (scheduled in March or April of each year).
Furnish a quarterly personal newsletter to the Casas Global Outreach Team unless other arrangements are made.
Provide the Casas Global Outreach Team each year a financial update, a current family photo, and a Yearly Update report of their ministry, including accomplishments and goals.
Keep confidential the amount of financial support given by Casas.
5. Finances:
Casas Global Workers must follow Casas' guidelines for Fundraising in Bible Fellowships
It is OK for an official full-time Casas Global Worker to present a financial the need in a form letter sent to their whole mailing list (which includes the adult classes) suggesting that readers might want to adopt a certain project.
Any money that is given in response to the form letter should go through their Sending Agency, not Casas.
Because it is important to preserve the delicate relationship between the Adult Classes and the Global Workers, Casas does not want the adult classes to feel overwhelmed or pressured. So it would *not* be appropriate for the Global Worker to ask the adult classes directly for funds or to challenge them to raise a targeted amount of the money.