Spiritual, Family, and Ministry Satisfaction among Missionaries

Abstract

issionaries and their children confront multiple stressors and strains, some of which are compounded by the cross-cultural settings in which they serve. On the one hand, such within-family issues as roles and responsibili

The Role of Spiritual Development in the Cross-Cultural Reentry Adjustment of Missionaries

“…Additionally, these missionaries also reported that they regularly practiced spiritual disciplines during the cross-cultural transition. Previous studies have found a relationship between awareness of God and spiritual well-being, especially in one's satisfaction in relationship with God (Andrews, 1999). While the relationship among these variables should be explored further, these ndings could be an important key in understanding the role of relationship with God in accepting the changes in oneself during cross-cultural transitions, as well as the importance of intentionally cultivating that relationship through the practice of the spiritual disciplines.…”

“…Missionaries who regularly practice spiritual disciplines, experience support from their mission agency, have a clear vocational call and have greater spiritual life satisfaction also tend to experience greater adjustment to the mission eld (Andrews, 1999). Further, missionaries who report better awareness of God also report better relationships with their teammates; conversely, those who exhibit lower levels of spiritual development are more prone to having di culties while overseas (Barnett, Duvall, Edwards & Hall, 2005).…”

The Implications of Pre-Field Training, Negative Family-Related Events, and Negative Pre-Field Events for Resilience among Cross-Cultural Workers

“…Social support, which has been shown to be a significant predictor of the success and adjustment of cross-cultural workers (Eriksson et al, 2009, 2013) is multidimensional in nature (Flannery, 1990). Specifically, family and organizational support have been investigated and shown to be related to resilience against burnout, depression, or psychological distress in general (Andrews, 1999; Bendiksen, 2015; Eriksson et al, 2009, 2013). Regarding family, the family unit’s ability to remain flexible on the field has been found to be an important factor in helping families transition across cultures as well as cope with negative family events, such as a death or family of origin issues (Andrews, 1999; Gingrich; 2016; Rosenbusch & Cseh, 2012).…”

“…Specifically, family and organizational support have been investigated and shown to be related to resilience against burnout, depression, or psychological distress in general (Andrews, 1999; Bendiksen, 2015; Eriksson et al, 2009, 2013). Regarding family, the family unit’s ability to remain flexible on the field has been found to be an important factor in helping families transition across cultures as well as cope with negative family events, such as a death or family of origin issues (Andrews, 1999; Gingrich; 2016; Rosenbusch & Cseh, 2012). Other research supports the idea that organizational support, especially from training and preparation, is vitally important for cross-cultural workers’ mental health and effectiveness in the field (Camp, Bustrum, Brokaw, & Adams, 2014; Högstöm & Gingrich, 2014).…”

An investigation of relationship correlates and predictors of cultural adjustment among missionaries.

“…Relatively little research has been conducted exploring the cultural adjustment process of missionaries living in foreign placements (Kimber, 2012;Navara & James, 2005), in spite of the fact that They argued that the use of different coping skills could imply that missionaries adjust to new cultures in a completely different manner than other expatriates, especially if religious belief is taken into account. When missionaries perceive higher levels of stress, they are more inclined to engage in activities such as praying, seeking pastoral support, or trusting God to relieve that stress (Andrews, 1999;Kimber, 2012;Navara & James, 2005). Kimber (2012) found similar results in his study examining the spiritual development and reentry adjustment of 102 missionaries, stating that missionaries with lower levels of psychological development may be more vulnerable to the effects of spiritual difficulties during cultural adjustment.…”