Below you’ll find responses to some of the most frequently asked questions about WEC and our mission among unreached people groups.
If you’re still looking for something specific, feel free to reach out, we’d love to help!
About WEC
and Its Mission
You can explore WEC International’s history, mission, vision, and more in the “About us” tab. If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, this section may help clarify additional details.
Each missionary organization has its own identity, and none is necessarily better than another. What truly matters is finding a mission that aligns with your calling, your values, and the purpose God has placed in your heart.
At WEC, our focus is to bring the gospel to places where it has not yet been proclaimed. Everything we do, whether through short-term or long-term ministries, is aimed at seeing Christ-centered communities emerge among unreached peoples.
No matter how long you serve or what gifts, skills, and experiences you bring, your involvement will be part of a greater vision: to see disciples of Jesus raised up in places where the gospel is still unknown. That might mean going to remote regions, facing cultural challenges, or walking alongside local churches in difficult contexts.
Through partnerships with African churches, we seek to reach these hearts with the hope of Christ.
Is God calling you to be part of this mission?
Currently, we have around 400 open opportunities to serve among unreached peoples in roles ranging from education to healthcare and community development. Visit our opportunities page to discover how you can get involved and make a difference among unreached peoples.
Yes. You must be a born-again Christian with an active and growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and affirm WEC’s statement of faith. WEC is an evangelical Christian mission agency partnering with the African church to reach unreached peoples with the good news of Jesus and to help develop leaders for the rapidly growing church.
Definitely. We love walking alongside people who are exploring mission. If you’re interested in serving among unreached people, we’d be glad to help you access information, match your skills and interests with opportunities, and encourage you in your journey. We’re here to support you every step of the way, just reach out!
Application
& Process
There’s a process for joining WEC, and we’ve answered some common questions to help guide you. If you still have any doubts or need more clarity, feel free to reach out to us below.
You must be at least 18 years old, a born-again Christian with an active and growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and in agreement with WEC’s statement of faith.
Requirements for Joining WEC
To begin your missionary journey with WEC, you must meet the following requirements:
For couples: both must meet all the requirements. However, we are open to evaluating cases in which only one spouse has not yet completed theological training.
Next Steps
If you meet the criteria above, the first step is to complete the application form for Candidate Orientation. After that, we will send additional documents that must be filled out and returned to the coordination team.
Once reviewed and approved, you will be officially notified and can begin preparing for the Candidate Orientation phase at WEC.
About the CO (Candidate Orientation)
The CO is a program whose purpose is to foster connection between the candidate and WEC, strengthen mutual fellowship and trust, and confirm the candidate’s direction toward cross-cultural missions.
The main qualification we look for is that you are a committed disciple of Jesus Christ, someone who knows Him as Lord and Savior and actively shares your faith with others.
The key qualification is being a committed disciple of Jesus Christ, someone who knows Him as Lord and Savior and actively shares their faith. We expect a basic level of biblical understanding and, together with your church, will support you in any necessary training. Formal and professional qualifications vary by role and country. Many nations today require a university degree or equivalent for work permit purposes.
The easiest way is to fill out the contact form on our website. Once we receive your submission, we’ll get in touch to schedule a time to talk together about how the Lord is leading you.
The long-term application process typically takes 6 to 12 months. After acceptance, most candidates need an additional 6 months to raise support before heading to the field. We aim to be thorough and prayerful, ensuring that missionaries are well-prepared, placed in roles that match their gifts, and equipped to thrive and serve effectively.
The short-term application process typically takes between six months to one year.
Once accepted, we’ll work alongside you and your sending church to identify a suitable placement. From there, we’ll help you prepare a budget, mobilize prayer and financial support, and provide orientation to equip you, and your family, if applicable, for life and ministry on the nations.
Placement &
Ministry Options
There are over 400 opportunities to serve with us around the world, and we know that brings up lots of questions. You can find answers to many of them here in this section. If you’re interested in a specific opportunity, feel free to use the form on its dedicated page, or simply send us a message below. We’d love to hear from you and help you take the next step!
Where you will serve and what your ministry will be are often two of the biggest questions people consider. We will work with you and your church to discern the direction the Lord is leading. At the same time, you need to carefully consider WEC as an organization and whether you and your church would be happy to partner with us.
That depends on your profession and the location. If there’s a need and it’s appropriate, then yes, your skills may be used directly. Even if your profession isn’t required in a specific context, your transferable skills are still valuable, and we’ll help you find ways to contribute meaningfully.
In most placements, you’ll need to learn another language, and we may recommend language training before departure. We value building relationships and making disciples through heart-language communication. This is especially important for long-term service. In some roles, English may be sufficient, but we strongly encourage learning the local language as a vital part of engaging and reaching communities with the gospel.
Yes! WEC is open to singles, couples, and families.
We’ll work with you to explore the best educational options for your children. Some families homeschool, while others enroll their children in national schools or boarding schools.
Yes! We offer short-term opportunities where you live and serve among an unreached people group, guided by long-term WEC missionaries. The program emphasizes language learning, simple living, cultural engagement, relationship-building, and discussions on key mission topics. You can be a short-term missionary as an individual or as a couple.
Yes! We offer opportunities for church teams to serve in Africa. Team size and location vary, so feel free to contact us to learn more.
Certainly! Whether you choose a short-term, long-term, or team-based placement, you’ll become a valued member of an established group of experienced workers, joining in their ongoing ministry. Your presence and unique gifts will contribute to the team’s shared mission as you serve and learn together.
Short-Term
Mission
Short-term mission trips are a great way to serve, grow, and explore God’s calling. With opportunities around the world, you can get involved for a few weeks or months.
We invest into the lives of everyday Christians to equip them to take the good news to the nations. Short-term mission isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who are and the way in which we serve Jesus around the world. WEC wants to see short term missionaries grow in their faith and confidence whilst sharing the good news through ways in which God has enabled them. Whether it’s for two weeks or two years, a short-term placement with WEC can have a lasting impact not only on the lives of our missionaries but the communities and countries in which they work.
WEC arranges short-term individual cross-cultural experiences, placing individuals or families alongside our experienced workers, serving in WEC teams in most of our 90 countries.
As a short-term missionary, you will join an experienced cross-cultural worker, for as little as two weeks or as long as 24 months, as they serve the Lord in a front-line placement. Learn from their wisdom and get involved in a ministry related to your interests, training and abilities.
We not only want you to have the experience of a lifetime, but also to grow and develop key skills in the process. You may find that, during a short-term cross-cultural trip, you are able to learn a new language, do some additional study or work in areas you never even imagined you could. WEC is committed to helping you achieve all that God wants you to achieve through your trip.
If you or your family are investigating a possible long-term career in cross-cultural ministry, this is an ideal opportunity to explore that.
Cross-cultural trips are a great personal journey as well as an important benefit to communities in other countries where people are in great need. Cross-cultural trips usually focus on impoverished communities within developing countries.
We will try to find an appropriate placement that will suit your circumstances and interests. Tell us where you want to go, what you want to do, and how long you are available to stay.
WEC is with you every step of the way.
Contact us now!
We aim to provide a prompt, transparent, and relational application process that includes orientation and training. You will be connected with an experienced administrator who will take you through the process, step by step. After your interview, you will connect with your ministry team. The application process can take up to three months, so the sooner you get started, the better!
Step 1:
Connections and learning more about WEC. We will connect you with a local mobiliser (someone who lives in your area), send you a profile form to complete, and carry out online screening.
Step 2:
We will search for the right placement, connect with the team, and take you through the pre-field process, including travel arrangements and purchase of medical insurance.
Step 3:
The formal application process: application form, references, paying a deposit, and an interview.
Step 4:
Orientation is essential to prepare you for the placement destination. Topics include: biblical basis for mission, language and culture, conflict resolution, and working in multi-cultural teams.
Costs are hard to weigh up as it really depends on your placement. Living in a rural African village will be much cheaper than a city in Asia. Contact the Short-Term team about where you want to go: they will be able to get you costs specific to opportunities available in that area.
Certain costs are unavoidable and must be covered. These include: return ticket to the destination country, insurance, board and lodging, internal travel, essential vaccinations, orientation and debrief. We realise that raising this money might seem daunting, but we have seen many examples of God providing miraculously for our workers’s financial needs. And we can offer tips, ideas and support with fundraising.
Yes, as much as possible! During orientation we teach you to make the most of language learning opportunities. You may already speak a national language, but might like to start to learn a local or tribal language. You will be unlikely to go to language school (as courses are usually one-two years minimum) but it is certainly a good idea to learn some basic phrases in the local language.
In the home of a WEC worker or a local church member, or in a guest house.
Yes. It’s important that your church is encouraging you and praying for you. We will require a church reference, regardless of how long you plan to go on mission. Your church may well support you with fundraising and may have experienced missionaries in the congregation who can help you. Luke spent a year as an intern pastor being trained by his church, then was given encouragement to go further afield. The church supported and encouraged his step with WEC and prayed for him when he was away. On his return, they helped him to share his experiences and encourage other church members.
You, if you are over 18 years old and,
A gap year after school or university is a perfect opportunity to explore mission. But any age group up to and including retirees will find it a rewarding experience. Church groups are also welcomed and receive their training collectively.
Team assignments typically last between one and three months. Individual placements may range from three months up to two years.
In most cases, short-term missionaries receive pre-departure orientation, as well as country-specific orientation upon arrival. This includes topics such as WEC’s history and vision, cultural worldview, health and safety, maintaining spiritual life while serving, communication, and finances.
Anyone aged 18 or older is welcome to apply. You’ll need to affirm WEC’s statement of faith and agree to our policies and values.
Support
& Costs
One of the most common questions missionaries receive is about how they’re supported. Discover what it means, and what it takes, to serve as a full-time missionary.
We believe God provides for those He calls into cross-cultural mission. The first step is prayer, sharing your needs with your church and supporters so they can pray with you. Once your placement is confirmed, we’ll prepare a detailed budget outlining the total amount needed for your first term (typically 2–3 years, depending on location). You’ll need to have 100% of your support pledged before departure. We’ll share the budget with your sending church and work alongside you to plan and pray through the process.
Costs vary depending on the country and your personal circumstances. Living expenses across the continent differ widely, and factors such as family size, children’s ages, and educational needs will also affect the overall budget. Once accepted, we’ll provide guidance and resources to help you with fundraising.
Yes. The Bible clearly shows that the church sends missionaries (for example, Acts 13) and carries an ongoing pastoral responsibility for them. While WEC is a key partner in the process and facilitates ministry among unreached peoples, we will not accept anyone as a member who does not have a positive recommendation and support from their church. WEC will discuss your application with your church leaders, after all, they know you better than we do, as together we seek to discern whether this is truly God’s calling for your life.
Safety
& Preparation
We deeply care about the safety of every member and their family. That’s why we work diligently to prepare our workers before sending them to the nations. Take a look at how we do it.
All our missionaries receive thorough safety training and travel with comprehensive medical insurance, which covers accidents, injuries, medical evacuation, and even conflict-related emergencies. WEC also has a Crisis Consultant who ensures contingency plans are in place should an unlikely crisis arise. While we take our duty of care seriously, we also recognize that serving in remote or challenging parts of the world involves risk. WEC embraces the Christian values of service, sacrifice, and perseverance. There may be times when serving the Lord requires facing difficult or painful situations.
“Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”
Get in touch with us, we’ll be happy to provide all the information you need.