Excellent STM Is Characterized by:
Standard #4:COMPREHENSIVE ADMINISTRATION
An excellent short-term mission exhibits integrity through
reliable set-up and thorough administration for all participants,
and is expressed by:
4.1 Truthfulness in promotion,
finances, and reporting results
4.2 Appropriate risk management
4.3 Quality program delivery and
support logistics
We acknowledge that our pursuit of integrity, accountability,
honesty, and careful administration will prevent unnecessary waste,
difficulty and danger—and ultimately bring more potential for godly
success (Prov. 15:22; 21:5). Therefore, in all our STMs we pledge
to provide proper and orderly set-up and administration (1 Cor.
14:40) in order to glorify God and be good stewards of time,
talents, and funds. While recognizing that there are always risks
associated with travel and ministry, we further pledge to evaluate
risks and keep them within a mutually-determined acceptable level
in light of our call to be instruments of God’s redemptive plan for
the world. Our goal is to minister Christ’s love courageously but
wisely (Matt. 10:16; 2 Tim. 1:7). Finally, we pledge to responsibly
implement our portion of the mutually designed program and support
logistics while remaining receptive to the Holy Spirit’s direction
and changing circumstances.
4.1 Truthfulness in promotion, finances, and
reporting results
We pledge to be short-term mission practitioners of truth,
transparency, and integrity with all people to whom we relate in
all of our dealings. This includes (but is not limited to) our
promotion, advertising, recruiting, screening, training, budgeting,
financial reporting, arrangements and contracts made with
outsourced suppliers on both the sending and receiving sides, and
in post-field reporting of on-field results.
We pledge to exercise honest and accurate financial controls and
accountability to provide reasonable assurance that resources are
used to accomplish the purposes for which they are intended. We
pledge that our fund-raising appeals and trip promotion will not
create unrealistic donor expectations of what will be accomplished
with the donor’s gift. We pledge to provide timely reporting of
fund-raising progress to
goer- guests and
acknowledgment of gifts to sending supporters.
We further pledge:
- To do what we say we are going to do—and repent if we fail
to do so
- That our promotional materials will be accurate, and used
with integrity
- That our publicity will clearly represent the ethos and
vision of the sending organization. It will define the purpose
of the program and not reflect negatively on the host culture
or ministry
- That our application process will be clear and thorough
including timeline, all financial obligations, and use of funds
- That a suitable selection and screening process will be
established that includes a pastoral care element, whether or
not an individual is accepted as an STM participant
- Disclosure of all relevant details concerning the STM
goer-guests to the
sending entity and
field
facilitators
- That placement decisions and changes will be made with
integrity and communicated clearly to all involved
4.1.1. How do your promotional materials accurately communicate the details of the outreach and application process, convey the vision of the sending entity, and positively represent the host culture?
4.1.2. What financial controls and policies do you have in place? How are they communicated?
4.1.3. What plan do you have for reporting to all participants after the outreach has been completed (i.e. testimonies, activities, and finances)?
4.2 Appropriate risk management
We acknowledge that there are always risks associated with
travel and ministry. We also acknowledge that Christian mission is
spiritual warfare which involves a very real demonic enemy (Eph
6:12), and that sharing the gospel is always costly to those who
respond to God by saying, “Here am I! Send me!” Even so, we pledge
to do everything reasonable to provide appropriate risk management
and as much safety as possible for all participants, striving to
minister Christ’s love boldly (Acts 1:8) and wisely.
We pledge to:
- Consider inherent and potential risks of the STM outreach
design and field
- Develop crisis response plans, adequately inform
participants of potential risks, and train our leaders and all
other participants as appropriate in crisis management
- Develop policies and procedures covering insurance, medical
contingencies, security, evacuation, terrorism or political
violence, behavior and dress guidelines, misconduct and
grievances, stress management, and conflict resolution
- Communicate and implement these plans, policies, and
procedures as appropriate
4.2.1. What policies and procedures do you have in place for insurance, medical contingencies, security, evacuation, kidnapping/ransom, terrorism, political violence, misconduct, grievances, conflict resolution, etc.?
4.2.2. How do you determine risk factors for each specific outreach?
4.2.3. How do you ensure participants are informed of potential risks, receive safety orientation, and are trained as appropriate in crisis management before and during the outreach?
4.2.4. What crisis management and communication procedures do you have in place in the event of a crisis?
4.3 Quality program delivery and support
logistics
We pledge to reliably implement the mutually designed program
(Standard #3) with sensitivity to the Spirit and any necessary
adaptability to changing circumstances. We pledge to carefully
organize and carry out the supporting logistics and arrangements to
optimize ministry effectiveness and the health and safety of
participants.
KEY QUALITY INDICATORS
4.3.1. How do you ensure timely support logistics (can you get things done on time)?4.3.2. How do you ensure manageable support logistics (can you handle the quantity of details,/people/teams, etc.)?
4.3.3. How do you ensure support logistics optimize ministry effectiveness, health, and safety?
4.3.4. Give an example of a time when you adapted to changing circumstances with sensitivity to the Spirit.