•  Every SEND missionary will have access to the resources and guidance needed for their ongoing personal and vocational discipleship. 
• Every SEND missionary will be proactive in creating habits of lifelong, intentional learning focused on both character and skill development. 
• Coaching will become a pervasive method of supervision, leadership development and member development in SEND. 
• With confidence and competence, SEND leaders will lead their teams to accomplish God’s calling and SEND's mission, and will be nurturing their own personal development and the development of their team members while doing so. 
• People will join SEND and stay in SEND because the mission is intentionally helping them to grow. 

• Task and discipleship. SEND U holds the urgency of SEND’s mission and the personal growth of SEND members as non-competitive values. Therefore, we will promote both continual improvement in ministry skills and ongoing discipleship as followers of Jesus. 
• The Scriptures and the Spirit. SEND U recognizes that Christ is the Master Trainer, and we can only grow in disciple-making effectiveness, as we become better disciples of Christ. Therefore, reliance upon the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit are foundational to any training and coaching. 
• Previous learning. SEND U values God’s work of grace, personal experiences, and previous training of each SEND member. Therefore, training will seek to build on that foundation and as much as possible, be individualized to meet the needs of the member. 
• Adult learning principles. SEND U values a facilitative approach to learning that involves the learner in the process of discovery and demonstrates the immediate, practical relevance of what is learned. 
• Lifelong learning. While promoting lifelong learning within the organization, SEND U will also continue to improve its training and coaching and facilitate the development of its trainers and coaches.

Coaching is an essential component of the SEND U program, and a key method of accelerating learning, understanding of priorities, and development of skills.  

Definition - “Coaching is an ongoing conversation that empowers a person or team to fully live out God's calling in their life and profession. The goal of coaching is to develop a person or team to more effectively reflect, correct, and generate new learning. … Coachees are in the driver's seat. Coachees choose their own growth goals. Coachees reflect deeply about their current situation. Coachees decide their next steps. All the while, the coach listens and asks reflective questions, supportively challenging limited beliefs and behaviors. Advice-giving is kept to a minimum so that the coachee can discover Holy Spirit inspired solutions.” (Keith Webb) 

SEND U has developed a pool of qualified coaches, who are able and willing to coach SEND missionaries and team and area leaders.

Four different types of training are under the umbrella of SEND U. SEND U does not “run” all these training programs, but seeks to provide coordination and prevent overlap and duplication. 

See current training events on the wiki. 

1. Self-directed learning through Individual Growth Plans. Go to https://senduwiki.org/igp for an IGP guide. Each SEND missionary is expected to create an ongoing IGP.

2. Pre-field training  

• Member Orientation Program 201 – an online asynchronous course focused on cultural adaptation. Required of all mid-term and long-term members. 
• Member Orientation Program 202 – either an in-person or an online training by video-conferencing. For all long-term members. 

3. Ministry skill and missiological training for SEND missionaries on the field. Some examples: 

• MOP-Recap (MOP 302 and formerly called MOP-up) – coaching for first-term missionaries after language school  
• CQ (Cultural Intelligence) training – CQ Assessment debrief, training in multicultural teaming 
• Various online courses on Grow2Serve - evangelism, discipleship, purposeful observation, etc. 
• Team Launch toolkit – a series of lessons that can be facilitated by a regional or area leader for new teams 

4. Leadership training. Some examples: 

• Online courses for team leaders offered annually 
• Annual training at Directors’ Council for field leaders 
• AD/MD Boot Camp – orientation for new field leaders 
• Regional Leadership Development cohorts 

See a list of SEND U recommended training opportunities in the life of a missionary at this link.  

Although some materials are developed “in-house” by the SEND U team or teachers/trainers within SEND, SEND U also evaluates and uses appropriate training materials and programs offered by other educational and mission organizations. 

• SEND U wiki – senduwiki.org - a web-based catalog of recommended training events and resources for SEND missionaries 
• SEND U blog – sendublog.com - Reflections and resources for lifelong learning for missionaries 
• SEND U channel on Microsoft Teams - ongoing announcements, documents

• Ken Guenther – Director, based in Saskatchewan, Canada 
• Alfie Mosse – SEND U Trainer & Researcher, based in Indiana, USA 
• Bethany Reedy – MOP Dean, based in Michigan, USA 
• Jenny Baker – Training Coordinator & Creative Consultant, based in Yukon, Canada 
• Lisa Redell – MOP-Recap Coordinator, based in N. Macedonia 
• Kim Samalca – Executive Assistant to the SEND U Director, based in the Philippines 
• Colleen Eichelberger – MOP Logistics Coordinator, based in Michigan, USA 

But much of the training and coaching is done by a host of other experienced SEND missionaries living in various countries around the world, sharing their experience and knowledge with their peers.

• Ken Guenther – Director 
• Alfie Mosse – Regional SEND U Representative for Eurasia 
• Jessica Smith – Regional SEND U Representative for Asia 
• Alanna Brown – Women’s Ministry Department Representative 
• Regional SEND U Representative for North America – vacant 
• Christian Bender – Regional SEND U Representative for Europe  
• Jun Jovellanos – Representative from Sending Areas