Itunes University - "Trends and Direction in Missionary Care"

“Trends and Direction in Missionary Care,” – Dr. Larrie Gardner
Itunes University – Abilene Christian University – 2006 Missions Focus
Reviewed by Kevin Book-Satterlee

Dr. Larrie Gardner begins her lecture on the basis that we must “put thought and heart into missionary care,” (8:42). This is a crucial and growing field in missions. So often it is easy to think of the missionary, especially those deep in jungles or deserts amongst an unreached people group as one who is a stand-alone missionary, needing no help. These are the missionaries of old, and they were our heroes. But the care of missionaries has grown exponentially among friends, family, sending churches, sending organizations and among colleagues.

An important story that Dr. Gardner gives shows the growing preparedness among common churches regarding the challenges that face missionaries. Many of these challenges are different than they were years ago. Globalization, hostilities between Islam and Christian faiths, increased poverty and many other challenge face missionaries, but the churches are beginning to recognize this. Churches must continue to be actively informed of global changes so that they may be able to best care for their missionaries.

One of the most fascinating trends that Dr. Gardner articulates is the increasing need for cross-cultural missionary care. Missionary colleagues are from all over the world – Africa, Asia and Latin America. This naturally complicates matters, but is a sign of a global growth and collaboration in missions. It is important than to recognize the specific member care needs across an array of spectrums.

As missionary care grows in academic and practical works, Dr. Gardner warns that missionary care is for the support of missionaries, it is not the end, but a means. There is then a point at which too much missionary care detracts from the mission, thus putting the missionary first and not the people that the missionary serves. Along with that, member care is becoming increasingly formalized, and need not. Caring for a missionary can be done by the informed lay person. More often than not, the help and care of a loved one or supporter will be sufficient.

This lecture is a great lecture, well delivered by Dr. Gardner and worth the listen for all those on the sending side of missions. Sound quality does get muddled by the shifting of the microphone or movement of papers, however very rarely is Dr. Gardner inaudible. This is a great resource, especially for those churches commissioning a missionary and a team that is to care for them.