Journeys into the Missio Dei

Journeys into the Missio Dei
(January-March 2026)

A Trio of Podcasts by Kelly O'Donnell

We feature three presentations in which Kelly shares about his intentional and collabortive ventures into the missio Dei, exploring global integrity, global mental health, and global integration. "Missio Dei is an inclusive term that represents God’s vast redemptive work in the world—the overall mission of God on behalf of humanity. Theologically, at the core of all we do is the message and work of Jesus Christ, whom we understand to be the world’s only true and blessed hope, and whose gracious salvation is proclaimed and whose virtuous character is to be embodied by the Church. [The missio Dei permeates all seven spheres of the] expanded model of global member care [and] continues to emphasize Jesus Christ at the core of member care, including our relationship with Him, member care/mission workers serving Him, and His love for all people." Going and Growing Together Among All Peoples, Introduction to Global Member Care Volume 3 (2024) (page xxviii).

January 2026--Episode 18: A Psychologist's Journey into Global Integrity (video interview of Kelly O'Donnell by Manfred Kohl) (17 minutes). Lausanne-WEA Global Integrity Network Conference, "Integrity and Anti-Corruption on the Frontlines" (30 April 2022). See also the written summary of the  Reflections and Resources for the Interview. Key article: O’Donnell, K. & Lewis O’Donnell, M. (March, 2018). A summons to a global integrity movement: Fighting self-deception and corruption. Lausanne Global Analysis, 7(2). Going further: See chapter 12 in GMC 3, Being a Prophetic Voice in Mission: Living in Integrity and Confronting Corruption, by Kelly and Michele O'Donnell.

February 2026--Episode 19:  Global Mental Health in the Missio Dei: Seven Foundations and  Directions (video, 18 minutes; the password to access the video is: +$EH?B1z -- see minutes 30'45"-49'30; note that the first 50 minutes of this class presentations incudes two other colleagues sharing about their fascinating and challenging backgrounds/journeys into Global Mental Health). Power point HERE. Key article: O'Donnell, K., Eaton, J., & Lewis O'Donnell, M. Global mental health: Collaborating for sustainable development and wellbeing. In M. E. Congress, D. Meister, S. Osborn, & H. Takooshian (Eds.). (2022). Behavioral Science in the Global Arena--Volume Two: Global Mental, Spiritual, and Social Health (pp. 3-21). Information Age Publishing. Going further: See chapter 10 in GMC 3, Mental Health as Mission: Our Journey into Trauma Training and Care, by Emily Hervey and Dean Mellerstig.

March 2026--Episode 20: Global Integration: My Journey into the Missio Dei Frontiers (video, 30 minutes plus Q and A), EMS-ISFM Conference--Reconciliation: God's Mission through Missions for All (EMS) and Frontier Mission in an Emergent World (ISFM) (8 October 2022). Power point with notes HERE. Key article: O’Donnell, K. & Lewis O’Donnell, M. (January 2020). Following Jesus globally: Engaging the world through Global Integration. Lausanne Global Analysis, 9(1). Note the expanded version in Global Member Care Volume 3 (2024, chapter 2), Following and Serving Jesus Globally: A Framework for Engaging with Our World, by Kelly and Michele O'Donnell. Going further: See chapter 3 in GMC 3, Into the Missio Dei: Promoting Wellbeing for All People and the Planet, by David and Charlotte Johnston.

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Staying the Course
in Member Care and Mission

Podcast Series

Hosted by Kelly and Michèle O'Donnell

This podcast series features several of the authors and consulting editors in Global Member Care Volume 3 (GMC 3)--Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course (2024). Member care focuses on the wellbeing and effectiveness of staff and includes their families and sending organizations. The podcast hosts, consulting psychologists Kelly and Michèle O'Donnell, interview and feature material from several of this volume's 55 contributors to explore member care in mission frontiers, regions, sectors, and good practice. They also consider the many challenges and opportunities for member care in the future. And the book contributors share about what  helps them to stay the course in member care and mission!

You can access all 24 episodes on the Podcast site HERE 

(monthly August 2024-July 2026).

Warm greetings from France.

Michèle and Kelly