Challenges in Member Care for Missionaries - Trends and Solutions in Australia September 2015
Explore the challenges faced in Member Care for missionaries in Australia, including lack of understanding, cultural barriers, and resource limitations. Discover how Member Care helps missionaries grow spiritually, build resilience, and adapt to changing needs.
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Presentation Transcript
Light at the end of the tunnel September 2015 Australia 1
Challenging South Pacific Region Member Care Marion Knell
Worth Keeping Member Care helps missionaries to grow spiritually, expand their resilience and durability, maintain their physical and emotional health, build effective ministry teams, encourage and care for each other, communicate effectively, develop a consultative leadership style, and develop flexibility to adjust to every-changing needs and challenges September 2015 Australia
Challenges to MC Lack of understanding what it is Shame culture/organisational reputation Leadership lack of modelling self-care Stoicism sacrifice is acceptable MC is fragmented/no process/systems Task v. person orientation Financial cost versus intangible rewards September 2015 Australia 4
Challenges to MC Building a culture of trust Individualism/being helped is unacceptable Awareness of issues in the local church Not viewed as integral or priority Aggressive MC providers Generational perspectives Organisational history and culture change Changeover of staff September 2015 Australia 5
Lacking Skills and Resources Diversity , people doing different things need a template Effective planning/proactive not reactive Training availability and standards/professionalism Purpose statement/MoU/contract Differing skills, role clarification Lack of church engagement and skills Lack of skilled personnel September 2015 Australia 6
Lacking Skills and Resources Spiritual direction/coaching/mentoring Theology of suffering/grey areas Money Time Ineffective communication Remote locations Recruiting younger generation MC providers September 2015 Australia 7
Challenges, communication & delivery Crisis management, fatigue, inconsistency, continuity, lack of personnel, resources Risk aversion, leadership support, history, politics, resistance to change, size Expectations, gaps, confusion, lack pf felt need, sense of entitlement MoUs, finance priorities, tyranny of the urgent, confidentiality, narrow focus September 2015 Australia 8
Practices Outsourcing, pre-field training, holistic Personal development, team building on location, resources awareness Spiritual formation, retreats, prayer, theology of suffering, independent pastors Clear policies, MoUs, empowering management, risk assessment Pysch test, coaching, Skype calls, care of Mcers, care for parents, podcasts September 2015 Australia 9
What next? As part of a Global Member Care Network As individuals As a Regional Network September 2015 Australia 10
The Challenges New generation of workers different values, perspectives needs: Entitlement perspective Strong resistance to negative feedback Facebook image crafting Social networking New areas of ministry refugee, migrant, persecuted church, disasters, national believers New paradigms of care, new models September 2015 Australia 11
The Challenges Who are we delivering to? Gen y and Gen alpha BAM/Tentmakers Early retirees Short-termers Multi-cultural teams Traditional career missionaries September 2015 Australia 12
A Changing World Dangerous Uncertain Unpredictable Hostile to Christians Divided Needy September 2015 Australia 13
How do we respond? Make the message positive Member Care builds and enhances resilience Operations are more effective when people care is prioritised Build trust : Not what you are NOT doing What you can do How can we help you? September 2015 Australia 14
How do we respond? Keep it simple Define member care Why are we doing it? What do we hope to achieve? Produce a basic flow chart What When Who September 2015 Australia 15
How do we respond? Take small steps Develop partnerships Initiate training Plan ahead September 2015 Australia 16
Plan Ahead Politicians plan with the next election in mind. Statesmen plan with the next generation in mind September 2015 Australia 17
What next Globally? Invest people and time in networking Use and contribute to the GMCN website: www.globalmembercare.com Access useful sites: TWR: www.membercareradio.org Mobile member www.mmct.org www.relationshipskills.com SYIS www.missionarycare.com September 2015 Australia 18
What next Globally? Involve the new generation Reach out to refugee workers etc Facilitate training Expanding MA hubs South Africa, India Next Global Conference 2018 S America? September 2015 Australia 19
What Next Personally? Where do I fit in? What are my skills? What training/resources do I need? Where/how can I find them? Who do I already know to help me? Who can mentor me/whom can I mentor? Think of 3 steps you want to take as a result of this conference September 2015 Australia 20
What next South Pacific Region? Member Care Australia QLD: 80s-2000 MIFT(Missionaries in Fellowship Together, + re-entry and debriefing. Formal network August 2008 NSW: 1987 MC Network Donovan and Myers, retreats into 2000, wider network from 2000 VIC: Re-entry days 90s, MC network started 2000 National Australian Network started November 2008 September 2015 Australia 21
What next Pacific Region? Member Care Australia Member Care New Zealand Missions Interlink track 2011 4 students on MA 2012 - present This conference 90+ Launch of MA Australia Feb 2016 September 2015 Australia 22
Mark 14:3-9 A Prophetic Act A Kairos Moment September 2015 Australia 23
Mark 14:3-9 Leave her alone, said Jesus. Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have ith youy and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could she poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her. September 2015 Australia 24
A Prophetic Act A Kairos Moment She poured perfume on my body beforehand for burial September 2015 Australia 25
A Prophetic Act She listened to God She acted upon what she heard She sent a message to those watching September 2015 Australia 26
A Prophetic Act Are we those who Listen to him Respond to his words Communicate his heart to others Demonstrate his message Is there a prophetic role for Member Care? September 2015 Australia 27
A Prophetic Act Is there a role for Tentmaker Member Care providers? September 2015 Australia 28
Member Care in the Muslim World Our soldiers fighting the hottest part of the battle and getting wounded by direct, fierce and frequent satanic attack must have the care they need. I speak of pastoring. But a special kind of pastoring . What does appear to be the answer, based on their (tentmakers ) own pleadings, is trained, informed, pastoral, gifted tentmakers who are in a specific supporting relationship with these tentmakers Gary Taylor September 2015 Australia 29
A Prophetic Role Are we called to go more to missionaries wherever they may be? Should we suffer with rather than take care to? Are we called to go to national believers, the persecuted, the NGOs? Are we called to missionaries who have decided to stick it out, where it might not be safe to take a team? September 2015 Australia 30
A Kairos Moment A defining moment in time An opportunity to exploit A risk to be taken September 2015 Australia 31
A Kairos Moment Chronos Time Kairos Moment You always have the poor with you You will not always have me September 2015 Australia 32
A Kairos Moment Opportunities need to be seized Risks need to be taken Need for investment Need for intentionality September 2015 Australia 33
A Kairos Moment What challenges face the South Pacific Region? What would you like to do? Draw up a wish list of 3 things within the next year September 2015 Australia 34
A Kairos Moment Do you sense God s timing here? Dare you exploit the opportunity? Are you willing to take the risks? Are you ready to seize the moment God s moment? September 2015 Australia 35
Challenging South Pacific Region Member Care Marion Knell
Questions 1. What are the main challenges facing the South Pacific Region (people, places, sending base, church engagement) 2. What are the priorities for the regional/global MC work-force? 3. What 3 steps would you like the South Pacific Region to take next? 4. How can you help? September 2015 Australia 37
