11

ReMAP IIReMAP II – –

ReRetaining taining MMissionaries – issionaries – AAgency gency PPracticesractices

Older sending countries in Europe Older sending countries in Europe and North Americaand North America

22

ReMAP II was a follow-up study on:

ReMAP – Reducing Missionary Attrition Project World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Mission Commission 1994-96

Why do missionaries quit service? Why do they come home prematurely? In particular, what are personal factors for attrition?

33

ReMAP II

• What makes missionaries prosper?

• What helps them grow into a fruitful ministry?

• What makes them effective?

• How do they become resilient

• Which organisational factors make them thrive?

44

ReMAP IIReMAP II

Global StudyGlobal Study

601 Sending structures with 40,000 long-term 601 Sending structures with 40,000 long-term cross-cultural missionaries cross-cultural missionaries

These were denominational and interdenominational These were denominational and interdenominational mission agencies as well as local churches or mission agencies as well as local churches or networks sending their own teams independentlynetworks sending their own teams independently

from Older Sending Countries (from Older Sending Countries (OSCOSC) ) CA, US, DE, GB, NL, SE, ZA, AU, NZ CA, US, DE, GB, NL, SE, ZA, AU, NZ

Newer Sending Countries of the Global South (Newer Sending Countries of the Global South (NSCNSC)) Latin America (AR, BR, CR, ES, GU), Latin America (AR, BR, CR, ES, GU), Africa (GH, NG), Asia (IN, HK, KR, MY, PH, SG) Africa (GH, NG), Asia (IN, HK, KR, MY, PH, SG)

ReMAP II:

55

ReMAP IIReMAP II

Responses of Mission executivesResponses of Mission executives

Self Assessment of practices, ethos, performanceSelf Assessment of practices, ethos, performance

Scale 6 (excellent) – 1 (very poorly done) Scale 6 (excellent) – 1 (very poorly done)

Retention of MissionariesRetention of Missionaries

Retention Rates Total (RRT)Retention Rates Total (RRT) Retention Rate Preventable Reasons (RRP) Retention Rate Preventable Reasons (RRP) Retention Rate Unpreventable Reasons (RRU) Retention Rate Unpreventable Reasons (RRU)

Correlations Retention ~ Agency PracticesCorrelations Retention ~ Agency Practices

Methodology:

66

Agency Size ReMAP ReMAP IIII

Annual Attrition Rate 2001/02

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

1-2 3-5 6-10 11-16 17-25 26-50 51-100 101-250 250+Missionaries / Agency

NSC

OSC

Small agencies lose many more missionaries than larger agencies in OSC and NSC. Effective agency size is at 50+ field missionaries.

77

Agency Size ReMAP IIReMAP II

Annual Attrition Rate 2001/02

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

1-2 3-5 6-10 11-16 17-25 26-50 51-100 101-250 250+Missionaries / Agency

NSC

OSC

retirement

The huge difference in attrition rates between OSC and NSC is mainly retirement.

88

Agency Size ReMAP ReMAP IIII

Home Office Staff per active Missionary

0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

1-2 3-5 6-10 11-16 17-25 26-50 51-100 101-250 250+Missionaries / Agency

NSC

OSC

2.8

Small agencies in OSC and NSC have a much higher percentage of staff in their home office (per active missionaries). They are neither effective nor efficient.

99

ReMAP IIReMAP II

High retaining agencies have a similar length of experience and a similar percentage of mission families with children (educational needs). These agencies invest the same percentage of allowance into a pension scheme, but have less staff (per 100 field workers) serving in the home office.

Agency

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Y.send %Retire/Allow

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

Staff

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Miss.w.Child HO.Staff/Miss

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

1010

ReMAP IIReMAP II

High retaining agencies are slightly more involved in evangelism and church planting among unreached peoples and reached peoples and slightly less in supporting existing churches and social & developmental work. These differences in their ministry priorities may affect their candidate selection, pre-field training requirements, and leadership structures.

Ministry Priorities

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Ev.Unreached

Evang. Reached

Support churches

Social & DevelopServices

OSC H

OSC L

%RRT

1111

Candidate Selection ReMAP II ReMAP IICandidate Selection

3,0

3,2

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

5,6

5,8

Calling

Doctrin. S

tatem.

Agency Principles

Mature Character

Character R

eferences

Pastor's

Endorsement

Blessing of Family

Church Experience

Crosscult.

Experience

Cope Stress

Health examinatio

n

Psych. Assessment

Content Marit.

Status

Pot. Financ. S

upport

Prayer Support

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

High retaining agencies put much more emphasis on their candidate selection, especially calling to ministry, character, church experience, spiritual disciplines and prayer support

1212

ReMAP IIReMAP IIEducation

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

6-10 y School

High School

Trade School BA

Master degree

Doctorate

OSC H

OSC L

% RRT

High retaining agencies have missionaries with higher academic training.

1313

ReMAP IIReMAP IIMinimal Pre-field Training Requirements

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

2,0

Bible School

Form. Missiol

Prac.Miss.Tr

Crosscult.Intern

Agenc.Orient

Yea

rs

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

High retaining agencies have much higher minimal training requirements, especially in Bible and in particular, in missiology.

Modern informal training methods (e.g. Practical missionary training and Cross-cultural internships) are too little in use as compulsory pre-field requirement to validate or invalidated their effectiveness.

1414

ReMAP IIReMAP II

Vision and Communication

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

5,6

Vision

Plans & Job Descript.

Communic. Leaders

Comm. Field - Home

Includ. field decisions

Policies document

Culture of Prayer

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT High retaining agencies put much more emphasis on communication with leadership as well as the home-field. They have specific plans and job descriptions and documented policies. In particular they have a culture of prayer throughout the agency

1515

ReMAP IIReMAP IILeadership

3,2

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

Leaders example

Problems solved

Field Supervision

Annual Review

Handling Complaints

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRTHigh retaining agencies put more emphasis on leadership, in particular leading by example, field supervision and an effective system of handling complaints.

1616

ReMAP IIReMAP IIOrientation & Continuous Training

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

Field Orientation

Language Learning

Ongo. Language Learn

New Gift Develop

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

Language and culture learning is generally considered as a lifelong task. High retaining agencies put even more emphasis on ongoing language and culture studies as well as development of new gifts.

1717

ReMAP IIReMAP IIMinistry

2,8

3,0

3,2

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

5,6

Assign to gifting

Shape own Ministry

Spiritual Warfare

Commited to ministry

Commited to agency

Not work overloaded

Spouse ministry

Admin support field

Improve ministry

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

include the spouse and to maintain a sound work-rest balance.

All missionaries are highly committed to their ministry.

High retaining agencies give their workers more room to shape their ministry, continually improve the ministry,

1818

ReMAP IIReMAP IIMinistry Outcome

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

Achieving goals

Good Relation People

Becoming Followers

Ntl. Church values

Develop local leaders

Personal Fulfilment

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT Good relationships to the people group and the national church found very high rating in all agencies.

High retaining agencies invest more in local leadership and missionaries find personal fulfilment in their ministry.

They are probably more relationship- than task-oriented. Unexpectedly they put less emphasis on the goal “people become followers of Christ”.

1919

ReMAP IIReMAP IIPersonal Care

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

5,6

Supportive Team

Pastoral Care

Interpers.Conflicts

Personal Spirit.Life

MK-Schooling

Health Care

Annual Vacation

Risk Assessment

Home Church Involv.

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

care, risk assessment and involve the home church in the personal care.

All agencies put very high emphasis on annual vacation.

The quantity of Member Care is not much different. High retaining agencies put more emphasis on the personal spiritual life, health

2020

ReMAP IIReMAP II

Fig. 2: Retention and Member Care in OSC

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

< 5%5 -10%

10-20%20-30%

Ret

entio

n R

ate

for

Pot

. Pre

vent

. Attr

ition

R

RP

Percentage of Total Staff Time for Member Care

OSCLittle investment in member care (MC) is associated with high attrition. Yet very high investment in member care is also correlated with increased attrition. But it doesn’t appear that MC in itself is detrimental, but that these agencies often do mediocre candidate selection and pre-field training which would prevent problems down the road.

In OSC, the optimum is 5-10% of total staff time at home and on the field invested in member care.

2121

ReMAP IIReMAP IIFig. 3: Retention Total and Prevent. Member Care

90%

91%

92%

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

0- 5% 5-10%

10-30%30-50%

50-70%70-100%

Ret

entio

n R

ate

for

tota

l Attr

ition

R

RT

Fraction of Preventative Member Care

MC Time 5-10% OSCPreventative member care means the build-up of resilience by the strengthening of character and personal spiritual life.

Preventative member care as well as crisis intervention is needed. Agencies that focus only on one at the expense of the other are associated with increased attrition.

2222

ReMAP IIReMAP IIFig. 4: RRP and Preventative MC

91%

92%

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

0- 5% 5-10%

10-30%30-50%

50-70%70-100%

Re

ten

tion

Ra

te fo

r P

ot.

Pre

ven

t. A

ttriti

on

R

RP

Fraction of Preventative Member Care

MC Time 5-10% OSC The need for preventative and curative member care is obvious in total attrition, attrition for potentially preventable causes as well as unpreventable attrition which includes end of the project and not going for a new assignment, evacuation, medical reasons, new assignment after retirement age etc.

2323

ReMAP IIReMAP II

Newer Sending Countries of the global South show a similar u-curve, yet the optimum for member care is at a higher time investment (10-20% of total staff time at home and on the field) as they are relational cultures.

2424

ReMAP IIReMAP IIFig. 7: Retention Rate Preventable and Prevent. MC

91%

92%

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

0 - 5%

5 -10%10-30%

30-50%50-70%

70-100%

Fraction of Preventative Member Care

Re

ten

tion

Ra

te fo

r P

reve

nt.

Attr

itio

n

RR

P NSCMCTime 10-20%Preventative and curative member care is needed in NSC agencies too.

Regarding attrition for potentially preventable reasons, the optimum is found at 30-50% preventative MC while the optimum for total attrition was at slightly less preventative MC.

2525

ReMAP IIReMAP IIFinances

3,2

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

Reg.Finan.Support

Finan. Back-up

Project finances

Agency Finances

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

High retaining agencies provide regular financial support to their missionaries; their project finances are spent wisely and effectively and their agency’s finances are transparent to donors and missionaries

2626

ReMAP IIReMAP IIHome Office

3,0

3,2

3,4

3,6

3,8

4,0

4,2

4,4

4,6

4,8

5,0

5,2

5,4

5,6

5,8

Prefield Screening

Prefield.orientation

Home office prays

Re-entry Program

Debriefing Home

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

The agencies’ home office rate their own activities highly. In particular the prayer support by the home office, pre-field screening, debriefing and re-entry program for those coming on home assignment were rated higher by high retaining agencies.

2727

ReMAP IIReMAP IIAverages

1,82,02,22,42,62,83,03,23,43,63,84,04,24,44,64,85,05,2

Average

Education

Selection

Prep.Time / y

Orientation

Spiritual.Life

Person.Care

MemCare/2

Organisation

Leadership

Staff.Develop

Ministry

Min.Outcome

Finances

Home.Office

Rat

ing

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

High retaining agencies gave a higher rating in almost all areas (groups of questions), especially pre-field training. Exception is the amount of member care. It is not so much the quantity but the quality of MC that counts.

2828

ReMAP IIReMAP IIAnnual Retention Rates

89%

90%

91%

92%

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

RRT RRU RRP

OSC H

OSC L

RRT Low retaining agencies lose 10% of their work force per year, 4 % for potentially preventable reasons and 6% for unpreventable reasons;

High retaining agencies lose only 2.9% per year; 1.3% for potentially preventable reasons and 1.6% for unpreventable reasons.

This assessment is made not on the basis of hypothetical definitions but the actual performance of large groups of agencies (30% of all agencies of the study in each case.)

2929

ReMAP IIReMAP IIAnnual Retention Rates

89%

90%

91%

92%

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

RRT RRU RRP

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

Retention after 10 years

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

RetTot 10y

RetUnprev 10y

RetPrev 10y

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

Within 10 year these differences in retention rates accumulate to a vast amount: 75% staff turnover vs. 25%.

3030

ReMAP IIReMAP II

Retention Rate for Pot. Prevent. Attrition

93%

94%

95%

96%

97%

98%

99%

100%

1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-00

OSC H

OSC L

RRT

The diagram shows the retention rates (for potentially preventable causes of attrition only) of missionaries that first left for the field in the stated 5 year period.

The diagram shows the general trend towards earlier return, shorter assignments, higher staff turnover. Mission agencies in general are affected by this global trend, and low retaining agencies in particular.

Yet high retaining agencies have maintained their very high retention rates. They were able to offset this global trend by improved leadership systems, communication, member care, candidate selection, pre-field training and continuous training.

3131

ReMAP IIReMAP IILength of Service of

Attriting Missionaries

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Yea

rs

OSCHOSC L

RRT

Ann. Attrition Rate

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

9%RRT In the years 2001-02

the large group of high retaining agencies showed only half of the number of total returnees as the group of low retaining agencies and their average length of service was 15.5 years vs. 7.9 years. Considering the fact that it takes a person 2 years to learn the language and culture and become effective in ministry, the difference is almost a factor of 2.5

3232

Major Findings ReMAP IIReMAP II

Clear purpose and vision of agency Specific plans Flexible, dynamic structure Lean administration Consultative interactive leadership style Personal trust throughout the agency Empowerment of staff Effective communication Prayer throughout agency Careful candidate selection Quality prefield training Missiological training Effective on-field orientation Intensive language training & cultural studies

3333

Major Findings 2 ReMAP IIReMAP II

Supportive team Maintenance of personal spiritual life Effective personal care Preventative member care & crisis intervention Assignment to gifting Work-rest balance Continuous training and development of new gifts Ongoing improvement of projects Regular performance reviews Flexibility & acceptance of new challenges Stable financial support Good relationship with home church Good relationship with National church in country Debriefing during home assignment