Member Care Updates Expanding the global impact of member care
Working together for wellbeing and effectiveness
Special News--March 2025Global Pearl: 3Being Loved by 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 (#191) we continue 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 ResourcesBook--Serving as Senders--Today by Neal PiroloThis foundational and widely used book, translated into 20 languages, describes how to practically care for mission workers throughout their ministry. The updated and expanded version (2011) includes examples of how the books Biblical principles are being applied around the world.Podcast--Sharing My Father with the World, interview with Michael PollockThis recent interview by Rhoda Bangerter (Holding Down the Fort Abroad po dcast) explores how "[g]rowing up as the child of a minister and a father who was also actively involved in cross-cultural work,..shaped Michael's perspective, giving him an appreciation for the importance of his father's work while also highlighting the personal cost of his absence during key moments of his upbringing.”Ministry Tools--Weekly Roundup and 7 Days of Prayer by Justin LongThese two weekly updates are a superb way to stay focused on unreached peoples. “The Free Weekly Roundup is a collection of 70+ links to events that occurred this week and impacted the unreached. It’s published every Friday...The 7 Days of Prayer is a Sunday prayer guide, with 7 prayer requests (1 per day) distilled from this week’s Roundup.”Blog Post--Embracing Future Directions by Kelly O'Donnell"The member care field therefore, while maintaining its core focus on supporting the diversity of mission/aid personnel, must expand into new international and cross-sector areas. We will need courage to face new challenges...[and] a solid, practical theology that sees God at work throughout the variety of human efforts…around the world." See these Member Care Updates Loving Our Mission Workers–Staying the Course in the Missio Dei (May 2022)Unreached Peoples: Reviewing and Renewing Our Roots (April 2019)Jesus Christ—The Lord of Member Care (September 2015)
News and NotesWorld Watch List 2025--Advocacy Report , Open Doors. "This year’s research has found that more than 380 million Christians around the world face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. If 1 in 7 Christians, according to the World Watch List, are facing high levels of opposition [then] how many other faith groups are also affected?" (page 3) 8th Asian Member Care Network Consultation with the theme “Ministry and Sacrifice–Sustainable Service” in Penang, Malaysia (7-11 April 2025)
The International Society of Frontier Missiology (ISFM) focuses on people groups with no progress and/or no engagement--the "frontier mission task." It is shifting into an interactive discussion forum, including online consultations and with their International Journal of Frontier Missiology becoming an online journal (all free). Sign up HERE to be members of the ISFM.See also: Following Jesus Globally: Engaging the World through Global Integration, Lausanne Global Analysis (2020) and the expanded version, Following and Serving Jesus Globally: A Framework for Engaging with Our World (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: 3
Being Loved by Jesus Christ
 Image from cover of GMC 3 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in my love.
John 15:9
--------------- Resource One--Special Book
Serving as Senders--Today by Neal Pirolo
 This foundational and widely used book, translated into 20 languages, describes how to practically care for mission workers throughout their ministry. The updated and expanded version (2011) includes examples of how the books Biblical principles are being applied around the world.
See also: Sender Care for Our Workers Around the World, Member Care Update (December 2019) which features the work of Neal and Yvonne Pirolo and Emmaus Road International.
 The Staying the Course in Mission and Member Care podcast (STC) featured for March 2025 is an interview with Michael Pollock (GMC 3 consulting editor). It was done by Rhoda Bangerter for her podcast, Holding the Fort Abroad (September 2024).
"Growing up as the child of a minister and a father who was also actively involved in cross-cultural work, had a profound impact on Michael. His father's frequent travels for youth ministry, pastoral duties, and later, more global roles in raising awareness about Third Culture Kids, created a complex dynamic in their family life. While there was a sense of pride and recognition in the meaningful work his father did, it also brought challenges. Michael reflects on the mixed emotions of having to "share" his father with others, often feeling that it wasn't a choice but a necessity. This experience shaped Michael's perspective, giving him an appreciation for the importance of his father's work while also highlighting the personal cost of his absence during key moments of his upbringing. This insightful podcast highlights the complexities of mobile family dynamics and the importance of attachment theory in understanding the experiences of TCKs. Key takeaways...” (quote from the interview synopsis)
See also: Spotlight on Interaction International, TCKs/Families, Member Care Update (October 2020) featuring the work of Michael Pollock and including the jointly authored book, Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds (3rd Ed. 2017) Michael serves as Executive Director of Daraja which focuses on providing and collaborating for TCK care in the USA and globally.
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 (GMH 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.
Going Further
STC Podcasts 2024--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)
STC Podcasts 2025--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)
Resource Three--Special Tool
Weekly Roundup and 7 Days of Prayer by by Justin Long
"I monitor trends in the 10/40 Window, set them in context of history, and try to estimate how much of it really impacts the unreached, and what it might mean to them and the spread of the Gospel and the Kingdom.” Thank you Justin!
Justin's two weekly updates are a superb way to stay focused on unreached peoples. “The Free Weekly Roundup is a collection of 70+ links to events that occurred this week and impacted the unreached. It’s published every Friday (see a Preview)...The 7 Days of Prayer deomai (Greek for ‘beseech the Lord of the Harvest’) is a Sunday prayer guide, with 7 prayer requests (1 per day) distilled from this week’s Roundup.” See also: Global Trends–Applications for Mission and Member Care, Member Care Update (March 2021). "In this Update we focus on examples of perspectives and priorities...from various sectors (part one) and mission/member care sources (part two). We do this with a view towards...[considering] the challenges and opportunities for seeing the good news and good works going forward among all nations and peoples (part three)."
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. 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. Challenging and relevant!Pearl Three--Embracing Future Directions"The need for [both foundational and future resources—the old and the new] must also take into account the significant shifts in demographics among the world’s 2.1 billion “affiliated Christians,” especially the growing majority of Christians in/from the diverse Global South(s) and the proportional decline in Christians in/from the diverse Global North(s) (Corwin, 2010; Johnson and Kim, 2006). These [resources] must also support the efforts to resolutely and responsibly deal with the world’s greatest problems, including the need to eradicate poverty (e.g., the 910 million urban slum dwellers), provide universal education, promote gender equality, combat HIV/AIDS, foster environmental sustainability, etc. [Note the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030 and the UN Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015)]."
"The member care field therefore, while maintaining its core focus on supporting the diversity of mission/aid personnel, must expand into new international and cross-sector areas. Each of us for example, would do well to stay current with at least one related health area and/or global issue that we are particularly passionate about (including organizations, practitioners, resources etc. related to the area/issue). We will need courage to face new challenges to enhance human well-being and combat evil in its many forms. And we will need a solid, practical theology that sees God at work throughout the variety of human efforts…around the world." (quotes from page 54)Reflection and Discussion
--Recall one aspect of your life/work that relates to the quote above.
--Have a go at connecting the above quote with a current international area that interests/concerns you.
--Discuss the quote with colleagues.
See also: Go for It! Building Our Future Foundations Now! Member Care Update (March 2017). This Update features a trio of articles we have recently done that provide "directional tools to help us build our 'future foundations'...into the heart of Jesus Christ for all people. We [also include] some...special encouragement from Lareau Lindquist’s book, Too Soon to Quit...'and a personal anecdote involving George Verwer. Go for it! --------------------- 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 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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