Thank you for your honesty.

We know that the life of faith has ups and downs. The scriptures are full of stories about the high points and low points of the people of God. (e.g. King David was both murderer and man after God's own heart.) All missionaries experience the same highs and lows ... but "missions" is not the place to escape from the "low points".

WorldVenture is not looking for perfect people nor people who appear to have it all together spiritually, yet at the same time we know from sending out missionaries overseas for the past 65 years that unless you are connected and drawing your life from the vine, who is Christ, your branch will not bear fruit. (John 15:4)

If you are at a low point in your walk with Christ or have plateaued and are looking for a way to restart your passion, we encourage you to meet with your pastor or spiritual friend with whom you can be honest and begin building around you a community of faith. Pursue opportunities to intentionally grow in your relationship with God through Bible study, retreats, and service.

When you believe this "first love" of your life is back in place (Rev. 2:4), then come back to us and let us continue the conversation about your calling to international missions work.

If after reading this, you no longer believe this answer defines you, please change your answer to "yes" to complete this assessment.

Before we say anything else, we want to say ... thank you.

Thank you for examining our doctrinal statement and discovering that you have differences, and then even more for being honest with us. This shows you care enough about what you believe to see if we share your convictions. Bravo.

We certainly share the same value that what we believe matters. It matters for our personal relationship with God; It matters for our spiritual relationship with our brothers and sisters in the faith; It matters for our ministry and how we seek to bring the gospel into the world.

If your disagreements take issue with the deity of Christ, the facts of the Trinity, the authority of Scripture, the need for redemption from sin, or the importance of baptism and the church—to be honest—we're probably not the organization for you. We would be happy to talk more, but there are few variations or alternative perspectives on these core truths that will fit with us. We are encouraged by your response to God's calling and encourage you to continue seeking Him and the outlet He has for that passion.

If your disagreements take issue with other points of our doctrine, such as future times (eschatology) or church organization, we would like to continue talking. Our coaches can address the issues you might have as we get to know you and help you get to know us.

If after reading this, you no longer believe this answer defines you, please change your answer to "yes" to complete this assessment.

In our experience over 65 years of sending out missionaries, we have found this question to be important both biblically and practically.

Biblically, we believe the Great Commission was given to the church, and that the local church has a responsibility to send missionaries to the far reaches of the globe.

Practically, we know that missionaries who are sent from supporting and loving communities have a greater chance of success pressing into the hard work of crossing cultures and bringing the gospel to the ends of the earth. (Even more, we know the impact that sending missionaries has on the sending community.)

All those who serve with WorldVenture should be connected with the local church and serving in some capacity. If you are not involved in a local church, we encourage you to get connected to a local church and begin serving.

Of course, we know there are good reasons for not being connected at the moment, e.g. being student who is not settled, or simply being in between churches. For that reason, we would love to talk with you. Please, continue this assessment. Only know that during your journey towards missions with WorldVenture it will be vital for you to get engaged in a local church.

If after reading this, you want to continue taking the assessment, please move on to question number 4.

There are a handful of hot buttons in the American church and this has been one for many years. Our primary concern with speaking in tongues publicly is more practical than theological.

One of the great strategies of the devil against missions has been to cause disunity among missionary teams. Disunity remains one of the chief causes for missionaries to come off the field. In some cases, churches and whole mission fields have been split over an issue.

Please understand that we do not intend to tell people whether their personal mode of worship is correct or incorrect. Scripture points to tongues as a lesser gift, and in our desire to promote unity on the field, our board has opted to not appoint missionaries who practice and teach tongues in public worship.

We would not want to ask you to compromise on how the Lord is leading you. Therefore, we would like to recommend some other agencies that may be a better fit for you and your church:

Assembly of God International (www.ag.org/worldmissions)
Foursquare Missions International (www.foursquare.org)
Operation Mobilization (www.omusa.org)

If after reading this, you no longer believe this answer defines you, please change your answer to "no" to complete this assessment.

WorldVenture is a faith-based mission and those who serve with us are supported financially by friends and churches acquainted with them here in the United States.

If you are not a U.S. citizen and/or do not have an established relationship with a church in the U.S., it would be difficult for you to get the support you would need for overseas service.

In order to move forward with WorldVenture, you must already hold immigration paperwork (green card or work visa) and have a U.S. church that will confirm their commitment to you. If you possess these elements, then please continue with your self-assessment and our coaches can talk through your situation with you. If you do not, WorldVenture will be unable to send you until you possess them.

If you are a Canadian or Filipino citizen, please see the following groups who may be equipped to send you:

Canadian Citizens: Fellowship International
Filipino Citizens: Dr. Ronald Macam

We believe that baptism by full immersion was modeled by Jesus. When Jesus commanded His disciples to also be baptized (Matthew 28:18-19) and to baptize others, we believe we are to follow His actual example. Moreover, the Greek word behind the English word baptism in our Bibles literally means "immersed" (meaning totally immersed under water), so for us the manner in which a person is to be baptized is clear.

That said, Scripture is clear that the act of being baptized itself has nothing to do with a person's salvation. Rather, baptism is presented as the first step of sanctification (publicly identifying oneself with Jesus' death, burial and resurrection – see Romans 6:1-11, Colossians 2:12). As such, we believe it is an important act of obedience for followers of Christ (Acts 2:41; 8:12-13; 18:8).

We know there are different opinions on this matter within the church, and we don't emphasize baptism by immersion for the sake of focusing on doctrinal distinctives that often divide followers of Jesus. Rather, our position on this matter is one of heart-felt conviction that to maintain biblical integrity, and to ensure unity in our ministry practice, that we expect baptism by immersion to be the standard for that ordinance.

If you have believed in Jesus and been saved by faith, but have not yet been baptized by immersion, we encourage you to talk with your pastor so that you can also experience baptism. If you have been previously baptized by a method other than immersion, a WorldVenture Mission Coach can further discuss the biblical significance of baptism by immersion and why it is a core qualifier to be part of our ministry efforts.

If after reading this, you no longer believe this answer defines you, please change your answer to "yes" to complete this assessment.

A divorce in your history does not necessarily eliminate the possibility of serving with WorldVenture, but our need to enter into this reality of your life is directly related to our responsibility of providing care for you overseas.

No matter how well prepared, entering another culture is a shock for everyone. Your life experiences up to that point will directly affect how you handle that transition. Addressing traumatic past experiences at home prior to your arriving on the field may help to lessen their impact on your adjustment in your host culture. We desire to graciously and diligently understand how God has shown His grace in your life through healing and reconciliation.

It will also be important that we consider whether having a divorce in your history is likely to have a negative effect on the local ministry and your influence there, based upon the ministry position or world area in which you hope to serve.

If you have no desire to allow us to enter into and walk with you through this part of your life, then you might reconsider whether we are the right sending organization for you. Our vision of how to care for and support our missionaries may not fit with what you are looking for in a sending agency.

If after reading this, you no longer believe this answer defines you, please change your answer to "yes" to complete this assessment.