Comments on: Tradecraft http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/27/tradecraft/ Let's give the Commission back to the church. Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:47:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: C. Holland http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/27/tradecraft/comment-page-1/#comment-7415 C. Holland Tue, 28 Jul 2009 20:05:09 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=376#comment-7415 Can't agree enough with this. We have a short term team coming from the States this Fall, and I've just finished an 8-page synopsis of what they should know while here (how to act, what NOT to say, etc.)--and this is just for a week-long stay. I'm not with a mission agency myself, but I've been absolutely shocked how many missionaries were sent by various agencies and denominations to my field with what seemed to be no cursory education on the history or cultural practices of the locals. Because another language is not required, it almost appeared that the agencies didn't devote much (or any) time to appropriate preparations as you described. Unfortunately, almost all of them have left either before their term was up or before the perfunctory 18 months that most American missionaries leave by. Can’t agree enough with this. We have a short term team coming from the States this Fall, and I’ve just finished an 8-page synopsis of what they should know while here (how to act, what NOT to say, etc.)–and this is just for a week-long stay.

I’m not with a mission agency myself, but I’ve been absolutely shocked how many missionaries were sent by various agencies and denominations to my field with what seemed to be no cursory education on the history or cultural practices of the locals. Because another language is not required, it almost appeared that the agencies didn’t devote much (or any) time to appropriate preparations as you described. Unfortunately, almost all of them have left either before their term was up or before the perfunctory 18 months that most American missionaries leave by.

]]> By: Grady Bauer http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/27/tradecraft/comment-page-1/#comment-7405 Grady Bauer Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:00:46 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=376#comment-7405 If you named it something like "21qualities of an effective missionary", you could probably get John Maxwell to write the forward! If you named it something like “21qualities of an effective missionary”, you could probably get John Maxwell to write the forward!

]]> By: Kevin Mullins http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/27/tradecraft/comment-page-1/#comment-7402 Kevin Mullins Tue, 28 Jul 2009 04:18:23 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=376#comment-7402 Cool idea mate, I second some of the ideas here. Being a missionary takes something that I have often felt to be intuition but just might be gifting. A handbook on how to hone the craft would be invaluable. Cool idea mate, I second some of the ideas here. Being a missionary takes something that I have often felt to be intuition but just might be gifting. A handbook on how to hone the craft would be invaluable.

]]> By: Jill http://missionsmisunderstood.com/2009/07/27/tradecraft/comment-page-1/#comment-7400 Jill Tue, 28 Jul 2009 03:00:31 +0000 http://missionsmisunderstood.com/?p=376#comment-7400 a missionary tradecraft handbook?? please do write one!! a missionary tradecraft handbook?? please do write one!!

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