Unique contexts, united purpose
At SEND International, we constantly pray for new workers for the Harvest fields — and as we pray, we offer multiple paths to international missions. They include:
While passion for engaging unreached people groups with the gospel unites all these efforts, each exists in its own distinct setting.
Take, for instance, two of our sending councils: SEND US and Philippine Sending Council.
Age of organization
SEND US is much older — it opened 70 years ago, in 1947, and has 276 workers assigned to cross-cultural fields.
The Philippine Sending Council officially launched just six years ago, in 2011, and has 37 long-term missionaries.
Age of applicants
Though the PSC itself is younger, its applicants skew older, averaging 38 years old.
“We have deployed people who already have years of Christian or missionary service,” says PSC Area Director James Aberin. “The generations of missionaries we have are set for long-term, career ministries.”
The average SEND US applicant is 30.
They tend to already have short-term, cross-cultural experience, and they want to work on a team with strong relationships and mentoring.
Ministries and training
Church planting and Muslim ministries are top interests for missionaries coming from both councils.
Both offices provide standard prefield training, and might also direct missionaries to specified training — like Chronological Bible Storying, teaching English or launching Disciple Making Movements
— that will help them make disciples on their distinct fields.
Support
In both areas, churches provide about 30 percent of a missionary’s support. For SEND US, individual gifts make up the remainder — and younger missionaries are seeing contributions from individuals play an even bigger role in their overall financial support.
At PSC, individual gifts average about 35 percent and the Global Worker Initiative
provides the rest of the funding.
Time to the field
From the moment they apply to serve, PSC missionaries take about 18 months to raise support, undergo training and move to the field. That process takes an average of 30 months in the States — a timeline that SEND US CEO Michelle Atwell aims to decrease.
Though each of SEND International’s sending councils and partner organizations experience some distinctions, all are committed to the globalization of missions and to building healthy multinational teams that reflect the unity of all believers. No matter our ages, or the time it takes us to get to the field, or our passport countries, together we can more powerfully engage the unreached and make disciples of all the nations.
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• Learn about SEND International's mission, focus, and values .
• Learn about SEND International's mission, focus, and values .
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
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