What does it look like for churches and mission agencies to work together to care well for missionaries? In this episode of Missions Talk, Ryan Robertson, Mack Stiles, and Tim Hamer discuss a church-centered approach to missionary member care, exploring the distinct roles of sending churches, receiving churches, and mission agencies.

Topics Discussed

02:00 – What Is Missionary Member Care?
How Reaching and Teaching approaches proactive, church-centered soul care.

04:00 – A Team Approach to Member Care
Why integrating member care with regional leadership helps missionaries thrive.

07:00 – How Sending Churches Can Care Well
The importance of asking questions, understanding needs, and partnering with agencies.

10:20 –The Role of Receiving Churches
Why local churches on the field are often best equipped to respond to missionaries’ needs.

14:17 – Resources for Caring for Missionaries
Recommended books to help churches provide thoughtful, biblical missionary care.

17:25 – Keeping the Church Central
How agencies can resist replacing the local church as the primary source of spiritual care.

21:43 – Building Trust Through Clear Communication
Why missionaries should know from the beginning how agencies and sending churches will communicate.

24:30 – Common Struggles on the Mission Field
Navigating unmet expectations, team conflict, loneliness, illness, and language learning.

27:30 – Understanding Authority in Missionary Care
Distinguishing the responsibilities of sending churches, receiving churches, and agencies.

31:35 – Caring for Missionaries on Home Assignment
Practical ways churches can provide rest, hospitality, and support for missionary families.

36:03 – Preparing for Crises Before They Happen
Why clear policies and trusted relationships matter when missionaries face hardship.

38:10 – Building Relationships That Last
How sending churches provide ongoing care, even when missionaries leave the field.

40:44 – The Importance of Healthy Churches Abroad
Why missionaries should be meaningfully involved in the life and membership of local churches on the field.

Recommended Resources

Missions: How the Local Church Goes Global by Andy Johnson
Holding the Rope: How the Local Church Cares for Its Sent Ones by Ryan Martin
The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life by Jeremy Pierre
Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing by Jonathan Leeman
Understanding Church and Mission Agency Partnerships by Blaine Boyd