Missionary Care provides an excellent follow-up to Helping Missionaries Grow, which gave a broader sweep of mental health issues as they relate to missionary families. Missionaries remain part of the body of their sending church. Regardless of whether they are physically present for worship every week or are working on the other side of the globe, they are members “back home” unless something breaks the relationship. Their church, therefore, is responsible to provide care for them just like they do for other members of the community—but missionaries need it even. .
One of the key leading scholars in the field of Missionary Care is Kelly O’ Donnell. He is the editor of the book Missionary Care: Counting the Cost for World Evangelization. With close to thirty contributors to this book, the work is divided into five areas of discussion, each consisting of five articles: (I) "Missionary Care Overview," a good basic review and defense of the needs and history of psychological and emotional care provision to missionaries in Africa; (2) "Counseling and Clinical Care," focusing on changes in the psychological makeup of today's missionary pool and the assessment and counseling tools being used to address those changes; (3) "Team Development," speaking both to special needs arising in team ministries and the concept of developing teams of holistic-health specialists to minister to field staff; (4) "Missions Agencies"; (5) "Future Directions," two very practical models, specific suggestions, and updates on current advances in the field of missionary care-giving
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS MISSIONARY CARE?
TYPES AND LEVELS OF MISSIONARY CARE
LEVEL 1: GOD CARING FOR MISSIONARIES THROUGH FELLOWSHIP
LEVEL 2: SELF/MUTUAL CARE: MISSIONARIES CARE FOR THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER
SENDER CARE: CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS CARING FOR THE MISSIONARIES THEY SUPPORT
A. Faithfulness to truth
B. Sending in a Manner Worthy of God
SPECIALIST CARE: PASTORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELORS, FINANCIAL ADVISORS, ETC. CARING FOR MISSIONARIES
A. Pastors, Missionary Care
B. Psychological Care Of Missionaries
C. The Role of Church Advisors in Missionary’s Financial needs
NETWORK CARE: INTERAGENCY MEMBER CARE AFFILIATIONS
MISSIONARY CARE AND POWER ENCOUNTER
CONCLUSION
Objectives and Topics
This work aims to evaluate holistic missionary care within the African church context, exploring how churches can effectively support missionaries throughout their service, from recruitment to retirement. The paper addresses the theological mandate for missionary support, the importance of healthy community-based care, and the necessity of navigating both psychological and spiritual dimensions in missionary life.
- The theological foundations of mission and missionary care
- Various levels of care: from self-care to agency-based networks
- Biblical hospitality and the role of sending churches
- Psychological well-being and holistic health for missionaries
- Addressing spiritual warfare and power encounters in the field
Excerpt from the Book
MISSIONARY CARE AND POWER ENCOUNTER
The Bible is the story of God’s persistent and passionate pursuit to glorify himself through the institution of his rightful rule. He accomplishes this through grace and justice by restoring repentant people, defeating antagonistic spiritual powers, and leading to the inevitable restoration of the material world.
C. S. Lewis is right when he says, “There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is . . . to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them.” Many Missionaries have failed in this area because they went to the mission field with the wrong knowledge when it comes to encountering demonic powers. “There’s a saying. . . ‘The greatest strength the devil has is that nobody believes in him.’”
Missionaries and pastors often do not have any training to deal with the demonized. Add to this the tendency among Western missionaries to ignore the reality of the spirit world when ministering cross-culturally.
According to Mepo Dadang and, Danladi, F. O., Scholars have employed two approaches to understanding these kinds of phenomena. The first is the post Enlightenment thinking, which assumes a naturalistic approach to understanding power encounters and the second approach takes belief in supernatural happening seriously. These scholars do not consider these beliefs as primitive or mere superstition. The works of the unseen powers or spirits are real. This is because God Himself is spirit.
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Establishes that mission is God's mission, emphasizing the necessity for the African church to engage in holistic care for her missionaries.
WHAT IS MISSIONARY CARE?: Defines missionary care as the ongoing preparation, equipping, and empowering of missionaries, spanning their entire life cycle from recruitment through retirement.
TYPES AND LEVELS OF MISSIONARY CARE: Classifies missionary care into foundational levels, starting with God's fellowship and personal/mutual care among missionaries.
SENDER CARE: CHURCHES AND INDIVIDUALS CARING FOR THE MISSIONARIES THEY SUPPORT: Discusses the vital role of the sending church in maintaining faithfulness to the truth and providing support in a manner worthy of God.
SPECIALIST CARE: PASTORS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELORS, FINANCIAL ADVISORS, ETC. CARING FOR MISSIONARIES: Examines external professional roles, focusing on pastoral shepherding, psychological needs, and financial stewardship.
NETWORK CARE: INTERAGENCY MEMBER CARE AFFILIATIONS: Explores how networking among agencies and organizations facilitates better care through resource sharing and mutual support.
MISSIONARY CARE AND POWER ENCOUNTER: Addresses the reality of spiritual warfare and the need for missionaries to be well-prepared to face demonic forces with theological and practical authority.
CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the core issues discussed, stressing that missionary care is a collective responsibility beyond the missionary, requiring a balance of spiritual, psychological, and institutional support.
Keywords
Missionary Care, African Church, Holistic Care, Sending Church, Member Care, Spiritual Formation, Psychological Care, Biblical Stewardship, Mission Agencies, Power Encounter, Spiritual Warfare, Missionary Health, Church Leadership, Interagency Networking, Mission Field.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work focuses on the necessity of providing holistic, ongoing support for missionaries throughout their career, arguing that the sending church holds the primary responsibility for this care.
What are the primary thematic areas covered in the book?
The book covers the theological basis of missionary care, the different levels of support (including self-care, church-based care, and professional/specialist care), and the practical challenges of sustaining missionaries in the field.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to determine how the African church can effectively engage in the holistic care of missionaries in the 21st century to ensure they remain healthy, effective, and sustainable in their ministry.
Which scientific or theoretical approach is utilized?
The author employs a hermeneutical and theological framework, combined with psychological perspectives—specifically humanistic psychology—to analyze missionary health and support structures.
What does the main body of the text discuss?
It details the "Missionary Care Model," covering stages such as God's fellowship, self-care, the sending church’s role in material and moral support, professional psychological assistance, and navigating spiritual warfare.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Missionary Care, Holistic Care, Sending Church, Member Care, Missionary Health, and Spiritual Warfare.
How does the author define the “sender care” model?
The author defines sender care as the ongoing encouraging and equipping role a church plays, ensuring their missionaries are sent in a "manner worthy of God," involving both financial and moral accountability.
Why is spiritual formation emphasized for missionaries?
Spiritual formation is identified as the best starting point for a missionary's care, acting as a buffer against crises, burnout, and the influence of folk or false religious belief systems.
How does the publication explain the challenge of “Power Encounter”?
It argues that missionaries often lack training regarding the spirit world and emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the reality of spiritual forces while maintaining biblical authority and integrity in the field.
- Quote paper
- Eric S. Mbuh (Author), 2022, Missionary Care. Engaging the African Church for Holistic Care of the Missionaries in the 21st Century, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1247620
