light at the end of the tunnel september 2015australia 1

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

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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

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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

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Lacking Skills and Resources

Spiritual direction/coaching/mentoring Theology of suffering/grey areas Money Time Ineffective communication Remote locations Recruiting younger generation MC

providers

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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

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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

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What next?

As part of a Global Member Care Network

As individuals

As a Regional Network

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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

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The Challenges

Who are we delivering to? Gen y and Gen alpha BAM/Tentmakers Early retirees Short-termers Multi-cultural teams Traditional career missionaries

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A Changing World

Dangerous Uncertain Unpredictable Hostile to Christians Divided Needy

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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?

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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

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How do we respond?

Take small steps Develop partnerships Initiate training Plan ahead

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Plan Ahead

Politicians plan with the next election in mind.

Statesmen plan with the next generation in mind

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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

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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?

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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

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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

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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

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Mark 14:3-9

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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.”

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A Prophetic ActA Kairos Moment

“She poured perfume on my body beforehand for burial”

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A Prophetic Act

She listened to God

She acted upon what she heard

She sent a message to those watching

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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?

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A Prophetic Act

Is there a role for Tentmaker Member Care providers?

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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

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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?

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September 2015 Australia

A Kairos Moment

A defining moment in time

An opportunity to exploit

A risk to be taken

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A Kairos Moment

Chronos Time

You always have the poor with you

Kairos Moment

You will not always have me

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A Kairos Moment

Opportunities need to be seized Risks need to be taken Need for investment Need for intentionality

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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

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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?

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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?

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