It is vital that cross-cultural mission moves with the times and takes advantage of modern technology. When I went as a cross-cultural missionary to Taiwan in 1969, telephone calls back to the UK were rare and expensive – to be used only in an emergency or a matter of real importance. We used airmail letters. I say that knowing that some reading these words may not even know what an airmail letter is! Strange that a key means of communication in one generation may be unknown a couple of generations down the line. I doubt that any of my 8 grandchildren have any idea what they are. An airmail letter (for any who are puzzled) was a single sheet with a stamp already printed on it, that could be written on, folded, stuck closed and posted. A return message using that method – from Taiwan to the UK and back in 1969 – took two or three weeks! WhatsApp, messages, FaceTime, Zoom or whatever today takes two minutes or less!
PACTeams should be built out of this technology for every missionary. Two factors emerge. Communication is immediate. Secondly a PACTeam is willing and waiting for that communication and replies to it – either immediately or after prayer and consultation if a decision has to be made. Technology thus births improved missionary support.
What then is a PACTeam. It is a group of people in the sending country (not necessarily in the same sending church) who commit to offer personal (P) accountability (A) and care (C) to the missionary – and form a TEAM to do that. It is not selected randomly. The team will be made up of those who know and love the missionary or the missionary family and commit to support them in a variety of ways – in prayer, in logistics (e.g. where to stay on home furlough), by keeping their sending church updated on their news, by helping to monitor and report on their financial situation and in a number of other ways. The team can consist of anywhere from 5 to 12 people. But ideally, it’s best to start small and then add others as needed, so that the closeness of relationship is not lost.
Why is a PACTeam needed in addition to a sending ‘home’ church? Home churches can radically change over the years. New leadership can come in and alter the direction of the church or attitude to mission work positively or negatively. Sometimes this can lead to members leaving, or a church plant being set up, or even a church split. This can be a hugely distressing time for the missionary and their family, creating conflicting loyalties, wondering where their home base should be. With a PACTeam the chance of retaining the good ties that existed previously, with ways of forging new ties that will last in the new set up, are hugely increased.
A PACTeam gives strong and continuous support. A missions pastor may actually focus on local needs – Alpha etc – and thus have little time for those overseas. Again if the sending church has sent out a number of missionaries, the central church support may rarely connect with the individual missionary or their family. Out of sight, out of mind! There may be more than one sending church. The PACTeam will be particularly effective if comprised of friendships from the different churches giving a sense of unity as the PACTeam holds together the wider body of Christ in supporting the missionary. The PACTeam will be able to maintain good links with each of the churches. A PACTeam can thus give strong and continuous personal support which assists the role of the sending churches.
One final point. If the Lord calls the missionary to a new country, the PACTeam will move with him or her. They are supporting the person, not primarily the field that they’re working in. Of course, they would expect to be closely involved in the decision and the process of changing the location or field of service – that is a part of the prayer support, accountability and care that the team gives.
I am sure that if J. O. Fraser, with the spiritual warfare and personal loneliness that he faced, had had access to the technology that enables PACTeams today, then he would have been a pioneer in that field also!
