Posted by Erik, Associate Ministry Leader

Every year 5,400 missionaries leave the work of spreading the gospel for reasons that could have been prevented. After much research, William D. Taylor concluded the following in his book Too Valuable to Lose: Exploring the Causes and Cures of Missionary Attrition:

It is estimated that 5.1% of career missionaries leave the mission field to return home every year. Of those who leave, 71% leave for preventable reasons. If you estimate the current long-term international cross-cultural missionary force at 150,000 strong, a very conservative number an annual loss of 5.1% would be 7,650 missionaries leaving the field each year for various reasons.

71% of that is 5,400 leaving for reasons that could have been prevented... wow!

One of the biggest preventable reasons for leaving the field, according to Taylor, is lack of support. When missionaries go on the field, they leave behind their family and church support systems, friends, language, culture, worldview, home, status, and self-confidence, to name just a few. Their external support and accountability structures vanish at the time when they are spiritually most vulnerable. They have to learn again how to do all the things that formerly were second nature. Their children will be going through the same changes and challenges. What is their response to all of this? Culture shock 100% of the time, and the most dangerous assailant - culture fatigue - which can drain them for years after culture shock has worn off.

So what can we do? How can fellowships of believers support their missionaries' lives to overflow instead of dry up? I don't know all the answers, but here are a few I came up with:

- Pray for them, and tell them when and how you are praying for them. It is easy to understand missionaries need prayer, but knowing specific times and ways they are being prayed for can be incredibly meaningful. When your missionary writes prayer requests, tell them you will be bringing these requests to your community of faith... that you will be joining others in agreement for the missionaries' hopes and needs.

- Be involved in their ministry. View their ministry overseas as internal ministries of your church. Send short-term teams to help them, raise awareness of special needs or send representatives to go and simply see the ministry firsthand and to encourage them.

- Take advantage of technology... call them (I recommend skype), send e-cards on birthdays (I recommend hallmark.com for free e-cards). You could also be as extravagant as sending a care package of Sunday sermons, books, or your missionaries' favorite goodies (ask them for goodies they cannot get in their country) or sending your missionary on a retreat to another country or city.

What else is important? What other ideas do you have that support missionaries? Brainstorm with me and write a comment.