December 12, 2025

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

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Training for missionary retention
Lifelong Learning, Spiritual Formation, Training, Pre-field Training, Mentoring, Resilience

Training for missionary retention

Missio Nexus gathers mission leaders across North America. In September, they hosted a session on training for missionary retention. This topic matters because it touches the core of what sustains us in long-term cross-cultural work. Moreover, the discussion challenged me to think deeply about how we prepare and support workers for the long haul. Three Predictors of Long-Term Sustainability During the session, facilitator Elliot Stephens shared research that highlights three key predictors of sustainability for cross-cultural workers. First, spiritual vitality. Second, relational maturity. Third, ministry effectiveness. 1. Spiritual Vitality This area involves dependence on God, love for Scripture and prayer, healthy humility, a deep grasp of grace, and a theology of suffering. 2. Relational Maturity It includes genuine love in close friendships and marriages, healthy teams with redemptive conflict resolution, and the ability to form local friendships and feel at home in host communities. 3. Ministry Effectiveness This area focuses… Read the whole post
Bethany Reedy4 mins read
Bridging Generations: The Power of Multigenerational Teaming in SEND
Teaming, Training, Team Formation

Bridging Generations: The Power of Multigenerational Teaming in SEND

A couple of weeks ago, I facilitated a panel discussion on multigenerational teaming at the SEND Europe Conference in Spain. As I’ve prepared for this conversation, I was struck again by the richness and complexity that generational diversity brings to our mission teams. Drawing from Tim Elmore’s A New Kind of Diversity: Making the Different Generations on Your Team a Competitive Advantage, I want to share a few reflections that I hope will resonate with SEND missionaries serving across generations—from Boomers to Gen Z. Not Just Cultural—But Generational Diversity As global workers, we’re trained to observe and adapt to cultural differences. But how often do we apply that same curiosity and intentionality to generational differences within our teams? SEND teams today often include four generations: Boomers (1946–1964): Loyal, experienced, and deeply committed to the mission. Gen X (1965–1980): Independent, pragmatic, and often the bridge between generations. Millennials (1981–1996): Collaborative, purpose-driven, and… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther3 mins read
A Minute to Think: Leading with Less in a Season of More
Leadership, Mission Leadership, Book Reviews

A Minute to Think: Leading with Less in a Season of More

In August 2025, I attended the Global Leadership Summit and heard Juliet Funt speak about what she calls “leadership gluttony.” Although I had never heard of Funt before, her session became my favourite of the entire event. I have since listened to Juliet Funt’s book, A Minute to Think. Her GLS talk focused on one chapter of that book, Chapter 5, titled “The Simplification Questions: Reclaiming the Best by Removing the Rest.“ Funt’s message struck a chord—especially as I think of what is next for SEND International. We’ve recently experienced a leadership transition in several key roles, and new leaders bring fresh energy and ideas. While these new directions inspire hope, Funt urges us to pause and ask: What can we remove from the old to make space for the new? Her book calls us to reclaim space in our lives, ministries, and leadership. It’s not a plea… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther5 mins read
Breakthroughs Among the Unreached: Waiting on the Master of Breakthroughs
Church Planting, Hardship, Resilience

Breakthroughs Among the Unreached: Waiting on the Master of Breakthroughs

The Long Road to Breakthrough If you’ve served among unreached people groups for any length of time, you know the ache of waiting. You know the weight of sowing seeds year after year, often with little visible fruit. You know the tension between hope and disappointment, between faith and frustration. Furthermore, you know what it is to pray for a breakthrough—a moment when the gospel finally takes root and begins to spread, when a church is born, when the kingdom of God becomes visible in a new place. But how long does it take for a breakthrough to come? And what do we do in the waiting? Most importantly, who is the true author of every breakthrough? This post is for those of you who are laboring in hard soil, tempted to lose heart, and wondering if your efforts will ever bear fruit. What have we learned about breakthroughs? And… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther9 mins read
Practicing the Way: Living as Apprentices of Jesus in Cross-Cultural Mission
Disciple-making, Spiritual Formation, Resilience

Practicing the Way: Living as Apprentices of Jesus in Cross-Cultural Mission

In the ever-shifting landscape of cross-cultural ministry, sustaining a vibrant and resilient spiritual life is both a personal necessity and a communal calling. As missionaries, we often find ourselves navigating complex cultural dynamics, high demands, and spiritual fatigue. In this context, John Mark Comer’s book, Practicing the Way offers a timely and transformative vision of discipleship—not as a set of beliefs, but as a way of life modeled after Jesus. One of the book’s most practical and powerful tools is the concept of a Rule of Life. It provides a flexible framework for organizing our daily rhythms around abiding in Christ. In this post, we’ll explore a synopsis of Comer’s book and highlight its relevance for missionary teams. I will share some additional resources to help your team craft a shared Rule of Life that fosters unity, spiritual depth, and long-term fruitfulness. Book Synopsis Discipleship as Apprenticeship Practicing the Way… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther6 mins read
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