“GO” BEYOND
Facilitated by experienced missionaries and national leaders, GO-Beyond is a 2-month discipleship and mission training program that seeks to develop Christ-like character, instill basic skills for outreach among unreached people groups, and encourage long-term commitment to the call of God to “go and make disciples.” A new GO-Beyond team is launched every summer (May-July). Registration deadline is January 15.
If you feel a tug toward cross-cultural missions, AIM’s Go Program is a great way to step out and explore that call. Go beyond borders; go beyond your own abilities and comfort zone. Learn, serve, and grow in your faith as you trust God and join in His mission!
2027 Program Dates: May 30 – July 24
phase 1
2 weeks / Discipleship and Skills training
phase 2
5 weeks / Mentorship living and working among an unreached people group
phase 3
1 week / Team Debrief and personal reflection
GO-Beyond begins with a two-weeks of training at AIM’s facilities in Minneola Florida. You and your team will a focus on learning some of the necessary skills for outreach. After that, you will depart for a five-week placement in one of AIM’s ministry regions around the globe, where you will be placed in pairs with missionaries serving in various ministries which focus on reaching out to unreached African people groups. Then, you’ll return to Florida for a one-week debrief to evaluate lessons learned, share experiences with your fellow GO participants, and prayerfully consider next steps in ministry.
Mahajanga, Madagascar
In this placement, participants will walk alongside the current team and observe their various areas of ministry. The Mahajanga's team focus is to support local church outreach efforts to the unreached and contribute in supporting ministries that can facilitate connection with the members of the unreached people in and around Mahajanga.
Moroto, Uganda
Serving in this ministry placement, you'll partner with local churches to strengthen discipleship and church planting efforts. You'll support theological education, participate in Bible studies, and help train leaders across Protestant and Pentecostal communities. You'll also work to learn the local language, engage with neighboring people groups, and support ministries serving vulnerable children.
Indian Ocean Islands
Come experience life on the islands! This placement is with an intercultural team who are focused on reaching out to their Muslim neighbors. You'll experience practical things like language learning and discipleship, see firsthand what it's like to live in a Muslim-dominated culture, and be involved with team discussions and prayer times during team days.
Lesotho Highlands
Experience life and ministry high up in the mountains of Lesotho, based with an intercultural team doing evangelism and discipleship among the shepherd boy community of Lesotho. (Placement is for men only)
Support Services: Tumaini Counseling Centre
"Tumaini" in Swahili means "hope" - and TCC exists to help missionaries through the hard things that happen and give them home for the future. The goal for this placement would be to help you see how mental health could be used in mission. So, if you are studying or thinking about studying a mental health related subject, you can join the team at Tumaini. You would be able to connect into their staff meetings, maybe join a family session if there is on running, and get a feel for what the role could look like in the future.
Support Services: AIM Air
AIM Air is a department of AIM that exists to support missionaries who need air support, whether that be for routine flights to their ministries because they are so remote, or bringing in supplies for said missionaries, or even doing evacuations. If you are someone with experience in maintenance, or have started your A&P training, or aviation experience, then this one's for you! Be a part of the maintenance team at AIM Air and experience the value and impact of AIM Air with a trip to Northern Kenya.
Traveling Media Team
This placement will focus on seeing how the use of multimedia is done within a mission context. You'll participate in real projects, helping tell AIM's stories in multiple locations.
Who is “GO” for?
GO BEYOND is designed for anyone who is sensing God is calling them to missions and seeking to dig deeper and learn what that may look like in an African context.
How much support will I raise?
About $8,000, but the actual cost will vary depending on airfare and other factors year to year.
1. Training and Orientation
GO Participants live and learn together as a team, engaging in daily group class time. The 2 week of training revolves around CHARACTER and SKILL development.
Developing Christ-like character and embracing basic spiritual principles is critical for life on the mission field. Areas of focus include: Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Warfare, Spiritual Gifts, and Serving Well in any season of life – as a single, as a married couple, or as parents.
Doing life and ministry in an outreach location also requires a good foundation in some necessary skills. These include: A basic understanding of Islam, Language Acquisition tools, Insights into Cross Cultural living, Understanding the Biblical and Historical Foundations for missions, Learning good Communication Techniques, working on healthy Team Dynamics and Relationships, and learning about different Discipleship Strategies.
What you learn in the classroom will be put into practice in the next four weeks of on-site ministry.
2. On-Site Ministry
For the five weeks of hands-on, practical ministry, you’ll be placed with one or more of your teammates in a location where experienced missionaries are currently serving. Your host missionaries will model how ministry is done in their location, find practical ways for you to get involved, and share the realities of missionary life and work with you. You’ll also become a student of language and culture while you immerse yourself in a new place and build relationships with those you are working among.
While on-site, you’ll continue to work on your personal and spiritual growth through reading and reflection, continuing to sharpen the principles learned during your initial training. Each participant will read a daily devotional that focuses on unreached people groups and select supplemental reading material that will encourage personal reflection on life and ministry. You’ll also study additional mission training materials that can be regularly discussed with your mentor.
The things you learn through real-life situations, personal study, reflection, and rich interactions with your missionary hosts will all be unpacked in your debrief.
3. Team Debrief
During your last week, the whole team will converge again in the city and gather for a debrief. You’ll get to share your varied experiences with each other, and talk about the lessons learned: from the practical to the personal and spiritual insights God showed you. The debrief is also a time to slow the pace, get some rest and recreation, and engage in quiet reflection.
As you prepare for your return home, we’ll also talk about how to share your experiences with friends and family, how to avoid spiritual regression, and how to gracefully navigate “re-entry” into your home country and communities.
Lastly, you’ll be challenged to consider what your future involvement in missions might be. We’ll dig deeper into the many opportunities to serve; both at home, or overseas, through going, sending, or supporting the work.
We hope your experience as part of a GO team will forever leave you changed, with a heart more in tune with God’s, and a greater understanding of the needs and opportunities in global missions.
Interested in joining a “GO – BEYOND” Team? Talk to us.
The “Serve Longer” option
Participants can arrange to serve through GO as a foundation for a longer short-term ministry, serving in any of AIM’s ministry regions for up to eight months after completing their GO training.
