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
Cross-cultural marriage
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….
Growing in Cultural Intelligence
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!
The Antioch Factor
Ross Paterson presents a stark choice that no Christian or church can avoid making – whether we become a Jerusalem…
Calling – Who? What? Why?
In the church, there exists a widespread misconception that only “exceptional Christians” receive a “proper” calling from God. The truth,…
Know Thyself
This course explores the concept of understanding ourselves within the context of our own cultures. Before delving into how we…
The Antioch Factor
What on earth is mission?
Ross looks at 2 famous verses from the New Testament – Matt 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8 – and asks a…
Joseph #7: Blessing or Obedience or Both?
The final in this 7-part series on Joesph, Ross looks at the important balance between God’s sovereign grace and empowerment…
Interview with Christine Paterson
Christine Paterson Interview Co-founder Christine Paterson tells us about her life on the mission field from her childhood in Africa…
Overcoming Challenges with Alan and Jan Kilpatrick
Alan and Jan Kilpatrick have lived a wide-ranging and varied life in ministry and mission, most recently serving in Mozambique….
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…
The importance of learning the local language – Barry and Rowena McNight
Rowena and Barry McKnight have been missionaries for many years in Thailand. In this insightful interview into their years of…
Seven Lessons From Job About Values
Ross shares lessons from the book of Job that help us to walk through the hard and puzzling times in…
The TCK Experience with Ruth Van Reken
Christine interviews Ruth Van Reken, member care expert and world-renowned co-author with Dave Pollock of bestseller ‘Third Culture Kids‘. Learn…
Mission Kid to Pioneer with Brad Thurston
Check out Globe Mission here. See our other partners. A fascinating interview with Brad Thurston, one of the early collaborators…
Joseph #3: Learning in God’s School of Faithfulness
In this third talk on the life of Joseph, Ross looks at Joseph through the lens of three vital principles…
Resolution #9 – Follow Your Pastor…. To The Ends Of The Earth!
We come to the last two of Chuck Lawless’ 10 Mission related New Year’s resolutions. Resolution number 9 states: “I…
We Need Mrs K, Mrs W and Mrs J Today
Last week, in talking about J O Fraser, my final comment was as follows: “Fraser highly valued the prayer support of…
George Stott – A One-Legged Scottish Missionary to China
George Stott (1835-1889) was a British Protestant Christian missionary to China with the China Inland Mission. When Stott arrived in…
Four Lessons From the Life Of Adoniram Judson – Pt 3
Read Part 1 – The Struggle Read Part 2 – A Marriage Made in Heaven? Three weeks ago I looked at…
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…
The Struggle – Adoniram Jason – Pt 1
Adoniram Judson (1788-1850) was an American missionary who served in Burma (Myanmar) for almost forty years. When Judson began his…
Bernie May – Christmas In The Amazon Jungle.
It was only a few days before Christmas. Bernie May, a pilot for Wycliffe Bible Translators, had successfully delivered emergency…
J. O. Fraser – Investing In The Locals
This week we are looking at William Carey’s simple Master Plan: “Send forth as many native preachers…
Loren Cunningham – The Man Who Deregulated Christian Missions
Loren Cunningham (1935-2023) became the first missionary to go to every nation in the world with the last country visited…
Article 7 – Part 2 of the Serampore Agreement
What happens after they believe in Jesus? Here we see the extraordinary level of care that Carey and his colleagues…