Ethos and Distinctives

United World Mission's Ethos & Distinctives

United World Mission's ethos or "corporate culture" can be described by a variety of adjectives: vision-driven, results-oriented, innovative, team-based, flexible, informal, relational, decentralized, non-bureaucratic, tolerant and diverse.

Our vision of Saturation Church Planting drives a corporate ethos of strategic thinking and innovation. Our leadership structure is decentralized.   Most decision-making on issues of strategy and new initiatives is the responsibility of teams and field leaders. We tend to be fast moving in terms of new initiatives since we don't have layers of bureaucracy, committees, or boards that need to approve field strategies. Our core values and philosophy of ministry are inculcated in new missionaries through our orientation and pre-field training program.

The field-driven ethos of United World Mission does not diminish the role of leadership and ministry accountability. We have six Area Directors (AD's) that live in each of our geographic ministry regions. These AD's visit ministry teams on a regular basis to provide encouragement and accountability. Teams are required to develop a strategic plan that must be approved annually by the AD. Individual goal setting also is done yearly and must contribute to team goals and strategy. Annual performance evaluations are provided for every missionary to affirm strengths and provide a context for addressing growth areas.

From preparing missionaries to incorporating experiences on the field to learning from nationals, United World Mission values training and believes in life-long learning.

We are committed to cooperative partnerships with the local churches that send their missionaries through our agency. We report to sending churches on the ministry of their missionaries. We include sending churches in major decisions and moral issues that arise. We take seriously the stewardship responsibility entrusted to us by local churches in leading, caring, and providing accountability for their missionaries.

United World Mission is diverse and tolerant theologically within the bounds of historic Evangelical Christianity. As an inter-denominational agency, we have learned to respect varying denominational and doctrinal distinctives that have historically separated Evangelicals. We have Charismatic and non-Charismatic, Presbyterian and Baptist, Reformed and non-Reformed on the same teams. We work with the whole body of Christ, usually defined as the whole Evangelical, Protestant church of that area. We seek to be "Kingdom-minded" when it comes to cooperating and partnering in ministry with other Christians on our fields.

Each United World Mission team member must seek to submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and to the authority of the Bible as the Word of God. We accept that interpretations may differ on secondary issues. We seek to allow individual and family conscience to guide those decisions. We are willing to give up any of our "freedoms in Christ" as God leads in order to be culturally sensitive for reaching lost people with the Gospel.

We seek to be relational and team-oriented in our approach. We aim to develop interdependent teams that accomplish our purpose and also serve as a base of community and support. In addition to local teams, our missionaries throughout the world work in informal networks that interact regularly on ministry issues. These networks complement the support provided by our Area Directors, our international leaders, and our pastors-to-missionaries who all seek to provide high-touch leadership, mentoring, and supportive relationships.

The ethos of United World Mission is also marked by a concern for spiritual integrity. We believe that ministry flows out of being. This means that our ministry flows out of a growing relationship with God, our families, and with others. We all need mentors and role models that help us as we strive to be faithful disciples in all these areas of life. United World Mission has three full-time pastor-to-missionary couples whose full-time responsibility is to offer pastoral encouragement to our missionary families. These are mature couples, experienced in life and ministry, who make regular field visits to build relationships and to pray with our missionaries.

Our practice of spiritual disciplines is as diverse as are our members, but there is a common concern for a real relationship with God and true discipleship. We seek to develop an organizational environment of grace for each other. We rest in God's gracious acceptance of us in Christ--even as we work hard for the sake of the Gospel. Underlying everything we do is prayer, reverent awe of God, great thanksgiving for the Cross, and the knowledge that we need the power of the Holy Spirit to do anything lasting in ministry.

We know that ministry results are in the Lord's hands. We don't put ultimate trust in our methods, techniques or strategies. We know that we can't convert a single soul--never mind start a church planting movement! Results in ministry are from God. We simply seek to be good stewards of the resources God has given us--especially our lives-- so that we are moving intentionally and strategically in the stream of His purposes, willing to be His instruments. The results are in His hands!