Career Missionary Pathway

Overview

A career missionary is a fully-funded, long-term church planter sent by the IMB to some of the world’s least-reached places. Career missionaries begin their first four-year term as apprentice missionaries, working alongside an established church planting team to learn the rhythms of the Missionary Task firsthand, including gaining proficiency in the local language and culture, which is a defining focus of the apprentice term. In subsequent terms, they return as church planters, with the core work of evangelism, discipleship, and church planting as their full-time focus. This is a lifetime calling, and the IMB is committed to equipping and supporting those who answer it.

Why This Pathway?

• Commit to a lifetime of gospel impact as a fully-funded IMB church planter
• Begin your first term as an apprentice alongside an experienced church planting team
• Return for subsequent terms as a church planter with the Missionary Task as your full-time work
• Bring a wide range of skills and roles to the field within the framework of church planting and sharing Christ
• Receive full funding, benefits, and ongoing support for you and your family for the long term

What You’ll Do

• Serve your first four-year term as an apprentice missionary alongside an established IMB church planting team
• Evangelize among the lost, disciple new believers, and invest in local leadership development
• Return for subsequent terms as a church planter with a focus on the core Missionary Task
• Leverage your unique skills, background, and calling within the broader work of planting healthy churches
• Commit to the long-term work of seeing gospel movements take root among the world’s least-reached peoples