Missionaries pour their lives into the task of loving others, sharing hope, and laboring for the sake of Christ. While their deep commitment bears much kingdom fruit, it can be easy for them to neglect their own emotional and spiritual well-being. For this reason, Caring for the Harvest Force in the New Millennium contains essays on various topics related to caring for missionaries and those they serve. Member care is a broad subject encompassing many disciplines and so the contributors do not intend to cover the entire gamut of such an expansive, evolving topic. The chapters in this book are arranged into three sections: Theological Foundations for Care Giving, Challenges for Care Giving, and Contexts for Care Giving. The local church is learning not only to provide money but to encourage, mentor, and provide emotional support. Mission agencies are now aware of the complexities of selection, training, sending, and supporting missionary families. While there is room for improvement all around, the mission workforce is better educated, trained, and finally, better cared for in the field. With years of foundational experience behind us, how do we care for the harvest force in the new millennium? This volume helps readers answer that question.
