On Field Debrief & Follow up

This post is direct towards Team Leaders.
It is also important from the beginning to think about how will debrief your team.

How will you debrief?
1) Structured debrief
• nightly team meetings
• scheduled small group/one-on-one time
• questions for reflections (Devotional material)

2) Unstructured debrief
• seize the "teachable" moments
• set up one-on-one relationships

For additional resources on debriefing, I recommend reading Seth Barne's blog sessions on debriefing, to read click here.

Follow-up debrief

On the mission field, Christ becomes the all-consuming passion. Being in an environment where we are dependent on our powerful Lord will cause some participants to realize how passive and limiting their relationships are with Christ. This will powerfully inspire them to seek the Lord’s goodness and abundant blessings in their own lives. Upon returning home, encourage team members to apply the ministry mindset at home to expand the Lord’s kingdom wherever their daily influence might be.

Reverse Culture Shock

Many people are surprised at how well their cross-cultural adjustment goes on the field. In fact, some find it harder to readjust once they return home. They experience Reverse Culture Shock. The individual has had a wonderful, hopefully life-changing experience, which causes him to view the world, the church, himself, and life in general from a new perspective. Yet friends and family to whom he returns have not had such an experience and do not share the same perspective. Prepare your participants to expect the following when they return home:

• Being out of sync.
• Conflict in values: change in perspective concerning American
values/lifestyle
• Disinterest in mission experience from others: encourage your team to have an open and accepting attitude towards family and friends who do not share the same experience.
• Individualism vs. Team: seeking God and doing ministry at home typically as an individual as opposed to being a part of a community.

Encourage team members experiencing reverse culture shock. The following ideas/responses might help your team cope with reentry.

• Encourage team members to remain a “team” at church and involve the community of believers in ministry.
• If someone boasts, "This project has made me more Christ-like," explain that your life should reflect the difference Christ is making and that this kind of comment may invalidate itself.
• Encourage team members to listen to what family and friends experienced while the team was on the mission field. Don't forget your responsibility to spend time with your spouse, children, roommates, parents, and siblings. Do not ignore the needs of those closest to you as you readjust and they readjust to your being home.
• Make sure your team integrates peers left behind. How do you avoid being cliquish? How do you exert a positive influence without coming across as spiritually superior?