Many of the causes of "M" attrition are preventable. Stress, fatigue, burnout, team conflict, marital conflict, raising "third culture kids," lack of a common vision and direction, lack of training and support, and lack of leadership skills or strategic planning are all common causes leading to unwanted and unnecessary attrition.
Why is M attrition a serious problem? |
| |
1- When full-time workers leave the field, it means that even fewer unreached people are able to hear about and have the opportunity to receive the Good News. |
| |
2- Once on the field, it can often take several years before a worker can build a highly effective ministry, as they first take time to learn the culture, language, and develop relationships. Thus, keeping long-term M's on the field is a strategic imperative. |
| |
3- Attrition has obvious and huge financial implications. A tremendous amount of time and money is spent preparing and sending each person into overseas work. It costs over $50,000 per year to support an average overseas "M" family, and the cost for their initial training is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars (ref). If we estimate a very low and conservative start-up cost of only $100,000 and multiply that by the 22,000 M's who quit and go home each year for preventable reasons, that equals over $2 billion dollars spent each year just to replace overseas "M" workers! |
| |
4- When overseas workers do come home early, it is often due to issues of extreme distress. As a result, many M's return 'home' with very serious emotional, relational and spiritual troubles. The human impact on these families can be profound and very long-lasting. |
THE DWELLING seeks to reduce M attrition by providing the essential rest and care that every person needs and that God desires for us. It offers a quiet and comfortable setting for holistic refreshment (spiritually, physically, emotionally and relationally) with debriefing, cultural adjustment coaching, professional counseling, teambuilding, leadership development, as well as pastoral care if desired, in addition to fitness equipment and 'quiet time' locations nestled throughout the property - all so that people can return to where God called them and work more effectively.
After hearing about the vision for The Dwelling, a 19-year overseas M worker and regional leader for his organization commented: "This might be a guy thing... but I would never have asked for any kind of member care. But if there had been a place like The Dwelling where if you agree to receive member care, you get a cheaper room, I would have done it! And looking back, it would have been really helpful - for me and my family."
*The 5 year-25% attrition rate statistic is based on an attrition rate of over 5% per year as reported in the book "Worth Keeping" by Rob Hay et al (WEA), 2007.
"Do your best to preserve the unity which the Spirit gives by means of the peace that binds you together. There is one body and one Spirit, just as there is one hope to which God has called you." Ephesians 4:3-4
BACK |
|
