A Missionary's Relationship to Sending Churches: Communal and Exchange Dimensions

Abstract

The relationship between a career missionary and a local church should enable each member in the relationship to better accomplish the purposes to which God has called each one. However, the missionary-church relationship can be very complex, even confusing. The concepts of exchange relationships (where relationship members are expected to provide comparable benefits to each other) and communal relationships (where benefits are given to the one member without expectations of receiving something of equal value in response) provides a framework for understanding some of the dynamics of missionary-church relationships. Although a communal relationship may be a biblically-based goal, many aspects of missionary-church relationships can be understood as exchange relationships, which are also modeled and encouraged in the Bible. Ensuring that each member benefits from this relationship may make the relationship more stable during times of transition and distress.