What is an associate?

A TOM associate is someone who

• 1. Has been recognised by TOM International as displaying a commitment to the core values of TOM both in their personal lives and in their ministry to the body of Christ.
• 2.Has taken responsibility for the calling of God upon their lives
• 3.Wants to represent TOM in their nation or locality
• 4.Operates within the TOM guidelines
• 5.Is a facilitator of the TOM values being fulfilled in their nation, region or locality

What does a TOM Associate do?
Time Out Mission does not specify what an associate should or should not do, but instead provides a framework and guidelines for the associate to operate within. Associates may do many things. They may be in anyone of the five fold leadership offices or in none of them. But being an associate means they have taken responsibility to adopt and apply the core values of TOM in their life and ministry. What an associate does therefore will be unique to the individual, but all will be characterised by the core values which will be evident in whatever they do.

What are the TOM Core Values?
There are five primary values which form the core DNA of the movement. These values are:

• 1.Intimacy
• 2.Unity
• 3.The Bride
• 4.Empower
• 5.Mission

Associates would be committed to all five of these values, but some may be more evident in their ministry than others. An associate may for instance be particularly focussed on just one or two of the values, e.g. calling the church to intimacy with the Lord, or primarily involved with missions.

What are the TOM Guidelines?
The TOM guidelines help to define the boundaries of how an associate should operate. They are

• 1.Whatever is done must be traceable to one or more of the core values
• 2.To maintain personal holiness, integrity and relationship with the Lord
• 3.Get into new territory – this could be geographically, spiritually, operationally etc. TOM is primarily a movement, so by it's very nature needs to keep pushing back the boundaries and taking new ground for the Lord. It is not about maintenance, but moving forward. This calls for a pioneer spirit, faith, vision and stepping into the unknown.
• 4.Always be motivated by love for others and a passion for Lord and His Bride the church
• 5.Never do anything to dishonour the Lord or the TOM movement. Great trust is placed within an associate to operate in righteousness and integrity, and this trust should not be abused.
• 6.Actively pursue ways to facilitate the core values in a local, regional or national context
• 7.Actively seek to help promote the TOM movement. For example, by forging new and Godly alliances, recruit other associates, communicate the message with church leadership etc
• 8.To regularly communicate with TOM International latest news, developments, prayer needs, praise reports. Ideally this should be once a week, but not less than once a month. Part of this communication should include a regular post onto their profile or blog on the Time Out Mission website. This is a crucial element of being an associate because we are spread out across the world, it is the best and easiest way to keep connected.
• 9.Associates must take full financial responsibility for whatever decisions they make. For example, if conferences, crusades or other meetings are held, then the associate is responsible to meet the costs of these events, and not expect another associate or the International office to meet these expenses. The exception to this would be where the International office or other associate has agreed in writing beforehand to contribute a fixed amount to towards the budget.
• 10.Church planting is generally not within the guidelines of a TOM Associate, because an associate's role is primarily to the wider body and existing church and not in the planting of a new church. Where there is a legitimate need for a church plant which is right before God, then the associate should either stand down from their position as an associate or seek for someone else to be appointed as the church planter.
• 11.Following on from 10. above, no church should be given the name Time Out Mission without the express written consent of the International Office. If a church proposes to use the Time Out Mission name, then good reasons must be given for doing so.
• 12.Greater flexibility exists where an associate has founded a new “work” or “project” which may also include the recruitment of others, where this new project is primarily about the facilitation of the TOM Core Values. In such cases, the Time Out Mission name may be appropriate and used, but still with the full knowledge and written consent of the TOM International office. For example, a conferencing ministry could be established which teaches about church unity, bridal awareness etc, and this may be approved for using the name Time Out Mission
• 13.Associates should collaborate with each other, when more than one exists within a nation, region or locality.