support global workers

As a church, it is our responsibility to care for and meet the needs of global workers we have sent out. In order to do this well, Global Care Teams were created to allow church members to be directly involved in this role by connecting, praying, and ministering to Heritage’s sent workers.

What are Global Care Teams?
A Global Care Team constitutes a group of 10-16 individuals that intentionally partner with a Global Worker to pursue a common vision and mission among the nations. Global Care Team members fulfill various roles that center around the desire to care well for the Global Worker, advocate on their behalf, and help champion their vision.

Global Care Teams:
● Maintain intentional communication with the worker so that they never feel that they are “out of sight, out of mind.”
● Meet regularly to pray together for their global worker.
● Establish a prayer chain which will allow team members to pray for the worker as urgent requests become known.
● Are the first line of hospitality for the worker when they are in the area, being available to help in their re-entry of the area.
● Provide care support such as sending birthday, anniversary, and holiday cards, and care packages.

How do I join a Global Care Team?
Click on this link to visit our sign-up form. Once you have submitted your request to join a team, you will be contacted by the Global Care Team leader to either welcome you on the team or let you know that their team is full. You will then receive emails about meeting schedules and prayer needs for the global worker.

Can I join more than one Global Care Team?
If there is a need on another team and you have the bandwidth to be fully invested, you can do so. Otherwise, we would encourage each individual/family to focus on serving well on one particular Global Care Team. Of course, prayer and awareness of all of our Global Workers is welcomed and encouraged.

Are Global Care Team members required to give financially to their global worker?
Global Care Teams are created specifically to meet the needs of the global workers, both spiritually and emotionally, but not financially. Their financial needs are met appropriately by fiscal decisions of the church leadership and by budget vote of the church congregation.

How often do Global Care Teams meet?
Global Care Teams usually meet four times a year, and some meet more often. To find out about a specific team’s meeting schedule, check with the Global Care Team leader (they can be contacted through the Global Care Teams form).

How can I find out more about Heritage’s Sent Global Workers?
Each of our global workers (sent and supported) has a display in the Hall of Faith that tells about their field and ministry. They also provide newsletters that are printed and added to their displays. Contact their Global Care Team leader to find out how to request to be added to a worker’s mailing list.

What are the expectations of a Global Care Team member?
When you join a Global Care Team, you are committing to: pray regularly for the team’s global worker and their work; make attendance to team meetings a priority; and participate when possible in your team’s ministry to the worker through prayer, ongoing communication, and other means of encouragement.

In what ways do Global Care Teams provide opportunities for individuals to serve our global workers?
When you are part of a Global Care Team, you will receive the latest information and developments on what is going on with our global workers which will enable you to participate in regular, informed prayer. Global Care Team meetings provide opportunities to join with others and pray corporately for the workers. They will often do a video conference with the worker during the meeting.

Teams will often find other ways to encourage the workers while they are overseas. They may send cards and other communications from the team, or may send a care package to which team members are invited (but never required) to contribute.

When global workers visit the US, Global Care Teams take up the role of making sure the workers’ needs are met—from loaning child car seats and providing transportation to/from the airport to setting up the missions house with a few food items until they have a chance to go shopping.

There are several roles within the Global Care Teams ministry for which you can also volunteer including hospitality, communications, newsletter mailings, and technology help. Speak with Global Care Team leaders about specific needs in their team. Contact go@hbclynchburg.com if you are interested in serving as a tech volunteer for any Global Care Teams that may have a need, or to find out more about this role.

What can I expect at a Global Care Team meeting?
These meetings will provide an opportunity for you to engage in loving your global worker as a team. There may be opportunities to video conference with your global worker, cook international foods that reflect your worker’s favorite cuisine in their ministry context, or even fill your worker’s email inbox with prayers and words of encouragement while overseas.

Why don’t all Heritage Global Workers have Global Care Teams?
Along with the global workers sent out from our church we have chosen to strategically partner with global workers sent out from other churches. These are our “Supported Global Workers.” We stay in touch with them, love them, and pray for them but we do not want to try to take the place of their own sending church. We trust and pray that their sending church will head up the role of caring for their sent workers’ needs as we do ours. You can visit our Global Worker Hall of Faith to find update letters with the most recent information and prayer requests for all our global workers.

How do Global Care Teams benefit our global workers?
● Global Care Teams promote direct contact with the church body.
● Global Care Teams prevent global workers from “falling through the cracks.”
● Global Care Teams provide for many of their (non-financial) needs.

How do Global Care Teams benefit our church?
● Global Care Teams create a greater focus on missions.
● Global Care Teams get more people involved with missions at Heritage.
● Global Care Teams emphasize Sent Global Workers.
● Global Care Teams help shoulder some of the burdens off the staff to meet the needs of our global workers.

I am new to supporting and caring for Global Workers, is there a recommended reading list for doing this well?

Yes! Check out some of these titles & Resources: 

Let the Nations be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions – John Piper 

Serving as Senders Today: How to Care for Your Missionaries While They Are Preparing to Go – Neal Pirolo 

The Reentry Team: Caring for Your Returning Missionaries – Neal Pirolo 

Raising Up a Generation of Healthy Third Culture Kids: A Practical Guide to Preventive Care – Lauren Wells 

Joshua Project – Information and statistics pertaining to each and every people group. 

Unreached of The Day – Receive pertinent ways to pray for an unreached people group every day. 

Stratus.Earth – Detailed overview of physical and spiritual needs of every country.

Prayercast – Prayer videos focused on nations and pertinent global topics.