The Missionary Competency Assessment is a strategic evaluation tool designed to measure an aspiring missionary’s readiness across five core pillars: Training, Engagement, Assimilation, Disciple-making, and Submission.
For many college students, the “call to missions” feels like a surge of passion or a deep conviction during a late-night chapel service. While passion is the fuel, competency is the vehicle. Cross-cultural church planting is among the most demanding vocations on earth. This assessment moves you beyond guesswork, providing a measurable roadmap to ensure your zeal is matched by the skills necessary to thrive in a foreign context.
The Five Core Competencies of a Sent-One
To be effective in reaching every tribe, a missionary must develop proficiency in five distinct areas:
- Training in a Cross-Cultural Context: The ability to learn and teach effectively across linguistic and cultural barriers.
- Engaging a Community: Moving toward people intentionally to build trust and presence.
- Assimilating into a Culture: The humility to adapt your lifestyle, language, and habits to your new environment.
- Making Disciples: The strategic ability to lead others toward spiritual maturity and leadership.
- Submitting to Authority: Maintaining a teachable spirit and healthy accountability with sending churches and field leadership.
Who Should Take This Assessment?
Whether you are just beginning to explore the “Great Commission” or you are already preparing your first support letter, this tool is for:
- The Aspiring Missionary: Students who sense God moving in their hearts and need to know their “baseline” readiness.
- The Lifelong Learner: Current missionaries looking to sharpen their skills and avoid plateauing.
- The Church Leader: Pastors and mentors looking for a metric-based tool to help discern who is ready to be sent.
What Will This Reveal About Your Journey?
Taking this assessment isn’t about “passing” or “failing”; it’s about gaining clarity. You will walk away with:
- Measurable Scores: A clear breakdown of where you are currently thriving and where you are “under-developed.”
- Blind Spot Detection: Identifying areas of your character or skill set that might hinder your longevity on the field.
- A Roadmap for Growth: Instead of a vague desire to “get better,” you will have specific areas to seek out mentoring, training, or real-world experience.
Why Readiness Matters for the Long Haul
Preparation is not just about gaining knowledge—it’s about cultivating the ability to adapt and endure. This assessment prepares you by giving you the language to describe your readiness and the humility to realize that no one is “fully ready.” By starting with awareness and intentionality, you ensure that when you finally reach the field, you are equipped to stay there.
FAQs
Is this assessment only for people going to the jungle?
No. These five competencies are universal. Whether you are headed to a secularized European city or a remote tribal village, you must be able to assimilate, engage, and make disciples within that specific context.
What if I score low in a certain area?
A low score is actually a gift. It prevents you from discovering a weakness the hard way on the mission field. It allows you to spend your college years intentionally growing in that specific area through local ministry or internships.
Can I take this multiple times?
Yes. In fact, it is recommended to take it annually to see measurable progress as you undergo training and gain ministry experience.
