As a new candidate or appointee moving through the membership process, you will have the opportunity to learn more about AIM, its overall ethos, purposes and values. AIM desires for all appointees to be God-centred, ministry focused, member orientated and well-prepared for the ministries God has called you to and for the experiences you will encounter.

Purpose

The purpose of Equip is to help ensure you are spiritually prepared for the demands of life in your ministry assignment, and that you are aware of potential areas of miscommunication and challenges of living and ministering cross-culturally and working amongst various cultures within AIM. 

Facilitators and Accountability

Your AIM Mobilising Office will discuss with you the choice of a facilitator to be a guide and mentor as you work through Equip. It’s important to find someone who is spiritually mature and shows evidence of a God-centred life. Ideally, your facilitator will have cross-cultural experience and live near you. However, if not, they should at least have an interest in God’s global purpose and be able to communicate with you regularly, even if it’s remotely/online.  Because of the diverse backgrounds, and differences in exposure to missions and life experiences of appointees using Equip, you and your facilitator will need to decide where your primary focus areas should be in order to best meet your needs. Please note that the goals listed in each section are the minimum expectations that AIM has for every member.

You are responsible for the required pre-field reading (see Resources for a list). The questions or practices in each section, some of which are directly focused on the required reading, will serve as a basis for discussions with your facilitator. Upon completion of Equip, your facilitator will send a report to the designated AIM person overseeing your preparation and you will also submit a Self Report Form (clicking on link will download the form).

A Useful Tool

As you work through Equip, you may find it helpful to use the PDP (Personal Development Plan), a tool that provides structure for identifying strengths and weaknesses, setting goals, and making a plan for growth in various areas. PDP is designed to help you reach the goals you set and keep record of your progress along the way. It can be accessed here or through Sharepoint.