Five Practical Ways Churches can Care for Missionaries
By Patrick Hasty | This article provides pastors and missions teams with practical steps to support their missionaries. It outlines five things that churches can do: start the care process early, be proactive in relating to missionaries, allow missionaries to share their burdens, establish care teams, and be ready for critical moments.
Staying Isn’t Always Good and Leaving Isn’t Always Bad
By Sue Eenigenburg | Many who commit to become missionaries imagine permanently settling in another country for many years. However, a characteristic of cross-cultural mission work is its unpredictability. Sometimes, the stresses of missionary life make it hard to stay. Yet, at other times, some stay for the wrong reasons. Sue Eenigenburg some helpful tips for working out whether to stay or leave well.
Healthcare Missionary Burnout
By Jim Ritchie | The role and experience of healthcare missionaries (HCMs) is different from other missionaries. However, it is different. HCMs tend to encounter death, suffering, and moral crises many times a day. Though they have experienced death and similar crises during their training or practice in their home countries (particularly if their home country is in the West), few HCMs will have seen such crises in the enormous scale found in the mission field.
Ambiguous Loss in Missionary Life
By Nancy R. Mauger | Missionaries living away from their passport countries often experience a phenomenon known as ambiguous loss. This term, which developed in the 1970s, fits missionary life well. Global workers can experience a loss from leaving their passport nation, but it is still there.
The Role of Pastoral Visits in Missionary Member Care
By Ed Grudier | While both agencies and churches can engage in member care with their missionaries, churches can focus more on personal care. Field visits can be a particularly impactful aspect of member care. These visits can bring missionaries hope and strength when they are need, while also providing pastors first-hand experience in the life of a missionary their church supports first hand.
Member Care: Loving Those We’ve Sent
By Heather Pubols | How can organizations and churches adequately care for a globally based workforce? Around 30 men and women from more than 10 nations collaborated to write about a wide range of member care topics.
A Guide for Member Care Engagement
By Harry Hoffman | There are four different member care roles: the member care beginner, member care provider, member care facilitator, and member care trainer.
Spiritual Miscarriage: The Death of a Vision
By Brenda Bosch | Spiritual miscarriage occurs when a vision in your spirit that leads to much preparation and passion, does not materialize. It withers without ever flowering.
Missionary Conflict: Destructive or Constructive?
By David R. Dunaetz | Missionary conflict is inevitable and potentially dangerous if mismanaged. When workers seek to understand each other creative solutions can be found.
Safe Harbor: The Role of Hospitality in Member Care
By Celeste Allen | When workers are overwhelmed and tired they need someplace to get away and catch their breath. They need hospitality.