Senders

Practical Suggestions: Before They Leave

• Ask them what their needs are (materially and spiritually), and pray earnestly for them.
• Be mindful of the emotional hardship of leaving family, friends, church and “what they’ve always known.”
• Help them find information on needed equipment.
• Promote faith by asking them how God has taught them or provided for them on the path of deputation.
• Help them to get all the supplies that they need to take with them overseas. You can help them by running errands, or offering to take care of their children so that they can more easily run errands.
• Provide meals and housing in those last days before they leave since most of their stuff is packed or gone.
• Help them pack the items they'll store here in the U.S. as well as the items they'll take with them or ship.
• Treat them to something special just before they go.
• Take them to the airport as a team and have a send-off there.
• Have an open house or “Informal Commissioning” service for them before they leave so they can pray with and say good-bye to many of their friends.
• Host a reception for them at church after their Sunday morning church commissioning.

Practical suggestions: While They Are Gone

• Pray earnestly for them. Read and post their most recent missionary letter for the congregation. Keep a notebook of former letters for those who have not read them.
• Write to your missionary often.
• Keep up-to-date with what your missionary is doing so that you can encourage them in the work and share their work with the church family.
• Keep the missionary informed of church happenings so they can pray and be part of the work of the supporting church.
• Remember, missionaries still celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and holidays – remember them with a card, gift, email, or telephone call.
• Send emails, if possible, to them occasionally so that they have current, up-to-date information on their “team.”
• Pass on any special prayer requests to the church office so that the pastoral staff knows how to pray and so that it can be shared with the church family.
• Send fun "care packages" occasionally to encourage your missionary or to help meet some of their needs.
• Send your missionary articles of special interest out of the newspaper or magazines.
• Consider visiting your missionary on the field.
• Send them a good book you've especially appreciated.
• Mail out their prayer letters for them.
• Help to take care of your missionaries' home while they are away.
• Link with missionaries utilizing webcam.

Practical Suggestions: When They Return

• Pray earnestly for them.
• Be at the airport to welcome them back home.
• Host an open house so that they can see many of their friends and update them.
• Schedule a service to report on the Lord’s work on their field.
• Praise the Lord with them for how God used them.
• Be available to help them readjust to life in the U.S.
• Have housing ready for them when they arrive home.
• Have a few groceries for them in their refrigerator and cupboards so that they don't have to go shopping right away.
• Help them to find a car to borrow during their furlough time.
• Help them to catch up with what is current, what's in, and what's out. Provide them with a cultural update on trends, U.S. & local news, and fashions.
• Bring dinner by their house for the first few days.
• Introduce them to new people at church.
• Include them in social activities
• Help with continuing education.
• Treat them as an extension of the pastoral staff.
• Offer vacation possibilities.
• Care for family needs like babysitting, loaning a car, providing car maintenance, and communication support.
• Introduce the children to other children their age.

It is a Biblical role and a wonderful privilege for a local New Testament, fundamental, independent Baptist church to send out missionaries from their church (see Acts 13). But, sending them out by no means implies that the responsibility of the church is done. No, the local church that sends the missionary has a great role to fulfill now regarding their missionary. No sending church should take the responsibility lightly!

Biblical Responsibilities

• Prayer Support – in obedience to Scripture and in love for one another we will seek to implement regular prayer into the corporate and private life of the congregation.
• Pastoral Support – for accountability, counsel, academic and theological discussion and mutual encouragement, we will commit our staff and leadership to the missionary’s needs.
• Financial Support – we will fulfill our financial commitments as detailed under Finances and Evaluation.
• Fellowship Support – we will seek to demonstrate sacrificial love and genuine friendship in our partnership with the missionary family.

Academic Responsibilities

• We endeavor to learn of missionary history and godly missionaries to motivate and instruct our church regarding the heritage of spreading the gospel.
• We endeavor to learn of the culture where our missionaries serve to better understand the challenges of cross-cultural living.

Helpful Articles

The Importance and Responsibilities of the Sending Church

Developing a Written Church Missions Policy

10 Thoughts on Supporting Missionaries

Ministry127 Contributor: Pastor Jim Townsley

Helpful Books

Sending Forth Laborers: A Biblical Handbook for New Testament Missions

by Paul Chappell & Dwight Tomlison (Kindle Edition)

Serving as Senders Today

by Neal Pirolo (Kindle Edition)

• How to Care for Your Missionaries While They are Preparing to Go, While They are on the Field and When They Return Home.

Run With the Vision

by Bob Sjogren and Bill & Amy Stearns

• Offers solid ideas on How to Mobilize, How to Send Missionaries, and How to Go

The Reentry Team

by Neal Pirolo

• Caring For Your Returning Missionaries

Your Ministry to Missionaries

by Dr. Roy Harris, Regions Beyond

"Very, very good. I wish every Pastor would read this."

- Cory McTague, Missionary to the Tibetan People (2009)

What is Hard about Life as a Missionary

How You can Help MKs - Missionary Kids

How to Pray for Missionary Wives

10 Ways to Be a Blessing to Your Missionaries

Ministry127 Contributor: Paul Chappell, Pastor of Lancaster Baptist Church

Do You Know Your Missionaries: Eight Ideas

by Lou Ann Keiser, Pastor's Wife

10 Things I Wish People Knew About My Field

In Her Shoes Blog

Praying for Missions

When They Come off the Field

The following are some tips about sending care packages:

• Some items you might send are listed Here
• Contact the Missionary to make sure they are able to receive your package; ask the costs involved to get it out of customs, and if there is anything in particular they need.
• Read over the USPS International How-To Guide for Customs Restrictions before making your selections and for instructions on mailing.
• Amazon Gift Cards for e-books or music are often appreciated. Be sure to ask them about their internet connection and ability to download. Some areas have little or sporadic connections.
• In Her Shoes Blog: Care Package Tips by Charity

Pray! This is the most important thing you can do for your missionary, and every missionary's top desire from you and all those back "home."

Communicate with them! It is so helpful and encouraging if people would communicate with their missionaries on the field, especially when they are going through difficult times. Let them know you are behind them every step of the way. Show them you care! Unfortunately, it is very true, "Out of sight, out of mind." Most missionaries feel that people back in the States have forgotten them. We are human, too. It would be so good if people would communicate with their missionaries. You do not know but your email or letter of encouragement, though small, may be what gets them through and not quit.

• When They Come Off the Field

Why Pastors Should Visit the Mission Field

Ministry127 Contributor: Dr. Kevin Folger

Christian Laymen Assisting International Missionaries - CLAIM

• A ministry of BIMI that allows laymen (and women) to participate in the Great Commission as short-term missionaries. It includes evangelism, construction, medical missions, Bible distribution, mechanics, engineering, computer training and more.

Supporting Church Planters in America

- Ministry127 Contributor: Jim Townsley

"A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished." Proverbs 22:3

The Emergency Fund will be funded by the annual budget in a Missions Emergency Fund line item.

In times political turmoil or natural disaster, we should…

• Stay informed.
• Volunteer to help if the need arises.
• Be generous in your giving.
• Communicate regularly with Missionary and with mission agency.
• Provide a place for temporary housing, if missionaries have had to be evacuated from crisis situations.
• Provide financial support, prayer support, encouragement, and input into any decision for re-direction of ministry.

In a Time of Personal Crisis, we should…

• Provide help in making arrangements for travel if necessary.
• Recommend a time of quiet refreshing through rest, prayer and time in the Word.
• Be concerned and pray, but don't be overbearing.
• Offer pastoral and member care when requested.
• Continue to contribute financially or provide for emergencies with one time gifts.
• Write notes of encouragement.

In the event of major financial changes in American or world markets that drastically affect the ability of the missionary to sustain family and ministry living in their target country, emergency funds may be used to make up the difference for a short time while a decision is made on whether or not to remain in the country.

If at all possible the congregation will approve emergency funds. However, we recognize that the very nature of emergency funding may not allow for the due process of time typically allowed for a church vote. Therefore, the deacons may approve emergency funds in response to dire circumstances, not to exceed the amount in the emergency fund.