More About REACH
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+ REACH at a glance
+ Affiliation
+ History
+ Statement of Faith
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+ Core Values & Objectives
+ General Schedule
+ Support Raising
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+ Teams
+ Academic Credit
+ Application Process |
REACH at a glance
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Mission: REACH exists to equip young adults for a life of REACHing up to God, REACHing in for spiritual formation, and REACHing out to a lost and hurting world.
| Total Length of Program: 9 – 12 months |
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Discipleship Training School (DTS): 3 months
Columbus, OH |
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Cross Cultural Outreach (CCO): 6 - 9 months |
Age: 18 – 35
Previous mission experience: none required
Application Deadline: May 31 |
Affiliation
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REACH is a program administered by SEND Ministries, the short-term missions department of Rosedale Mennonite Missions (RMM). RMM is the mission arm of the Conservative Mennonite Conference. REACH is also a member of Global Discipleship Training Alliance, a worldwide network of discipleship and mission training programs. |
History
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In 1991, RMM caught a vision for developing a discipleship and missions program called REACH. The first REACH training took place in the fall of 1992. The goal was to disciple young adults giving them a strong biblical foundation for a lifetime of Christian ministry. Since then, REACHers have come alongside long-term missionaries and established organizations aiding them in their ministry efforts. REACH teams have served on five continents in approximately 25 countries. |
Statement of Faith
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The Bible: We believe the Bible is inspired and God-breathed. It is the Word of God and has authority in all areas of human life. |
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God: We believe that God is One and exists in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. God is a God of mission. His desire is to see all things renewed and restored. God is not a God who abandons His creation; rather He seeks its redemption.
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The Father: We believe that God the Father reveals Himself through His creation and Scripture. The Father seeks relationship with people out of His love for us in spite of the fact that we are broken, lost, and sinful. |
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Jesus: We believe that Jesus is the only way to have relationship with the Father. Jesus chose to incarnate Himself in order to conquer sin and Satan and show us how to be truly human through His death and resurrection. Freedom from sin is available to all who put their faith in Jesus and surrender to Him as Lord and Savior. One day He will return to rightfully reign as King. |
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Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit gives supernatural life to those who trust in Jesus. The Holy Spirit convicts people of sin, generates new birth, and sanctifies. It is also the role of the Holy Spirit to empower the church and reveal the truth of Scripture to believers. The Spirit’s work and gifts are active in the lives of believers today. |
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Salvation: We believe that humans are fallen and hopeless unless their faith is put in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Once people surrender their lives to Jesus, becoming like Him is a lifelong process called sanctification. |
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Mission: We believe that the church is called to participate in God’s mission to restore the world to Himself. The Kingdom of God is the dynamic reality of God’s rule through Jesus. It implies that Jesus must be King over all areas of human existence; in other words, it is holistic. The church functions as the agent of the Kingdom of God and is called to live in unity, loving both neighbors and enemies. Jesus commissioned us to take this message to every tribe, tongue, and nation. |
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Core Values & Objectives
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| The Bible |
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To teach the authority of the Bible as absolute truth |
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To understand the Bible as the definitive story of the Mission of God for humankind and
our place in His continuing work |
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To understand and apply biblical principles to everyday life |
The Gospel |
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To focus on the centrality of Jesus Christ |
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To provide an understanding of the Gospel as a message for all people that transcends all cultures |
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To apply the principles of the Kingdom of God using the New Testament church as a model |
Discipleship |
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To embrace God as Father, Jesus as Lord and Savior, and to walk with the Holy Spirit practicing both fruits and gifts of the Spirit |
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To learn and practice spiritual disciplines |
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To grow in self awareness |
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To grow in interpersonal relationships interacting with others in a Christ-like way |
Mission |
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To fulfill the mandate of the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations |
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To share the Gospel through both word and deed |
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To stimulate and nurture vision and action towards mission, evangelism, compassion and
other ministry. |
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General Schedule
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| DTS |
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REACH DTS is a intense three-month discipleship and short-term missions training strategically formatted to lay a strong biblical foundation and optimize spiritual growth. Young adults are equipped not just for the short-term missions experience, but for a lifetime of relationship with Jesus and ministry. DTS begins the last week in August and runs for 12 consecutive weeks. |
Cross Cultural Outreach (CCO) |
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REACH focuses on sending teams to areas of the world that are least reached with the Gospel (North Africa, Southern Europe, Asia, and the Middle East).
The primary emphasis of CCO is sharing Jesus through relationships and service. REACHers are encouraged to build friendships and understand their cultural context and personal needs, and then share Jesus in a culturally relevant way. REACH seeks to come alongside and aid long-term missionaries and established organizations.
Language and Cultural Training - Teams will spend time in language and cultural training in DTS and upon arrival to their CCO. |
Debriefing & Re-entry |
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Following CCO, REACH teams return to Columbus, Ohio for seven to ten days of debriefing and reentry. REACH debriefing is a loosely-structured process that helps participants evaluate their experience and bring closure to it. Reentry focuses on preparing REACHers for the readjustments they will be making as they step back into normal American life. |
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Support Raising
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REACHers are required to raise prayer and financial support. Prayer supporters are updated periodically throughout the REACHers training and cross cultural outreach experience. REACHers are required to raise the following amounts to meet per member budget:” and than add 1 under raising support.
Per Member Budget |
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9 month REACH experience
(3 months DTS + 6 month CCO) - $7,900 |
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12 month REACH experience
(3 months DTS + 9 months CCO) - $8,200 |
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Note: The dollar amounts stated above cover all costs except personal spending money (for toiletries, souvenirs, etc.), health insurance, and immunizations. |
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Teams
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The SEND Department believes in the value of team life and thus makes it a strong component of the REACH program. Each REACH participant is placed on a team of 4-6 people according to outreach location. While the SEND Department takes seriously an applicant’s preference(s) regarding outreach location(s), we ask applicants to remain open to prayer and counsel as the team going to an applicant’s preferred location may already be full, or an applicant’s gifts may be better utilized on a different team.
Each team has an appointed team leader. Team leaders are peers chosen on the basis of their experience and preparation to model the qualities of humble, confident, and God-reliant leadership in prayer, learning, obedience, and love. They give direction to the life of the team in group relationships and discipling, and serve under the authority of REACH administration and local church leaders in ministry ventures. |
Academic Credit
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REACH may count for college-level credit at various Christian colleges and universities. REACHers are expected to initiate the process prior to participating in the program. |
Application Process
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All applicants are required to fill out a Personal Information Form (PIF) and to provide three letters of reference to RMM’s Human Resources department. Once documents have been received, applicants sit for an interview with a program director. Applicants are contacted regarding their admission status approximately two weeks following their interview. Upon acceptance into REACH, applicants will receive further information regarding passport, immunizations, etc. Applicants will receive information regarding their team assignment by June 15.
All application documents may submitted by U.S. Post to:
Attn: Human Resources
Rosedale Mennonite Missions
9920 Rosedale Milford Center Road
Irwin, OH 43209
Or by email to:
send@rmmoffice.org
Subject line: REACH Application
Request an application packet via email or download the forms |
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