Culture shock, conflict, family struggles, burnout…
The list of challenges goes on.
Maybe you feel underprepared and unsure how to continue? Maybe you’re just worn out and need some fresh encouragement or support, or seeking answers on a specific issue?
You’ve come to the right place.
Orientation
Moving to another culture is a massive change, so the orientation season is all about arranging practicalities, adjusting and settling in.
Adjustment
Culture shock is real – and it’s tricky. Prepare yourself for the messy reality of it.
Settled
Connection
Returning
A Sender’s Role
Any fieldworker needs a great team of friends, family and colleagues supporting them. You have a huge part to play in ensuring their success. Check out what you can do to ensure your fieldworkers thrive!
- What your fieldworker needs from you now is continued encouragement and moral support.
- Often they will experience a honeymoon period of adjustment, which quickly passes as they realise the enormity of the challenge ahead.
- Continue the connection, reminding them how much everybody is celebrating but also missing them. Send encouraging words.
- It would be excellent if key members of the sending church undertook some basic cross-cultural training so that they can understand what the field worker is experiencing.
- They will then be equipped to recognise symptoms of culture shock and be able to encourage your mission partner with the words: ‘this is normal!’
- Ensure they know they have permission to be honest about their struggles.
- What a blessing when you start to see your mission partner finding their place in the new culture and functioning more effectively in the language.
- It has been such a LONG process for them to get to this point, so be sure and celebrate this as a ‘win’.
- Even now the ground may be hard and ‘results’ may take a long while to see. It is the Lord who will produce fruit in His time, so encourage the field worker to remain firm in Him and to persevere.
- Beware of bathtub syndrome – where interest in the missionary from those at home is only high at the beginning or end of their journey.
- Though they may be ‘out of sight’ keep them in mind! Stay in regular contact.
- The church must be proactive in coming alongside their mission partners, even at a distance
- Whenever a mission partner returns home, make plans to give them a resounding welcome! Be eager to hear reports from them.
- Allow them a buffer after the initial welcome to have some decompression time.
- Arrange a good debrief with a trained person, even if they don’t think they need one! This is a key to healthy processing of their experiences on the field.
- See our post-field resources for more details on what is next.
Get Equipped
Developing Leadership for Cross-Cultural Ministry
Mission thrives on cultivating leaders who embody the life and character of Jesus, the most effective figure in history who…
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
Thriving Across Borders
This course covers the major transitions that someone will make when crossing cultures. We delve into the typical transition points…
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Caring for Third Culture Kids
Currently in development, this exciting new course is created by our Dean of Studies, Ben Gilbert. British by birth, raised in India, with time living in Sri Lanka and the Middle East – the TCK experience is familiar to Ben, who is excited to share personal experiences, research and helpful insights for both TCKs, and those caring for them to thrive across cultures. Sign up to be notified when the course is released!
Building a Support Ecosystem
In this course, we examine the different dimensions of support that are needed for a successful cross-cultural experience or lifestyle….
Cross-cultural marriage
The Antioch Factor
Jacob’s Encounters with God – Sermon
This sermon was given by Ross Paterson at Holy Trinity Cheltenham on August 16, 2020. This sermon is shorter than…
Unwrapping the TCK Experience
It was fantastic to welcome a good crowd from around the globe to launch our latest course, Caring for TCKs….
Zechariah gets a second chance | Luke 1
Ross shares from in Luke 1 about Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and stresses that our God is…
Missionary to the UK: Reuben Inwe
Our interview with Reuben Inwe is a fascinating one. His own story of encountering the Lord on a bus in…
Four questions from Jonah 4
Ross talks of Jonah’s battle with the Lord in Jonah 4 and how that relates to us today.
5 Lessons Joseph Teaches About God and His Plans for Our Lives
Ross Paterson’s message, recorded at Bread of Life International Church. He encourages us with five lessons from one of his…
How Is Your Prayer Life?
Summary: Ross shares from Luke 18 on the battle and the potential of prayer.
Self-care for God’s Servants
FieldPartner was proud to host ‘Self-care for God’s Servants’, an excellent presentation from Tony Horsfall. ‘Self-care for God’s Servants’ asked the…
Repurposing Your Experience with Geoff & Jackie Bishop
Geoff and Jackie Bishop were missionaries for many years in Burundi, central Africa. In this interview, they share the events…
A Heart for the Unreached with Dr Mary Ho
Dr Mary Ho serves as the International Executive Leader of All Nations International, a global Christian missions organization. In this current…
Resolution #7 – Praying Through Important News Items
This week we look at the seventh of Chuck Lawless’ 10 Cross-Cultural Mission related New Year’s Resolutions. Even if we…
My Tribute, and Debt to, George Verwer
George Verwer died on April 14th, as I write only 8 short days ago. John Piper said that George’s “personal…
An Unusual Scottish Missionary: William Burns
William Chalmers Burns (宾惠廉) lived from 1815-1868. A fellow missionary said after his death that “all China knows him; he…
Resolution Number 3 – Pray For An Unreached People Group
The third of Chuck Lawless’ ten New Year’s Resolutions, all of which relate to cross-cultural mission, says: “I will learn…
J. O. Fraser – Missionaries are still needed!
In the attached clip, I share three compelling reasons why missionaries are still needed in our world today. I mention…
Will History Repeat Itself?
Six years ago a team of Christians (mostly young people) from a Western country visited a major Asian country to connect…
Do You Agree? – Easter Week Pt 11
This is part of our Easter week series from Ross Paterson’s daily devotional Facebook post. Like our page to keep up with…
Fruit From a Dark Valley – Adoniram Judson – Pt 4
Read the first three blogs on Adoniram Judson: Part 1 – The Struggle Part 2 – A Marriage Made in Heaven?…
Missionaries And Loneliness
“When James Gilmour sailed for China in 1870 aged twenty-seven, “it was a lonely task that awaited him – the…
Sallie Holmes & the Work of The Holy Spirit in Mission
In the light of Pentecost Sunday, I want to outline an unusual example of the Holy Spirit’s power and provision…