light at the end of the tunnel september 2015australia 1
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
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 ActA 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
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
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