Expectations in Mission

Issue 15 Editor: Rob Hay

What are the expectations of twenty first century missionaries in training?  Is it legitimate to have expectations? 

Through a specially commissioned research study amongst missionaries in training, we have sought to explore how mission and missionaries are changing and in particular what are their hopes, fears, expectations and concerns as they prepare to enter mission.

We have six subject focused articles:

• Where have all the heroes gone?
• When workload takes its toll.
• Maintaining discipleship on the mission field.
• Wholly available - flexibility and service.
• Supporting mission - multiple parties & many gaps.
• Developing gifts and skills.
  

These articles examine the findings of the research and present dramatic, interesting and sometimes puzzling issues.  The writers come from three different generations, the survey participants, from four - the views expressed are diverse and often the conclusions are too.  This issue has the potential to ignite a debate and we hope it will, but more than that we hope it will help us all to understand that mission and missionaries are ever changing to meet appropriately the context of the day in which they live. 

How well we understand the needs and expectations of missionaries will dictate how effective we are as stewards of the missionary endeavour in our lifetime.

• Editorial:  New wine poses a challenge to the wineskins.  (Rob Hay, 995 words)
  
  
• Article 1:  Where have all the heroes gone?  (Rob Hay, 1805 words)
  
  
• Article 2:  Stress and mission: When workload takes its toll. (Sarah Hay, 2965 words)
  
  
• Article 3:  Maintaining discipleship on the mission field. (Tim Davy, 2178 words)
  
  
• Article 4:  Wholly available?  Flexibility and service.  (Rosemary Foster, 2132 words) 
  
  
• Article 5:  Supporting mission: The relationship between missionary, sending organisation, sending church and individual supporters.  (Mike Frith, 3090 words)
  
  
• Article 6:  Developing gifts and skills.  (Dr Jonathan Ingleby, 1908 words) 
  
  
  
• Book Review 1:  Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories and Synthetic Cultures  (By Gert Jan Hofstede, Paul B. Pedersen and Geert Hofstede; Intercultural Press)
  
  
• Film Review 1:  Monsoon Wedding 
  (Directed By Mira Nair)

And finally, a single PDF of the whole issue.  Ideal for using offline or to make printing easier. 

• Issue 15:  Single Document Version (in full).
  (File size: 311kb)

Read what others are thinking on the Discussion Board.  Use the Voice your comments form to add to the debate.

Please Note: The views expressed in articles are those of their authors
and do not necessarily reflect the position of Redcliffe College.