Two-Year Experience of Vietnamese Language, Culture and Ministry

Learn the language and culture, get to know the people, and learn how to share the good news of Jesus in all its fullness with them.

Job Description

Vietnam is a rapidly changing and modernising country, and there is a great openness to the gospel. But generations of ancestor worship and decades of communism have brought a heavy spiritual bondage. While there are restrictions to gospel work the Vietnamese people are open and eager to talk of spiritual things. 

The majority Viet Kinh people (ethnic Vietnamese) are over 84 million of the 97 million people living in Vietnam. However, few know Jesus. In the South, about 1%, in the North only 0.1%. This makes them one of the largest unreached people groups in the world today.

There is a lot of openness to foreigners in the main cities. As you learn the language and culture, you can get involved with Vietnamese, joining in with their activities, sharing their lives, and maybe helping them with their English (or Korean or Chinese). This gives great opportunities for personal evangelism, discipleship and life-on-life mentoring. At the same time, there will be other opportunities to contribute to team ministry activities, depending on the needs and your skills and gifting.

You will be living in a large bustling city surrounded by people and motorbikes (scooters). It will be an increasingly modern city with internet, smartphones and Western and Korean food chains. It will still be a very Vietnamese city with tiny twisting lanes, noodle shops on every corner, and much of life lived out on the street. There will be tens of thousands of students, many eager to make friends with you, as they make key decisions as they set their directions for their adult lives.

Responsibilities

You will be expected to participate fully in our Daniel Program -- which is a structured Vietnamese language and culture learning program. The Vietnamese language has six tones and most people find it quite challenging -- especially at the start (and for quite a long time afterwards). 

Completion of this will prepare you for (i) long-term ministry in Vietnam (if the Lord so leads), (ii) working with the Vietnamese in other parts of the world (3 million of them!), (iii) give a deep understanding of a very different Asian culture which will enrich your ministry and contribution in whatever God calls you to.

Qualifications

You should have some experience in personal evangelism and discipleship, and have a good grasp of biblical truth. Experience in working in a team and mentoring others would be an advantage.

Living Situations

You should be willing to share every aspect of your life and become involved with the local people, be a living example of Christ, and share the good news of Jesus Christ as appropriate.