Facilitating the Mission

This is part two of our interview with missionary counselor/blogger/authors Elizabeth and Jonathan Trotter. At the very beginning of part two of our interview, we talk about this article written by Jonathan Trotter. In the rest of the interview, as the Trotters give us the story behind the creation of their book, we learn that writing as a husband and wife team is fraught with peril. But the result is both healing and well received by their publisher and readers.

Please follow the resource links below to their book and other articles discussed in this interview:

» Part One of the Trotter Interview

This is part one of an interview with Elizabeth and Jonathan Trotter. The Trotters are missionaries in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Their ministry is interesting, diverse and far-reaching. In part one of our podcast, we hear from the Trotter's about their call to the mission field and the beginning and evolution of their ministry. We are introduced to their writing ministry and blogging ministry that focuses on cross-cultural Christian service.

Here are some of the resources mentioned in this podcast:

» Their book - Serving Well: Help for the Wannabe, Newbie, or Weary Cross-Cultural Christian Worker

In this podcast, we continue to explore the differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures and why it's important for American missionaries to understand the distinct contrasts between them.

The Military as an Illustration of Collectivistic Culture

In part one of this two part series, Jeff connects military culture as an example of the collectivistic culture missionaries suddenly find themselves immersed in when they go abroad into the mission field. For many Americans, culture shock is overwhelming because we're born into and immersed in a very individualistic culture.

When one enters the military, you are taught to put the groups needs ahead of your own. This goes against the grain of everything we, as Americans, have ever learned or experienced. So much so, that military trainers intentionally deconstruct every facet of the a new recruit, and then, with extreme purpose, build the recruit into a new kind of person that puts the mission and organization's priorities ahead of one's own. This is the thinking American missionaries need to adopt as they move into other cultures.

Photo by Richard Catabay on Unsplash

With Thanksgiving approaching and 2019 winding down, we wanted to talk about missionary communication. In this podcast, we focus on a missionary newsletter done exceptionally well while talking about the ingredients of well-thought-through missionary digital communication.

The newsletter (link) we focus on in this podcast is from Angelina Velasco, someone we've had on this podcast as a guest (meet Angelina in Orality Part Three and Orality Part Four). Here's a link to Angelina's website.

Here are a few resources and Bible verses referenced in this podcast:

Proverbs 25:17

Proverbs 25:11

Proverbs 25:25

Today we tune in to part two of the series "The benefits to churches that send their own to the mission field." In this episode, Jeff Jackson tosses around some church priority hot potatoes as he presses into the very real tension of reaching the world vs. reaching the local community. Both need to be done, but usually one happens at the expense of the other. God's design for the church is that it's scope of impact grows globally rather simply a larger geographical footprint in one locale.

Here are a few thoughts shared by Jeff along with links to the resources.

» Jonathan Edwards on Missions

» Charles Spurgeon on missions

Additionally, Jeff mentions this blog post.

When Jeff Jackson was sent to the mission field by his church, he had no idea that a future result would one day be the establishment of Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators. He also didn't fully know how the church that was sending him would benefit by sending his family to the mission field.

In this two-part series, Jeff explains the ways churches benefit when they engage with the Great Commission by sending their own people to the mission field.

Here are the resources mentioned in this episode:

In this podcast, Jeff Jackson concludes the narrative behind the founding of Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators.

Below are some of the resources mentioned in this podcast:

» part one

In this podcast, we conclude the fascinating and informative interview with Jeff Jackson about the origins of Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators.

One of the topics discussed in this episode is the scalability of the Shepherd's Staff model. It doesn't only benefit a certain sized church whether big or small. Included are links below to related episodes:

» Home Church Key Person Interview with Pastor Allen Snapp

» Small Church Global Impact Part One

» Small Church Global Impact Part Two

» Small Church Global Impact Part Three

» Sent from a House Church

» Interview with Pastor Ed Taylor Part One

» Interview with Pastor Ed Taylor Part Two

In this podcast we interview Jeff Jackson about the beginnings of Shepherd's Staff Mission Facilitators. It began as an idea for serving churches as they send missionaries to the mission field. Jeff's sending church was the model of sending well and excellent missionary care and he wanted to, the best of his ability - with God's help - provide the same experience for other missionaries as they were sent to the mission field by their churches.

Resources discussed in this podcast:

Missions Policy

Larry Walker

Neal Pirolo