Chortitzer Mennonite Conference Board of Missions
Revised 2004
The CMC Missions Handbook has been created by the Board of Missions of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference. The information herein is subject to change at the discretion of the Board. For more information on any matter relating to missions within the CMC, please contact a representative from your home church’s missions committee or the CMC Board of Missions.
Download a printable version of the Missions Handbook (69 KB)
CMC Statement of Faith
Procedure and Application Processing of Missionary Candidate
A. The Call
B. The Application
C. Procedure and Standards of Application
D. Probation
E. Ordination and Commissioning
Short Term Workers
Administration
A. The Board of Missions
B. The Local Missions Committee
C. The Executive Secretary
Financial Policy
A. Source and Jurisdiction
B. Support of Missionaries
Furlough
A. Time and Length of Furlough
B. Residence during Furlough
C. Termination of Furlough
Resignation, Retirement, and Dismissal
a. We believe in the one living eternal God in three persons: God, the Father; God, the Son; and God the Holy Spirit; Creator of all things.
b. We believe in the deity, virgin birth, sinless humanity, substitutionary death, atoning blood, bodily resurrection, and ascension to heaven of Jesus Christ.
c. We believe in the person of the Holy Spirit, sent from God and indwelling every believer.
d. We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are wholly inspired by God and are infallible and the final authority in faith and life.
e. We believe that man is a sinner by nature.
f. We believe that man in saved by the grace of God and through faith in Jesus Christ.
g. We believe that man is a
free moral agent.
h. We believe in the church as the body of Christ and its mission to fulfill the "Great Commission" of preaching, teaching, and discipling.
i. We believe that every born again believer should be baptized with water upon confession of his faith in Jesus Christ.
j. We believe that the Lord instituted the ordinance of communion as a remembrance of His suffering and death.
k. We believe that the church has the obligation to keep pure the Body of Christ by disciplining those who have chosen to live in deliberate sin.
l. We believe that every Christian should walk in love towards God and man, refraining from carnal strife and contentions in all areas of life.
m. We believe that God instituted marriage as a permanent bond between male and female of the same faith.
n. We believe that all governments are instituted by God and therefore are to be respected as such.
o. We believe in the literal resurrection of the body; eternal glory for believers in heaven, and everlasting punishment for unbelievers in hell.
p. We believe in the personal and bodily return of the Lord Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords
A. The Call
It is expected that every candidate will have recognized a definite call from God to missionary service and will already have shown a genuine love and concern for lost souls even before the time of application.
B. The Application
Candidates may make their intentions know to the Executive Secretary or the Chairman of the Board of Missions either in person or by writing to Box 968, Steinbach, Manitoba. The Executive Secretary or Board Chairman will forward the application and medical forms to the candidate. In case of married couples, a completed application and medical report is required from each. Upon return of the forms, the Executive Secretary or Board Chairman will answer the candidate by letter of acknowledgement.
C. Procedure and Standards of Application
1. An applicant will be presented to the Board of Missions when:
a) The following information is in the possession of the Executive Secretary or Board Chairman:
(i) A completed application form.
(ii) The medical report, filled by an authorized Medical Doctor.
(iii) Not less then three references, two from persons suggested by the applicant supplemented by one given by the applicant’s home pastor.
(iv) A written church recommendation following the decision of the brethren or whole congregation of the applicant’s home church. Such a recommendation shall be presented upon the grounds of warm spiritual relations between the applicant and the local board.
b) The Executive of the Board of Missions recommends such presentation.
2. Requirements
The following requirements should be met by the applicant:
a) Training – It is highly recommended that all applicants shall have at least high school standing and possess a diploma from a theological school recognized as reputable by the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference. This is basic to any other professional training. Other training may also be advised by the Board of Missions, according to the requirements on the field.
b) Membership – All applicants are to be members of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference, except where, for any particular or unusual reason it is granted by special decision of the Board of Missions to accept others.
c) Debts – Candidates with debts, encumbrances, or any other financial obligation at the time of application, are expected to arrange such matters before they can be accepted. The Board of Missions will not hold itself responsible or subsidiary to any personal debts or loans.
d) Doctrine – Applicants must be in full agreement with Statement of Faith as held by the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference.
e) Church Practices – Applicants must be in full agreement with the Church practices held by the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference.
3. Personal Interview
All recommended applicants are required to appear before the Board or Personnel Committee for an interview. The interview will comprise of a personal testimony by the applicant regarding personal salvation and call to missionary service and the asking and answering of questions.
4. Board’s Decision
Upon completion of the personal interview, the Board decides whether the acceptance of the candidate will be voted on. The vote to accept the candidate must be by secret ballot and at least eight of the board members must participate. Two negative ballots disqualify the applicant’s application.
D. Probation
All accepted candidates are required to serve a definite period of probation, generally not less than one year. The length of time and place of probation period shall be decided by the Board of Missions. Their probation period shall be evaluated when probation period terminates. In special cases, such as the candidate already having served satisfactorily in the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference, the Board may decide to eliminate the probation period.
E. Ordination and Commissioning
1. Whenever a mission field requires a missionary authorized to baptize believers and to solemnize marriages, the Board shall recommend to the ministerial that he be ordained; however, the decision to do so rests wholly with the ministerial. In any case, where such ordination has been administered, the missionary shall exercise his rights only on his designated mission field.
2. A non-ordained missionary who is required to officiate at functions such as communion and marriages may be authorized to do so through licensing by the e Conference Executive upon recommendation of the Board of Missions. (The laws of the Provinces of Canada permit the authorization to solemnize marriages by a license upon proper registration.)
3. All missionaries may, where ordination or licensing is not necessarily required to advised, be commissioned to service. The term “commissioned” implies: investing the missionary with all authority – as an ambassador for Christ and as a representative of the Church, except to baptize and to solemnize marriages. It is usually advisable that commissioning and the farewell services for the missionary to be combined
The Board of Missions sends forth workers on a short term basis. The length of the term is up to one year.
The procedure of applying, processing, and accepting is similar to the procedure followed in the case of a career missionary. The probation period is eliminated and a medical examination is not required for short term applicants.
A. The Board of Missions
The responsibility of the Conference Board of Missions is to promote Missions according to the Scriptures by any legitimate and acceptable means.
The Board is responsible to the ministerial.
The Board of Missions of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference consists of twelve members, five of whom consist of members of the Ministerial and are appointed by the Ministerial. The other seven members are elected by the Board of Missions and the members of the local church mission committees at the last Board meeting of the year. Candidates are to be chosen from the Board of Missions and from the local missions committees.
The Board of Missions will strike a three member nomination committee consisting of one each from the Ministerial, laymen on the Board, and one person from the local mission committees. Terms of office shall be three years. The committee will provide a slate of nominees to the electorate with a short profile of each before the election.
The Conference Board of Missions and the members of the local mission committees shall elect a chairman, who is to be a member from the Ministerial, a secretary and a treasurer at this meeting. If either one, or both positions of secretary or treasurer have not been filled by a member of the Ministerial, then the first or first two member(s) shall be elected specifically to fill those positions. Members thus elected shall form part of the seven non-Ministerial members elected to the Board of Missions. Terms of office shall be three years.
The Board and each local committee will give a brief report of their past year’s activities at the December meeting. These reports should be no longer than three minutes each. A copy of each report should be in the hands of the Board Executive at least two weeks before the date of the December meeting.
B. The Local Missions Committee
These committees look after the missions efforts of the churches on a local front. Each member of these committees will receive the minutes of each Conference Board of Missions meeting.
C. The Executive Secretary
When the need arises, the Board of Missions is responsible to appoint an Executive Secretary. His term shall be two years, after which he may be reappointed. The responsibilities of the Executive Secretary will be:
a) To do the official correspondence of the Board of Missions.
b) To keep in close contact with the Missionaries.
c) To represent the Board in official functions.
d) To promote the interest of the Board’s mission program in the constituency.
e) To perform other responsibilities as requested by the Board.
A. Source and Jurisdiction
The main source of funds for the missions of the Board of Missions is derived from the regular contributions of the local churches of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference. Other sources of income are gifts from individuals, groups, and organizations, and from bequests or legacies of friends of the mission.
All funds derived are directed to the Board of Missions Treasurer. Receipts are issued and the amount credited to the respective churches where applicable. The Board of Missions Treasurer is responsible to forward and also distribute all designated monies and specified support to the respective mission field, mission organization, or missionaries.
The Board of Missions shall have the power to receive, control, supervise, sell, convey, or otherwise dispose of all monies, estates, properties, bequests, and annuities made to it for mission purposes, subject to the approval of the Ministerial.
Land, buildings, and equipment entrusted to the Board of Missions, irrespective of source, remain the property of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference until such mission or national Church occupying such property is organized and becomes autonomous, and any financial obligations have been arranged with the Board of Missions. Equipment such as needed on that field and not being the outfit of the missionary, yet having been provided by the home churches, organizations, or individuals through regular procedures, or having been purchased by the Board of Missions for that particular field, remains the property of the Chortitzer Mennonite Conference and may not be claimed by a missionary as personal property.
The Board of Missions shall accumulate a “reserve fund” for the purpose of personal aid, hospitalization, disability and retirement of missionaries and other special or urgent needs to a minimum of two months of the total conference missionary support.
The Board of Missions is responsible to give an annual audited financial statement.
B. Support of Missionaries
1. Amount
a) Board of Missions’ Fields
Upon the honest consideration and best judgement of the Board of Missions, the amount of missionary support will be based upon the cost of living in the country where the missionary serves, taking also the expansion program and other necessities of that particular field into consideration. The support will be remitted to missionaries on the basis of a monthly allowance.
Support for the missionary children will be terminated on June 30 after the child’s eighteenth birthday.
b) Missionaries Serving with Associate Missions
Missionaries who serve under other Mission Organizations but have been accepted and appointed by the Board of the Missions will receive support up to the maximum as per support schedule of the Board.
If the support required exceeds the fixed maximum allowance, missionaries are permitted to solicit for the remaining amount. Solicitations may be made by the missionary among his close friends and relatives, talking care that his main source of support will not be impaired. Public solicitations in CMC churches by the outgoing missionary are discouraged. The pastor may present the need of the missionary if he desires.
c) Partial Support
Missionaries accepted by the Board of Missions as part-time workers or on part support in the Canadian field may use and adjust their time to earn money according to need an circumstances on mutual agreement of the worker and the Board.
d) Short Term Workers
Workers who are accepted as short term will receive support up to themaximum as per support schedule of the Board for short term workers.
2. Passage
a) The cost of passage and baggage for missionaries in CMC fields to and from the fields will be paid by the Board of Missions.
b) The Board will make individual arrangements as to passage and baggage for missionaries serving with Associate Missions.
c) Short-term workers are responsible for their own outgoing passage. Their passage will be paid at the Board’s discretion if they complete a one year term.
d) Money for passage is to be taken from the general fund but special appeals for offerings are to be made to the various churches of the Conference to replenish the fund.
3. Gifts
a) Special Gifts
It is highly recommended that all gifts for missions be forwarded to the general mission’s treasury in order to enable the Board of Missions to look after the needs of all workers and all fields in an equitable manner.
Special gifts to missionaries or fields, unless intended by the donor to be of a distinctly personal or special nature, shall be considered part of the budget of the missionary and the respective field. Only after a particular need, not provided for in the budget or specified support, has been established and cleared bythrough the office of the Board of Missions shall it be privilege of a missionary to present such a need as special project in his appeal to the churches, organizations, and individuals.
b) Personal Gifts
(i) Missionaries in CMC Fields
Personal gifts from immediate family, friends, and relatives are to be received by the missionary with gratitude and acknowledgement. These gifts should be recorded on the monthly record sheets provided. The missionary shall feel at liberty to personally use gifts received to amount equal to 15% of his annual specified support. Any amount exceeding 15% shall be channelled into the field funds
to be used by the Board of Missions for specific needs that exist on the field. The Board of Missions shall also have the right to apply such gifts to the current budget when urgent needs cannot be met for a lack of funds received through the regular channels.
(ii) Missionaries with Associate Missions
Personal gifts of missionaries serving with Associate Missions are governed by the principles of that particular Mission under which they serve.
4. Offerings
a) Missionaries serving in Canada are to teach believers to give regularly and systemically and shall encourage the practice of receiving regular offerings in groups whether organized or not. One offering per month shall be sent to the Board of Missions by groups not fully organized. After the church is organized, it is still expected to contribute to the Board of Missions.
b) Missionaries on foreign fields are to teach believers to give regularly and systematically and are to encourage the practice of receiving regular offerings. The groups of believers are to be encouraged to give to CMC projects on the field.
c) Special offerings received in CMC churches by missionaries for a particular missionary or respective mission field shall be directed to the Board of Missions. Travel expenses of the missionary will be handled by the Board of Missions.
5. Furlough Support
a) Missionaries on furlough from CMC Fields shall receive the furlough allowance as per support schedule.
b) Missionaries with Associate Missions while on furlough shall receive the same amount of support from the Board of Missions as when on the field.
c) Travel expenses or missionaries during the furlough in serving churches other than arranged with the Board are not the responsibility of the Board.
6. Outfitting
In keeping with the aim of missions, the missionary accepts housing and living standards what are consistent with the aim of reaching nationals for Christ. His social and economical life must be unpretentious with as much identification with the respective national scale as possible without
impairing his health.
The given principle requires very close consideration in the preparation of the missionary for his departure to that field. Excess personal effects and standards of living which are conspicuous in the light of the culture of the people among whom the missionary works can become a serious obstacle for the Gospel of Christ. Governments and nationals frown upon the practice of missionaries refusing to adopt the products which are available in their own country and preferring to ship quantities of supplies from the homeland just because they might be of superior quality. Missionaries are therefore requested to buy articles which are available on the field after their arrival on the field.
After the acceptance of a missionary and his assignment to the field, the Board of Missions refers the responsibility for personal outfit to his home church. The amount of cash needed to the purchase on the field of the part of the personal outfit will be determined by the Board of Missions in close consultation with the field. When the local church finds it cannot carry the financial outlay, it is permitted to make provision for the missionary’s personal outfit by inviting other churches within the conference to assist.
When missionaries are sent out for such professional assignment as doctors, nurses, and teachers, the supplies required for their particular professions are not to be considered as part of their personal outfit and are to be provided from other sources.
A. Time and Length of Furlough
1. The time that missionary is due for furlough will be determined by the Board of Missions. Those serving with Associate Missions will have their furlough arranged with the organization with which the missionary serves.
2. The length of furlough of foreign missionaries is in principle determined by the time of service on the field. In general, it shall be understood that the length of furlough will be equal to two and a half months for every full year of service on the field. The time of travel shall be included in the furlough period.
3. Missionaries serving in the Canadian field shall be entitled to a three week vacation each year instead of a longer furlough at the end of a term of service.
4. Every missionary on the foreign field shall be granted two weeks of vacation each year. The time is to be chosen in consultation with the other workers in that area.
B. Residence during Furlough
1. Upon arrival from the field, the missionary is to consult the Board Chairman to plan the furlough and discuss other relevant matters.
2. Missionaries on furlough are expected to visit supporting churches and report of the work. In consultation with the Pastor of the missionary’s home church and the Chairman, an itinerary will be prepared. In general, the missionaries shall not make any definite commitments while still on the field with a prior understanding of the Board.
3. In cases where the Board feels it necessary the missionary will be expected to have a physical examination upon arrival from the field. This will determine what portion of the furlough is to be spent in rest and recuperation in order to ensure his return to the field in best physical condition. Before returning to the field, all missionaries must have a physical examination by a physician.
4. Missionaries shall be at liberty to accept a limited number of personal invitations from churches or institutions, but are requested to first clear such commitment with the Board Chairman.
5. Every missionary on furlough is to submit a record of his itinerary, receipts, and expenses to the Executive Secretary or Board Chairman.
C. Termination of Furlough
1. Missionaries shall be reappointed by the Board of Missions before they return to the fields.
2. The outfitting of returning missionaries follows the same procedures as outlined under B-6 under the section of Financial Policy.
A. Should a missionary choose to resign from service with the Board of Missions, he must give at least size month’s notice in writing to the Board of Missions.
B. If evidence from reliable sources shows that a missionary is a hindrance to the successful propagation of the Gospel, the Board of Missions will, after thorough investigation, be obliged to dismiss such a missionary and provide his passage home.
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