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Why read Worth Keeping

This book provides insights and best practices for improving missionary retention, based on the experiences of 40,000 missionaries from 600 agencies in 22 nations. It features 50 case studies and a code of best practices. The book also explores the biblical basis for retention and highlights the impact of high retention agencies.

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Why read Worth Keeping

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  1. Why read Worth Keeping • Represents • 40,000 missionaries from • 600 mission agencies in • 22 nations • 30 global retention issues. • High retention agency practices were identified. • 50 case studies/ideas for improving retention. • Guide for developing a code of best practices

  2. Biblical Basis for Retention • Retention is part of our commission—fruit that remains. (Jn 15:16a) • Retention is connected to how well we love each other. (Jn 16:17) • Retention is connected to answered prayer. (Jn 15:16b)

  3. Some Global Practices of High Retention Agencies • Careful Candidate Selection • Effective Leadership with • Good people skills • Servant attitude • Flexible structures • Utilize the insights of their missionaries • Changes not imposed from top down

  4. Some Global Practices, con’t 3. Provide opportunities for training and development of gifts 4. Encourage missionaries to improve ministries and agency’s operations 5. Partnership with other agencies

  5. Some USA Findings • The average agency keeps 94% of its people each year. • High Retention agency: 97% • Low Retention agency: 91% • This means that over a 10 year period the average agency • Keeps 54% of its people • Loses 46% of its people

  6. 29 High Retention Agencies 23% Attrition US Average 77% Retention 46% Attrition 54% Retention 29 Low Retention Agencies 37% Retention 63% Attrition Retention Impact: 10 years

  7. High Retention Agencies lose 50% less than the average US Agency.

  8. 50% of the annual departures were for potentially preventable reasons

  9. Longevity of Service • Average retention agency: 11 years • High retention agency: 16 years • Low retention agency: 7 years

  10. USA Trend Agencies are losing a greater percentage of their missionaries for potentially preventable reasons during the past 20 years.

  11. Percentage of Missionaries Leaving for Potentially Preventable Reasons

  12. High Retention Agencies are countering the general trend.

  13. High Retention Agencies: Missionaries leaving for Preventable Reasons

  14. How do high retention agencies counter the trend? • Greater Importance on Screening • More Extensive Pre-field Training • Good Communication Practices • Greater Emphasis on Prayer

  15. How do high retention agencies counter the trend? • On-going Training Opportunities • Comprehensive Care Practices • Effective Leadership Practices

  16. #1 Screening Criteria • High Ret. Ag. • Low Ret. Ag.

  17. # 2 Pre-Field Training • High retention agencies require approximately 3 semesters of formal missiological studies (vs 1 semester for low retentionagencies) • High retention agencies spend 5-6 weeks in orientation (vs 3 weeks for low retention agencies)

  18. #3 Good Communication • Clear communication of plans and job descriptions • Free flow communication to and from leadership • Effective communication between sending base and field • Policies are well understood throughout the mission

  19. #4 Greater emphasis on Prayer • Promoted throughout the agency • Emphasized in Home Office • Important screening factor

  20. # 5 On-going Training • Required language programs for new missionaries • Opportunities for on-going language and culture learning • Opportunities for life-long development of gifts and skills, and new roles

  21. #6 Care Practices • High Ret. Ag. • Low Ret. Ag.

  22. #7 Leadership Practices • High Ret. Ag. • Low Ret. Ag.

  23. Three Factors that most hinder A Missionary’s Effectiveness • Finances • Family Issues • Relationship problems

  24. Four High Contributors to a Missionary’s Effectiveness • Development of good relationships. • Commitment to the ministry. • Effective leadership with good supervision and accountability. • Clear objectives, goals, and expectations that are agreed upon.

  25. Caution and Disclaimer • Caution: One size does NOT fit all • Limitation of the study: The findings are based only on the perspectives of agency leaders. • The limitation can be rounded out: • The Colin Powell principle: probe the organization

  26. 3 Recommendations

  27. 2. Launch!Calculate the benefit of improving retention • Allows your agency to quantify the financial benefit of improving retention. • The investment-per-year-of-active-service of a typical low-retention agency is 33%higher than that of a typical high-retention agency with an identical cost structure. • Contact Ken Harder: ken@gmi.org.

  28. 3. Worth Keeping!Focus of improving certain practices • 30 priority global retention issues (Engage! can help agency determine priorities) • 50 Case Studies. • Code of Best Practices work sheets for each issue.

  29. Reflection in groups of 3 What’s the next thing to be done to improve retention in your situation?

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