Missions Textbook 32 International English-Speaking Schools

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

There are international, English-speaking schools all over the globe, some Christian and some secular, based on various countries’ systems, i.e. British, French, etc. This, in itself, can be a ministry that brings the Gospel to children, their parents, and their communities. You can be a teacher, teacher’s aide, administrator, librarian, computer expert, recess monitor, or a Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). You could also consider short-term options, which might just be one year to let someone go on sabbatical. Schools also need people to come in for renovations, construction, repairs, and furnishing. They need carpenters, stonemasons, electricians, plumbers, and people to install technical equipment. They might need cooks, nurses, people who know how to sew, and even people who know something about interior decoration. Boarding schools also need dorm parents.

Christian schools, such as Black Forest Academy (a boarding school) or International Christian School of Vienna (a day school), usually do not pay anyone, except perhaps the custodian. Every administrator, teacher, and volunteer receives his or her support from people in the home country who believe in the ministry. They are missionaries of a different sort. For detailed information on this type of school, contact ACSI.[1]

In some ways, being a teacher in an English-speaking school is a more difficult job because the emphasis is not on learning the language of the host country. If you are teaching at an English-speaking school, you will be speaking English for at least six hours every day, plus grading homework. It is very easy to get sucked into an English-speaking bubble, just enjoying the fellowship of fellow English speakers, and only venturing out to buy necessities. A missionary to this type of school needs to be very intentional about learning the host country’s language. The principle still applies that if the missionary doesn’t learn the language, that missionary will not feel at home in the country. The missionary will not know what people are saying, and he will have a hard time making himself understood. One cannot always count on finding a plumber or doctor or dentist or electrician who speaks English.

There are also many international schools that pay a good salary. The turnover rate is still high because without the language of the host country, teachers burn out more quickly, in spite of the high pay. There are, however, many advantages for a Christian working in this setting. First, when people ask why you are in their country, you can say that you are working at the school. Second, you don’t have to worry about where your next check is coming from; you have a salary. Third, you will be working with many unbelievers, so you have a built-in mission field. Fourth, you will not have to please a mission organization back in North America. Fifth, although the language problems still have to be dealt with, you now have the money and time to attend classes and learn the host country’s language. Sixth, you will be teaching the future leaders and business people of many countries.

A couple of disadvantages: You still need prayer support from your home church. It is harder to get people to pray when they are not giving you money. I think the answer might be to write regular letters, send texts, and to ask for prayer.

Another disadvantage is loneliness. At a Christian school, fellowship is built in; at an international school, it is very important to find a church right away – and there may not be many choices. We North Americans pride ourselves on being able to find just the right church to fit our needs. Shall I put that in quotes? Just the right church to “fit our needs.” When you live in Munich or Rio de Janeiro or Addis Ababa or Singapore, your choices are very limited. This is when you must study to determine what parts of your faith are non-negotiable, and what parts are cultural or personal preferences. You will need fellowship, and there are lovely, committed believers in many denominations you may not have considered before.

[1] Association of Christian Schools International, https://www.acsi.org/

We Never Saw It Coming: An Introduction to Christian Missions (textbook)

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