LAM Handbook

LAM HANDBOOK
Beta 6
REVISED
JANUARY 18, 2010
(Pending Approval)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1:
EXPLORING MISSIONARY SERVICE WITH THE LAM
1.1 Foundational Assumptions for Service with LAM

1.2 Spiritual Maturity
1.3 Academic Preparation
1.4 Physical and Mental Health
1.5 Cross-cultural Considerations
1.6 Equal Roles of Men and Women in the LAM
1.7 Appointment of Couples
1.7.1 Marital Status
1.7.2 Divorce
1.7.3 Sexuality
1.7.4 Personal Indebtedness
1.8 Processing of Applications for Candidates and Appointees
1.9 Potential Service Opportunities
1.10 Acceptance as an LAM Missionary
1.11 Procedures for Latin Candidates
CHAPTER 2:
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
MISSIONARY SERVICE WITH THE LAM
Language Study and In-Service Orientation

Work Covenants
Family Responsibilities
Personal Christian Outreach
Supervision and Evaluation
Marital Status and Implications
Divorce/Separation/Desertion
Sexual Harassment
Termination of Service
Early Departure
Missionary Retreats
Communication With Supporters
CHAPTER 3:
FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND OTHER MONEY MATTERS
3.1 General
3.2 Appointee Pre-support
3.3 Support Levels
3.4 Salary
3.5 Other Support Level Components
3.5.1 Special Assistance
3.5.2 Health Insurance
3.5.3 Flexible Spending Accounts
3.5.4 Social Security
3.5.5 Retirement
3.5.6 Administration Costs
3.6 Labor Laws
3.7 Travel and Equipment (T&E) Funds
3.7.1 Travel Expenses
3.7.2 Equipment Expenses
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3.7.3 Use of LAM Tax-exempt Status

3.8 Work Funds
3.9 Documentation Requirements
3.9.1 Documentation Requirements for Travel & Equipment
3.9.2 Documentation Requirements for Work Funds
3.9.3 Documentation Requirements for Mileage Reimbursement
3.10 Financial Responsibilities
3.10.1 Support Pledges
3.10.2 Handling Support Deficits
3.11 Personal Finance Issues
3.11.1 Supplemental Activity and Remuneration
3.11.2 Widows/Widowers
3.11.3 Personal Insurance
3.12 Transfer of Excess Support
CHAPTER 4:
ON THE FIELDOFF THE FIELD
4.1 Terms of Service

4.2 Vacation
4.2.1 Career Missionaries
4.2.2 Limited-term Missionaries
4.3 Service Leave
4.3.1 Initiation of Service Leave
4.3.2 Duration of Service Leave
4.3.3 Financial Arrangements During Service Leave
4.3.4 Medical Examinations During Service Leave
4.3.5 Counseling During Service Leave
4.3.6 Visit to Miami Service Office During Service Leave
4.3.7 Service Leave for Latin American Missionaries
4.3.8 Service Leave for U.S. Missionaries
4.4 Study Leave and Enrichment Activity
4.5 Leave of Absence
4.6 Transitional Leave to Non-active Status
4.7 Absence from Normal Place of Service
4.8 Contingency Planning
CHAPTER 5:
5.1
5.2
5.3
5.4
5.5
Introduction
Health Care Coverage at Age 65
Continuing Service Beyond Age 65
Retirement
Financial and Income Matters Related to Retirement
CHAPTER 6:
6.1
6.2
6.3
6.4
RETIREMENT AND CONTINUING SERVICE
CHANGES AND UPDATES TO THE HANDBOOK
Review and Revision

Former Versions of the Handbook
Changes without Amendment
Amendments to the Handbook
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Chapter 1: Exploring Missionary Service with the LAM

1.1
Foundational Assumptions for Service with LAM

Missionary service with the LAM is open to qualified men and women of any
racial or national background.
Missionaries are recruited either in response to the inquiry of a potential
candidate, or by the direct initiative of the LAM to meet a recognized need.
Missionaries of the LAM must be committed to the purposes and objectives of
the LAM and motivated by a call from God to serve in the Latin world, with a full
understanding of the long-term implications of such service.
Upon acceptance, all Missionaries are asked to sign an agreement to respect
and abide by LAM policy and procedure. As requested, Missionaries sign a
statement manifesting their agreement with the LAM doctrinal statement and
their willingness to use it as the basis for their ministerial activity.
The LAM helps Missionaries find fulfilling relationships of service either with the
LAM directly or with another organization (Ministry Partner) with which the LAM
has a current relationship. LAM Missionaries fulfill their calling through
successive Work Covenants made with the LAM, the Missionary and the Ministry
Partner. However, at all times all LAM Missionaries serve under the ultimate
oversight of the LAM.
1.2
Spiritual Maturity
Spiritual maturity as required of all Missionaries is measured by:
Conversion - a definite experience of salvation through Christ.
Consecration - recognition of the lordship of Christ in all areas of life.
Moral character and high ethical standards, as church, friends and colleagues
attest (c.f.: 1 Tim. 3:2 & Titus 1:6-9).
Doctrine - a wholehearted acceptance of basic doctrines of the Christian faith
as expressed in the Doctrinal Statement of the LAM, and a willingness to
subscribe to it in writing.
Gifting - the discovery, cultivation, and development of the gifts and talents
the Holy Spirit gives.
Active commitment to the church and participation in local expressions of the
Body of Christ through evangelism, discipleship, and other activities for the
building up of the church. Also, commitment to the unity of the Body of Christ
and to the unity of the LAM.
Call - a God-given conviction of personal responsibility for making Christ
known in the Latin world, verified by their local church and/or denomination.
Adaptability - evidence of a flexibility of attitude, together with the potential
mobility and outlook necessary to bridge cultural gaps.
Service - a willingness to identify sensitively with the culture of the Latin world
and the holistic needs of its peoples, and a recognition of Latin American
Revised January 18, 2010
leadership and a readiness to serve under such leadership in the Church or

Para-church organization.
1.3
Academic Preparation
It is the conviction of the LAM that adequate training is essential for the Lords
work, but because of the wide variety of ministries in which LAM personnel are
invited to engage, no uniform requirements can be laid down. Nevertheless, it is
expected that each candidate for service as a Missionary will have the Biblical
orientation and preparation adequate for his/her intended service, obtained in a
theological seminary, graduate theological school, Bible college, or its equivalent
(normally, a minimum of 30 Bible credit hours). Each Missionary is also expected
to have academic or technical preparation in a college, university, seminary,
technical school or elsewhere that will qualify him/her to serve in his/her job
effectively. It can be a great advantage if, when practical, part of this academic
and technical preparation is received in Latin America. Missionaries may also be
requested, after a period of service, to take further education and/or training as
part of their continuing Missionary service.
Special consideration shall be given to personnel who are limited-term or
short-term in regards to requirements for formal Bible training. The requirement
for Bible training is based upon the specific ministry under consideration, the
length of ministry commitment, the individuals ministry experience, and his/her
general Bible knowledge. Finishers (persons who are entering ministry after
retiring from a career) applying for ministry service are considered on the same
basis.
1.4
Physical and Mental Health

As far as is possible to determine, a candidate/appointee is expected to have the
physical and psychological health necessary to carry out his or her intended
service. Certain medical questions are included in the application papers and
final acceptance by the LAM is dependent upon the satisfactory outcome of
medical, psychological and other examinations by LAM-approved professionals.
1.5
Cross-cultural Considerations
If a candidate/appointee is expected to serve eventually in a cross-cultural
situation, he or she must demonstrate a genuine interest in Missionary work and
give evidence of having been used of God in his or her own culture before
beginning to serve in another. Because of the challenges of cultural adaptation,
however, the LAM often has found that younger candidates or candidates who
have had one or more cross-cultural experiences adapt more readily to a new
culture than others. Practical experience and maturity that come with age and/or
length of time in ones area of expertise are other factors that can contribute to
the adaptability of the candidate to a new culture, and often mitigate other
considerations. On the other hand, there are times when these factors pose
problems for cross-cultural adaptation. The LAM is very concerned with
appropriate placement of its Missionaries with a Ministry Partner and may employ
certain testing or measurement tools to ascertain if cultural adaptability is likely to
be a concern for the future Missionary.
1.6
Equal Roles of Men and Women in the LAM

God has given both men and women significant ministry roles in the divine
redemptive plan. Harry and Susan Strachan both played key roles in the
founding of the LAM. The LAM is a community of men and women in which each
member ministers according to Gods call and gifting without discrimination. LAM
does not discriminate on the basis of gender, and seeks to model that policy in its
ministries.
1.7
Appointment of Couples
In the case of married or engaged candidates, both the man and the woman will
be expected to comply with all requirements. The term Missionary thus applies
to both spouses and both will be appointed by the LAM. The LAM recognizes the
different roles that each may have in their family, as well as in their ministry. It is
also recognized that these roles sometimes change over time with changing
family situations. Husband and wife may have one primary Work Covenant that
describes their ministry, or they may have separate Work Covenants if they are
involved in different ministries or have distinct roles in the same ministry.
Variations or exceptions to the preceding may be specified in a special covenant
of affiliation.
Candidates, appointees, and Missionaries should know that a change in marital
status might affect their relationship with the LAM. Candidates and appointees
contemplating such a change should consult with the LAM Personnel
Department to determine the impact upon their appointment and/or working
relationship with their Ministry Partner.
1.7.1 Marital Status

The LAM does not normally appoint as Missionaries a couple in which one
member is an accepted LAM Missionary and the other is not. Both members of a
couple must go through the application, orientation and acceptance process and
be accepted as LAM Missionaries. Therefore if a single candidate contemplates
getting married in the near future, it might be wise to wait for the potential fiance
to join the candidate in the acceptance process. At the very least, the Missionary
candidate should be aware that if his/her potential fiance does not wish to
become an LAM Missionary, the candidate will not be able to continue as an
LAM Missionary either.
Normally, engaged candidates will be expected to adjust to married life for one
year before being appointed or deployed as LAM Missionaries. But each situation
will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
1.7.2 Divorce
The LAM interprets the teaching of the Scriptures to hold that divorce may be a
serious disqualification for Christian leadership, and would, by necessity, look
very closely at the application of candidates who have been divorced,
permanently separated, or deserted, whether or not they have remarried, to
discover if there are mitigating circumstances. In such cases, each would be
considered on its own merits. It is recognized that LAM Ministry Partners may
also have guidelines to be considered and followed as a specific assignment is

contemplated.
1.7.3 Sexuality
The proscriptions on human sexual behavior established by God through the
Bible are positive and life giving. The LAM interprets these teachings of
Scripture to hold that sexuality is a God-given gift and as such is designed to be
expressed solely within the Biblical pattern of an exclusive, monogamous,
heterosexual marriage. Fidelity to Gods blueprint for human sexual behavior is
integral to healthy human spirituality. The Bibles precepts are designed to bring
God glory and to provide protective measures for those who might otherwise try
to find life and fulfillment in alternate sexual behavior, which can only bring death
and destruction. As such, they are an expression of Gods perfect love and
desire to protect those He has created.
Any deflection from these intended purposes of the Creator God is rebellion
against the wisdom and goodness of God and sets one at enmity with Him until
that person has repented of his/her actions and come into agreement once again
with Gods design. The idea that individuals have the right to choose their own
methods of sexual expression, such as homosexuality, sexual abuse of spouse
or children, and all other forms of alternate sexual expression that vary from this
model, is against everything taught in sacred Scripture, and is unacceptable to
the LAM.
1.7.4 Personal Indebtedness

Appointees nearing deployment to the field should normally be free of consumer
debt in order to begin their Missionary service. Proof of freedom from consumer
debt may be demonstrated with credit reports. Mortgages or indebtedness
covered by adequate assets and/or anticipated income may be acceptable but
should be reported to the LAM during the application process. School loans from
college and/or seminary may receive special consideration. Also, the candidates
home church must be consulted early to know of its opinion/position regarding
the indebtedness.
1.8
Processing of Applications for Candidates and Appointees

LAM Ministry Partners with whom candidates will ultimately be serving, unless
serving with the MSO or other direct ministry of the LAM, are autonomous and
reserve the right to evaluate for themselves any candidates for staff positions or
for ministry with them. The screening procedures of the LAM are therefore
coordinated with these ministries.
The LAM Personnel Department guides candidates through the established
procedures. The LAM President appoints candidates for service, and then
presents those approvals to the Board of Trustees for legal documentary
ratification.
Approval by the LAM for appointment constitutes an endorsement to churches,
Christian friends, Ministry Partners and foreign governments that, in the LAMs
judgment, the appointee is qualified to be a Missionary, he/she may be supported
with confidence, and he/she may be received by any Ministry Partner as capable
of carrying out the task for which he/she has been mobilized.
1.9
Potential Service Opportunities

At an appropriate time after the submission of Preliminary Information Forms, the
LAM will explore on behalf of the candidate any opportunities of service for the
purpose of obtaining one or more tentative invitations from Ministry Partners.
1.10 Acceptance as an LAM Missionary

See Principles for Service & Governance, Part 1, 2.4 Appointment. An
appointee becomes a Missionary when he/she has:
Completed the application process;
Received medical and psychological clearance;
Received a background investigation check from the appropriate law
enforcement agency;
Received a specific service opportunity that can be delineated in a Work
Covenant with the LAM or between the Missionary, LAM and one of its
Ministry Partners;
Been recommended by the LAM Personnel Department to the LAM
President;
Been appointed by the LAM President and presented to the Board of
Trustees;
Participated in a formal period of Orientation, providing opportunity for more
adequate acquaintance with the LAM itself, with significant issues related to
Missionary service and with the Latin context of ministry;
Had all of his/her full level of support pledged.
1.11 Procedures for Latin Candidates

The LAM Personnel Department may vary the normal procedures in screening,
evaluating and orienting Latin American candidates because of their linguistic
and cultural advantages and their relationship to supporting constituencies in the
United States. Latin American candidates need to understand that they are
individually responsible for raising personal support, and will sign a statement of
that nature as part of the application and acceptance process.
Chapter 2: Missionary Service with the LAM

2.1
Language Study and In-Service Orientation

New Missionaries who have been accepted for work in Latin America are
expected to receive language training at an LAM-approved language school
(e.g., Spanish Language Institute in San Jos, Costa Rica, or another approved
institution), or to demonstrate an adequate mastery of Spanish or Portuguese
and sufficient cross-cultural orientation.
Missionary appointees may not depart for or begin language school or ministry
assignment without the express approval of the LAM Personnel Department,
whose staff will ensure that all requirements and procedures are in order before
providing clearance for deployment, either to language school, or to ministry
assignment.
The LAM Personnel Department will supervise Missionaries in language school
until they satisfactorily complete their language study and enter into a Work
Covenant with a Ministry Partner. In addition, after language school is completed,
the Member Care Department will coordinate appropriate mentoring during the
first year of a Missionarys placement in ministry for the purpose of promoting
optimal adjustment of the Missionary.
While the LAM Missionary is in language school, he or she is expected to
maintain a firm commitment to the Ministry Partner placement to which he or she
is already assigned, and to work closely regarding that placement with the LAM
Ministries and Personnel Departments. Any questions about such placement or
discussion of changes of such placement should be directed only to LAM
Ministries or Personnel Departmentswhich includes the Member Care
language school supervisors.
LAM Missionaries who attend language school at the Instituto de Lengua
Espaola (ILE) in San Jose, Costa Rica will be expected to complete diploma
status language proficiency level before being given clearance to leave
language school and begin full time ministry. The Spanish Language Institute in
San Jose Costa Rica defines the achievement of Diploma Status as involving,
at that institution, the following:
Completion of at least one full quarter, with enrollment for the complete
course, full attendance and all assignments completed;
Demonstration of an oral proficiency level of Intermediate High or Advanced.
For all non-native Spanish speakers who attend language school somewhere
else besides the ILE in Costa Rica, or who suggest they may not need to attend
language school, the proficiency level required before clearance to begin
ministry will be an ACTFL level of Advanced. The individuals proficiency level
will be established by objective oral and written exams administered by an
outside professional source, through the LAM Personnel Department.
If an LAM Missionary trainee devotes several quarters and considerable effort

towards achieving the desired level of language proficiency and is not able to
achieve it, his or her situation will be considered and, in consultation with the
ministry to which the individual will be assigned, the LAM Personnel Department
may change the required level of language proficiency and grant clearance for
procedure to ministry assignment.
2.2
Work Covenants
Each Missionary, or in the case of a married couple at least one of the two, is
expected to serve according to the terms of a Work Covenant (Convenio de
Trabajo) with a Ministry Partner. This is an agreement between the Missionary,
the Ministry Partner and the LAM. The agreement may be for any period of time
up to five years, but two or three years is considered normal. It should specify
Service Leave times, outside responsibilities, any/all financial support received
from sources other than the LAM and any other details affecting the period of
service or the conditions of the Missionarys ministry. (Note: Participation on
Ministry Boards by Missionaries is considered volunteer service and does not
represent a ministry assignment.)
In certain unusual circumstances (e.g. when a Missionary serves with a ministry
other than a Ministry Partner that is not yet fully organized), the LAM Ministries
Department may temporarily certify the Missionarys status of accountability, and
the Missionarys work may be defined in a bilateral agreement with the LAM. If
the ministry later signs a Ministry Covenant with the LAM, the Missionarys Work
Covenant must also be rewritten as necessary and signed by all involved parties.
The LAM Ministries Department handles the processing of Work Covenants in
consultation with the Missionaries or appointees involved and with the Ministry
Partner. The terms of the first Work Covenants of appointees with their future
Ministry Partner are generally worked out during their time in language school.
Subsequent transfers or renewals are processed according to procedures
established by the LAM Ministries Department.
2.3
Family Responsibilities
It is important that both husband and wife devote adequate time and attention to
the marriage relationship and parenting. A spouse not under any Work Covenant
is at liberty to find appropriate channels of ministry in keeping with family
obligations, professional abilities and other factors. A second Work Covenant,
however, may be requested, if the couple so desires. If a single Missionary or
one or both members of a Missionary couple has remunerated work not declared
as an avenue of ministry in a Work Covenant, the LAM Administration may ask
the Missionary to show that the remunerated work does not interfere with
fulfillment of Work Covenant responsibilities. (For more on financial
arrangements concerning spouses working outside of LAM and not with a
Ministry Partner, see Chapter 3: Financial Support and Other Matters,
Supplemental Activity and Remuneration.)
2.4
Personal Christian Outreach

Missionaries are expected to seek opportunities for personal witness and service
in addition to their regular ministries. They are required to become active
participants in local churches and/or congregations, thereby modeling an
important aspect of the Christian walk and reinforcing the LAM commitment to
the local church in the Latin world.
2.5
Supervision and Evaluation

The Ministry Partner and LAM Ministries Department are jointly responsible for
the oversight and evaluation of the work of each Missionary, according to the
terms of the Work Covenant. This responsibility includes the planning and the
supervision of performance and execution of assigned tasks, interpersonal
relationships within the ministry, vacation coordination, orientation to the Ministry
Partner, etc. The LAM may request periodic evaluation of any of its Missionaries
from its Ministry Partner. Matters relating to the member care of the Missionary
and other details related to his/her working relationship within the mission are
managed by the LAM Personnel Department.
2.6
Marital Status and Implications

Affiliation with the LAM is extended to individuals as such. In the case of married
couples, both spouses are extended the same Missionary status, unless
otherwise agreed to and cited in a special contract. Changes in marital status
may affect a Missionarys relationship with the LAM; for this reason Missionaries
are urged to consult with the LAM before changing marital status to determine
the effect in advance. Unless otherwise stated, the resignation of one Missionary
also includes that of the Missionarys spouse.
In the case of the death of a Missionary spouse, special provisions exist and are
explained Section 3.11.2, Widows/Widowers.
2.7
Divorce/Separation/Desertion
As previously indicated, LAM desires to preserve among its Missionaries a
wholesome family life, which reflects Biblical patterns of behavior and Christian
relationships. It also believes that divorce may be a serious disqualification for
Christian leadership.
Therefore, if a Missionary, in spite of the prayers and counsel of his/her peers
and supervisors, becomes legally committed to a divorce, either as the instigator
or as the passive party, such legal commitment will be a tender of resignation on
the part of both parties. Their resignations will also be presumed as tendered in
case of what appears to be a permanent marital separation or desertion, or in
case of intention to remarry.
When one spouse is clearly the offended, or perhaps innocent party, his/her
resignation may be refused, tabled or temporarily commuted to a special leave
from regular responsibilities for a period of six months or more. The salary for this
period will be fixed by the LAM Personnel Department.
During these six or more months, the LAM will seek to prepare the Missionary for
an appropriate place of ministry, and will assist in any counseling, rehabilitation,
or training necessary for this purpose. At the conclusion of the special leave,
more permanent arrangements will be made, subject to the approval of the Board
of Trustees.
2.8
Sexual Harassment
LAM Missionaries should maintain the highest standard of conduct and decorum
at all times. If a Missionary feels that anothers remarks or conduct are sexually
offensive, he/she should ask for a clarification of the others intentions. If this
immediate, direct dialogue does not put an end to the unwanted attention, the
Missionary should ask for help from the LAM Member Care or Personnel
Department, a pastor, or other arbiter. Offenders who do not rectify their
behavior after application of the procedure described in Matthew 18:15-17 will be
dismissed. If they feel their intentions were misjudged, they can appeal to the
Board of Trustees. The LAM will not tolerate any form of harassment, including
sexual harassment or hazing.
2.9
Termination of Service
Missionaries may have their relationship with the LAM terminated by resignation
or by dismissal for valid reason. Action to accept a resignation or to dismiss shall
be taken by the Board of Trustees, only upon recommendation of the LAM
President as stipulated in Principles for Service and Governance a separate
document available from the Personnel Department.
Before voluntary resignation from service with the LAM, a Missionary may
request a leave of absence (See Section 4.5, page 33).
The LAM will assist in the transition of Missionaries transferring to another
mission or ministry, if they are in good standing at the time of transfer.
2.10 Early Departure

If a Missionary, individual or couple, is contemplating leaving a Ministry Partner,
or leaving their field of service for other than a previously arranged Service Leave
or vacation, they must consult with the LAM Personnel Department prior to taking
any decisive action.
When a Missionary leaves a Ministry Partner or the field, there are or can be
profound effects on the relationship and reputation of the LAM with that Ministry
Partner, with other ministries, churches and national leaders in the area, and in
the mission community at large. Furthermore, donor churches and individuals in
the sending country (or countries) are also affected and often contact the MSO
with questions about the severed relationship between Missionary and Ministry
Partner, or ask why the Missionary is leaving the field. In addition, service
agreements with the health insurance provider can be negatively affected.
If the Missionary contacts the MSO about concerns related to a Ministry Partner,
or about his/her reasons for leaving the field, the LAM administrative and
member care staff can either help prevent the severing of relationships or, if
necessary, facilitate an appropriate withdrawal from the field or Ministry Partner

in question. If the MSO is appropriately involved in such a decision, and in a
timely manner, the Missionary (or Missionaries) can be assisted in the transition
process; a dignified and professional relationship can be preserved with the
Ministry Partner; and events can be appropriately represented to donors.
If the Missionary does not involve the MSO in a timely and appropriate manner,
of difficulties or issues which may contribute to an early departure from a ministry
or from the field in general (see Work/Service Covenants, Handbook pp. 5 and
12) such failure to advise the MSO shall be viewed as a breach of contract
between the Missionary and the LAM. If such breach of contract occurs, the
policies that usually affect leave of absence, resignation, Service Leave,
reimbursement of travel or relocation expenses through T&E funds may be
abrogated, due to said breach of contract. In addition, allocation of any Support,
Work Funds or other funds in the account(s) of the Missionary who has engaged
in breach of contract through early departure shall be done at the discretion of
the LAM President, in accordance with IRS regulations and the LAM Handbook
(Chapter 5, Financial Support and Other Money Matters).
2.11 Missionary Retreats

Because the LAM believes its Missionaries need such retreats and profit from
them, and because the retreats provide valuable opportunities for
communication, attendance at the retreats, by Missionaries, is required, except in
the following situations:
The Missionary is on an approved Service Leave and is not present in
country at the time of the retreat they would most logically attend;
The Missionary has a medical condition that would make attendance at the
retreat inadvisable for health reasons;
There is no retreat held in that Missionarys country of service, the MSO is
not able to offer a subsidy for the travel required to attend a retreat, and
attending a retreat in another country would represent unreasonable cost to
the Missionary.
2.12 Communication With Supporters

The LAM assumes that when a candidate is accepted as an LAM Missionary,
that Missionary will take on the responsibility of communicating with donors,
prayer supporters and potential supporters frequently and regularly. The
Missionary may do this through regular mail, electronic mail, by creating a web
site, or by occasional phone callsin addition to regular visits (covered under
Service Leave in Chapter 4). It is assumed that the Missionary knows best how
to interact with his or her particular network of supporters.
LAM Missionaries must send to the Miami Service Office a copy of any prayer
letter or e-mail prayer up-date that is sent to their supporters, and all letters or emails sent to supporters must contain LAM identifying information (e.g., LAM
Logo or contact information) in order to receive reimbursement from T&E fund.
Appointees are requested to have their first two or three e-mails or prayer letters
approved by the LAM Personnel Department prior to sending them out, in order
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to ensure accuracy of contact information and appropriate tone of content.

Once appointees are approved to send out prayer e-mails or letters without prior
evaluation, they still must always send a copy of anything sent out to supporters
to the LAM Personnel Department. The costs of mailings or printing of letters
cannot be charged to their pre-support account unless the above procedure is
followed and the appropriate LAM Logo and contact information is visible on the
e-mail or letter.
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Chapter 3: Financial Support and Other Money Matters

3.1
General
The LAM is cognizant of IRS regulations regarding deputized fundraising and
adheres to standard accounting in this regard. Donations are solicited with the
understanding that the LAM has complete discretion and control over the use of
all donated funds. All funds solicited by LAM Missionaries or staff will be
processed through the LAM. At the same time, every reasonable attempt will be
made to honor donor intent. Donations received by the LAM on behalf of
Missionaries are called support. Each Missionary or Missionary couple has to
raise sufficient funds to cover appointee pre-support, salary and fringe benefits,
childrens education expenses, and travel and equipment expenses (T&E) and
Work Funds. Normally, the Ministry Partner administers Work Funds. Details
regarding Work Funds are discussed later in the section Work Funds. (See also
Principles for Service and Governance, Part 1, 2.7 Finances.)
All LAM Missionaries shall have their Support, Work Funds, or T&E
donations/funds, including those funds solicited through grant proposals or other
Missionary solicitations, sent to the LAM for processing, assessment and
disbursement. Missionaries shall not solicit donations/funds to be sent directly to
them or through another 501(C) 3 organization/agency, thereby bypassing the
LAM. For further information refer to: ECFA--Seven Standards of Responsible
Stewardship.
3.2
Appointee Pre-support
Before new Missionaries arrive at their place of service or language study, the
LAM will accumulate as pre-support all donations received while they have
been appointees seeking support. This is the beginning of each Missionarys
support fund. Missionaries begin to draw on their support fund upon departure for
the field or when they receive a salary from the LAM. The pre-support account is
also used before departure for (1) reimbursing all pre-departure Travel and
Equipment (T&E) expenses or other LAM-authorized expenditures, and (2) the
eventual crediting to their support fund or T&E fund of all monies received while
seeking support. The LAM will issue tax-deductible receipts for pre-support
donations.
When it becomes necessary to meet the living expenses of the appointee and in
order to hasten the process of seeking support, appointees who have at least
70% of their full monthly support (salary plus administration, special assistance,
medical insurance, retirement plan, and social security or equivalent for non-U.S.
citizens) may request to have their salary expedited. Based on a pre-determined
LAM salary plan, in consultation with the LAM Personnel Department, and with
the appropriate pledges in writing from their support team, an appointee may
request a salary from the LAM Personnel Department. This is only intended to
allow appointees to quit working or reduce hours working in another job in order
to focus more time on seeking support and, thereby, complete the support raising
process quicker. It may also be a means of providing medical insurance
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coverage through the LAM plan, if needed. This may effectively reduce the
amount that can be considered as salary. This procedure, however, is not
normative to raising support, and should only be used as a facilitator in special
cases.
It should be noted that the step described in the preceding paragraph implies that
the appointee has moved to Missionary status and has become an employee of
the LAM in the legal sense of the word. Obviously, it is necessary that ones
supporters have already begun to give on a regular basis to fulfill their pledges.
Any monies in the support account that have accumulated prior to this step for
T&E are not to be depleted by this action. Therefore, 70% or more of the full
support level must be coming in regularly before this step can be contemplated.
When the Missionary appointee has raised support and departed for language
school or ministry allocation, any balances in pre-support accounts will be held
for three months. At that time, the monthly receipts, current support account
balances, and T&E account balances will be reviewed, and the funds from the
pre-support account transferred into the Support account.
The LAM understands that sometimes appointees resign before meeting their
requirements to achieve Missionary status or even before deployment. The IRS
requires that donors understand that in deputized fundraising (raising Missionary
support) the missions agency must maintain full discretion and control of the
funds that were raised. Therefore, all funds donated for an appointee will remain
under the control of the LAM.
3.3
Support Levels
The total amount of support covers all costs of maintaining Missionaries in their
place of service and shall include salary, fringe benefits, and T&E expenses. For
the benefit of those support team members who must declare their income in the
U.S., the LAM will give tax-deductible receipts for all support donations.
Whatever the amount distributed to a Missionary as salary is considered taxable
income for him/her. A Support Profile (personal support schedule with additional
regular amounts needed for ministry), with current information, is distributed
periodically to support team members, as necessary. Each month LAM
Missionaries receive a report identifying all gifts by amount and name and
address of supporter (donor reports).
LAM Missionaries are expected to review continually their level of support in
relation to the donations received and the resulting balance in their support fund.
The LAM Personnel Department will review and consider requests for support
level adjustments, as needed. The Missionary bears full responsibility for his/her
support balance. It is the Missionarys responsibility, not the LAM, to seek and
maintain his or her support.
As a U.S.-based organization, the LAM duly reports salaries for U.S. nationals to
U.S. tax authorities. Foreign nationals are responsible to declare their income
and make self-employment payments (and/or prepayments) as required by their
governments.
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Some appointees and Missionaries have certain skills that may be used to a
Missionarys advantage, like those of a part-time university professor who uses
his position as a platform for evangelism, or a writer who can publish for pay.
Others have personal wealth. If a Missionary plans to use outside income or
personal wealth to cover some or all living, childrens education, and travel and
equipment expenses, the expected amount may be budgeted and used to reduce
the total of needed donations for full support. However, donation levels should
never be reduced to zero. Even if Missionaries cover all needs with outside
income or personal wealth, they should seek and obtain enough donations from
outside their immediate families to cover the standard assessment on the median
salary appropriate to their age and marital status. It is to their advantage to have
their personal support team committed for both prayer and financial support.
Finishers are individuals who often become Missionaries after completing a
business/professional career, or who are independently wealthy. As a result
there may be no need for Finishers to raise support. The LAM Personnel
Department maintains special policies and procedures for Finishers.
3.4
Salary
A Missionary salary is that part of the support that is paid to the Missionary for
personal use in meeting normal living expenses (whether on the field or on
Service Leave) such as food, clothing, housing, utilities (e.g. water and sewer,
waste removal, electricity, telephone, gas), life insurance, personal savings, local
transportation and travel that cannot be claimed as T&E expenses.
Salaries are the basis for support levels that are established by the LAM
Administration, subject to the review by the Board of Trustees. An up-to-date
Support Level Table of Missionary support levels is reviewed and revised
periodically by Administration and the Board, as necessary.
The existence of this up-to-date Support Level Table makes it possible for the
Missionary to adapt his/her level of support, within minimum and maximum
boundaries, to his/her particular situation and needs. However, this assumes, as
has already been stated, that ones individual or family salary will always be met
first before monies are available to cover T&E expenses.
The salary is not only subject to modification by factors such as experience, local
cost-of-living and housing variations, childrens education expenses and any
special demands of the work, but may also be considered for modification at the
request of the Missionary for additional retirement plan contributions if support
funds are available. Additional retirement contributions are permitted only after
basic salary and expense obligations are met.
Salaries are paid routinely to all Missionaries via direct deposit to their U.S. bank
accounts by LAM. This applies to those who are covered by a current, valid Work
Covenant with a Ministry Partner or directly with the LAM, as in the case of
Missionaries serving in the Miami Service Office (MSO). Missionaries are
required to sign up for direct deposit, as this reduces costs, expedites the
delivery of funds, and avoids costs associated with stop payments (should a
check get lost).
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Salary advances are permitted under extenuating circumstances, and are

negotiated with the LAM Personnel Department. Advances are subject to the
following guidelines:
The LAM President must give final approval;
A Reduction in full will be made from the next paycheck;
The advance may not exceed the total amount of the Missionarys monthly
salary;
No more than one advance will be made per pay period;
Another advance may not be requested while other advances are
outstanding.
New Missionaries will receive their salary for the entire month in which they arrive
at their field of service or language study, even if this is on the last day of the
month. This is done so that the new Missionary will have adequate funds at
his/her discretion upon arrival on his field of service. The LAM recognizes that
he/she could reasonably expect to have major expenses of setting up a
household before the next regular pay cycle, as well as the fact that it can be
cumbersome to establish a means for changing personal U.S. checks for local
currency.
All donations for Missionary work should always be reported to the LAM even if
the donor does not want or need a tax-deductible receipt and sends the donation
directly to the Missionary. Only donations received directly by the LAM can be
receipted. If a substantial fraction of a Missionarys support comes through
regular donations that are not receipted and assessed by the LAM (or when a
Missionary is self supported), the LAM will adjust the assessment rate upwards
on donations it receives in order to pay for its services to the Missionary. These
services come in the five areas of receipting, personnel, ministries, donor and
financial management. Even if an LAM Missionary does not use LAM receipting
services for some donations, the Missionary uses the other services because of
his/her association with the LAM, and receives general support from the Miami
Service Office. The LAM covers the costs of its services with an assessment on
donations. The assessment must be increased if only a fraction of the donations
go through the LAM. If less than of the donations go through the LAM, the
Missionary is really independent and should not be receiving any donations
through the LAM.
3.5
Other Support Level Components

In addition to the salary determined for each Missionary, individual and family
support levels, apart from what is raised for T&E, include a supplemental amount
to provide for such items as:
3.5.1 Special Assistance

By the accumulation of deductions from Missionary support, a reserve pool called
Special Assistance exists, enabling the LAM to assist in the meeting of
extraordinary, emergency needs of Missionaries that cannot be covered by
insurance and would otherwise pose a significant financial burden for the
individual/family.
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Special Assistance may be available for expenses such as the high costs of
travel when there is serious illness or death in the family, a robbery, an accident,
etc. Special Assistance does not include requests that arise due to a lack of
insurance coverage, when that coverage was reasonably available, but opted
against by the Missionary, especially in the case of automobile insurance
coverage.
It is not expected that Special Assistance will meet the total cost of emergencies
in which Missionaries inadvertently find themselves, but it will at least serve to
mitigate any adversity and to keep it from becoming an undue hardship. In
general, Special Assistance will cover up to 80% of the expense in question.
However, exceptions for extreme hardship may be made.
Special Assistance is kept in a separate mission fund under the supervision of
MSO Administration. No individual funds are maintained in this account fund, and
no repayments are made to any Missionary or employee whose relationship with
the LAM is terminated.
Requests for Special Assistance must be submitted within 90 days of the date
the expense was incurred. The LAM President or another designated officer of
the Administration must approve each disbursement. Requests for Special
Assistance should normally be directed to the Benefits Administrator. When the
LAM President applies for Special Assistance for himself/herself the request shall
be evaluated and approved by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
3.5.2 Health Insurance

Missionaries are required to be covered worldwide by health insurance. In most
cases, this will be through the LAM health plan carrier. The monthly premium is
paid by the LAM from the Missionarys support account.
In some cases Missionaries may have external insurance coverage. These cases
are managed by a health insurance exemption policy as presented in Health
Insurance Exemption Guidelines. Finisher type and Short-term Missionaries are
handled on an individual basis.
If any covered Missionary or employee takes a leave of absence or resigns,
federal law permits them to elect to continue in the group health insurance plan
for up to 18 months at their own expense (such coverage referred to as COBRA),
subject to the prevailing laws applicable to such coverage.
3.5.3 Flexible Spending Accounts

A flexible spending account (FSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account set up
through an employer in the United States. An FSA allows an employee to set
aside a portion of his or her salary to pay for qualified medical or dependent care
expenses. Money deducted from an employee's pay into an FSA is not subject to
payroll taxes, resulting in a substantial payroll tax savings.
The LAM has set up an FSA for qualified medical expenses, and its yearly cap
per family is set by the LAM at US $5,000 per participant. Enrollment and claims
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are done via Internet, fax or email. Reimbursements are made electronically
directly into a US bank account, or by check. The cost for maintaining an FSA
account is $5.00 per month, which is the fee charged by the third party
administrator (currently Savers Administrative Services). There is also a benefit
card that is issued upon request. The cost of the benefit card is $1.50 per month
payable within the first month of enrollment for the remaining plan year period
($18.00 for 12 months).
An FSA allows money to be deducted from an employees paycheck before
taxes, and then reimbursed for qualified expenses. The drawback is that the
money must be spent within the plan year. Any money left unspent at the end of
the year is forfeited. This is known as the use it or lose it provision.
The LAMs FSA also includes a 30-day grace period at the end of the plan year,
where incurred expenses can still be submitted against unused balances.
Nonetheless, it will be each employees responsibility to manage his/her account.
The annual contribution amount must also remain the same throughout the year
unless certain qualifying events occur, such as the birth of a child or death of a
spouse. Account balances and transaction history can always be checked and
managed via the Internet.
Note that during the year, even though the employee may not have contributed
the entire designated amount to his/her FSA yet, he/she would still be able to
submit and be reimbursed for expenses incurred, up to a maximum of his/her
designated amount.
EXAMPLE 1: A Missionary designates a total of $3,000 to be set aside in his or
her FSA. In February, a $2,000 eligible expense is incurred but only $500 ($250
per month for two months) has been set aside thus far in the year. The total
$2,000 will be reimbursed to him or her at that time. The Missionary will continue
to have the $250 per month placed into his or her FSA account until the balance
is positive again.
Note for all Missionaries: Contributing to an FSA is optional. If a Missionary
chooses not to participate, he/she will have to cover all deductibles ($1,000 per
person overseas, or a maximum of 2 deductibles per family). Medical expenses
paid from a Missionarys allowance are taxable moneys. Missionaries should
remember that when they work for a faith mission, both the employer and
employee portion of payroll taxes are charged to their support account.
Therefore, MSO management strongly recommends that Missionaries fund their
FSAs, so that they can at least cover one deductible per family (and we
recommend funding the total family deductible).
Note for foreign nationals: Since an FSAs main benefit relates to a reduction in
payroll taxes for the individual and the company, foreign nationals who do not
pay US employment taxes may not significantly benefit from these FSAs.
3.5.4 Social Security

Support donations for U.S. citizens are also designated for the provision of Social
Security payments. For both U.S. Missionaries and employees working in the
MSO, half (or 7.65%) is deducted from their paycheck and the other half
17
represents the employers portion. The total (or 15.3%) is forwarded to the Social
Security Administration by the LAM. Missionaries who are foreign nationals can
contribute a similar amount to another qualifying retirement plan in lieu of Social
Security.
3.5.5 Retirement
Support donations are also designated for payments to a Missionaries retirement
account. LAM only works with companies with whom it has a written plan
document. Those companies currently include Fidelity, Minnesota Life/Mutual,
and Security Benefit. LAM will fund 403(b) plans for U.S. based staff, and nonqualified plans for those working overseas. Missionaries using non-qualified
plans to achieve their retirement objectives will have these LAM contributions
reported on their W-2 form.
Missionaries and staff who have already set up accounts with other companies
(or who wish to do so in the future) can continue using those companies, but the
LAM will not be issuing checks to said companies. Missionaries and staff who
have their own retirement accounts (different from the Missions) will need to
make their own arrangements.
Missionaries and staff who decide to continue/open their own retirement
accounts can request to have the $125 minimum ($250, in the case of Missionary
couples) contribution added to their allowance/compensation. Missionaries and
staff not participating in the plans that LAM is funding, i.e., funding their own
plans, will need to send a yearly statement to the Finance Department, indicating
that they are investing a minimum of $100 a month ($200 a month for a
Missionary couple) to fund their personal retirement accounts.
Missionary Appointees will be sent the appropriate forms for enrolling in the
LAMs retirement benefits programs, and should send them in prior to deploying
to the field. They will be reminded once by the LAM Personnel Department if
forms are not turned in prior to deployment.
After deployment, funds for retirement accounts will be collected from the
Missionarys donations; but if the Missionary does not, in due time, file the
appropriate retirement fund enrollment forms, said funds will be reabsorbed into
the MSO Operating Budget.
In addition to the minimum monthly contribution to retirement provided for within
the support schedule, the Missionary could allocate monthly up to $250.00 per
adult from over support to their retirement plan.
3.5.6 Administration Costs

A stipulated percentage of monthly donations is retained to help meet the
overhead expenses incurred by the LAM in connection with the services provided
to each Missionary, as well as their supporters. In special cases where a
significant portion of a Missionarys support does not come from donations
receipted by the LAM, a fixed assessment fee may be levied in lieu of the
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stipulated percentage. Currently the assessment is 13%, but there is also a

reduced assessment schedule.
3.6
Labor Laws
The LAM is a U.S.-based mission. The salary and benefits that the LAM
provides to its Missionaries are not subject to the labor laws of the countries of
service outside the U.S. Missionaries who are foreign nationals must follow the
reporting guidelines from their own countries regarding reporting of foreign
income and related taxes.
3.7
Travel and Equipment (T&E) Funds

The LAM will provide tax-deductible receipts and will accumulate and administer
T&E funds for each of the Missionaries, making it possible for them to purchase
necessary equipment and/or travel to and from their place of service, as well as
for any other non-vacation travel pre-authorized by the LAM. Missionaries are not
required to declare T&E reimbursements as personal income.
To provide proper accountability, all expenditures of T&E funds for qualifying
travel and equipment must be supported by receipts or invoices in order for
reimbursement to be made by the LAM. Properly completed expense reports
may be submitted electronically, with electronic copies of receipts and/or
invoices. In the possible event of an audit of an individual Missionarys deductible
expenses, each Missionary is encouraged to retain all original receipts/invoices
for seven (7) years or to submit original receipts in a manner and at a time,
convenient to the Missionary to the Finance Department for archiving. Should an
electronic copy, in the opinion of the Finance Department, appear to be altered,
the Missionary may be asked to resend the electronic copy or provide the
original. Without such documentation, reimbursements would be additional
taxable income. The Benefits Administrator should receive requests for
reimbursement of T&E expenses within six months of expenditure to qualify for
reimbursement. Vehicles and equipment purchased under T&E provisions
become the property of the LAM and will be noted in the T&E file, as well as
depreciated according to generally accepted accounting principles. Pending T&E
receipts will be held for no longer than six months.
All T&E reimbursements will be subject to funds available in a Missionarys
account. The Missionary must review his balance with the Benefits Administrator
to avoid late payments.
3.7.1 Travel Expenses

Travel Expenses may legitimately be reimbursed from T&E funds if the travel is
to or from the place of service, as indicated above, normally for seeking support.
The concurrence of ones Ministry Partner is necessary for official ministry trips to
ones country of origin in between Service Leaves. To qualify for reimbursement
from T&E funds, travel for seeking support or other mission-related purposes
must be approved by the LAM Personnel Department.
Travel Expenses may legitimately include fares or automobile mileage (based
upon an established reimbursement rate, by the most direct route), international
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travel documents, hotel lodging, in-transit meals, in-transit laundry, baggage

handling, excess baggage charges, shipping and customs duties, taxi fares,
airport taxes, long distance charges (whether traditional or cellular) that are
specifically indicated to be for fund-raising, cellular telephone monthly service
charges incurred for the purposes of being accessible to ones supporters while
seeking support, etc.
Travel Expenses may not include such things as the annual renewal charges for
a personal credit card regardless of whether or not the card accrues airline
miles; automobile maintenance and/or repair of a vehicle owned by the
Missionary; rent and utilities during Service Leave and/or while seeking support.
Travel Expenses may not be used for vacation travel or travel for other strictly
personal reasons or if the ministry travel is a Work Fund expense (ministry travel
is a Work Fund expense as explained below).
3.7.2 Equipment Expenses

Equipment Expenses may include computers, printers, monitors, scanners,
external special application drives, etc., as well as professional software.
Computer equipment purchases are depreciated over a three-year period, such
that the equipment is regarded as belonging to the LAM during that period. At the
end of that period or if the market value of these products is no longer significant
it becomes the property of the Missionary.
Equipment Expenses may include vehicles needed for the Missionarys personal
use. Funds contributed specifically for vehicle purchase are nevertheless
handled through the Missionarys single support fund and, therefore, must clearly
exceed ones support level requirements before a T&E advance or
reimbursement can be made. When a vehicle is purchased under T&E
provisions, it becomes the property of the LAM, since T&E reimbursements are
not taxable as income to the Missionary. New vehicles are depreciated over a
three-year period and used vehicles are depreciated over a one-year period. At
the end of that period or if the market value of these products is no longer
significant it becomes the property of the Missionary. If any of these assets are
sold or transferred, the market value of these items must be returned to the LAM
or said amount will be booked as additional income in a Missionarys W-2. The
same principle applies if the Missionary leaves the LAM.
Initial insurance for a vehicle may be reimbursed under these T&E provisions,
especially if the Missionary is driving to his/her field of service. Cost of insurance
renewal, extended warranties, repairs and maintenance, licensing, inspections
and taxes for vehicles purchased under T&E provisions will be paid for by the
Missionary as normal living expenses from his/her living salary. The costs of
purchasing, maintaining, licensing, and operating a vehicle are included in the
cost calculations used in estimating current IRS-allowed mileage rates. Work
Funds or T&E, depending on the circumstances, may be used for mileage
reimbursement related to ministry use of ones personal vehicle. A mileage log
(or copy) including actual beginning and ending mileage, beginning location and
destination, dates, purpose of travel, and total mileage should be submitted in
lieu of actual receipts. Tolls, parking fees, ferries, etc are direct trip expenses,
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and are not included in mileage rates. They may be claimed apart from mileage,
with accompanying receipts.
Equipment Expenses may include expenses associated with prayer and thankyou letters (i.e., periodic newsletters), photo prayer cards/reminders and other
materials designed for communicating support needs or other needs of the family
and ministry. Stationery, printing/copying, postage and any other mailing
expenses are all acceptable expenses but must be documented by receipts. LAM
address and LOGO should always be included in the prayer letter.
Equipment Expenses may include the costs of subscriptions to professional
journals related to ones area of ministry, the purchase of books (not expendable
manuals) for a personal professional library, annual dues for professional
organizations related to ones area of ministry, professional self improvement
and/or leadership development seminars and courses, and theological education
either by correspondence or on Service Leave/Study Leave.
Equipment Expenses may include the expenses for an appointees medical
examinations for clearance by the LAM.
Equipment Expenses may include language school tuition, books, manuals,
tapes or software related specifically to language school requirements.
3.7.3 Use of LAM Tax-exempt Status

Missionaries of the LAM may not cite or use the LAM tax-exempt status for any
purchase, unless such purchase has been clearly authorized in writing by the
MSO administrative staff. The LAMs tax-exempt status can only be used for
items that are purchased through the MSO and under its supervision and control.
The LAM has strict internal controls for such purchases, which are subject to the
budget authorization of the MSO and external review by audit.
3.8
Work Funds
The LAM will provide tax-deductible receipts and will accumulate and administer
Work Funds for each Missionary, making it possible for periodic transfers of Work
Funds to a Ministry Partner for the work of the Missionary. Work Funds are
processed into a Missionary's account and disbursed to the Ministry Partner to
whom the Missionary is assigned. Work Funds are not disbursed to a
Missionary's personal account. However, should a Missionary be cultivating a
relationship with a potential future Ministry Partner, it may be necessary to
manage Work Funds from a separate U.S. bank account of the Missionary.
Exemptions from this procedure can be made (for valid reasons) by the LAM
Ministries Department, in coordination with the Finance Department. In this
event, funds will be disbursed by the LAM on a reimbursement basis, advances
being possible when warranted. Missionaries are not required to report Work
Funds as personal income.
In general, Work Funds are administered by the Ministry Partner rather than by
the Missionary. Accordingly, the expenditure of such funds should take into
account the goals and objectives of the ministry, as well as the recommendations
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of the Missionary concerned. In no instance may they be used to cover expenses

that are rightfully T&E.
Work Funds may legitimately be used for anything that enables the Missionary to
perform his assigned tasks, including: office expenses, vehicle and local
transportation, travel required by the Ministry Partner, necessary hospitality, etc.,
as well as for any projects or activities of the ministry.
Missionaries are encouraged to raise adequate support for ministry expenses
and the projects of their Ministry Partner. Work Funds will be available only after
a Missionarys support level requirements are adequately met based upon
support receipt averages and consideration of their support fund balance.
3.9
Documentation Requirements
All expenses submitted must be in accordance with the Travel &
Equipment/Work Fund Reimbursement Request Checklist, a copy of which is
available as a form, available from the LAM Benefits Administrator.
3.9.1 Documentation Requirements for Travel & Equipment

Documentation requirements of T&E include a copy of the receipt with an
annotation of the type of expense (e.g., prayer letter, seeking support or Service
Leave travel, etc.), the applicable exchange rate and the conversion to U.S.
dollars is required for each expense. A downloadable reimbursement request
form is available from the LAM web site (mso.lam.org). It is the responsibility of
the Missionary to make the conversion, not the administrator at the MSO. Every
effort should be made to simplify the submittal so as to facilitate the processing of
a reimbursement. Each receipt/invoice will be verified to determine eligibility for
reimbursement. If a Missionary is receiving Work Funds as a reimbursement (as
opposed to the funds being sent directly to the Ministry Partner), the same
provisions just listed apply.
A copy of the actual store/vendor receipt should accompany each request for
reimbursement under T&E provisions. Where a receipt may not be available or
has been lost, it may be substituted/replaced by a canceled check, credit card
slip or statement, should any one of the three be available and reconcilable to the
amount in question. In all other cases of the absence of a receipt, except for
baggage handling and taxi fares, it is mandatory to provide a written explanation
and declaration of the amount of the expense. This declaration must be dated
and signed by the Missionary and will only be considered as valid for expenses
of less than $75.00. This limit for non-receipted funds and de facto receipts is
established by IRS regulations.
Tips, as in the case of restaurants, should be noted on the bottom of receipts and
added to the total of the bill.
When funds are needed in advance of a purchase, the Missionary may request
an advance and should normally allow seven to ten (7-10) business days for
the MSO to process and make a deposit to his/her bank account. Electronic
Funds Transfers (EFTs) are currently being used.
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3.9.2 Documentation Requirements for Work Funds

The Ministry Partner reports Work Fund expenses (or remittances). Ministries
must have their own accounting systems, acceptable to the LAM Finance
Department. The Ministry Partner is accountable to the LAM for the funds
received (remittances) through the LAM. LAM Missionaries should acquaint
themselves with the documentation requirements of their associate ministries.
LAM expects to receive a monthly (or as needed) confirmation of funds received,
and yearly financials (balance sheet, profit and loss statements) from its
associate ministries. Ministries are not required to detail individual expenditures,
but are expected to provide additional reports, as requested by the LAM
Ministries Department, such as project narratives and how the funding from LAM
impacts the overall ministry. Independent audits from associate ministries are
welcomed and encouraged.
3.9.3 Documentation Requirements for Mileage Reimbursement

A standard mileage (kilometer) reimbursement for ministry use of a personal
vehicle is to the Missionarys advantage over submitting gasoline receipts in that
he/she receives appropriate consideration for the wear and tear of the vehicle. A
tax authority in each country usually establishes annually a rate per mile for this
purpose. In the U.S., the IRS figures are used. A logbook is strongly
recommended, and copying the applicable page from it provides adequate
documentation for mileage reimbursement. A mileage reimbursement request
must substantiate the equivalent mileage claimed.
3.10 Financial Responsibilities

The principle of Missionary support upon which the LAM was founded and to
which all of its Missionaries have subscribed is that the responsibility of seeking
support lies with the Missionary, rather than with the LAM, although the LAM will
assist in whatever ways it can. This responsibility is delineated as follows:
3.10.1
Support Pledges
Appointees are responsible for seeking promises of support adequate to meet

the amounts agreed upon. This is one of the conditions of full acceptance by the
LAM. Likewise, Missionaries on Service Leave are required to secure support
pledges adequate to meet the LAM stipulations before returning to their field of
service.
Once these requirements have been initially met, the LAM will temporarily
maintain the stipulated salary levels and necessary benefits (Social Security,
Retirement, Health Insurance, and Special Assistance) whenever a Missionarys
support donations drop.
Missionaries are expected to raise additional support for T&E, as well as for
Work Funds. They are also encouraged to strive for a 13% contingency to cover
anticipated inflation and future salary increases.
3.10.2
Handling Support Deficits
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Both the Missionary and the LAM Personnel Department must monitor a deficit in
the support account of an LAM Missionary carefully. The LAM Personnel
Department does this on a monthly basis. Seasonal fluctuations in giving will
always be considered, as support averages are used to determine trends in
support status. However, these are the steps that will be taken when a deficit
continues:
Should a deficit reach the level of $1,500, the LAM Personnel Department will
notify the Missionary in writing. The Missionary is encouraged to prepare a
plan for reversing the downward trend, like sending support letters and/or
preparing to make a trip to visit supporters. The Missionary should begin
implementing the plan immediately. To prevent the deficit from accumulating,
the Missionary might request that his/her salary be reduced. Later, if
donations increase, the salary level can be restored to its original level.
When a deficit in a Missionary support account reaches $3,000, the
Missionary will automatically have his/her salary reduced by $500. The plan
developed in accordance with the paragraph above will also be reviewed and
modified, as necessary, and a trip to seek support may be required. Benefits
will continue to be covered, even though salary payments will continue to be
reduced or even eliminated if the deficit continues its downward spiral. The
LAM Personnel Department will continue to monitor the deficit monthly, and if
necessary continue to reduce salary payments in increments of $500.
If the Missionary is unwilling to implement the steps mentioned above, or if
the plan fails to produce sufficient support, the LAM will be forced to
discontinue salary and benefits, until a suitable plan is reached. The LAM
Personnel Department is not able to carry more than a $10,000 deficit without
approval by the Board of Trustees.
If the Missionary has funds in T&E, the LAM Personnel Department reserves
the right to transfer the funds to cover the Support deficit, and will notify the
Missionary about a transfer of funds if and when made.
3.11 Personal Finance Issues

Each Missionary is personally responsible to take care of his/her own finances in
a manner befitting a Christian worker, including the paying of obligations such as
credit cards, mortgages, rent, etc. The staff at the MSO is not adequate to
perform this function for each LAM Missionary. Therefore, to the extent
necessary, LAM Missionaries must make arrangements for family, friends or
personal executors to handle any affairs that they are unable to handle from
their fields of service.
Likewise, each Missionary is personally responsible to report his/her income for
tax purposes. The LAM does not have adequate staff to provide this service, nor
to keep up with tax law changes that would allow for counseling its Missionaries
in this area.
The LAM offers a non-qualified retirement plan for overseas Missionaries, and
403(b) tax-deferred retirement plan for those working in the U.S. These funds
are forwarded to the appropriate financial entities on a monthly basis. However,
each Missionary is personally responsible for tracking and reviewing the
performance of his/her own plan (investment portfolio). He/she should track
his/her investment, and work with his/her investment company representatives to
24
effect changes in his/her portfolio. The Missionary is also solely responsible to

notify the respective company of any address changes in order that information
from the company reaches him/her in a timely manner. In the event that a
company will not send mail to a foreign address, the LAM address may be used.
However, it remains the Missionarys responsibility to communicate address
changes to the company. The Mission will endeavor to forward all
communications that are not bulk mailings from the investment company.
Each Missionary is personally responsible for submitting health insurance claims
directly to the Missions carrier. Missionaries are also personally responsible for
direct interface and problem resolution with the health care providers they
choose and the insurance company. The company accepts collect calls from
foreign countries and also has email to facilitate communication.
3.11.1
Supplemental Activity and Remuneration
Missionaries from time to time may be called upon to get involved in outside
activities that may or may not be covered in their Work Covenants, and in some
cases may be remunerative. At times, such activities may be considered a part of
the Missionarys ministry (e.g., pastor a church, teach in a university, etc.), or
carried out in spare time, or even during working hours (e.g., in some
circumstances, write a book). It is important to note that such activities require
the concurrence of ones Ministry Partner and the LAM management.
Each Ministry Partner is autonomous and as such is free to permit or encourage
Missionaries serving with it to be involved in activities outside the Ministry
Partner, as well as to impose its own regulations/restrictions on outside work
and/or outside remuneration.
In the case of spouses not covered by a Work Covenant, such activities and/or
employment, especially where ministry and/or compassionate care is involved,
are permissible to the extent that they do not compromise the ministry of the
other spouse or the spiritual and emotional health and stability of the Missionary
family unit.
In every case in which a spouse accepts or commits to activities outside of
ministry, or for employment with remuneration, such activity should be discussed
with the LAM Personnel and Ministry Departments and approved before a
commitment is made. Where remuneration is involved, in order to establish
support needs realistically, the Missionary or spouse needs to inform the LAM
from the outset of any initial and subsequent changes in the level of
remuneration. The LAM Administration retains the right, depending upon the
circumstances involved, and the amount of remuneration involved, to consider
the remuneration as subject to the revised assessment schedule.
While it may, on occasion, be acceptable for one partner/spouse of a Missionary
unit to accept a full-time, 40 hour per week commitment for remuneration, outside
of ministry, and only if so approved by the LAM administration, it is never
acceptable for both members of an LAM couple, at any time, to accept full-time
jobs. In addition, it is not acceptable for a single Missionary to accept full-time (40
hours per week) employment, even for short periods of time, such as during a
Service Leave or while on vacation. It is unethical as well for one member of a
25
couple to accept full-time employment unless the other member of the couple is
engaged in ministry ON THE FIELD and subject to a Work Covenant with a
ministry through the LAM. It is not acceptable for a Missionary on Service Leave,
medical leave, or vacation, to engage in even short periods of full-time
employment for remuneration. Such a situation violates the principles of
deputized fundraising under which the LAM is allowed to operate.
In the case of a Missionary covered by a Work Covenant, the LAM Ministries and
Personnel departments must be a part of the decision-making process before
such activity can be entered into. A determination must be made as to how this
additional income is to be recognized in relation to ones support level, i.e.,
complementary of ones established support level or over and above ones
established level. Should a Missionary be in deficit to the LAM at the outset or at
any other subsequent point, appropriate steps must be taken to eliminate the
deficit by the quickest means, including direct contributions resulting from the
new activity/employment. An evaluation of the time commitment involved with the
new activity must be made in relation to the Missionarys status and ministry,
presumably full-time, as an LAM Missionary.
3.11.2
Widows/Widowers
For purposes of determining a living salary and support level, a widow or

widower can be classified either as a single Missionary or as a family, depending
upon whether or not there are dependent children. When one spouse dies, if the
surviving spouse has no current Work Covenant with a Ministry Partner or the
MSO, he/she will immediately be offered a one-year Work Covenant, renewable,
by the LAM. During the period covered by this new Work Covenant, the LAM
Ministries Department, in conjunction with the LAM Personnel Department, will
seek to find an appropriate area of service or to interest the widowed Missionary
in some specific ministry. The familys support level can continue at the previous
level for three months, contingent upon adequate gifts and/or an existing balance
to do so, but must be altered, consistent with established levels for singles and
the responsibilities of the new role/position accepted, whether temporary or
permanent. If it is anticipated that the surviving spouse will, either during or at the
end of the twelve-month Work Covenant, be moving to an area of increased cost
of living, this may be communicated to his/her support team in an effort to seek
additional support for the ministry activity.
3.11.3
Personal Insurance
LAM requires every Missionary to have health insurance to protect him/her and
his/her family. In order to accomplish this, LAM provides a group health
insurance plan that covers all Missionaries (and their families) in their place of
service. Furthermore, the Mission also has optional FSA, which helps offset the
deductibles paid by Missionaries for health related expenses.
Some Missionaries have indicated that there are comparable health insurance
plans available to them in their own countries, which offer a more competitive
price. LAM may be willing to consider exemptions to the group health plan
offered by the Mission if the Missionary meets certain conditions:
26
The request for exemption comes from the Missionary in writing, explaining
the reasons the exemption is requested, and the alternative coverage
proposed;
The health insurance plan is comparable with or better than the services
offered by the then in force LAM group plan;
A copy of the health insurance plan acquired is sent to the Benefits
Administrator yearly (or as often as the plan/benefits change);
The medical and/or health expenses not covered by the plan that the
Missionary selects (outside the LAM group plan) will not be paid by the LAM
and is considered a personal expense;
The Missionary contracts equivalent insurance from his/her country of origin
or residency, with the understanding that in a critical medical emergency he
/she will return to that country for medical attention;
The Missionary assumes responsibility for timely submission of all payments
directly to the health plan he/she chooses.
An exemption to the LAM group health plan will require the Missionary to sign
that he/she understands and accepts of the policies and procedures described
above, as well as the necessary provision of the documentation required to
demonstrate the alternative provisions for meeting these needs.
Any savings through these exceptions will not be received directly by the
Missionary. They will remain in the support account as regular funds.
3.12 Transfer of Excess Support

Any active Missionary may make a request for transfer of excess support.
Requests for transfer of excess support shall be submitted in writing on the form
available from the LAM Personnel Department and shall include the name of the
active Missionary making the request, the account to which the excess is to be
transferred, the date by which the transfer is requested and the exact amount in
U.S. Dollars of the amount to be transferred.
Requests will be considered only if at least one of the following situations exists
in the Missionarys support account:
After the requested amount is transferred, the balance equals at least two
months full support;
Average monthly donations (based on previous 12 months) exceed monthly
full support requirement by at least one-third of the requested transfer
amount.
Transfers may not be for personal use, and may be to one or more of the
following designations only:
The work of the LAM (Core Fund)
The support of another LAM Missionary
The Work Funds of a Ministry Partner
Transfers of Excess Support may not be authorized from accounts of
Missionaries in transitional leave to non-active status.
27
Chapter 4: On the FieldOff the Field

4.1
Terms of Service
The normal term of service is three years (depending, among other things, on
support status), to include up to one year of language study in a first term. It may
be reduced or extended by as much as a year for valid reasons and with the
approval of the LAM Personnel and Ministries Departments. The term of service,
and consequently the dates and duration of Service Leave (historically referred to
as furlough), are determined in consultation with both the Ministry Partner and
the LAM in response to the Missionarys request.
4.2
Vacation
4.2.1 Career Missionaries
Vacation time for career Missionary personnel serving outside the U.S. is initially
computed on the basis of fifteen work days/year (i.e. three weeks), at least ten
days of which must be spent as vacation during the corresponding calendar year,
except that Missionaries serving in their country of origin (or whose spouse
serves in his/her country of origin) may choose to follow the prevailing laws of
his/her country. This vacation time is accrued on the basis of 1.25 days/month.
Unused vacation time, but no more than five days, may be rolled over into the
next year.
Upon completion of ten years of service with the LAM, a Missionary begins to
accrue vacation time on the basis of twenty days per year (i.e. four weeks) or
1.67 days/month. No more than five days may be rolled over into the following
year.
4.2.2 Limited-term Missionaries

Limited-termers (a commitment of 1-5 years) will accrue and take vacation time
on the same basis as career Missionaries. After 3 years, limited-termers may go
on Service Leave, provided they expect to return to their field of service as career
Missionaries.
4.3
Service Leave
Service Leaves are those duly authorized absences from their fields of service
that enable Missionaries to fulfill their responsibility for contacting the persons
and groups that support them and their work, and for helping to communicate to
the North American Church the realities of the Latin world and the Missionary
challenge. Depending on the individual, Service Leaves may also provide
opportunity for spending time with parents and extended family, for professional
training and renewal, and for necessary rest and recuperation of physical,
emotional and spiritual health.
28
Missionaries are responsible for contacting all their supporting groups and
individuals to maintain prayer interest and financial support and, as necessary, to
seek additional support. This must normally be done sometime during each
Service Leave, unless different arrangements are made with the LAM. The LAM
will normally require additional time away from the field when support is not
complete. The Ministry Partner shall be asked to agree to the extension or to
propose alternate arrangements. Additionally, the Ministry Partner may request
the Missionary to spend time seeking Work Funds on behalf of the ministry. The
LAM should be notified of such plans. Likewise, the LAM may also request from
the Missionary a period of seeking unrestricted donations on its behalf,
arrangements to be made with the Ministry Partner as well as with the
Missionary.
4.3.1 Initiation of Service Leave

The initiative and coordination of plans for Service Leaves rest with the
Missionaries. They should see that plans are made and approved with adequate
anticipation, and that the basic elements are incorporated, if possible, in their
Work Covenants with their Ministry Partner. A Service Leave must be scheduled
at intervals of no more than five years and in most cases after four years of
service. The Missionaries should also keep the LAM advised of their plans and
any changes in them.
Although the LAM has prepared these guidelines to assist in the planning of
Service Leaves, all decisions as to timing and duration must be carefully
coordinated with the Missionarys Ministry Partner. Exceptions to these
guidelines should be documented and agreed to by the Missionary and the
Ministry Partner, as well as by the LAM Ministries Department and the LAM
Personnel Department.
The LAM Personnel Department will keep in touch with the Missionaries, and, as
necessary, will help them activate plans for Service Leaves. This does not,
however, absolve the Missionary from complying with the guidelines set forth in
this Handbook.
The LAM also reserves the right to a stipulated part of the Missionarys Service
Leave, for seeking unrestricted donations on behalf of LAM, and may delay a
Missionarys return to service for adequate reasons, such as lack of support or
poor health. Any such delay must immediately be coordinated with and
communicated to the Ministry Partner.
4.3.2 Duration of Service Leave

Each Missionary is expected to take the initiative in planning and calculating the
duration of a Service Leave. An uninterrupted four-year term must be followed
by a Service Leave of six to twelve months (six months is the minimum period
allowable). A three-year term would be followed by a six to nine-month period of
Service Leave (again with six months being the minimum period). The Missionary
cannot accrue two years of Service Leave. Under certain circumstances
agreeable in writing to both the Ministry Partner and the LAM, a Missionary may
work out a plan to take mini-Service Leaves more frequently. The basic guideline
29
is a maximum of three months Service Leave for every twelve months of

uninterrupted service on the field.
Please note that all LAM Missionaries are required to obtain written approval of
their Service Leave plan from the LAM Personnel Department prior to departing
from the field for Service Leave. While Missionaries may mention such plans
verbally to MSO staff, verbal comments are insufficient to constitute approval of
a Service Leave plan. The Missionaries Service Leave plans, dates of travel,
and acquiescence from the Ministry Partner for such plans, need to be filed with
the LAM Personnel Department on the requisite Service Leave forms at least one
month prior to departing from the field, and approval received in writing, or by
electronic mail, from the LAM Personnel Department. Non-approved Service
Leaves, together with any related expenses, are not fundable through T&E.
4.3.3 Financial Arrangements During Service Leave

Please note that, according to section 3.11.1, p. 25 (Supplemental Activity and
Remuneration) of this Handbook, Missionaries on Service Leave are not allowed
to engage in part time remunerative employment unless such employment is
approved by the LAM Administration, and are not allowed to engage in full time
employment at all.
Stateside support level: If support donations are adequate, Missionaries may
select an alternative level of support to provide more salary during the period of
their Service Leave and/or thereafter.
Cost of travel: Unless allowable under the guidelines for T&E expenses, all
travel during the Service Leave is considered personal. However, the Ministry
Partner requesting the Missionary to seek Work Funds may advance funds for
that purpose.
Donations while seeking support: All sums given to Missionaries while seeking
support, unless specifically designated for their personal use, should be
accounted for through the LAM, accompanied by a list of names and addresses
of donors to whom official receipts shall be sent. This includes not only offerings
and sums given by church treasurers and other local officials for the work, but
also donations handed personally by individuals to the Missionary. Such
donations, unless clearly indicated otherwise, shall be regarded as given for the
work, and the occasion taken to relate the donors to the LAM or to the Ministry
Partner that the Missionary is representing.
Clearance for return: Missionaries are expected during Service Leave to keep
in touch with the Miami Service Office of LAM at frequent and regular intervals to
avoid confusion about current support donations and to secure the required
medical and financial clearance for return to their field of service. Missionaries
must recognize that, while they may have purchased a round-trip ticket with a
specific date for their return to the field, to return to the field without specific
clearance in both areas is a serious breach of trust on their part and likely an
indication of poor stewardship of T&E funds.
30
4.3.4 Medical Examinations During Service Leave

Thorough medical examinations near the beginning of Service Leave are
required for each Missionary and accompanying family member at least every
forty-eight months. The Missionary may obtain the medical examinations either in
their country of service, or in the country in which they have Service Leave
(usually the U.S.), whichever is more convenient and cost-effective for the
Missionary.
The LAM health insurance program provides limited reimbursement for the cost
of medical examinations, limited to a maximum of once every twelve months. If
possible, Missionaries should take advantage of the LAM health insurance
coverage and have their medical examinations done before Service Leave.
The results of medical examinations in regard to diagnoses and treatment are
private between the Missionaries and their physicians. Missionaries may receive
treatment of any conditions found without notifying the LAM until they obtain a
satisfactory report. However, prior to returning to their field of service after
Service Leave, Missionaries must submit to the LAM Personnel Department the
requisite Medical Clearance Form.
If there are conditions that seriously interfere with the Missionarys possibility of
continuing service, the LAM Personnel Department will need to be informed
about the nature of those health conditions and make recommendations
regarding future or ongoing service on the advice of medical authority. These
may include rest, recuperation, and continuation of treatment in the best
environment, on the field or in the Missionarys country of origin. The
recommendations will take into account the availability of quality treatment and
the least disruption of the Missionarys life, family, and ministry. The Missionarys
health insurance, provided by continuing support or direct premium payment by
the Missionary, will continue to cover medical treatment, subject to the applicable
deductibles.
The LAM requires a simple form for Medical Clearance that is available from
the LAM Personnel Department in which the medical professional gives his/her
opinion regarding the advisability of that Missionary traveling and living in the
country of ministry assignment. The form requires no confidential information.
Even if Missionaries fall into serious ill health and cannot continue in service,
they do not lose their status as Missionaries. In the case of initial acceptance or
continued evaluation, the LAM may request the examining physician to issue a
statement or certificate of health.
Be advised that annual medical examinations are provided for under the LAM
health plan and should be taken advantage of by all Missionaries, including those
serving in the U.S.
4.3.5 Counseling During Service Leave

If LAM Missionaries or their children are in need of counseling, they may seek it
on their own; they may obtain a referral from the Member Care Department; or, if
31
appropriate, they may receive counseling from qualified personnel in the Member
Care Department.
On occasion it may occur that LAM Personnel and/or Member Care staff
determine that an individual Missionary, couple, or family is in need of
counseling. The LAM Personnel Department may then recommend counseling.
The LAM Member Care Department will then assist the Missionary unit by
providing the counseling or by recommending an appropriate referral.
A Missionary may be placed on a leave of absence or dismissed for
unacceptable behavior. Before such action is taken, the Missionary may delay it
by requesting counseling. The LAM Personnel Department may agree to delay
the disciplinary action in hopes that counseling will restore the Missionary, but
the unacceptable behavior must stop immediately. Offenders who do not rectify
their behavior after application of the procedure described in Matthew 18:15-17,
will be dismissed.
In regard to confidentiality, when a Missionary interacts with LAM Member Care
or Personnel staff, strictest confidentiality will be maintained for the Missionarys
benefit. In some cases, the Missionarys well-being or performance may be so
adversely affected that communication with other LAM personnel (e.g.,
Personnel, Finance, the President) becomes necessary. In such cases, the
Missionarys consent to communicate confidential information will be sought first.
If the Missionary refuses consent, and in the judgment of Member Care or staff
member, the well-being of the Missionary, the Ministry associate or the Mission
itself requires that confidential information be shared with certain key
Administrators; the Member Care/staff person will use his/her best judgment and
share the absolute minimum of confidential information with only those persons
who must know it, in order that wise and informed decisions may be made. All
LAM Missionaries have been informed of this policy. See form Informed Consent
regarding Limits of Confidentiality.
4.3.6 Visit to Miami Service Office During Service Leave

Missionaries should visit the Miami Service Office at the beginning of each
Service Leave for interaction with the staff and consultation regarding family
matters, seeking support, finances, ministry assignment, member care, etc. This
MSO visit is important and should be made even if it implies additional T&E
expense. Missionaries should also visit the MSO on their return to the field of
service, unless the second visit is dispensed with by mutual agreement. LAM
hospitality will cover the overnight expenses of the visits.
4.3.7 Service Leave for Latin American Missionaries

Latin American Missionaries who receive most of their support from North
America are subject to the same Service Leave regulations as other LAM
Missionaries. If all financial matters are in order and full support is assured, a
Latin American Missionary may choose to complete a Service Leave outside the
U.S., by mutual agreement of the Missionary and the LAM Personnel
Department.
32
A special trip for seeking Work Funds requested by a Ministry Partner need not
be linked to a Service Leave.
4.3.8 Service Leave for U.S. Missionaries

Missionaries serving in the U.S., in the LAM offices, or elsewhere, are not subject
to the same rules as other Missionaries concerning Service Leave.
Vacation, medical examinations, etc., for U.S. Missionaries are subject to
separate MSO policy.
4.4
Study Leave and Enrichment Activity

The LAM and/or a Ministry Partner may request or give permission to
Missionaries to attend workshops, courses, professional conferences, etc.,
during their Service Leaves. The cost of attending such events is reimbursable
under T&E or Work Funds, as applicable.
The LAM and/or a Ministry Partner may request or give permission to the
Missionary to undertake a period of additional theological education and/or other
applicable fields of education; i.e. Study Leave, in connection with the
requirements of the Ministry or the needs of the Missionary. The Missionary
should be assured of a position to work with a Ministry Partner for at least one
additional term upon completion of this education. The expenses of this
education may be paid for by the Ministry Partner or reimbursed to the
Missionary by LAM as T&E, dependent upon the availability of funds. Approval
for a Study Leave follows the same procedure as that established for approval for
a Service Leave.
Study Leaves requiring extended absences from the field (such as 5 months or
longer) and withdrawal from direct, active involvement in the work of a Ministry
Partner ministry, require special approval from the LAM Personnel Department,
in conjunction with the LAM Ministries Department and the LAM President.
4.5
Leave of Absence
Missionaries may also request a leave of absence for one year, without salary or
benefits. A leave of absence without financial support, for one year, renewable
up to three years, may be granted upon request to the LAM Personnel
Department and review of the President. The reasons for requesting a leave of
absence vary greatly, and may be personal, ministerial, or other. The purpose for
a leave of absence is to allow a Missionary who is currently unable to continue in
the ministry with LAM or who may be uncertain about future ministry direction,
time to return to active Missionary status without premature severance of ties
with the mission.
Missionaries on leave of absence may elect to continue to participate in the LAM
group health insurance plan at their own expense through COBRA provisions.
Salary, T&E reimbursement, and Work Fund reimbursement are not paid to
Missionaries during a leave of absence.
33
4.6
Transitional Leave to Non-active Status

When Missionaries transition into a non-active Missionary status, they must enter
a transitional Service Leave period of up to a maximum of three months, during
which time they must also complete a debriefing at the Miami Service Office.
This transitional leave allows the Missionaries to leave their field of service, yet
continue to receive a monthly allowance (as funds permit), insurance benefits
and other MSO services. All normal guidelines and procedures for Service
Leave are in effect.
4.7
Absence from Normal Place of Service

If LAM Missionaries plan to make a trip away from their normal place of ministry
and residence (e.g., for a conference, fund-raising trip, vacation or visit to family),
they must advise the LAM Personnel Department of such an absence. All
Missionaries on any duly authorized Service Leave must also advise the LAM
Personnel Department of any travel beyond that which is delineated in the
approved Service Leave Plan.
4.8
Contingency Planning
Many LAM Missionaries minister under conditions that constitute a risk to their
health and well-being. The LAM actively develops, maintains, and implements a
contingency plan to deal with issues which may affect LAM personnel, i.e. natural
disasters, medical emergencies, political and criminal situations, accidents,
deaths, etc. Missionaries are expected to comply with such policies, and to plan
specific contingencies for their own individual situations, providing that
information to the LAM Personnel Department.
34
Chapter 5: Retirement and Continuing Service

5.1
Introduction
A Missionary who has reached age 65 and has accumulated 10 or more years of
service with the LAM is eligible to retire. If a husband and wife have differing
ages, the spouse who has been party to the Work Covenant shall determine the
age of eligibility for retirement. A Missionary may choose to retire at age 65, but
he/she is not required to do so. However, policies regarding health care
coverage and work covenants change after age 65 (see relevant sections,
below). The Mission is prepared to assist Missionaries with retirement in any way
it can. However, neither the Mission nor its Associate Ministries will be held
legally responsible for the arrangements or care of retired Missionaries.
5.2
Health Care Coverage at Age 65

All LAM Missionaries, at his/her age of eligibility (presently age 65) for U.S.
Medicare Health coverage must elect alternate health insurance. They will no
longer be covered by LAMs group medical policy (currently Seven Corners Inc.).
This is a policy of the health insurance provider and applies regardless of U.S.
citizenship, and where the Missionary resides.
If the Missionary is a U.S. citizen, he or she should register with Social Security
and Medicare plans A and B at or around the time of his/her 65th birthday. The
actual eligibility date for both Social Security and Medicare is being changed
incrementally upward each year, and also relates to each persons birth date.
Therefore it would be best for each Missionary to check with a Social Security
representative prior to his/her 65th birthday to determine his/her exact window of
eligibility for said services.
After registering with Social Security and Medicare, the Missionary, whether
retired or not, will be eligible to use Medicare funded and approved medical
services anytime he or she is physically in the U.S. For example, major medical
exams and treatments could be planned for and taken care of in the United
States.
If the Missionary is not a U.S. citizen and has been using the LAM group health
care provider, he or she will have to obtain other health care coverage in his/her
65th year. Also, if a Missionary chooses to either: 1) continue in service after
age 65 or 2) retire outside of the United States (although he/she is a U.S. citizen)
he or she will need to obtain alternate health care coverage for any health care
needs or crises that may occur in the country of chosen residence.
Health care plans, which may be available to Missionaries over 65 in the
countries of Latin America and Spain, differ greatly in terms of costs, provisions
and viability. In some countries, local insurance has worked for some
Missionaries; in other countries, other plans have been tried. The LAM cannot
recommend any one plan for such situations, but will be happy to share the
knowledge and experience that has been acquired by its Missionaries over time.
35
5.3
Continuing Service Beyond Age 65

Missionaries may continue in service beyond age 65 for as long as their Work
Covenants with a Ministry Partner specify or if deemed acceptable or necessary
by the LAM Administration. This provision for ongoing service after age 65
assumes that the Missionary continues to be in good health and is able to
provide the Ministry Partner or ministries with the equivalent of a full 40-hour
workweek. If the Missionarys failing health should preclude such active service,
the LAM Personnel Department, in consultation with the LAM Ministries
Department, may intervene and recommend a reduced workload contract, a
medical leave of absence, or retirement.
After age 68, any continuing Work Covenants shall be re-evaluated annually, and
be renewable upon agreement of all parties involved.
5.4
Retirement
The Mission recommends that the Missionary transitioning into retirement,
whether planning to retire in the U.S. or a different country, get a final, transitional
Work Covenant, subject to the current guidelines for service assignments and
T&E expense accounting. The purpose of this transitional Work Covenant
assignment is:
To assist the Missionary to use this time to make all final preparations for
retirement (e.g., ministry transitions, living arrangements and/or relocation or
any other personal business).
To assist the Missionary to use this time for personally communicating about
the important upcoming transition with donors.
To assist the Missionary to encourage supporters to continue as part of
his/her prayer and financial support team, regardless of where the Missionary
chooses to retire
To assist the Missionary to encourage supporters to renew their commitment
to missions and world evangelism by channeling their support to the LAM or
to another Missionary if possible.
5.5
Financial and Income Matters Related to Retirement

As previously mentioned in the section entitled Money Matters, a portion of
donations to Missionary support shall be used to pay Social Security taxes and to
make contributions to a non-qualified or 403(b) retirement plan in the name of the
Missionary. In the case of non-U.S. nationals, the amount collected for Social
Security taxes may be contributed to the same non-qualified retirement plan.
Career Missionaries automatically participate in a non-qualified or 403(b)
retirement plan unless there is a good and justifiable reason not to do sosuch
as ordained ministers who participate in their denominations retirement plan.
Limited-term Missionaries do not automatically participate in the retirement plan,
but may be counseled to do so depending upon their age. Individuals may opt to
participate if they wish, and should become familiar with the provisions of the
plan in order to make a decision regarding participation.
In addition, the retiring LAM Missionary may elect to continue receiving income
from donations sent in by supporters. Historically, the LAM, under the legal
36
concept called payment for services rendered in the past, has continued to
receipt and disburse support funds to retirees provided that the retiree has
supporters willing to continue to designate donations specifically to his/her
support. The donor specifies his/her donation to the retiree, and the designated
retiree will receive that donation minus the administrative assessment fee to help
administer the program. The receipt will read Retiree Program because that is
what is legally required of funds processed for services rendered in the past.
The LAM Administration and Board has complete control over said funds, while
complying as fully as possible with the donors intent.
Eligibility for the program will be based on at least ten years of previous full-time
Missionary service with the Mission. Donated funds will be assessed at the same
percentage applied to all active LAM Missionaries. Monthly payments for
services rendered in the past are limited to a maximum of 70% of the highest
category of existing LAM Missionary monthly support levels. U.S. retirees will
receive a 1099-R form from the Mission at the end of each year. If the retiring
Missionary meets the eligibility requirements for this program, they will
automatically be enrolled unless they opt out of the Retiree program. In addition,
because of the retiree program put in place by the LAM, retirees are eligible for
modest amounts of emergency assistance, visits by LAM Member Care staff, and
other services.
Upon retirement, the LAM Missionary may receive his/her income from three
different sources:
His/Her social security payments (if a U.S. citizen), or the equivalent saved
for them (if not a U.S. citizen)
Payments from whatever amount may have accumulated in his/her nonqualified or 403(b) retirement plan
The retired Missionary may continue to receive donations from supporters up
to 70% of the highest amount allowed to LAM supported Missionaries.
37
Chapter 6: Changes and Updates to the Handbook

6.1
Review and Revision

The Handbook is designed as an open document, changing and improving with
the Missionary society it serves. For that reason review and revision should
happen on a regular, consistent, and systematic basis. Recommendations and
observations for this process will come from Missionary Councils, LAM
Missionaries, the LAM Administration, the LAM Board of Trustees, Members or
the LAM Board of Trustees Minutes.
6.2
Former Versions of the Handbook

The LAM Handbook replaces and supersedes any and all previous revisions of
the Manual of Personnel and Administrative Regulations, last updated on March
1, 1988.
6.3
Changes without Amendment

References have been made in the Handbook to the names of external agencies
or to numbers or regulations that external agencies determine from time to time.
If an external agency changes its name or numbers, it will also be changed in this
Handbook.
Standard accounting practice and tax regulations set the number of years for
standard depreciation of various categories of equipment. If a number is
changed in the tax regulations, the LAM Administration may also change it in this
Handbook.
If an insurance or retirement investment company changes its regulations, its
regulations mentioned in this Handbook will also be changed.
The LAM Administration makes revisions and updates to the list of recommended
equipment from time to time. The LAM Personnel Department in conjunction
with the LAM President determines the tables of salary levels and recommends
them to the LAM Board of Trustees for approval.
Neither the list of
recommended equipment nor the tables of salary levels require amendment by
the procedure described below.
If the LAM Trustees change the provisions of the guarantee they made for LAM
Missionaries covered by the old pension plan, those changes will be made in the
Handbook.
Informational Appendices shall be changed as the information is periodically
updated.
6.4
Amendments to the Handbook

Amendments to the LAM Handbook will be made in accordance with the
guidelines set forth in Section 13.2 of Principles and Government (revised April
38
23, 1993), and reaffirmed by the LAM Missionary family in the LAM Handbook
(dated October 27,2000):
Any amendments to the Manual of Personnel and Administrative Regulations
(today known as the LAM Handbook) must be submitted by the Administration
either to the Board of Trustees or to the Councils of Missionaries, or to both, as
appropriate, for review and possible response. Such amendments will become
effective no sooner than 60 days after submission for review.
Version Beta 6
Pending Approval
39

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LAM HANDBOOK

EXPLORING MISSIONARY SERVICE WITH THE LAM

1.1 Foundational Assumptions for Service with LAM

MISSIONARY SERVICE WITH THE LAM

Language Study and In-Service Orientation

FINANCIAL SUPPORT AND OTHER MONEY MATTERS

3.7.3 Use of LAM Tax-exempt Status

ON THE FIELDOFF THE FIELD

4.1 Terms of Service

RETIREMENT AND CONTINUING SERVICE

CHANGES AND UPDATES TO THE HANDBOOK

Review and Revision

Chapter 1: Exploring Missionary Service with the LAM

Foundational Assumptions for Service with LAM

Revised January 18, 2010

leadership and a readiness to serve under such leadership in the Church or

Physical and Mental Health

Revised January 18, 2010

Equal Roles of Men and Women in the LAM

1.7.1 Marital Status

Revised January 18, 2010

also have guidelines to be considered and followed as a specific assignment is

1.7.4 Personal Indebtedness

Processing of Applications for Candidates and Appointees

Revised January 18, 2010

Potential Service Opportunities

1.10 Acceptance as an LAM Missionary

1.11 Procedures for Latin Candidates

Revised January 18, 2010

Chapter 2: Missionary Service with the LAM

Language Study and In-Service Orientation

Revised January 18, 2010

If an LAM Missionary trainee devotes several quarters and considerable effort

Revised January 18, 2010

Personal Christian Outreach

Supervision and Evaluation

Marital Status and Implications

Revised January 18, 2010

2.10 Early Departure

Revised January 18, 2010

necessary, facilitate an appropriate withdrawal from the field or Ministry Partner

2.11 Missionary Retreats

2.12 Communication With Supporters

Revised January 18, 2010

to ensure accuracy of contact information and appropriate tone of content.

Revised January 18, 2010

Chapter 3: Financial Support and Other Money Matters

Revised January 18, 2010

Revised January 18, 2010

Revised January 18, 2010

Salary advances are permitted under extenuating circumstances, and are

Other Support Level Components

3.5.1 Special Assistance

Revised January 18, 2010

3.5.2 Health Insurance

3.5.3 Flexible Spending Accounts

Revised January 18, 2010

3.5.4 Social Security

3.5.6 Administration Costs

Revised January 18, 2010

stipulated percentage. Currently the assessment is 13%, but there is also a

Travel and Equipment (T&E) Funds

3.7.1 Travel Expenses

Revised January 18, 2010