Member Care Updates Expanding the global impact of member care
Working together for wellbeing and effectiveness
Special News—December 2025Global Pearl: 12Living Forever with Jesus Christ  Image from cover of GMC 2Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.
Matthew 13:45-46-------------------- OverviewGreetings! In this issue (celebrating #200!) we finish our 12 part series called Global Pearl to help shape and support good member care practice around the world. Throughout the series we emphasize Jesus Christ—the Global Pearl of Great Price (MT 13:45) as we collaborate to engage in mission among all peoples—the global treasure of great price (MT 13:44).Featured ResourcesCore Article--Wellbeing for All People and the Planet: Into the Global Fray as Mental Health Professionals by Kelly O’Donnell and Michèle Lewis O’Donnell. Christian Psychology Around the World (Number 24, December 2025--pre-published version HERE). This special article consolidates a lot of our learning and messaging to our colleagues in member care and mental health in mission over the past 20+ years. It is especially oriented to Christian mental health professionals. We have written it as a supportive “macro model" to guide and goad colleagues who want to follow and serve Jesus Christ into the world's challenging issues and compelling opportunities.Podcast-- Three Skills to Maximize Your Leadership Impact is a presentation done in 2023 by Keith Webb and Rachel Johnson, coaches and trainers with Creative Results Management. We feature it as Episode 17 in the Staying the Course in Member Care and Mission podcast (December 2025), "You will learn: a) How to help people gain clarity and confidence on their problems and goals. b) How to generate ongoing learning and improvement. And c) How to move people into action without telling them what to do.” (quote from the handout)Multi-Sectoral Tools--Global Mental Health-Map (GMH-Map). We initiated this ongoing and collaborative project in 2011 as "A Global Map for a Global Movement" to research, organize, and share important GMH resources. The project seeks to further orient those involved in the health fields and other sectors--including mission and member care--to to the GMH domain. It includes three parts: a website, publications, and training. Two examples of recent resources on the website are the recent Church Mental Health Summit and the Toolkit for World Mental Health Day: Access to Services--Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies. Blog Post-- "Resources for Good Practice" is an excerpt of quotes included in chapter 12 of Global Member Care Volume 1. "Christian hope produces life-givers, not life-takers. The crucified Christ calls his people to live and die for their enemies, as he did. The only risks permitted by Christ are the perils of love. 'Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you' (Luke 6:27-28)." (excerpt from John Piper, A Call for Christian Risk)See these Member Care UpdatesMission Frontlines–A Couple’s Journey into Member Care-Mental Health (August 2022)Unreached Peoples: Reviewing and Renewing Our Roots (April 2019)Jesus Christ: The Lord of Member Care (September 2015)
News and Notes-- Love as Mission Motivator. Special theme , Mission Frontiers magazine (Nov 2025) -- International Day for the Abolition of Slavery (2 December)-- International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December)-- International Ant-Corruption Day (9 December)-- Human Rights Day (10 December)See our framework for engaging in the world as followers of Jesus Christ:Following Jesus Globally: Engaging the World through Global Integration, Lausanne Global Analysis (2020) and the expanded version (chapter 2) in Global Member Care Volume 3: Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course (2024). ----------------- Warm greetings, Kelly and Michèle   --See more resources on our MCA website and MCA Facebook page --Send us your ideas and resources for future MC Updates
--Forward to your colleagues and networksMCAresources@gmail.com
Featured Resources
Global Pearl: 12
Living Forever with Jesus Christ
 Image from cover of GMC 3
I am the resurrection and the life.
The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;
and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.
Do you believe this?
John 11:25-26
--------------- Resource One--Special Article
Wellbeing for All People and the Planet:
Into the Global Fray as Mental Health Professionals
Kelly O’Donnell and Michèle Lewis O’Donnell
Global Member Care Model: Missio Dei Domain (seven spheres) This special article consolidates a lot of our learning and messaging to our colleagues in member care and mental health in mission over the past 20+ years. It is especially oriented to Christian mental health professionals. We have written it as a supportive “macro model" to guide and goad colleagues who want to follow and serve Jesus Christ into the world's challenging issues and compelling opportunities. Published in Christian Psychology Around the World (Number 24, December 2025--pre-published version HERE).
Summary
"Christians whose faith-based values help shape and support their professional work, can connect and contribute to the growing efforts to promote wellbeing for all people and the planet. It updates and expands one of our foundational articles on MHPs and sustainable development (O’Donnell and Lewis O’Donnell, 2017). The article is also relevant for colleagues in other disciplines and sectors who want to include mental health perspectives and emphases in their work.
In Part One, we highlight three current and unprecedented global agendas to make our world a much better place, foremost being the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2015), followed by the World Health Organization’s Mental Health Action Plan (2013, updated 2021) and the United Nations One Humanity: Shared Responsibility (2016a). In Part Two, we present three frameworks to help inform MHPs’ involvement locally through globally: global integration, global mental health, and the missio Dei model of global member care. In Part Three, we finish with seven commitments, over 100 references with links, and 10 applications for reflection. We hope that the materials in this article can be practically used to support our lives and work as MHPs for God’s glory." (excerpts from the opening two paragraphs) See also: New and Old Treasures–Our Journey into the Missio Dei Frontiers, Member Care Update (February 2023).
 This podcast is the latest episode (December 2025) of Staying the Course in Member Care and Mission (STC). It is a 43-minute presentation done in 2023 as part of Keith and Rachel's work as coaches and trainers with Creative Results Management. Keith is also a joint author of chapter 18 in GMC 3--Caring for Mission Leaders Through Coaching: Good Practices in the Global South.
Overview: “If you influence others, then you are a leader. As leaders we want to impact our work, our families, and the world. Effective leaders don’t just tell people what to do. They help others discover answers for themselves. These leaders know that if you discover it, you own it. You will learn: a) How to help people gain clarity and confidence on their problems and goals. b) How to generate ongoing learning and improvement. And c) How to move people into action without telling them what to do.” (quote from the handout) See the handout HERE to interact with the presentation material. See also: Resiliency for Team Leaders, Member Care Update (May 2018).
Note--STC podcasts (video and audio versions) feature our interviews with and materials from several of the 50+ contributors in Global Member Care Volume 3 (GMC 3). GMC 3 is a collaborative book with 20 chapters full of stories and strategies, and reflections and resources from colleagues around the world. It is inspired by the vision to see member care further develop globally to support mission among all peoples.
STC Podcasts—Featuring GMC 3 Chapter Authors
--Overviewing Global Member Care Volume 3 (August 2024)
--Prioritizing Frontier People Groups (September 2024)
--Developing Member Care in Indonesia (October 2024)
--Mental Health as Mission–Trauma Training and Care (November 2024)
--A Team Model for Pastoral Coaching (December 2024)
--How Is Coaching Different? (July 2025)
--The Unseen Journey: 50 Years of Gospel Advancement (August 2025)
--Caring about Global Governance for the Sake of Human Flourishing (September 2025)
--Don't Call Your Kids 'World Changers' and One Simple Way to Bless TCKs (Oct 2025)
--Marriage: Conflict and Tools (November 2025)
--Three Skills to Maximize Your Leadership Impact (December 2025)
STC Podcasts—Featuring GMC 3 Consulting Editors
--Trauma and Tragedy on the Mission Field (January 2025)
--Trauma and Soul Care (February 2025)
--Sharing My Father with the World (March 2025)
--What We Wish Mission Workers Knew—Counselors' Perspectives (April 2025)
--Resilience, Trauma, and Post-Traumatic Growth (May 2025)
--Asia MC Network Conferences and the MC and Counseling Seminars (June 2025)
Resource Three--Multi-Sectoral Member Care
Global Mental Health-Map:
A Global Map for a Global Movement
Member Care Associates 
Global Mental Health-Map (GMH-Map). We initiated this ongoing and collaborative project in 2011 as "A Global Map for a Global Movement" to research, organize, and share important GMH resources. The project seeks to further orient those involved in the health fields and other sectors--including mission and member care--to the GMH domain. It includes three parts: a website, publications, and training. Two examples of recent resources on the website are the recent Church Mental Health Summit and the Toolkit for World Mental Health Day: Access to Services--Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.
GMH Defined
"GMH is a growing domain of study, research, and practice which promotes equitable mental health and wellbeing for all--locally through globally. It is international, interdisciplinary, culturally-relevant, and multi-sectoral; emphasizes the right to health and equity in health; encourages healthy behaviors and lifestyles; is committed to preventing and treating mental, neurological, and substance use conditions (MNS) especially for vulnerable populations (e.g., in settings of poverty, conflict, calamity, and trauma) and in low- and middle-income countries; and seeks to improve policies and programs; professional practices and research; advocacy and awareness; and social, structural, systemic, and environmental factors that affect mental health and wellbeing." Based on GMH: Collaborating for Sustainable Development and Wellbeing (2022). See also: Mental Health, Trauma, and Wellbeing: Pathways for Global Mental Health as Mission, Member Care Update (October 2021).
Global Member Care--12 Pearls
Twelve special blog posts to explore good practice I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven
from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband....
The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.
Revelation 21:21
Image from cover of GMC 1 This set of blog entries from 2011 explores member care by using brief quotes from the book, Global Member Care Volume 1: The Pearls and Perils of Good Practice (GMC 1). There is one excerpt from each of the book's 12 chapters. Each excerpt is like a huge pearl—a pearl gateway—that allows us to enter more fully into the global field of member care. Below are quotes from chapter 12 of GMC 1 (page 222). Pearl Twelve--Resources for Good Practice"Christian hope produces life-givers, not life-takers. The crucified Christ calls his people to live and die for their enemies, as he did. The only risks permitted by Christ are the perils of love. 'Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you' (Luke 6:27-28)." (page 208 in GMC 1, excerpt from John Piper, A Call for Christian Risk) "The air was filled with phantoms, wandering hither and thither in restless haste, and moaning as they went. Every one of them wore chains like Marley’s Ghost; some few (they might be guilty governments) were linked together; none were free. Many had been personally known to Scrooge in their lives. He had been quite familiar with one old ghost, in a white waistcoat, with a monstrous iron safe attached to its ankle, who cried piteously at being unable to assist a wretched woman with an infant, whom it saw below, upon a door-step. The misery with them all was, clearly, that they sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power for ever." (pages 217-218 in GMC 1, excerpt from Charles Dickens, Stave One in A Christmas Carol)
Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.
You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.
Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends!
The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.
Luke 12:31-32, The Message
Reflection and Discussion--Recall one aspect of your life/work that relates to the quote above.--Connect the above quote with a current international area that interests/concerns you.--Discuss the quote with colleagues.See also: Loving Truth, Peace, and People, Member Care Update (August 2024)
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
Member Care Associates
MCAresources@gmail.com
Member Care Associates Inc. (MCA) is a Christian non-profit organization working internationally and across sectors. We focus on personnel development for mission, humanitarian, development, and health workers and their organizations; global mental health; ethics and good practice; and integrity/anti-corruption. Our services include consultation, training, research, developing resources, and publications. MCA is shaped by the Global Integration framework and the Missio Dei model of global member care (updated in Global Member Care Volume 3 in 2024). ---------- Our Special News-Updates 1) promote the wellbeing and effectiveness (WE) of staff and their families and sending groups and 2) support the diversity of colleagues with member care responsibilities. The focus is on the mission sector with applications for/from the overlapping health, development, humanitarian, and other sectors. Global Integration (GI) is a framework for responsibly and actively engaging in our world--collaborating locally through globally for God's glory. It encourages connecting relationally and contributing relevantly on behalf of human wellbeing and the issues facing humanity, in light of our integrity and core values (e.g., ethical, humanitarian, human rights, faith-based). See more perspectives about GI HERE. |
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