Sunday, March 23, 2014

Day 14: Seeking Missionary-Farmer

Some of the things Eric has been working on are several positions within our North Kona Mission Zone:  Three Missionary type positions that combine social, familial, and bodily well-being with discipleship. Two of the positions are partner positions with the Pregnancy Center of Kona for a Mobile Team Missionary to do ultrasounds around the island and the Kumu Alaka'i (Mentorship) Missionary.  The third, a Missionary-Farmer position, is outlined below.  

Over the past couple of months, Eric has met with several housing managers, community leaders, and County Health Dept. employees to gain a better understanding of the general health and well-being of our neighbors.  Having seen the increased rates of food related diseases, the local desire for re-connecting with the land, the economic need for lower food costs, and the willingness for collaboration around food sustainability, KCN is excited to post the following job description to be shared with all interested individuals.

Kona Coast Nazarene
Seeking Staff Position for:
Missionary-Farmer

[Job Description, Accountability, and Responsibilities]

Description
            Kona Coast Nazarene is a local church committed to reaching the lost, discipling the found, and modeling the Kingdom on the Big Island of Hawai’i.  Given the contemporary challenges of ministry and the unique context of the various communities along the Kona Coast, KCN recognizes the necessity to respond appropriately to cultural, social, and relational differences within distinct communities.  Therefore, KCN is calling, equipping, and sending Missionary-Pastors to facilitate ministry development, equip local leaders, and invest in the health of their communities for eight identified mission zones along the West Coast of the Big Island.  The Missionary-Farmer will be working within the North Kona Mission zone under the leadership of the N. Kona Missionary-Pastor.
Missionaries are those called to vocationally respond to the Great Commission, making the Gospel contextually relevant and meaningful.  Farmers are committed to the health of both the land and its inhabitants through sustainable food production.  A Missionary-Farmer uniquely touches a growing need in North Kona to address declining health, food education, and cultural re-acclimation to the land among recent immigrant groups.
The Missionary-Farmer is a hybrid role—combining the practical and relational elements of farming with the commitment to making kingdom-focused disciples.  The Missionary-Farmer must be deeply committed to the working of God’s grace outside the walls of the church, culturally adept and able to assimilate to new cultures, possess knowledge of and ability to teach and learn various forms of sustainable agriculture, build a network of relationships across social and religious boundaries for the purpose of food development and health, submit to the local church body, and connect meaningfully with the Kona Coast Nazarene community.  The work of the Missionary-Farmer is viewed as an extension of Kona Coast Nazarene in the community, modeling the Kingdom of God for our neighbors. 

Accountability
·      The Missionary-Farmer will report and be directly responsible to the N. Kona Missionary-Pastor.
·      The MF will welcome accountability from the Pastoral Team, which is a regular component of required staff meetings.
·      The MF is expected to be professional and perform his/her duties at the highest level of excellence.
·      Annually, the MF and the N. Kona Missionary-Pastor will work together on goals and reviews.

Responsibilities
·      N. Kona Mission Zone
o   The first and most important role of the MF is to be sensitive to the cultural milieu of HI, assimilate into the local context of ministry, and begin to build relational bridges with local residents.
o   Farmer
§  The MF will organize a network of people devoted to food sustainability, health, and discipleship in various neighborhoods.  The MF must be well versed in various forms of gardening and agriculture, ability to learn and cultivate native food varieties, teaching local gardening/farming for reproduction, and creatively access new avenues for growing.
o   Missionary
§  Consistent with the mission of KCN, the MF contextualizes the Gospel in relevant ways, guiding others through growth in the Spirit as they form relationships in the community through farming/gardening.  The MF will use food growing, food and health literacy, meal prep, and diet and nutrition as vehicles to develop community and discipleship opportunities.
§  While KCN promotes “organic” discipleship, the MF is expected to establish and work toward objective ministry goals that fit within the measurable parameters of church ministry.  (Ex: bible study, prayer gatherings, discipleship clutches, missional communities, compassion projects, etc.).  These goals will be established and reviewed annually.
o   The MF will be given leeway to think creatively for any entrepreneurial investment that may uniquely aid in the whole health of our neighbors.  
·      Kona Coast
o   The MF is on the KCN Pastoral Team and is expected to invest in the accountability of that team through attendance at and contributions to team fellowships and staff meetings.
o   The MF is expected to believe in and embody the mission and vision of KCN, which includes participation and implementation in the Three C’s framework—Discipleship Clutches, Missional Communities, Church Celebrations.  This assures consistency in ministry along the coast and strengthens KCN’s impact on the Big Island.
o   The MF will participate and invest in appropriate KCN events intended for the whole Kona Coast.

Interested Applicants should send a resume and cover letter to Eric Paul at paul@konacoastnaz.com.  To learn more about Kona Coast Nazarene, visit www.konacoastnaz.com. 

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