The Importance of Pre-Field Training for Missionaries
Leaving your home country to become a cross-cultural missionary requires more than just a plane ticket. There is also a strong need to be equipped for the realities of global ministry.
At SIM USA, we are committed to preparing missionaries for effective cross-cultural ministry. Our dedicated training team works closely with each missionary to design a preparation plan that meets their unique needs and ministry goals. While every plan is personalized, all missionaries receive core training in cross-cultural ministry, language acquisition, and support-raising.
Beyond these essentials, additional training is tailored to each person’s background, ministry context, and destination. This may include specialized instruction in areas such as security, theological development, and job-specific skills. Ultimately, all training aims to ensure that every missionary is equipped to serve with confidence and resilience.
“Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.” Proverbs 24:27
Missionary Preparation: Training that Builds a Strong Foundation
This commitment to thorough preparation isn’t just theory; it’s something missionaries experience firsthand. Miles and Lauren’s journey offers a glimpse into how pre-field training shapes and strengthens those preparing to serve cross-culturally.
Miles and Lauren have a heart for sharing the gospel with those who have had little or no opportunity to hear it. They serve with SIM USA in West Africa, where their ministry focuses on building relationships and planting seeds of faith among least-reached people groups.
Their ministry journey has taken them across the continent, including service in East Africa. Along the way, they have come to deeply value the role of thorough pre-field training in preparing workers for the unique demands of serving in new cultures.
Both in East and West Africa, they’ve witnessed firsthand how solid pre-field training equips missionaries not only with practical skills but also with the cultural understanding needed to thrive in the work God leads them to do.
“The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight.” Proverbs 4:7
How Pre-Field Training Equipped Two Missionaries
Before leaving the United States to begin their overseas ministry, Miles and Lauren prepared by attending in-depth training with SIM USA and Mission Training International (MTI). These programs provided far more than just logistical advice. They gave attendees practical tools to help them navigate the challenges of living and serving in a different culture.
“Before that training, we had no frame of reference for what to do to prepare. It laid such a strong foundation for us before moving,” Miles said.
Miles and Lauren specifically remember the sessions on cross-cultural adaptation, where they learned how to enter a new community with humility, patience, and a learner’s posture. They also found the language acquisition training beneficial. It equipped them with strategies for effectively learning and using a new language in daily life and ministry. This intentional preparation laid a strong foundation for their service overseas.
“There are things from the training that we still reference and use today,” Lauren added.
For their specific ministry in West Africa, Miles and Lauren needed to be fluent in French.
“A church service on a Sunday will be done in French. A Bible study led by the Church would be in French. Anything that the Church does here would be in French,” Miles explained.
Wanting to be as prepared as possible before moving to West Africa, they dedicated several months to intensive language study in Canada. Here, they could immerse themselves in a French-speaking environment.
This language-learning experience in Canada, combined with the language acquisition strategies they learned during pre-field training, gave them a strong foundation before they even stepped into their ministry setting.
Missionary Preparation: A Biblical Pattern
Miles and Lauren’s journey is just one modern example of a principle woven throughout Scripture: God equips His people before He sends them into ministry. From Genesis to the early Church, God rarely sent His servants without first preparing them for the work ahead.
Moses spent forty years in Midian learning patience and leadership before leading Israel out of Egypt. Joshua apprenticed under Moses for years before taking command. David’s victories began not on the battlefield, but in the pastures, where he honed his skills protecting sheep. Nehemiah carefully surveyed Jerusalem’s walls before lifting a single stone.
Even Jesus spent thirty years in obscurity and forty days in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry. Then, He spent three years training His apostles before sending them out.
This consistent pattern reminds us that ministry readiness is not instant; it is cultivated through intentional equipping. In the same way, Miles’ and Lauren’s pre-field training reflects this timeless truth: God prepares His people before He sends them.
“Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” John 20:21
Partner with SIM USA: Be Equipped for Global Ministry
At SIM USA, we believe that when God leads someone into cross-cultural ministry, He also desires for them to be equipped for the journey. Our role is to come alongside those God is leading, helping them prepare for the ministry He has placed before them.
Whether you will be discipling in rural villages, engaging in urban outreach, or using professional skills in ministry, SIM USA walks alongside you every step of the way, from discernment to long-term service.
If God is stirring your heart for cross-cultural service, we invite you to explore opportunities to partner with SIM USA. With over a century of experience in more than 70 countries, SIM USA is here to help guide you in taking your next step in ministry. Connect with a SIM USA mission coach today!
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” Mark 16:15
*Names have been changed for the privacy and safety of our workers, ministry partners, and those we serve.
Maggie Watts
Content Creator
I am a Content Creator with SIM USA. It is a joy to use writing and multimedia to glorify God and tell stories about how He is working around the world.