MM568/668: Self-Care in
Jude Tiersma
Watson, Associate Professor of Urban
Cynthia B. Eriksson, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Winter 2008
DESCRIPTION:
One of the greatest
challenges facing mission in the 21st century is the increasing amount
of attrition within mission agencies around the world. A large percentage of
these early departures are avoidable. Good stewardship of resources requires
recognition of the needs of the most important mission resource: people. This
course will address personal, familial, cultural, social, and organizational
issues of self and mutual care, such as: stress and burnout; safety and trauma;
singleness, marriage, and family; sexuality and sexual impurity; team
relationships; and conflict transformation. Cross-cultural perspectives on
these issues are included in reading and lecture. Psychological, theological,
and missiological literature provides the foundation
for understanding the needs and interventions. The course will provide students
with resources to implement appropriate self-care and organizational
member-care in a variety of mission communities.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
1. Students will recognize the personal,
familial, cultural, social, and organizational issues that can either help or
hinder the work of missionaries.
2. Students will be able to outline a
member care continuum for an organization or mission agency that can help to
facilitate member care in mission organizations.
COURSE
FORMAT: This course will meet once each week for 3 hours of lecture, stories,
guest speakers, and retreat.
REQUIRED
1. Anderson, Ray S. Self-Care: A Theology to Personal-Empowerment and Spiritual Healing.
2. O'Donnell, Kelly. (ed.) Doing Member-Care Well: Perspectives and
Practices from around the World.
3. Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Conflict: Building
a Relationship for Effective Ministry.
4. Sine, Christine, Sacred Rhythms, Baker Books, 2003.
5. Course Reader: Selected journal
articles and key book chapters.
RECOMMENDED
1. Foyle, Marjorie. Overcoming Missionary Stress.
2. Hiebert,
Paul. Anthropological Insights for
Missionaries.
3. O'Donnell, Kelly. (ed.). Missionary Care: Counting the Cost for World
Evangelization.
4. Palmer, Parker. Let Your Life Speak: Listening to the Voice of Vocation.
5. Powell, John, & Bowers, Joyce, Enhancing Missionary Vitality.
6. Taylor, William. (ed.) Too Valuable to Lose: Exploring the Causes
and Cures of Missionary Attrition.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1. Class attendance and participation are
required.
2. Two 750-word personal reaction papers
responding to reading and lecture topics are required.
3. One 500-word outline of a Member Care
Continuum is required.
4. Major paper or project (approximately
10-12 pages or 2,500-3,000 words) is required in lieu of a final exam.
PREREQUISITES:
For Psychology students:
Introduction to Integration
For Intercultural Studies and Theology students: none
RELATIONSHIP
TO CURRICULUM: For Psychology students: integration elective. For Intercultural
Studies and Theology students: elective.
FINAL EXAM: None.