Assignments

The FMF assigns its members to roles or tasks within the FMF family of ministries according to organizational need. Though the principle of “assign-ability” is crucial to the functioning of the FMF, members’ past experience, interest, and skills are also taken into consideration when deciding job assignments.

Task-oriented

We are a task-oriented community. Our work is our primary focus. Our community exists to encourage and equip each other to advance the cause of Christ.

Wartime Lifestyle

The wartime lifestyle represents our commitment to live simply in order to focus resources toward what will most effectively and efficiently accomplish our mission (e.g. money, training, computer software, etc.). The wartime lifestyle takes its name from the ethos of sacrifice and strategic use of resources exemplified by soldiers and ordinary citizens during World War II in order to win the war. (See Non-Essentials article.)

Though the wartime lifestyle discourages frivolous use of time and money, it doesn’t necessarily imply foregoing all comforts, spending as little money as possible, or never resting. Instead, it’s about honest and thoughtful consideration of the way we spend our time, money, and whatever other resources we have. The wartime lifestyle is about spending our lives on what counts.

Members commit to live a wartime lifestyle as a part of consecrating their lives to God’s purposes and setting an example for others to do the same, whatever their situation in life.

Continual Learning

Thought and reflection is a prominent part of life in the FMF. We gather specifically to grapple with tough issues in mission and spend a great deal of time reflecting on the implications of particular issues for the larger mission task. As such, we strive to be a learning community, encouraging members to continue learning in any helpful discipline. Both the formal university tradition and ongoing non-formal education are embraced by the FMF.

Raising Support

Members raise financial support to cover living and ministry expenses. Levels of support raised are based on need (includes family size) rather than on responsibility, education, or tenure. Developing ongoing relationships with your donors is considered part of your ministry with the FMF.

Raising support also allows us the freedom to work on strategic projects that might not otherwise be feasible. Sometimes those that need help cannot pay for the benefit they receive. Support raising frees us from this constraint.

Accountability

We believe in being accountable with one another.

Prayer

Members take a bimonthly prayer retreat.

Word and works of God

We are committed to living by the life-giving word of God and thus gather every workday morning to share with one another what we are learning in scripture and what God is doing in us and through us.

Influence

We seek to influence our networks of relationships (individuals, churches, agencies, etc.) for the glory of God.