Volunteers are needed to help Baptist churches in the UK.

Some are too small to afford salaries.

Experienced pastors and lay leaders, whom God calls to pastoral ministry, are needed as short-term pastors, and university students are needed as youth workers. Both can answer the “Macedonian Call” to serve in the UK.

American Interim Pastor Ministries, Inc. (nonprofit)

Identifies churches in the UK that wish to have volunteer help with pastoral and/or youth ministry. AIPM also identifies Americans who are willing and qualified to serve as short-term pastors or youth workers.

The application process for candidates with AIPM includes interviews, paperwork and a videotape of the candidate. Candidates for short-term pastor provide a videotape of a sermon and an interview with the candidate and spouse. Youth worker candidates generally only provide a videotape of an interview.

When the UK church is ready to select a candidate, copies of paperwork are sent by AIPM. The UK church makes a short list of those candidates they wish to consider further and notifies AIPM. AIPM contacts the persons on the short list to learn if they are available and willing to serve in the time frame under consideration. AIPM then sends the link to the interview videos for the church to view and make their final selection. The church notifies AIPM of their choice and AIPM notifies the candidates. AIPM does NOT select the candidates that are invited.

AIPM works with the UK church and the candidate in obtaining a certificate of sponsorship for doing “voluntary religious work” in the UK. When the certificate is issued, the candidate and spouse are able to apply for visas on-line. The application process requires a biometrics check (essentially electronic fingerprints). An appointment is made for the biometrics check and then paperwork in mailed to the British Consulate and the visa is issued. When the visa is in hand, the candidate can make airline reservations with arrival and departure date agreed with the UK church so representatives can meet the arriving volunteers at the airport.

Cultural differences exist between Great Britain and the USA and there are differences in the way church is done. Therefore, Chuck and Pat McComb like to have candidates visit them in their home for an orientation session before the first assignment in the UK.

The UK church will provide for short-term pastors:

  • Airline tickets
  • Furnished house

  • A car for short-term pastors

  • Room and board for youth workers

  • Assignments of six-months are typical although 12 months would be ideal.

  • American short-term pastors will receive no compensation.

The church will provide for short-term youth workers:

  • Accommodations
  • Meals
  • Local Transportation
  • A nominal living expenses allowance

More than 20 years of experience in short-term pastor and short-term youth worker ministry has proven that much good for the kingdom of God can be done despite the fact that most assignments are short term. Perhaps one explanation for this is that knowing time is very limited, AIPM volunteers hit the ground running.

In terms of numbers of volunteers and number of UK churches served, short-term pastors and youth workers is the major part of AIPM’s ministry. However, project teams have served in 3 UK churches and their free labor saved substantial amounts of money. Project teams installed new floors, revised a kitchen, converted toilets for use by disabled people and installed walls and new doors.

For more information contact:

Chuck McComb at chuck@americaninterimpastors.com or Ken Bugh at ken@americaninterimpastors.com