August 15, 2026

The SEND U Blog

Reflections and Resources for Lifelong Learning for Missionaries

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The importance of follow-up with churches
Church Planting, Follow-up

The importance of follow-up with churches

This entry is part 1 of 13 in the series Follow-up There doesn’t seem to be a lot of discussion on models of follow-up with churches once the church planter moves on. Church planters with denominational missions usually connect their new churches to some kind of organizational structure. This might be a national version of the denomination to which they belong. But non-denominational missions may not form any type of structure that would allow their church plants to relate to the founding organization or other churches. I have observed churches that were planted by one mission organization seeking help from another church planting organization. They did so because there was no structure that would connect them to other churches. It seems to me that some form of church-to-church relationship ought to be in place before the missionary moves on. Otherwise, these churches will feel abandoned when the missionary departs.… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Can we put too much emphasis on healthy teams?
Teaming

Can we put too much emphasis on healthy teams?

Sometimes it seems as if most of my conversations with other missionaries are about teaming. To some extent that might be because I am facilitating two training courses for team leaders right now, and am preparing again to teach on teaming in our upcoming pre-field training. But the conversations go beyond interactions with my students. Missionaries tell me about their frustrations and joys with their previous and current teams. They share their dreams and desires for future teams. They compare their teams with teams of which they have heard in our areas. Particularly for our first-term missionaries, the quality of the teaming experience seems to be a major criterion for deciding where they will serve and whether they will continue to serve in a particular location. As mission leaders, we can easily come to the conclusion that forming and nurturing healthy teams should be one of our top priorities to… Read the whole post
Ken Guenther2 mins read
Book Review: Against the Darkness
Theology, Book Reviews

Book Review: Against the Darkness

How long has it been since you read a theology book? I lament that reading theology does not appear to be a priority among missionaries. In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis comments on the importance of theology and doctrine:  . . . if you have once accepted Christianity, then some of its main doctrines shall be deliberately held before your mind for some time every day. That is why daily prayer and religious reading and churchgoing are necessary parts of the Christian life. We have to be continually reminded of what we believe. Neither this belief nor any other will automatically remain alive in the mind. It must be fed. And as a matter of fact, if you examined a hundred people who have lost their faith in Christianity, I wonder how many of them would turn out to have been reasoned out of it by honest argument? Do not most… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Book Reviews, Evangelism

Book Review: Evangelism as Exiles

In March 2019 The Gospel Coalition published Evangelism as Exiles: Life on Mission as Strangers in Our Own Land by Elliot Clark. The Gospel Coalition does not publish a lot of monographs, so this one caught my attention. I had also been thinking a lot about Paul’s instruction to Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist” (see earlier post). Clark has served a number of years in a central Asian country where Christianity is a very small minority, so he has lived as a stranger. The book is focused on the church in North America in light of its diminished standing in the public square. Often reflecting on his experience in central Asia, Clark encourages us to see ourselves as exiles and strangers in our own land. The book draws principles from the book if 1 Peter.… Read the whole post
Gary Ridley1 min read
Exploring Spiritual Formation: Attitude
Spiritual Formation

Exploring Spiritual Formation: Attitude

Strolling through gift shops one summer, my husband George and I spotted a T-shirt which said, “Sometimes I wake up Grumpy, other times I let her sleep.” Wise husband that he is, George did not buy the shirt. Alas, my husband is a happy morning person, and each morning presents a major challenge: how will I respond to my husband’s innate cheerfulness? Will love or grumpiness win the day? It may sound like a simple problem to overcome, but feelings are tricky things. They often show up unbidden and, if left unexamined (and unchecked), may morph into attitudes. And habitual attitudes often result in character qualities displayed for the world to see.… Read the whole post
Lynn Karidis1 min read
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