Mission FAQs

Who, what, where..?

  • The best answer is that you feel called to be on one.

  • Anyone can come on a SOMA Mission. You need to be a practicing Christian who upholds the Evangelical Alliance’s Core Beliefs. We require you to subscribe to our SOMA values.

  • We are not recruiting missionaries but are looking for humble people willing to serve and learn in an overseas context and bring ‘olive branches of hope’ from the global church back to your home context.

  • SOMA missions have had participants aged between 14 and 84! For team members under 18 years old, this will involve traveling with a responsible adult, with full parental consent. For someone with health related issues, this may involve a medical checkup.

    As a guideline we would suggest anyone over the age of 75 should seek wise counsel from those who know them best as to whether they may have a health related issue that could impact them or the team or the host diocese, and fully disclose this advice with the team leader and the mission coordinator. If there is any doubt a medical check should be done (at the participant’s own expense).

  • SOMA operates throughout the world, in partnership with other national SOMAs. In recent years our focus at SOMA UK has been in West and East Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, as well as missions in the UK involving international team members. Once you have expressed an interest in joining a mission we will let you know what teams we are recruiting for.

  • Missions are organised with a host Bishop in the receiving country. This means that we add value to what is already going on and help accelerate evangelism and empower leaders in the diocese through an encounter with the Holy Spirit, skills based training, and studying God’s word.

What happens pre-mission?

  • SOMA is committed to robust Safer Recruitment practices. We undertake this process carefully and thoroughly to support a safe and successful mission. These are the steps we aim to follow:

    1. You express an interest by filling in the simple form here.

    2. We contact you informally and send a full application form, including information about upcoming missions that may interest you.

    3. You will be invited to a telephone interview with a SOMA team member.

    4. We complete DBS procedures and contact your referees.

    5. You will be connected with the group leader of the trip.

    6. We invoice you for the mission and request passport information for flight bookings.

    7. The SOMA office liaises with you to complete any outstanding trip preparation.

  • We ask you to raise £1800* towards the mission in advance of your departure. This covers flights, accommodation, transport, food and travel insurance. Team members are required to cover their own VISA and vaccination costs separately. These costs vary depending on mission location.

    *including a £300 donation which can be gift aided.

  • A SOMA mission is a faith adventure. You will pray and raise money through your own funds, your local church, your family and friends, and through grants you may apply for. Clergy in the UK may wish to use their development grants towards this or apply to other trusts for funds. Any additional money you raise will help support the in-country costs and help sponsor other team members.

  • Absolutely! You will need to make sure that all travel logistics are figured out, cover any extra costs incurred and have your own insurance policy for that part of your trip. Once trip dates are confirmed, liaise with the SOMA Office and they will arrange flights accordingly.

  • This depends on the team leader, and with the advances of zoom and our pre-recorded online training much of what you will need to be prepared can be done remotely. However, there is nothing better than taking time to get together as a team beforehand to pray and begin to get together, and so we encourage that wherever it is possible. Often this will be a minimum of two evening Zoom calls or an in person day.

  • A key thing is praying for the mission, completing the SOMA induction, and time preparing talks and meeting with your team online or in person. When you get back, a key commitment is to carry on praying and to share your olive branches of hope with as many people as possible.

What happens on mission?

  • SOMA is responsible for your well-being and safety on the team through the National Director and your team leader. When you are in-country, the local Bishop will assume responsibility for your safety. All missions are risk assessed and this is reviewed 10 days before you go.

    We also encourage team leaders to appoint a team pastor, who has the experience and time to invest in team members before, during, and after the mission.  Most people find that going on a team is life changing, and it’s helpful to have a chance to reflect on that with your team pastor.

    But above all else, the Lord God is looking after the team, and you will be encouraged to appoint 5 to 7 intercessors to be praying for you throughout the mission. They will join in the SOMA Community of Prayer in praying for you daily while you prepare to go and are away. For many people, this is the first experience of being so intently prayed for, and there is a wonderful sense of being looked after directly by the Lord as a result.  

  • A wide range of accommodation may be used on a SOMA mission ranging from simple hotels, to diocesan guest houses, to mud huts. Where possible, team members will have a private room.

  • This will depend on the country of visiting, and we always recommend that you check out the UK government advice or the advice of the country you are travelling from. Please contact your local travel clinic as soon as you are confirmed to travel with SOMA so that everything is booked well in advance.

  • SOMA has a comprehensive  insurance policy that covers all team members whilst on mission. You will be covered by this insurance providing that you aren’t travelling contrary to medical advice from a medical practitioner and you haven’t been given terminal prognosis.

    Some people choose to stay in the country after the mission- you will need to organise your own insurance for this.

  • Full information on this will come in your training pack, but dress modestly and if ordained be prepared to wear a collar and robes.

  • Yes, if you become an authorised team leader that is certainly possible. For that you will need a conversation with the National Director, which may lead on to being invited onto our authorised team leader induction programme.

If you have reached the end of the FAQs and still have questions, please get in touch

Ready to join a team?

There’s never been a better time to see what God is doing around the world and to bring back olive branches of hope to your own context.

Register your interest in joining a team by filling out the form on this page.