Overseas Cross-Cultural Outreach

The people of Immanuel Bible Church are personally committed to pursuing a lost generation among the nations. World Outreach pursues effective overseas cross-cultural outreach by supporting:

Missionaries
The Dagomba Outreach
Short Term Missionary Service trips
Mission Sundays and Special Events
The Mission Preparation Program

These efforts effectively reach an ever-changing world for Christ and mobilize our growing congregation of World Christians for cross-cultural outreach. For a fuller description of our goals, please see our policies and definitions regarding our Vision, Mission and Process and Our Specific Mission Goals.

Missionaries
Immanuel Bible Church gives monthly financial assistance to approximately 47 short-term (one to four years of service) and career missionaries. Twenty-one of these missionaries serve in an overseas cross-cultural capacity, 11 serve in U.S. cross-cultural outreach, 13 are involved in stateside outreach here in the U.S., and 9 are Missionaries Emeritus (retired missionaries). Our overseas missionaries serve in fifteen countries in areas as diverse as Bolivia, Colombia, France, Germany, Ghana, Japan, and the Philippines. They are sent through many different missionary agencies and work within eight major ministry categories such as: church planting, education, evangelism and discipleship, humanitarian, support and leadership training.

Beyond financial support, many of our missionaries receive prayer and encouragement from the Immanuel family. You can be personally involved in our overseas missionaries' ministries through: Prayer for a Missionary, Correspondence, Financial Support, Hosting, or Partnering on Overseas Projects. Many of our overseas missionaries serve in sensitive areas where the spread of the gospel is hindered by significant political and cultural barriers. Due to privacy and security issues, specific information regarding these missionaries is not posted on this website. However, the Missions office will gladly help you individually pursue involvement in ministry with any of our overseas missionaries.

> Missionaries serving in Overseas Cross-cultural Outreach
> Missionaries Emeritus

Dagomba Outreach
While still maintaining the broad scope of our international missionary outreach, Immanuel has chosen to make a strategic long-term missionary effort among a least evangelized people group: the Dagomba people of Northern Ghana, West Africa. We are entering into our fourth year of Immanuel's strategic focus among the Dagomba-a people group steeped in Islam and animism-making them our principal mission focus.

Our efforts are in cooperation with Immanuel missionary Fred Amoah-Darko and involve a cross-culturally integrated ministry team. Our efforts include annual vision and strategy meetings in Accra, Ghana, and multiple partnership ministry opportunities to advance the work of evangelism, church planting, and leadership training among the Dagomba people. Immanuel youth are afforded the opportunity to partner with Ghanaian national believers as they reach out to displaced Dagomba in the capital city of Accra. Special service projects (obtaining grain mills or portable lights for home bible study, translating materials, providing bicycles) and annual training for Dagomba village pastors provide Immanuel direct opportunities in overseas cross-cultural outreach.

Short Term Missionary Service
Approximately nine short term mission trips are planned and sponsored by Immanuel each year, both for youth and adults/families. Our trips train Immanuel people to be World Christians, with an informed view of what God is doing among the peoples of the world. Short term trips provide opportunities to partner with missionaries we have on the field, supporting and encouraging them in their work. The trips also allow opportunity to serve alongside fellow believers from other cultures as we participate in evangelism, work projects, teaching and humanitarian service. Current brochures, applications, policies and information can be found by contacting the Missions office for adult trips and the Student Ministries office for youth trips.

Mission Sundays and Special Events
Three times a year, global outreach is highlighted in the worship center on Sunday mornings. Mission leaders with cross-cultural missionary experience bring to our congregation the vision and challenge of contemporary world evangelism and church planting. These three Sundays are a way in which World Outreach can communicate God's heart for the lost, the scriptural basis for missions and Immanuel's collective and individual responsibilities to disciple all nations.

Special events are also held at various times during the year to "cast the vision" of missions work. Teaching modules on missions, or shorter topical lessons, become special events in the life of Adult Bible Fellowships. Missionaries currently in the area also present their experiences to ABFs and to various classes in Children's Ministries. Three missions-related courses are being offered through the Immanuel Bible Institute. For details on the schedule of upcoming mission Sundays, special events, or World Outreach speakers, contact the Missions office.

Missionary Preparation Program
People are our most important resource, after the Word and the Spirit, for carrying the good news of Christ to every nation. If we are truly going to send our best, we have a responsibility to train them well for the work of world evangelism.

The Missionary Preparation Program at Immanuel Bible Church supplements the training provided by any given agency. As a church, we have a ministry context and resources uniquely suited to develop the missionary's character, knowledge and ministry skills. The Missionary Preparation Program is a detailed pathway to encouraged growth towards one of two service outcomes: service as a Cross-Cultural Missionary or as a World Christian in service within the local Immanuel body. The program is designed to equip through training opportunities, accountability partners, internships and self-study programs. There are five dimensions of targeted growth:

1. A Growing Maturity (Spiritual, Emotional and Relational)
2. A Growing Commitment to the Life and Ministry of IBC
3. A Growing Knowledge of God's Word
4. A Growing Application of God's Word through Ministry
5. A Growing Relationship with Senders

Over time (approximately six months to two years), we as a church have opportunity to observe the candidate closely and to develop a strong, intentional relationship before we make a significant investment in prayer, collaboration and financial support. Prospective missionaries will want this time to cement relationships with the Immanuel Bible Church family as they grow in key dimensions of ministry. Upon completion of the Missionary Preparation Program, Immanuel can be assured that we have equipped our best people to communicate the love of Christ in cultures where there is no effective indigenous evangelizing church yet planted.