Frequently Asked Questions

Is ETO a mission board?

No. ETO does not send out missionaries in the same sense as a traditional board. Rather, we offer discipleship training for those who desire to serve as missionaries overseas, but need some hands-on experience. The missionaries serving with us on staff are sent out of local churches in the United States.

Is ETO affiliated with a particular denomination?

No. As an orgnaization, we have chosen to avoid any official connections to a denomination. Although we do not object to such affiliation for individual team members, experience has shown that while ministering in Eastern Europe, denominational lines close more doors to ministry than they open. Thus, when speaking with nationals, all ETO team members and staff claim simple allegiance to the Lord Jesus Christ and belief in the Bible as the Word of God.

What is ETO's position on the local church?

We believe very strongly that the Bible commands all believers to be faithful in fellowship with each other. In other words, they should be involved in a local church which believes and teaches the Word of God as its highest authority.

Our ministry in L'viv focuses primarily on teaching the Bible through literature and also street ministry. We do not have a church of our own, and so when we meet new believers who are in need of a church, we direct them to one of many churches already meeting here in the city. (Our team also fellowships in a Ukrainian church here in the city.)

Ministry in mountain villages with regards to the local church is more difficult. These villages are small, isolated, and completely without the presence of any type of Protestant church. In fact, in all our travels through the Carpathians we have encountered only one church that was not either Catholic or Orthodox and that was a Pentecostal church which did not seem to be operating.

So when we visit these villages and preach the Gospel there, we have no way to involve the people in a local church. The local church does not exist there. One might ask, "Well why not start one?" That is of course our goal, but this involves more than just setting up a building and inviting people to services. When we minister in the mountains, or anywhere in Ukraine for that matter, we focus on teaching people the Bible. We believe that if Bible-believing churches are to be born here, they must be led by nationals. If the church is propped up from its inception by missionaries, it will die as soon as the missionaries leave. This is a documented fact which has been witnessed on multiple fields in multiple countries.

So what is our strategy for planting churches? We teach the Bible, win the lost, and disciple Ukrainian men in the Lord. If there is a church operating in their area, we encourage them to attend regularly and fellowship with the believers there. If not, we simply contiue to teach and disciple them as we are able. (Much of this happens through our correspondence Bible course which currently reaches over 350 students in western Ukraine.) The day will come when these men will be ready to take on the responsibility of leading a local church, which in turn will continue to reach the lost after we are gone. In areas like the Carpathians where there is no church, we will teach them how to organize one. But the church will be a body made up of true Ukrainian believers as opposed to being simply a production funded by Americans.

Our strategy is long-term and we realize that many of the changes which will eventually take place here may be years in coming. In the meantime, we must continue to be faithful witnesses for Christ as He has commanded us.

How is ETO funded?

ETO is funded by God. As He prompts believers to give financially to our ministry, we continue to move forward. Our ministry does not solicit funds, but rather we make our needs known to the Lord through prayer. We have found Him to be very faithful.

I would like to make a donation to ETO. Will my gift be tax deductible?

Yes. Euro Team Outreach, Inc. is a religious nonprofit corporation registered with the State of Texas. As such, ETO is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue code. All donations made to ETO are deductible on the donor's federal income tax return.

I would like to send support to one of the missionaries on staff with ETO. Can I write a check to ETO and designate it to that missionary?

No. All money that is designated for Euro Team Outreach goes directly into ETO's account and is used for ministry purposes only. None of it can be channeled to our staff as personal support. All of our staff are sent out of local churches, and most of their support comes through their church. If you are interested in sending personal support to a staff missionary, please contact them directly.

I want to come for CMO, but I am under 17. Can I still come?

Our minimum age requirement for all ETO outreaches is 17. There are many reasons for this, the main ones being maturity and liability concerns. However, we know that God can call someone younger than that. If you are under 17, and you feel strongly that God is calling you to serve with ETO, please contact us. Such requests are evaluated by our board on a case by case basis.

I want to come for CMO, but I am not a US/Canadian citizen. Can I still come?

Euro Team Outreach deals primarily with US/Canadian citizens. We are a US-based organization, and all of our materials, application forms, legal documents, etc. are geared for Americans/Canadians. If you are a non-US/Canadian citizen, and you feel that God is calling you to serve with ETO, please contact us. Such requests are evaluated by our board on a case by case basis.

How much does it cost to participate in CMO?

At present, the cost is about $700 per month minimum. This is the amount that you will need to cover the basic costs of living during your stay in Ukraine (e.g. rent, food, transportation), as well as applicable ministry expenses.

What is the minimum time commitment required to particiapte in CMO?

We ask all team members who join us for CMO to commit to at least two months. Married men and church leaders can qualify for shorter time commitments. (see below)

I am a pastor/church leader. May I come for less time than the standard two-month minimum?

Yes you may. We recognize that pastors/church leaders have obligations which often do not allow for extended absences. If you are interested in visiting CMO during the summer, please contact us to discuss further details.

I am married and/or have children. May I come for less time than the standard two-month minimum?

Yes you may. Please contact us to discuss further details.

I would like to come for CMO, but I'm not sure if I'll have the minimum amount that you specify for monthly support. Can I still come?

If you are not sure that you will have all the necessary funds for your support while in Ukraine, or if you have less than our recommended minimum, you are still welcome to come. We believe strongly that God is able to provide supernaturally for the needs of those who serve Him. However, make sure it is indeed God who is calling you. If you run short of money while you are here you will be sent home. Don't build a tower without counting the cost. (Luke 14:26)

During CMO, what kinds of expenses will I have to cover?

You will be responsible for any and all expenses that you incur. These include, but are not limited to:

• Apartment rent
• Ministry expenses
• Transportation costs (taxi's, trams, bus and train fares, etc.)
• Groceries
• Camping gear

I am a young lady, and I want to get involved in overseas missions. Does ETO have any projects for young ladies?

At this time all of our outreaches are setup to accomodate young men only. Many of our activities present situations (such as multi-day camping in the mountains) where a co-ed group would not be feasible. We hope that at some point in the future, we will have the staff necessary in order to expand our ministry and accomodate young ladies as well. We welcome you to pray with us about this!

I'd like to participate in CMO, but I don't know Ukrainian. How can I possibly tell people about Jesus?

Remember: a prophet is not without honor, save in his own country. Jesus made this observation Himself. If you come to Ukraine from overseas, you will have the ear of Ukrainians in a way that a local minister might not. Several of our staff speak fluent Ukrainian, and we will translate for you when necessary. There is also much that can be done without having to speak at all (e.g. tract distribution, chalk art, multimedia setup, literature printing and collation, etc.)

I am a youth minister. Can I bring a group of teenagers for CMO?

At this time, all of our outreaches are geared for mature young men at least 17 years old. In addition, our outreaches require a greater time commitment than most youth groups can manage. (2 month min.) However, if you have a mature, clean-cut, well behaved group of young people who want to get a taste of hands-on missions overseas, then contact us. Such requests will be evaluated by our board on a case by case basis.

Can I purchase your course in English?

At this time the course is only in print in Ukrainian. We are currently preparing the lessons for print and distribution in English. If you would like to be notified when they are available, please contact us.

In what other languages is the course available?

At this time, it is only available in Ukrainian and soon in English.

Can I arrange to have the course translated into another lanugage?

Yes. We would love for other missionaries to be able to use this course in the countries where they are serving. If you are interested in translating the course into another language, please contact us for details.

Can I use your course to start my own correspondence ministry?

Yes. Our main purpose in printing this course in English is so that those who wish to start their own correspondence ministry would be able to do so. At this time, we are still making arrangements for printing. If you would like to be notified once the course is available in print, please contact us.

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