Today, many young people are disillusioned with the majority religion and are looking to the West to find hope for the future.  We are looking for colleagues who will creatively use their skills and experience, both traditional and holistic, to engage this young population, share Christ, and develop communities of faith. If you enjoy building relationships over numerous cups of coffee and collaborating with a small, but vibrant, national church network to transform communities, then Kosovo may be a good fit for you. This position will be messy, stretching, challenging, and life-changing. An adventurous, flexible, go-with-the-flow attitude is a must.

Responsibilities

• Learn the Albanian language to full proficiency and make a healthy adjustment to the local culture.
• Build and nurture new relationships in an ongoing basis, intentionally share the gospel with people who practice the majority religion, and appropriately disciple them.
• Collaborate with our national church partner to create and develop new communities of faith.
• Participate in the spiritual life of the local church, fulfilling leadership roles as appropriate.
• Integrate into existing team and contribute to healthy team dynamics.

Required Qualifications

• A recognized bachelor’s degree
• Completion of at least 30 hours of Bible/theology/ministry and 15 hours of intercultural studies
  • Note: If a couple, one spouse must meet this requirement. It’s preferable that the other spouse holds a recognized bachelor’s degree, has strong ministry experience, and has completed the C&MA Polity course and at least 18 hours of Bible/theology and 12 hours of missions/ministry studies (with a minimum of six hours in cross-cultural or missions studies).
• Minimum of two years of successful Alliance Licensed Ministry Experience
• Completion of Alliance ordination/consecration (all single applicants or one member per couple)
• MLAT of 60 or higher

Preferred Qualifications

• A master’s or bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies
• Ministry experience that indicates an ability to initiate new ministries, measurably grow them, and transition them to new leadership

Biblical Characteristics Desired

• Kingdom-minded
• Biblically grounded
• Spirit-dependent
• Competently skilled
• Self-aware
• Self-disciplined

Timeline for Deployment

Summer/fall 2022. All appointees are required to attend a cross-cultural and language-acquisition program and Pre-Field Orientation prior to deploying.

General Information

Language study will be completed in-country.  Workers usually rent a modest, fully furnished apartment or house within a few kilometers of the city center. Internet is widely available. Electricity and water are regular, but with occasional rationing or outages. Hospitality is a high priority and the Kosovar people value relationship over tasks.

CIA World Factbook – Kosovo

Joshua Project – Kosovo

Language Expectations

Language is an essential part of ministry. The successful applicant(s) will receive one year of intense language study, followed by ongoing language and cultural acquisition. The goal will be to speak, read, and write the language at a functional level in order to mentor, teach, and train others.

Language learning is done through private tutoring, individual language helpers, and significant personal practice in the community under the oversight of the team’s language coach. The goal at the end of two years of full-time language study is to reach a proficiency level of 2.5 (Advanced High) based on the ACTFL guidelines.

Health Considerations

Basic healthcare services are readily available, including well-run private clinics and hospitals, dentists, etc.  Quality general surgery options are available in the capital.  More advanced medical care is available nearby in Macedonia and Greece.  Air quality is regularly poor during the winter, which can exacerbate existing respiratory problems.  Kosovo is not very handicap accessible, so climbing stairs and navigating uneven ground is unavoidable.

Expectations for Spouse

Spousal roles vary based on the spouse’s gifts, training, and abilities, as well as the needs of the team. It is expected that both spouses will be meaningfully involved in meeting ministry objectives, depending on the nature of family roles, children, etc.

Children’s Educational Plan and Options

Educational options in Kosovo consist of 1) local Albanian language schools, 2) home-schooling, 3) international schools in the capital, 4) and Black Forest Academy in Germany for high-school-age children.  4) and Black Forest Academy in Germany for high-school-age children.