ABWE - Association of Baptists for World Evangelism

Field Prep Seminar training is designed to be most effective when the participants experience it within a few months prior to their departure to the field. Thus, the following requirements are intended to help coordinate the timing of FPS attendance with departure for field ministry, so as to enhance the value and impact of FPS training.

1. Pre-field missionaries should plan to attend the last FPS that will be offered prior to their departure for the field. Career missionary prefielders must communicate with their CEIM Coach regarding the appropriate seminar to attend and final approval will be granted by their CEIM Coach in consultation with the director of the Prefield Department.
   • Completion of Pre-Field Development (PFD) assignments. Prior to attendance to FPS, a pre-fielder should have completed most, if not all, of his or her assignments. See the Pre-Field Ministry graphic below. As a requirement for FPS attendance, completion of PFD assignments is just as important as the appropriate support level.
   • Amount of committed support confirmed by the Missionary Finance Department
     • Already being received regularly, or…
     • Official "intent to support" forms, or…
     • Printed (mail, email, fax) statements of official support, or…
     • Phone conversation with a pastor or other similar church official, or…
     • Some other support commitment approved by the Missionary Finance Department
   • Status of Outfit and Passage fund
   • The rate at which their support has come in since the beginning of their pre-field ministry and the consequent projected rate of future support
   • Credible evidence of future support
   • Time availability to concentrate on the final support raising process
   • Special circumstances, such as late term pregnancies

   The general target level of committed support for FPS attendance is 85%. Each case will be evaluated separately, based upon the criteria stated above. In some cases, FPS attendance will be granted prior to the 85% level. In some other cases, the Pre-Field Department may conclude that the additional 15% of support will not likely be gained prior to the next FPS.

   

2. The deadline for approval to attend FPS is on Friday, two weeks prior to the beginning date of the seminar.
3. Pre-field missionaries who attend a FPS, but do not depart for the field within a year and a half after the FPS they attended, will be required to attend FPS again. In other words, if two Field Prep Seminars occur between the time a person attends a FPS and the time that person actually departs for the field, that person will be required to participate fully in another FPS prior to leaving for field ministry.
4. The LANCE portion of the seminar is required of all FPS participants except:
   • Those who are assigned or opt for a two-week PILAT program (at CIT in North Carolina or MTI in Colorado) as part of their pre-field development program.
   • Those whose experience, training, or field assignment provide a justifiable reason not to attend.

   The final decision concerning participation or excuse from the LANCE program will be made by the CEIM Division, in consultation with the appropriate missionary administrator.

5. AMP (short term) missionaries are expected to attend the summer PreAMP program during the annual ABWE Missionary Conference at Messiah College, if at all possible. AMP (short term) missionaries, for whom it is absolutely impossible to attend a summer PreAMP program, may be permitted to attend a March or November Field Prep Seminar, but this must be approved by the AMP department. AMP (short term) missionaries who attend a March or November Field Prep Seminar will be expected to follow the same general procedures as career missionaries, with some additional flexibility with regard to required support levels for FPS attendance. Because of the highly individualized nature of AMP ministry assignments, each case will be considered separately by AMP and CEIM leaders. CEIM, in conjunction with AMP and the Missionary Finance Department, will make the final decision regarding AMP pre-field missionaries and their participation in a FPS.
6. Department roles in the FPS attendance approval process:
   • Pre-Field Department
     • Communicates with career pre-field missionaries and consults with the Missionary Finance Department and CEIM coaches as a basis for approving or denying participation in a particular FPS, based upon the criteria stated above.
   • AMP Department
     • Communicates with short term pre-field missionaries and consults with CEIM leaders in the process of approving or denying participation in a particular FPS, based upon the criteria state above.
     • Consults with the Missionary Finance Department, if it is deemed to be helpful or necessary, based upon the specific ministry appointment for the pre-field AMP missionary.
   • Missionary Finance Department
     • Provides information regarding existing support levels, and other related financial data.
     • Conducts a more thorough assessment of the missionary's support levels and support requirements (as needed for FPS attendance requirements) in the cases of "border line" required support levels.
   • CEIM
     • Communicates with career pre-field missionaries about assignments and consults with the Pre-Field Department concerning financial eligibility.
     • Sends Invitation with online registration link and initial information to approved FPS participants.
     • Makes plans for FPS based upon the list of career missionary pre-fielders and AMP missionaries, as needed, that are approved for FPS participation.

Field Preparation Seminar (FPS) is a vital step in your preparation for a successful missionary ministry. All of the various missionary administrative divisions and departments within ABWE stand united in our commitment to the FPS training process. Thus, before you register for FPS, we would ask that you understand our expectations regarding your participation:

• Read the general policies regarding FPS attendance and be prepared to comply with all of them.
• Complete all required Pre-field Development reading and be prepared to discuss each in a knowledgeable manner.
• Arrive at FPS on time for the first scheduled session.
• Be prompt for each session.
• Participate with a humble learning spirit.
• Attend all sessions throughout and to the very end of the FPS program.
• Do not ask for exceptions to these expectations, other than for true and dire emergencies.

If your circumstances do not allow you to be completely focused on the FPS at this time, as described above, we would encourage you to participate at a later date when that would be possible.

Attendance Information

Registration

If you understand these expectations regarding FPS participation and believe that you have met the requirements, please email your CEIM Coach, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and send an email to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) stating your interest in attending FPS. Brad Winkler will review your financial status with the Missionary Finance Dept and communicate the information to the respective CEIM Coach. If you are approved to attend FPS you will receive a letter of invitation from your coach containing the online registration link. The registration deadline is two weeks prior to the start of LANCE. Please direct all communications related to your assignments to your CEIM coaches, and all communications concerning the logistics of your attendance of FPS to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Arrival Time

Registration is between 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, November 8th here at ABWE on the third floor of the Training Center. You will receive your hotel information at that time and may check-in at the hotel following registration.

Meals

Lunch will be provided daily at ABWE (except on Sunday).

Schedule

We will begin with prayer time at 8:30 each morning and will end at 5:30 each evening. On Sunday, you will be free to attend the church of your choice and you will be responsible for your own meals.

Dress

Dress is business casual. Tailored slacks with a shirt, blouse, or sweater are appropriate. Jeans or sports wear are not appropriate for classes, but may be worn after training hours.

Housing

A block of rooms will be reserved at a nearby hotel that will do a Direct Bill to ABWE for your convenience. CEIM staff will make reservations for you and your accounts will be charged at the conclusion of FPS.

If you decide to make your own housing arrangements please indicate on your registration form where you will be staying, for contact purposes. You can turn your receipts into ABWE for reimbursement. There are some guestrooms available on campus for a charge of $28.00 per night. CEIM will reserve these upon request at time of online registration.

Child Care

Only nursing infants may be brought to Field Prep Seminar. Babysitting will be provided for all sessions. Babysitting expenses will be shared by participants with nursing infants and will be charged to their ABWE account(s). Parents are responsible for their infant during meals and free times.

Travel Information

Please make all of your own travel arrangements. Neither ABWE nor the hotel can provide shuttle service.

Severe Weather

If there is a winter storm in the forecast please follow the procedure outlined below.

1. Call 717-909-2419 after 7 a.m. to get an emergency weather update from the Home Office. If the office is open and there is no delay, FPS will follow the normal schedule.
2. If there is a two hour delay for the Home Office, FPS will also have a two hour delay and will make up a session that evening.
3. If the Home Office is closed, FPS will be cancelled for the day. We will rearrange the schedule, as necessary.