Official Title
Commitment Level
- Full Time
- Part Time
- Bivocational
Job Description
Our team is made up of 4 part time Communitas staff who are gifted in teaching, worship, kids ministry and administration. We’re looking for someone that is a committed follower of Jesus Christ and has a strong commitment to the mission and values of Communitas. As a long term (3+ years) ministry partner, we see the primary responsibility for you to be building discipling relationships with individuals (and groups) who are seeking Jesus. As our community is made up of young Christians, Muslims or nominal Muslims who have not had the opportunity to read the Bible or discuss questions about Christianity, there is often confusion, many questions and a heartfelt desire to know more. Leading a Discovery Bible Study (DBS), facilitating Christianity Explored courses, and meeting 1:1 with individuals for prayer, sharing God’s Word and for accountability are some examples of opportunities. Through these experiences also come practical help opportunities – obtaining a bus pass, explaining how to register for college, where to shop, visiting a museum, drinking Persian tea in a flat….
Upper Room is on a new journey as we move from being primarily a house church to meeting in a (public) church building. We have started a social enterprise for refugees to start businesses & find employment, are launching conversational English classes and now training up lay leaders from within our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ – this role is an entrepreneurial opportunity in an entrepreneurial community!
Qualifications
- Farsi by chance?? 🙂
- Entrepreneurial spirit and a comfort working cross-culturally – you are in Scottish culture but working with Persian Muslims.
- Must like to drink tea (and Scottish weather); a desire for coffee is also very agreeable
- Someone who is confident to work independently but loves being part of a team – we meet weekly for prayer & planning, meet as team mates and friends through the various Bible study groups, and gather socially for Communitas Family church (every 1-2 months with other staff in Stirling & Edinburgh), and other social occasions such as birthdays, dinner parties and the holidays. We celebrate and enjoy doing life together!
- Proactive as opposed to reactive – our Bible studies have started around crafts, questions about how to read the Bible, or even launching Monthly Film Nights as a way to simply have fun! Servant leaders as an example to our community members
- Have a burning desire to make God famous among the nations – although mainly Iranians, they understand they have a role in reaching the nations!
- Maintain a learning posture and growing walk with Christ, a positive and encouraging spirit, and a strong commitment to the purpose and values of Communitas.
- Work with excellence. Always. At least really try…
- Keep confidential matters strictly confidential – many in our community have been traumatized by their escape from Iran and now live under threat of expulsion from the UK if their asylum case fails.
- Involved in a local church and evidence a growing spiritual maturity.
- Prefer international missionary or living experience.
- Must be flexible and able to adjust to a changing work environment and challenges.
- Average to excellent computer skills including use of social media and cloud based software for communications and file sharing (Google Docs) – for our team purposes but also the mission’s requirements for administration.
- A Bachelor’s degree preferably from a Bible college but we are also open to those with practical ministry and/or theological training.
Funding
The salary and ministry expenses of this position are funded through personal support raising. Self-employed or bi-vocational teammates are also welcome. Applicants will be asked to go through the Communitas Missionary Candidate Process including fundraising if needed and orientation prior to starting the position. A funding plan for this position will be provided during the deputation process.
Belief and Commitment
All staff need to maintain a strong commitment to our:
Statement of Faith
Statement on Gender Equality
Statement on Racial Equity
“Upper Room is full of the Holy Spirt – people asking deep questions about who Jesus is, praising God for receiving asylum, crying when they are afraid and lonely. I have learned more about faith from our Iranian brothers and sisters experiences than I feel they from me. My walk with Jesus has grown immensely through this church.”
Mike, Communitas team member in Glasgow
Upper Room Church meets in the West End of Glasgow and is a community of mainly Iranian asylum seekers and refugees. Led by four Communitas staff and supported by an advisory team and ministry workers from within the church, this thriving community of between 200-250 members – we are mainly Iranian in Glasgow!
With gatherings in English and Farsi, we are trying to be supportive of the existing language needs of the community while being welcome to everyone. Weekly Bible studies, soon Conversational English Classes and a Women’s Bible study are also held in addition to a Thursday evening service. During our Thursday gathering, we have worship, a fellowship meal, Bible teaching and 2 hours of prayer for people!
Upper Room Church was a Bible study in a top floor flat (apartment) and during a teaching in the
Book of Acts, we realised we were a church. We are 40+ people, mainly made up of Iranian asylum
seekers and refugees, who grew too large and upset the local city council. We now hold our gatherings in a local church and see this as God opening a new door and chapter in the life of Upper Room. Our gatherings are in Farsi & English and include a time of worship, a fellowship meal, a Bible teaching and then prayer. Perhaps our prayer time is the most striking thing about Upper Room. We spend 1-2 hours praying around people in need or with those wanting to give praise.
Our church leadership team of 5 is a mixture of part-time & full-time Communitas staff who are gifted in teaching, worship, kids ministry and administration. We’re looking for people that are committed follower of Jesus Christ and have a strong commitment to the mission and values of Communitas. As a ministry partner (long term or on an internship), we see the primary responsibility for you to be building discipling relationships with individuals (and groups) who are seeking Jesus. Share life with them!
In addition to the church and Bible studies, we have started a social enterprise for refugees to start businesses & find employment, are launching conversational English classes and are training up lay leaders from within our Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ – the roles are entrepreneurial in an entrepreneurial community!
Do you find yourself thinking, ‘I could do that!’ or, ‘I want to do that!’ as I follow Christ? We LOVE shepherding people toward the call God is placing on their lives. Maybe He is calling YOU to serve in the UK?!
For more information please download the full opportunity profile.
Successful applicants will be asked to go through the Communitas missionary candidate process.
