Content Resources

Ministry that originates from a community, rather than from outside, has heightened power to transform individuals (including those delivering services) and neighborhoods. Using examples from inner-city Memphis, TN, we'll demonstrate that powerful things happen when disciples of Jesus live as the Church-- cross-culturally and in community.

Are you and your family planning to be missionaries in the US or overseas and wondering the impact on your family life? This session will provide advice from a couple who served 8 years in Asia, where 3 of their 4 daughters were born. They'll give suggestions, some of it learned the hard way, for how you and your family can thrive on the mission field. Included will be strategies and insights for successful family preparation beforehand and healthy family life after your begin serving. Time will also be available during the session for asking your questions.

It's estimated that more than 4 Billion people in the world are oral learners. They can't, don't or won't read. Regardless of the reasons or situation, oral communication methods and participatory/discovery learning processes are important tools in most of the world. In this session we'll look at case studies and experiences my wife and I have had helping friends in North India create mother-tongue audio recordings of community development/health information and also Scripture stories. The session will give you a taste of how stories will help you work in oral cultures. I'll also provide links and connections for more information if the session wets your appetite.

The Changing Role of the Pastor and the Church in Healthcare Missions.This session will equip pastors and church leaders to be able to lead and implement effective medical missions engagement in the changing missiological landscape of the 21st century. You will learn practical and biblical sound ways of changing your church members from being spectators into participators, from consumers into contributors and how to guide agencies and NGOs to work through your church and not just with your church.. Emphasis will be on how God wants to use ordinary people and how you as church leader can fuel this reformation of deeds that is going on by launching church initiated interventions and trips. This will also apply to how to see this become a reality in the global south whether through short term trips of your church members or through individual participation

Mission Medical: Assessing and Addressing Spiritual Needs of Patients We'll discuss (1) why healthcare professionals have been reluctant to take a spiritual history, (2) the positive association of spirituality/religiosity and physical/mental health, and (3) several spiritual history tools to consider for use in clinical care.

What could small groups of people from the USA do during week-long trips to help invigorate, inform, and empower the local people for months, years, and even generations? This workshop will present some field examples of this happening, clarify some key factors for this style of Short-Term Missions (STM) to be successful, and generate your input on how to measure a truly successful STM trip. Come prepared to participate, and leave motivated to change. (repeat of last year)

Transforming Individuals, Groups and Neighborhoods for Better Health.We will discuss how healthcare workers can reach out to geographical areas where their patients live with a view to helping their patients discover that they must take more control of their own lives if there is to be an improvement in their overall health. Peer groups and family are the main providers of health not medical professionals therefore it is critical to involve a patients trusted peers and family in the individual’s health.Then as a group how can people begin to transform their neighborhood. The clinic/health ministry serves as a catalyst, organizer and trainer to help this happen. The cost to the clinic is minimal. But the overall impact for individuals and their communities is tremendous.

In recent years there has been a tsunami of short-term healthcare volunteers going into the developing world; both faith-based and humanitarian. Recent estimates tell us that 29% of students enrolled in medical schools participate in some type of short-term global health project prior to graduation. Dental, nursing, and allied health schools are also beginning to follow suit. Yet, few churches or educational institutions have any knowledge of what constitutes best practices in global health. This workshop will review the six guidelines for best practices in global health as they appear in the book “When Healthcare Hurts: An Evidence Based Guide to Best Practices in Global Health Initiatives”. It will also review the four primary areas of global health best practices which include the following. 1. Patient Safety2. Healthcare System Integration and Collaboration3. Facilitation of Health Development 4. Community Empowerment

We spend so much time, money, and resources on short-term missions trips that we often forget about the mission field at home. How can we live intentionally for 52 weeks each year in the mission field God has placed us in?

Community Health Evangelism (CHE) is a breakthrough mission strategy that seamlessly integrates evangelism and discipleship with disease prevention and community-based development. Through these ministries people become followers of Jesus, churches are planted, and entire communities are lifted out of cycles of poverty and disease. By participation and completion of this workshop, the participant should be able to: 1. State the purpose for integrated ministries such as Community Health Evangelism.2. Identify transformational indicators used to measure the success of an integrated Community Health program. 3. List the steps in implementing a Community Health Evangelism program.4. Find resources and collaborative partners to help build and expand their programs. 5. Recognize three keys to building successful integrated community health ministries.6. Tell the story of successful CHE programs in different contexts around the world.

In this session we will gain a vision for church initiated community health ministries that shape culture, influence policy, and impact millions. We will examine a few case studies, explore current opportunities, and learn a a simple and trasferable ministry strategy that is achieving nationwide impact in several countries.

International short-term healthcare teams are challenging to develop and lead, due to the need for cultural intelligence, strong spiritual preparation of the team, and complex regulatory requirements in each country. Organizers must assure that they understand the myriad cultural complexities of working across cultural barriers, and how to educate their short-term team on the essentials. Spiritual formation of the team, and strong support of the disciple-making ministry of national partners must include strong, proactive preparation of team members and establishing a safe, ministry-focused environment for service. Careful planning with credible national partners is essential for both effective spiritual ministry, and for negotiating the many legal, regulatory, and customs requirements in developing country settings. This session will discuss mechanisms to plan for, prioritize, and measure desired actions and outcomes.