Interact - September 2020 (Special Edition)

One Source, Two Streams

Dr. David C. Pollock

(Adapted from an article in Interact)

Recently, I watched a spring bubbling from the ground along a footpath in the woods. It formed a small pool and flowed out into two streams that tumbled down a hill. In the natural scheme of things, the two would ultimately meet each other. In their flowing and growing they would nourish, refresh, cleanse, sustain, and, overall, give life. Springs and rivulets give me a significant metaphor for my life as an individual and for the Body of Christ. One source and two streams: these blend into one flow to give life.

One Source

The Apostle Paul captures the focal point of eternity and time as he writes, “Christ is the image of God”—Creator, Sustainer, Head of the Body, Reconciler and Perfecter(Col. 1: 15-23). Thinking Christianly begins and ends with a comprehensive view of Christ. It is this view of recognizing who He is that is key to fulfilling Peter’s directive to be “clear-minded” (1 Peter 4:7). Peter did this in responding to Jesus’ question in Matthew 16:15, “Who do you say that I am?” The answer to that key question lays the foundation for the remainder of Peter’s admonition to “those scattered abroad … Be clear minded,self-controlled so that you can pray and love one another deeply.” The progression is from thinking and believing rightly to choosing, acting and loving rightly.

James captures the concept of thinking rightly with his admonition to seek godly wisdom (James 1:5).The key issue in that wisdom is clearly perceiving this person, Jesus. Once established, the reasonable conclusion is that we become doers and not hearers only.He pushes us to recognize that sin is not only doing the wrong, but it is knowing what is good and not doing it (James 4:17).

John, in his first letter, indicates that the identity of a believer is determined by observing if he thinks (believes) rightly about Jesus, chooses right and loves right. He builds his criteria on the basis of the person of Christ Himself who is Light, Life and Love. John’s introduction to this book (1 John 1:3) states, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard (clear-minded) so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ.”

Jesus is the Spring, the Source of whom His Father said, “This is my Beloved Son … Listen to Him”(Luke 9:35). We must listen to Jesus when He prays (in John 17:21-23), “Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You, may they also be in Us so that the world may believe that you have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave me, that they maybe one as We are One … I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know You sent Me.”Could it be that this unity is how we think, how we choose, and how we love? He is the Source and sets the flow of the two streams. Listen to His commands.

Stream One

“A new commandment I give to you that you love one another. By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” “If you love Me you will obey what I command.” “This is My command: Love each other” (John 13:34-5; 14:15 and 15:17). The irrefutable evidence of God’s supernatural intervention in human affairs confronts a lost mankind through the action of one believer on behalf of another person for the other’s good. It is the demonstration of God’s character in the people He has reconciled to Himself and to each other. Love is the stuff His people are made of.

It has been my conviction over the last four decades of my work in missions that member care is by its very nature the tangible expression of the love of Christ for us and of our love for Him. It is not simply a program or a plan; it is the product of who we are because of our relationship to Him.

Dave Pollock

Stream Two

“As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you” (John 20:21). “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go (and as you are going) make disciples of all nations… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:18-20).

The two streams, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, are inseparable. Sometimes in our zeal to be responsive to one we ignore or minimize the other. The Great Commission cannot be fulfilled without obedience to the Great Commandment. The evidence to the watching world is the fulfillment of His Command.

Is it possible that the Great Commission is more easily obeyed than the Great Commandment? Defining love as action on behalf of another, even an enemy, may be a sticking point for all of us. The good Samaritan was faced with expenditure of time and money, inconvenience, readjusting priorities, and perhaps even disdain from the one he rescued. Would it be easier, less demanding, to be a priest or Levite slipping by to do some teaching or preaching or to perform some act of worship in the synagogue?

Our struggle in the mission’s community may not be dissimilar from that of the travellers from Jerusalem to Jericho. Perhaps it related to their religious position. Perhaps they had religious tasks to perform that could not be ignored. Perhaps they had a great commission to obey and could not allow themselves to be sidetracked. Jesus’ evaluation shakes me to my roots. I can recall too many times when a task I perceived as obedience to the Great Commission preempted obedience to the Great Commandment.

Failure to respond to the Great Commandment removes the most convincing piece of divinely appointed evidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that we are His disciples.

Dave Pollock

Failure to respond to the Great Commandment removes the most convincing piece of divinely appointed evidence that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and that we are His disciples. But there’s more. It leaves a weaker brother or sister open to discouragement, failure, and brokenness. It makes lonely coworkers vulnerable to attack. It undermines relationships and diminishes effectiveness. In missions, much of the attrition with its waste of people and resources is readily traceable to our failure to intervene appropriately at the right places in the life of the missionary, the family as a whole, and with the children. It is important to remember that obedience to the Great Commandment in the mission’s context is not simply a matter of pragmatism and damage control. It is obedience to His command.

How do we navigate both streams? The starting point is full-hearted acknowledgement of the biblical mandate and unreserved obedience to the Source. Thinking rightly leads to choosing rightly and flows readily to acting rightly. The Samaritan immediately evaluated the situation and took action to correct the problem. The action was both immediate and long-term in view of both rescue and recovery. Had he been there sooner, he might have intervened to be preventive and saved everyone grief and pain. Love is preventive as well as therapeutic. We start by identifying the points where intervention can be preventive, recognize the places where care and comfort are required, and plan for the therapeutic when required.

In the missions’ community, care of personnel is the fulfillment of our mandate and the natural expression of our fellowship. It is … more than just protection against financial loss or safeguarding our investments. Such care is not an event, nor is it necessarily automatic. Rather, it is an intentional, planned, and ongoing flow which occurs throughout a missionary’s life….

Dave Pollock

The Flow of Care

If we listen to the needs and issues expressed by experienced personnel, the details of the flow of care will increase, be refined and, in the process of change, will be modified and customized. The menu below gives a starting point.

Prefield:

-Recruitment: “honesty in advertising” is important. We don’t know all that these new missionaries will face, but the known factors, sacrifices, etc. should be identified and considered.

-Screening: careful evaluation of the person, of his/her preparation, of the family/its dynamics, etc.

-Orientation: time and money are usually the enemies of proper prefield orientation which should include personal issues, interpersonal skills, cross-cultural skills, constructing a learning framework and specialized issues for parents, educators, shorttermers, etc.

-Placement: giftedness (placing people where they and their gifts fit) and consideration of the family/seasons in the life of the family are important preventive moves.

On-Site:

-Orientation: should be directly tied to previous orientations/training and include reviewing transition and cultural adjustment as well as culture and living specifics.

-Placement: giftedness and “the seasons of the family” are still issues that must be consistently considered even when placement changes on the field.

-Support: developing a caring community to mentor/encourage, provide access to counselors, and provide help/resources for culture/language acquisition, professional development and predeparture preparation.

Re-entry (Entry for some TCKs):

-Agency: making key personnel available, coordinating reception and career counseling for those leaving.

-Others (family, friends, and churches): assisting them in developing expectations and providing for their initial living needs.

-Reentry/transition seminars: for those who are returning and exit interviews for everyone (whether or not they are returning overseas).

Continuing Follow-up Care:

-Providing support groups, materials and personnel / services.

Care is defined … as the actions of one person intentionally responding to conscious or unconscious needs of another for their well-being,protection or enhancement. Care may be proactive, preventive, or remedial; it may be direct or indirect. 'Care' is a broader concept that 'counseling' or 'therapy'.

Glenn Taylor (Enhancing Missionary Vitality, 2002)

The concept of the flow of care was the theme of the first International Conference on Missionary Kids in 1984. It was adopted by the Family Liaison Office of the State Department and the Foreign Service Youth Foundation soon after. Many in the international business community are interested as well. They want to improve their bottom line by increasing efficiency, effectiveness and minimizing unnecessary attrition.

For us who flow on the crest of two streams from the same Source, there should be no question about our enthusiastic participation. The Great Commission and Great Commandment are inseparable. To develop a flow of care requires cooperation among administrators, boards of directors, support personnel and organizations at significant points of intervention. A “managed care” approach in order to facilitate the “flow of care” is not a far-fetched concept when we realize how much is at stake and see how responsive it is to the basic issues of the will of God. “Father I pray … that they may be one as We are One.” “A new command I give, love one another …” “By this shall all know you are my disciples … ” “And as you go … make disciples … teach them to obey all I commanded you ... I am with you always.” Do it!

Author

Dr. David C. Pollock

Dr. David C. Pollock founded Interaction and served as its Executive Director of Interaction until his death in 2004. He traveled extensively as a passionate advocate and speaker on behalf of MKs/TCKs as well as an author and consultant addressing the needs and care of MKs/TCKs and missionary families. In addition, he served on the faculty of Houghton College in New York. He co-authored the book Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds (third edition) with Ruth Van Reken. He was the cofounder of the three International Conferences on MKs held in the 1980s (Manila, Quito and Nairobi). Previously, Dave and his family served at Rift Valley Academy in Kijabe, Kenya with Africa Inland Mission.