GMC 3 Endorsements

Global Member Care Volume 3
Endorsements Written in 2024

John Barklay

"More than three decades ago, the O’Donnells were amongst a handful of mission member care pioneers who paved the way for major improvements in the care and wellbeing of Christians serving cross-culturally. Two decades ago, Doing Member Care Well: Perspective and Practices from Around the World (2002) was a ground-breaking resource that significantly impacted member care for workers in both the Global South and the Global North.

Throughout these previous decades, the world has become increasingly full of complicated challenges. Many of these challenges are addressed in the previous two volumes of the Global Member Care series (The Pearls and Perils of Good Practice, 2011 and Crossing Sectors for Serving Humanity, 2013). They continue to be emphasized within the broad scope of the four parts of this third volume, Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course: mission frontiers, regional issues, sector involvements, and good practice. I am also encouraged to note how the range of backgrounds and nationalities in this book’s over 50 contributors reflects the dramatic demographic shift to the Global South for Christianity and cross-cultural mission. I believe this volume will stimulate a more representative and hence global member care including additional research and writing by colleagues in the Global South and translations of its chapters.

Global Member Care Volume 3 is a timely addition to the valuable member care resources from the O’Donnells over the years. Its broad scope and breadth of contributors can greatly benefit those member care workers from the Global South whose need for such resources is great. As one whose focus for the past three decades has been in caring for children (especially Asian MKs/TCKs) and families serving cross-culturally, I believe there is an undeniable nexus between cross-cultural workers “staying the course” if the family and their children are cared for intentionally and holistically. I am pleased to know that many of the authors include and even mainstream these areas in their chapters. I am very grateful for this collaborative effort, and I highly recommend it!”

John Barclay, DMin

Asian MK/TCK advocate, Melbourne, Australia

Cristian Castro

 “Over the years, Kelly and Michèle O'Donnell have made valuable contributions to COMIBAM and to the mission movement in Ibero-America. Their member care articles, research, and books are strategic tools in our hands, supporting the growth and maturity in caring for our mission workers around the world. I am sure that Global Member Care Volume 3 will likewise have a strong impact on our mission movement in our commitment to responsibly support our staff. I am very encouraged to see the seriousness and scope of the topics covered by the book’s many authors. I highly recommend this book to pastors, mission leaders, and everyone who is involved in sending and caring for mission workers. Thank you, Kelly, and Michèle! It will be great to see this material in Spanish and Portuguese too!”

Cristian Castro

Executive Director, Cooperación Misionera Iberoamericana (COMIBAM)

Howard Dueck

“A heart-felt thank you to the O’Donnells for this timely and strategic addition to the Global Member Care series. Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course aptly expresses the heart and direction of this third volume: staying true to the member care calling to support mission workers who are imparting the gospel of Jesus Christ incarnationally (1 Thessalonians 2:8) in culturally relevant ways; and doing so among all peoples, especially the least reached. A chorus of over 40 authors, including many from the global south, offers practical insights and tools that can be studied and adapted throughout the growing global mission movement. The book’s diverse contributions extend into the care of staff in other overlapping sectors, including Christian staff in the humanitarian, development, human rights, and health sectors. It is a timely, strategic compilation to further establish member care more globally and to take it further into mission frontiers.”

Howard Dueck, MA Biblical Counseling

Founding director of Member Care, TeachBeyond 

Graham Fawcett

“Yet again Kelly and Michèle O’Donnell have brought together an impressive array of thought leaders in member care and mission to give valuable updates and point to the future. This book updates the reader on the practical applications of the thinking, both theological and psychosocial, that inform good member care practice. Some core features of this splendid collection of chapters is addressing contextual issues such as geographic region and culture, the challenges of dealing with tough global issues ranging from human trafficking to climate change, and linking member care strategies to the UN sustainable development goals and to human rights. At the heart of the collection is a commitment to integrate different fields and disciplines with member care and mission (and vice versa). A noteworthy example is the chapter exploring how the emerging field of International Psychology is relevant for cross-cultural ministry.

The Introduction is also of enormous value, giving the reader both a current overview of the field and insights into the development of member care over the last 35 years. The book builds on the lessons that have been learned over many decades through research and experience and this bolsters the historical continuity and sustainability of the field.

Academically solid and highly practical, this is core reading for member care managers and strategic mission thinkers, member care practitioners and trainers, and colleagues working in the field trenches and academic towers. The reach of this volume extends beyond member care to also support strategic thinking in missiology and development practice.”

Graham Fawcett

Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Thrive Worldwide

Fayez Ishak

“During my extended years in ministry in the Middle East, I have come to realize that one of the chronic challenges in missions is member care.  Mission work is expanding in the region, with more indigenous workers finding their calling and local sending bodies learning in the process how to minister effectively in our challenging settings. 

Indigenous mission leaders and workers in the region have benefited from the member care tools and experiences shared by many colleagues from around the world including Kelly and Michèle O’Donnell. Their third book in the Global Member Care series, “Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course,” promises to be another valuable resource to promote quality member and faithful service for everyone called to missions. I am especially appreciative of the emphasis on supporting mission workers in difficult territories among the least reached peoples and places.”

Fayez Ishak

Founder, Bridges of Hope, Egypt

Todd Johnson

“This volume, with over 50 authors and consulting editors from around the world, reflects the maturing member care movement. The diversity of its content and contributors is a clear sign that two aspects of global mission are more fully appreciated than in the past. First, the shift of Christianity to the global south (now two thirds of all Christians), is reflected in both who needs member care and who is providing it. Second, integral mission, emphasizing both proclamation and demonstration, is highlighted throughout. This volume is forward-looking and paves the way for the wellbeing of future generations of Christian workers around the world. Well done Drs. O’Donnell and colleagues!”

Todd M. Johnson

Co-director, Center for the Study of Global Christianity, Gordon-ConwellTheological Seminary

Gladys Mwiti

“The O’Donnells excel in producing books that rally together the mission and member care community across the globe. This latest volume—a collaborative gem with over 50 international authors and consulting editors–is especially relevant as a multicultural training resource for sending churches, sending agencies, and member care workers themselves. The need for culturally relevant and comprehensive, quality member care continues to be crucial as mission workers increasingly come from all over the world and go to all parts of the world, including places of great need and great risk. I encourage you to choose several chapters in Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course for reflection and discussion with colleagues. Consider how the materials can be used to positively impact the health and resilience of your mission workers and their families and teams. This exceptional volume is an example of how member care practice will be enriched and ministry among unreached peoples and places will be strengthened as we learn from each other and embrace our diversity in global mission. (171 words)

Gladys K. Mwiti, PhD

Consulting Clinical Psychologist and Trauma Specialist, Founder and CEO of Oasis Africa

Pramila Rajendran

“Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course brings together great insights from many colleagues across the globe on providing and developing member care. Once again Kelly and Michèle have given us a collaborative gemstone towards a better understanding of global member care.

Collectively, the over 50 authors and consulting editors emphasize the importance of cultural diversity and the increasing role and influence of the Global South in our world, mission, and member care. The stories, strategies, and extensive list of resources offer helpful guidance to work in cross-cultural settings locally or internationally.  In addition, and guided by the book’s missio Dei model, we are encouraged to engage in worldwide challenges and opportunities at that lie at the forefront of mission and member care.

This book is a must for everyone in missions including those involved in NGOs and academic institutions, as they seek to holistically care for themselves, fellow staff, and colleagues. Good member care, as this book communicates so clearly, plays a central role in taking the Good News from everywhere to everywhere!”

Pramila Rajendran, PhD

Miila Consulting, India

Gisela Roth

“While several pioneers such as Dr. Marjory Foyle got the member care movement rolling in the 1980s and 1990s, it was Drs. Kelly O’Donnell and Michèle Lewis O’Donnell that especially helped to systematize our thinking and collaborative practice for member care. Over the past four decades they have continuously looked at member care through the microscope to sharpen our focus on specific topics and issues and through a telescope to place it into the wider context of global issues and mission frontiers. While never losing the focus of bringing the gospel to all peoples, they emphasize implementing holistic ministry as part of the discipleship process. Their newest volume, Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course, continues this strategic focus. Further, as they have always been networkers, they bring together the written contributions from dozens of member care colleagues from both the Global South and Global North. This volume makes me eager to start reading it and reflecting on how member care practices, from the individual through systemic levels, can become “more global.”

Dr. Gisela Roth

DMG, Tumaini Counseling Centre, Member Care Psychiatrist, Kenya and Germany

Ruth Van Reken

“Stories and Strategies for Staying the Course beautifully blends the foundational and the new as it builds upon the past and into the future for good member care practice. In addition to acknowledging and affirming our differences, the book highlights how our relationships and care for one another can transcend our differences when we begin with “Master care” as the common core. This is the transformative reality—being the beloved children of our Beloved Lord—underlying the book’s content and messages for respecting and learning from each other across actual or potential divides. It is the basis for true inclusion and human rights in today’s world. And it is the basis for “doing member care well.” I encourage the diversity of people in mission and member care--including Christians working across sectors--to read, discuss, and apply its rich and relevant contents to support healthy and effective mission workers among all peoples.”

Winter sisters—from the Foreword

“As our parents [Ralph and Roberta Winter] took up the challenge of redirecting mission efforts to unreached people groups (UPGs), they increasingly recognized how hard it was for mission workers to survive and thrive in these settings.  UPGs had no indigenous fellowship of believers capable of reaching their own and hence were devoid of national brothers and sisters with whom to partner for ministry and mutual support. As the nascent member care field was emerging, our parents came to deeply value the research and work of two of its earliest pioneers, Kelly and Michèle O’Donnell.

“This book builds on the previous two volumes (The Pearls and Perils of Good Practice and Crossing Sectors for Serving Humanity), adding significant insights into the global context in which we are living. As senior editors joining with over 60 colleagues from around the world (authors, consulting editors, publishing staff), the O’Donnells have collaboratively and competently further explored many of the complex and crucial issues related to member care. We are excited by this third book on global member care and commend it highly to you for its relevance now and into the future.”

Beth Gill, Becky Lewis, Linda Dorr, and Tricia Johnson