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Rerouted: Caring for Missionaries When Unexpected Trials Bring Them Home
Have you ever wondered what happens to a missionary family when their overseas work unexpectedly ends? In this eye-opening book, the curtain is pulled back to reveal the struggles many missionaries face when returning home earlier than anticipated. With practical suggestions and real-life examples, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to help their missionaries thrive when faced with this painful transition. If you’re a supporter, a member of a sending church, in Member Care for a mission agency, or someone who simply cares and prays for missionaries, you will find stories and ideas in these pages that will stir your heart to action.
“Every Christ follower with a passion for supporting missionaries should read this book.”
--Jonathan Montgomery
Director of Missionary Care, BMA Missions
“Every Christ follower with a passion for supporting missionaries should read this book.”
--Jonathan Montgomery
Director of Missionary Care, BMA Missions
135 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2023
6 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 18, 2024
3.75 stars
This is a useful book to help organizations, churches, and supporters understand when overseas workers return to their passport country unexpectedly. I’ve known a number of people in that situation, and it’s really difficult, so I’m grateful for a book that attempts to increase understanding.
There were a few points that kept it below a solid 5 star for me personally. I’m not sure why she kept saying support should continue for two years, instead of something like one year (which I’ve seen in multiple cases and seemed really helpful, but she doesn’t really explain or justify why it needs to be two years, just says it does). Also, she often assumes in the book that the husband is the main person working or in ministry or the only one who could work in church, so some of the advice is not as well suited to families and organizations that see both people as equal ministry partners, or even in some cases where the wife has the main ministry job or giftings. In addition, I wish she had used stories from more diverse places because these lean really heavily towards PNG and people who live in the bush, so at some parts it feels more unrelatable to people in other types of contexts. Overall, helpful book though for people who need to know how to support others in this situation.
This is a useful book to help organizations, churches, and supporters understand when overseas workers return to their passport country unexpectedly. I’ve known a number of people in that situation, and it’s really difficult, so I’m grateful for a book that attempts to increase understanding.
There were a few points that kept it below a solid 5 star for me personally. I’m not sure why she kept saying support should continue for two years, instead of something like one year (which I’ve seen in multiple cases and seemed really helpful, but she doesn’t really explain or justify why it needs to be two years, just says it does). Also, she often assumes in the book that the husband is the main person working or in ministry or the only one who could work in church, so some of the advice is not as well suited to families and organizations that see both people as equal ministry partners, or even in some cases where the wife has the main ministry job or giftings. In addition, I wish she had used stories from more diverse places because these lean really heavily towards PNG and people who live in the bush, so at some parts it feels more unrelatable to people in other types of contexts. Overall, helpful book though for people who need to know how to support others in this situation.
May 14, 2024
I can see my view of this book is different from others...but that is nothing new. :)
But I wanted to state that there is definitely a different way to look at this.
If I needed to describe this book in one word: ENTITLED!
I am a missionary and I have transitioned between ministries. I am so thankful for supporters who stuck with us when we had no idea what the future held. We did lose support and find it hard to gain support even now because our ministry isn't "front lines".
But I am not entitled to anything! I don't view serving the Lord as "your missionary gave up everything" as is mentioned sooo many times in this book. What a privilege it is to served the Lord, walk with Him and obey Him...wherever He leads us.
It seems like the author put sooo much reliance and had sooo many expectations of her "earthly supporters" and forgot that the Lord is the one who gives and takes away. He has promised to provide EVERYTHING we need. We just have to trust Him and realize that it might not look like we hope or want.
I do sometimes wish that our churches, supporters, friends and family knew or understood more. But I also know that EVERYTHING in my life...God allows. And I can trust Him in that also.
Ok. End rant.
But I wanted to state that there is definitely a different way to look at this.
If I needed to describe this book in one word: ENTITLED!
I am a missionary and I have transitioned between ministries. I am so thankful for supporters who stuck with us when we had no idea what the future held. We did lose support and find it hard to gain support even now because our ministry isn't "front lines".
But I am not entitled to anything! I don't view serving the Lord as "your missionary gave up everything" as is mentioned sooo many times in this book. What a privilege it is to served the Lord, walk with Him and obey Him...wherever He leads us.
It seems like the author put sooo much reliance and had sooo many expectations of her "earthly supporters" and forgot that the Lord is the one who gives and takes away. He has promised to provide EVERYTHING we need. We just have to trust Him and realize that it might not look like we hope or want.
I do sometimes wish that our churches, supporters, friends and family knew or understood more. But I also know that EVERYTHING in my life...God allows. And I can trust Him in that also.
Ok. End rant.
July 4, 2023
What happens when missionaries are rerouted? Candice Schroeder realized many cross-cultural church planters were struggling when they unexpectedly found themselves transitioning back to life in North America. In Rerouted, she shares some of her family’s experience, along with practical and loving ways churches and mission organizations can support missionaries in crisis.
This book is exceptionally insightful and a great recommendation for those who support missionaries, are on their missions committees, or who are leaders in missions organizations.
Schroeder shares stories that offer insights into what missionaries feel in these circumstances and offers practical helps to recognize a missionary in crisis, and the thought process most missionaries go through upon return. She created the acronym THRIVE which helps communicate five common needs that missionaries have when they unexpectedly return.
I hope that Schroeder’s book can open up a conversation that will not only help us to better support our brothers and sisters in crisis, but also help us move forward to be involved in global missions in more effective ways.
This book is exceptionally insightful and a great recommendation for those who support missionaries, are on their missions committees, or who are leaders in missions organizations.
Schroeder shares stories that offer insights into what missionaries feel in these circumstances and offers practical helps to recognize a missionary in crisis, and the thought process most missionaries go through upon return. She created the acronym THRIVE which helps communicate five common needs that missionaries have when they unexpectedly return.
I hope that Schroeder’s book can open up a conversation that will not only help us to better support our brothers and sisters in crisis, but also help us move forward to be involved in global missions in more effective ways.
April 4, 2024
I think this book is very necessary and addresses a reality about missions work that most of the western church has no idea how to handle.
I have seen firsthand the heartache and struggle missionaries experience when they are rerouted from ministry. The grief of losing your ministry, identity, and home all at once is staggering. While they should be processing this trauma, they are often immediately hit by an urgent need to find new income, a place to live, a new degree to pursue, etc.
The book suggests a THRIVE acronym for missionaries’ needs when returning from overseas unexpectedly: Talk, Home, Rest, Income, Vehicle, Employment.
If churches and individuals love the body of Christ enough to commit to support missions, we also need to support the missionaries themselves, in both good and hard times. If God has redirected them, then we need to continue to walk with them emotionally, spiritually, and practically as they obey Him.
I appreciated the author pointing out that we shouldn’t assume a missionary left the field because of sin, but I would have liked an exploration of how to gracefully restore our brothers and sisters when sin issues are involved. Maybe a future edition could address this.
I think some readers may feel that the author’s suggestions sound demanding or like missionaries are entitled. I think her forcefulness comes from the agony of watching missionaries suffer—it’s hard to write dispassionately when someone we care about is in pain!
Unfortunately, she closes the book with a very forceful section that I think stretches biblical truth. She makes an analogy of discovering a crying baby on your doorstep and choosing not to help it: “I believe God would hold you accountable, and your inaction would qualify as sin. James 4:17 says, ‘So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him, it is sin.’ … you know, so you have a responsibility to act. God, in His sovereignty, has chosen to trust you with the awareness of this baby in need, so if you are apathetic and do nothing to help, I believe it would be sin. You are held accountable for what you know. In that sense, this book is dangerous. It’s dangerous because it raises your accountability level. You are now aware of the needs missionaries experience when they return home unexpectedly from an early ending to their missionary career. I’m not arrogant enough to suggest that my ideas in this book represent the best possible solutions to alleviate your missionaries’ suffering, but I am just here to present the needs themselves. Your missionaries need the things represented in the THRIVE acronym... If you believe in God’s sovereignty in allowing you to read this, then you have to believe that you will be held accountable to what you know. Your missionaries are the needy, abandoned baby on your doorstep.”
While the Bible does indicate that those who hear and reject truth will be held accountable for it, that is not the same concept as the idea that learning about a need means God has commanded us to personally solve it. In this Information Age, we have knowledge of a crushing load of needs around the world that no finite human could ever solve. To say that it’s sin to be aware of a need and not take action is simply not Biblical.
What we need to do is ask God what HE is asking of us—what good works has he prepared for us? Which of the countless needs we know of is he directing us to? How has he equipped us to help? I think it’s fair to assume that if God called us to join a missionary’s support team, he’s calling us to care for them when they have to leave the field. We should certainly pray and ask God how he might enable us to help. And ignoring his prompting or his commands in general to love and care for the body could certainly be sin.
But the author’s manipulative handling of biblical principles in this section is really unfortunate. Sadly, I think this section would be off-putting to many readers who would benefit from the book. I was ready to enthusiastically pass this book on, and now am hesitant to do so. It’s a real shame because most of the content is excellent.
I hope in future editions the author will do more study of the passages she’s referencing and edit this ending section so that I could wholeheartedly recommend it.
I have seen firsthand the heartache and struggle missionaries experience when they are rerouted from ministry. The grief of losing your ministry, identity, and home all at once is staggering. While they should be processing this trauma, they are often immediately hit by an urgent need to find new income, a place to live, a new degree to pursue, etc.
The book suggests a THRIVE acronym for missionaries’ needs when returning from overseas unexpectedly: Talk, Home, Rest, Income, Vehicle, Employment.
If churches and individuals love the body of Christ enough to commit to support missions, we also need to support the missionaries themselves, in both good and hard times. If God has redirected them, then we need to continue to walk with them emotionally, spiritually, and practically as they obey Him.
I appreciated the author pointing out that we shouldn’t assume a missionary left the field because of sin, but I would have liked an exploration of how to gracefully restore our brothers and sisters when sin issues are involved. Maybe a future edition could address this.
I think some readers may feel that the author’s suggestions sound demanding or like missionaries are entitled. I think her forcefulness comes from the agony of watching missionaries suffer—it’s hard to write dispassionately when someone we care about is in pain!
Unfortunately, she closes the book with a very forceful section that I think stretches biblical truth. She makes an analogy of discovering a crying baby on your doorstep and choosing not to help it: “I believe God would hold you accountable, and your inaction would qualify as sin. James 4:17 says, ‘So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him, it is sin.’ … you know, so you have a responsibility to act. God, in His sovereignty, has chosen to trust you with the awareness of this baby in need, so if you are apathetic and do nothing to help, I believe it would be sin. You are held accountable for what you know. In that sense, this book is dangerous. It’s dangerous because it raises your accountability level. You are now aware of the needs missionaries experience when they return home unexpectedly from an early ending to their missionary career. I’m not arrogant enough to suggest that my ideas in this book represent the best possible solutions to alleviate your missionaries’ suffering, but I am just here to present the needs themselves. Your missionaries need the things represented in the THRIVE acronym... If you believe in God’s sovereignty in allowing you to read this, then you have to believe that you will be held accountable to what you know. Your missionaries are the needy, abandoned baby on your doorstep.”
While the Bible does indicate that those who hear and reject truth will be held accountable for it, that is not the same concept as the idea that learning about a need means God has commanded us to personally solve it. In this Information Age, we have knowledge of a crushing load of needs around the world that no finite human could ever solve. To say that it’s sin to be aware of a need and not take action is simply not Biblical.
What we need to do is ask God what HE is asking of us—what good works has he prepared for us? Which of the countless needs we know of is he directing us to? How has he equipped us to help? I think it’s fair to assume that if God called us to join a missionary’s support team, he’s calling us to care for them when they have to leave the field. We should certainly pray and ask God how he might enable us to help. And ignoring his prompting or his commands in general to love and care for the body could certainly be sin.
But the author’s manipulative handling of biblical principles in this section is really unfortunate. Sadly, I think this section would be off-putting to many readers who would benefit from the book. I was ready to enthusiastically pass this book on, and now am hesitant to do so. It’s a real shame because most of the content is excellent.
I hope in future editions the author will do more study of the passages she’s referencing and edit this ending section so that I could wholeheartedly recommend it.
June 5, 2023
I am not a missionary but I support missionaries. At times over the years, I've heard or know of missionaries who needed to leave the field for various reasons. I felt absolutely helpless to know how to be an encourager to them. Or how to help them work through their feelings. I may have even said cruel things thinking I was helping. I wish I had this book available to me then. I would have known how to minister, help, encourage, and give them God's message of hope.
If you are a missionary in any capacity or you love a missionary, you must read this book. Even if you don't think this topic is useful for you right now, still read this book. You never know when the opportunity will come. Keep it on your bookshelf because you will need it at some point. And actually, the insights "Rerouted" gives could actually be useful for anyone experiencing disappointment in God's calling in their life. As you can tell, I can't recommend this book enough.
If you are a missionary in any capacity or you love a missionary, you must read this book. Even if you don't think this topic is useful for you right now, still read this book. You never know when the opportunity will come. Keep it on your bookshelf because you will need it at some point. And actually, the insights "Rerouted" gives could actually be useful for anyone experiencing disappointment in God's calling in their life. As you can tell, I can't recommend this book enough.
June 4, 2023
Excellent, eye-opening read!
I loved this book. I found it to be so insightful and helpful to understand the missionary’s perspective and the reality that they face when rerouted, especially abruptly. I have been a supporter to “drop” a missionary when they were coming home. Not because I was being rude or didn’t care about their needs back home, I just never thought about this and never realized they had needs. I also never realized the grief they encounter….likely because they didn’t feel free to share it as Candice has explained the many reasons why. In my mind, I was supporting the mission they were on and when they “closed the mission”, no longer needed my support for that mission. I feel awful and am so grateful to now have open eyes and never be that person again!! Thank you, Candice!!
I loved this book. I found it to be so insightful and helpful to understand the missionary’s perspective and the reality that they face when rerouted, especially abruptly. I have been a supporter to “drop” a missionary when they were coming home. Not because I was being rude or didn’t care about their needs back home, I just never thought about this and never realized they had needs. I also never realized the grief they encounter….likely because they didn’t feel free to share it as Candice has explained the many reasons why. In my mind, I was supporting the mission they were on and when they “closed the mission”, no longer needed my support for that mission. I feel awful and am so grateful to now have open eyes and never be that person again!! Thank you, Candice!!
November 26, 2023
Conversation Starter
This quick read is a great resource for churches and individuals wondering how to relate to a supported missionary whose goals and country have suddenly changed. (Been there; done that!) The tips on how to help a person talk about their overseas experiences could also be helpful when relating to immigrants or returning military personnel.
This quick read is a great resource for churches and individuals wondering how to relate to a supported missionary whose goals and country have suddenly changed. (Been there; done that!) The tips on how to help a person talk about their overseas experiences could also be helpful when relating to immigrants or returning military personnel.
June 4, 2023
would recommend to anyone who knows a missionary!
A great book for anyone who supports or knows a missionary. Great practical tips and challenging stories to help you continue to care for those you’ve previously sent out who have sacrificed much for the sake of the Gospel.
A great book for anyone who supports or knows a missionary. Great practical tips and challenging stories to help you continue to care for those you’ve previously sent out who have sacrificed much for the sake of the Gospel.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews