Dear Pastors,
You may have heard that Southern Baptist’s International Mission Board is reducing missionary personnel and staff by 600-800 by the end of this year, transition to happen in 2016, due to budget shortfalls. You can read about the details at here, in Baptist Press, or The Pathway article in the September 8th issue. I am lobbying for other approaches, but for now this is the reality.
While I have opinions and concerns about the totality of the issue, my purpose for writing is as follows:
1) Encourage our churches to increase their giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year.
2) I’d like for us to prayerfully consider in BRKC offering the following assistance to returning missionaries from the field:
A. Temporary housing and assistance while they seek new employment and ministries.
Many missionaries returning unexpectedly will need real assistance in the form of housing, referrals, and financial assistance. Many won’t have the funds for a down payment on a home or car, many don’t own anything in the states, and a total reboot and restart in the States is financially difficult. Providing housing for six months to a year rent free would be a huge help while they look for future work or ministry. So, asking members to consider providing rental properties they own for returning missionaries and the church itself renting something would be what we are seeking. I will also check with Christian camps to see if temporary housing could be worked out there also.
If we can publicize via email and social media that we have X number of churches willing and able to assist with housing, our office would facilitate receiving requests from missionaries, corresponding, and liasoning with churches for preparations so the missionaries and receiving churches have “one stop shopping”—one place coordinating the effort and placement. After we received commitments from churches to make housing and potentially other assistance available, we would then provide an online application for missionaries to express their need, and then try to match them to a church/property that fits…at least as many as we are able to take.
If you’re thinking, what about the missionary furlough homes we already have? Obviously if your church already has such and it’s not reserved already beginning spring of 2016 then great. But most of our churches do not, and several more homes or apartments could potentially be needed.
B. Transportation
These missionaries will also need transportation. If your church is willing to lease a vehicle, ask members to donate cars, or simply loan a vehicle to returning missionaries for six months or so, please consider asking your church members for that as well.
C. Encouragement
Gift cards, notes of encouragement, and prayer support, by name and family. We will provide names and contact as soon as possible. Their decisions whether to take voluntary retirement offer have to be made by December with transition planning in early 2016 so I will let you know as soon as we can know who might be coming our way.
D. Counseling
Leaving the mission field unexpectedly is a real and deep loss. It’s a grief process. There is hurt involved as well. And offering and making available counseling for missionaries and their family (if pertinent) would help many constructively deal with this grief, hurt and loss. It would be wonderful to offer this, cost free, to our returning missionaries during their transition time.
Please respond to Jennifer in our office at [email protected] and put RETURNING MISSIONARIES in the subject line.
Thank you for your consideration,
These are some great ideas! Thank you for your post.
My parents are among those who are being asked to consider early retirement and I know how very difficult this time is for them and others in the same situation. I want you to know that I really appreciate these thoughts on how to help these missionaries, and hope that other churches will be moved to do likewise. These are all very good, helpful, practical and encouraging suggestions. I know that being ministered to in this way will make all the difference in the world to our missionaries.
I have a ministry called Freshstart ministry. I provide job attire clothing for job interviews and employment. If ANYONE has this need or would need resources for there specific need . Please have them feel free to contact me for mentoring and get a Freshstart. God bless
Praying that churches & individuals will help these missionaries in every way possible during this difficult time. Also that donations to the Lottie Moon Christmas offering, which goes to fund international missions, will increase to fund the spreading of God’s word.
Bless you all. It breaks my heart to hear this. Many missions are struggling right now. These are great ideas for support and I know I would be greatly encouraged to know that people are looking out for me after having dedicated my life to serving on the mission field. Thank you for this care shared. If anyone is looking for other ministry to serve in, we at Covenant Players a christian drama miniistry is always looking for people. please check out our website: wwwcovenantplayers.org
I’m a Missouri girl who is living overseas and who has been asked to give the Father a blank check and consider if we should remain on the field. Thank you for seeking to take these practical, generous and very needed steps for our brothers and sisters. I’m so thankful the Father is meeting these real needs through His church. It’s a huge encouragement to us!
Thank you so much for offering these practical helps to missionaries that are considering early retirement. While we are not yet old enough to be eligible for this offer, we are being asked to consider if God is calling us to leave the field. Honestly, it’s a very hard step to take when we’ve been overseas for 18 years. All we have in the US is a few boxes of memorabilia stored at a relative’s home. It is really difficult to clearly hear God’s voice when there is so much at stake. It’s hard to imagine packing up suitcases and boxes, moving half way around the world, and being unsure of where to live and work. In our case, we also have two children, ages 15 and 13. If we were to return to the US we would need to pick a place and continue educating our children, though we likely wouldn’t know where our job would eventually take us…that’s a pretty scary step. Please pray for us as we seek God’s direction and trust Him to provide all that we need.