Support process The average cost of support for a missionary from North America is approximately $3,000 a month for a single person and $4,700 a month for a family. However, support needs range from a low of $1,000 a month to a high of $8,500 a month.
Factors which influence this variation include: the cost of living on the field of ministry, number of family members, choice of school for children's education, ministry expenses and start-up costs.
ReachGlobal requires each missionary to raise 100% of the required financial support to cover anticipated costs for personal support and ministry. The amount of support needed is determined by calculating the salary level* for the missionary family according to size, tenure and the cost of living for the field of service, plus the cost for medical assistance, retirement, field ministry expenses and travel to and from the field.
When a candidate is accepted for missionary service, there are four types of support needed to be raised: regular support, relocation funds, vehicle funds, and one-time ministry expenses.
*Base salary is in accord with the average salary of an EFCA associate pastor.
Regular Support: Regular support is the monthly support needed to cover salary, housing, medical and retirement benefits, service allocation and field ministry expenses.
Relocation Funds: Relocation funds are raised to cover the expenses of shipping and establishing a home in the new country of ministry.
Vehicle Fund: Vehicle funds are raised to develop a revolving fund to purchase a vehicle on the field. These funds are not the personal funds of the missionary, but are used by the missionary to purchase a vehicle. If a vehicle is no longer needed, the funds can be used for ministry expenses or relocation funds.
Ministry Expenses: Ministry expenses are for such items as language study, computer and office equipment, training events (Candidate School, Church Planting School) and other one-time ministry startup costs.
Next is an example of how the support for ReachGlobal long-term missionaries is allocated. Actual percentages will vary for each missionary according to family size and field of service:
1. Salary 51%
2. Housing 20%
3. Benefits 9%
4. Administration 6%
5. Ministry Expenses 14%
1. Salary covers all personal items such as food, clothing, household supplies and savings.
2. Housing is for rent and housing costs for the missionary on the field and on Home Assignment.
3. Benefits include our self-funded medical aid plan and a contribution to the Free Church Ministers' and Missionaries' Retirement Plan.
4. Administrative costs are a set amount to cover the services of donor receipting, accounting, payroll, administration of benefits, communication and publicity, equipping and care of our missionaries, and partial funding for area office expenses.
5. Ministry expenses are those expenses incurred by the missionaries as they serve on the field. These expenses include evangelism and discipleship materials, language study, field travel and children's education.
ReachGlobal gives every missionary a support schedule. The intent of this schedule is to help clarify how ReachGlobal determines actual support needs.
For more information about ReachGlobal missionary support, contact Daryl Anderson. The address for ReachGlobal is:
ReachGlobal
901 East 78th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55420-1300
Please Note: Contributions sent to the EFCA/ReachGlobal become the direct property of the EFCA/ReachGlobal and distribution is at the discretion of the national office.
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