For Everyday Believers:
Frequently Asked Questions
We've heard a lot of questions over the years. Here's some answers to some of the most popular ones
Every member of our Switchboard community affirms and signs our Statement of Faith and respective Community Agreement forms. These agreements outline the Christlike character and humble collaboration expected to all participants on the Switchboard platform. Anyone who refuses to conduct their behavior within these parameters may have their account frozen or be removed from the platform. Read our statement of faith.
Switchboard is a platform that connects Believers around the world to provide prayer, encouragement, advise and practical help to those on the front lines of Great Commission efforts. We match everyday Believers with those serving in vocational ministry, so that together, the Body can share the gospel and make the love of Christ known. If you have a friend who you think would benefit, please send them to globalswitchboard.io.
Our platform is currently optimized for English speakers, so users will need a conversational level of fluency to participate. However, our community participants are from nations around the world, and many members are fluent in languages besides English. If you have a specific language requirement or need, please email concierge@globalswitchboard.io, and we will attempt to connect you with a community member for help.
Participants must be 18 or older, a follower of Christ, wherever possible a member of a local church, and sign the Switchboard statement of faith, comprised of the Apostles Creed, and agree to our community code of conduct. Organizations that join the platform must affirm our statement of faith and sign a commitment form.
To ensure that our community standards are followed, we invite all users, after every connection, to provide secure and private feedback to their conversation partner and to the Switchboard team to help us understand the connections our platform is creating. Furthermore, organizations often join our platform by referral, creating an additional relational check against bad agents.
We guarantee that any support question you submit will be reviewed by and responded to by a real human being. Our customer support team is small but mighty! Not only can you reach out to our customer support team from the help menu in our app or our concierge from any of your connection emails, you can also send us a message any time by emailing us at support@globalswitchboard.io.
After connecting with a volunteer or ministry, you may find that it's not what you expected. That's okay. If either side realizes that it's not the right fit and working together likely won't solve the problem, you both have the option to end the connection by clicking the "not a good fit" button. This action ends the connection, but hopefully not the relationship.
If you have additional concerns, please contact us at concierge@globalswitchboard.io.
Switchboard is completely free for all Gospel workers and ministries using our platform, and we don’t charge a membership fee to participate.
Switchboard’s operating costs are supported by the generosity of Believers who make our connection services accessible for the Body of Christ. We invite users and partnering organizations and churches to consider a one-time or monthly donation to help cover the cost of connection for themselves and others.
We have opportunities to pray for and encourage ministries that do not require any specific skill! In addition, we have volunteer opportunities that don’t require any hard skills! For example, you can teach English or provide administrative support to a ministry. To see these opportunities, make sure to check “Willing Servant” as a skill when you create your bio!
For other skills, our ability to match your skills with a ministry need depends on your ability and availability! Once you sign up, you will be able to see all the opportunities that match your skills. You can decide which opportunities to pursue by connecting with the Gospel worker to learn more using our in-app chat. Once you connect with a Gospel worker, it is up to the two of you to decide what parts of the request are a good fit for you!
On Switchboard, the expectation is for the KC to volunteer their expertise and gifting to advance the Kingdom. . We are not a freelance site and do not support paid service providers operating through our platform.
For Gospel Workers:
The timeline varies depending on the type of help you're requesting.
Advice Requests
If you're posting a question or requesting a one-hour consultation, your request will be reviewed and shared with Believers who have relevant experience and expertise. Because these opportunities typically require a smaller time commitment, they are often fulfilled more quickly.
Hands-on Help Requests
If you're requesting a Quick-Start Project or Virtual Role, it may take longer to connect with a volunteer. These opportunities generally require a greater level of involvement and, in some cases, ongoing collaboration.
All requests are reviewed before being shared with our community of Believers. Fulfillment timelines vary based on volunteer availability, the skills requested, and interest in the opportunity. Providing a clear and compelling description of the help you need and why it matters is an important factor in filling your posted request quickly.
Learn more about crafting your request here.
If you have questions about the status of your request, please contact support@globalswitchboard.io.
During the registration process, you will see questions to help you assess what roles you may need.
If you’re still not sure you can schedule a conversation with an operator who will walk you through a discovery session to explore where you can find the most help.