Mission Survey
The Teleios Foundation analyzed Christian mission organizations whose primary focus was outside their own country regarding perceived ministry needs and the effect of the recent change in the United States presidential administration. All the findings of the survey can be found here.
We sent the survey three times over 6 weeks to: foreign missions known by the Teleios Foundation (n=9); foreign missions listed on the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) website (n=149) and those found by Google search (n=111). We received 31 responses (12%).
Overwhelmingly, the mission organizations were based in the United States (94%) and had a ministry focus on sharing the gospel (65%), Christian leadership (61%) and teaching the Bible (52%). The most common means of financial support was through individual donors (100%) and churches (83%).
Ministry focus was spread around the world, but most commonly were in East Africa (52%) and Europe, India and United States (45%).
Missions noted that their personnel wellbeing was on average 4.71 (0-6 scale with 6 being highest wellbeing). This level is similar to other wellbeing grading and surveys done by Teleios in the general population. However, the missions believed wellbeing was lower among those to whom the they ministered (3.28).
The missions noted that wellbeing was most enhanced among their personnel by good interpersonal relationships (87%) and having spiritual needs met (80%).
Further, they indicated wellbeing had improved since the change of the administration last year in the United States both among the missionaries and the those to whom the ministered (3.93 and 3.76; 0-6 scale with 6 being most improved wellbeing). Nonetheless, the mission noticed little overall change in their mission status since the changing of administration.
The missions stated their biggest need by far was better finances (80%). Missions noted that they would change US government policy towards missions generally by ensuring the stronger security policy in countries that persecute Christians (43%). Regarding dealing with their host country, they desired US policy to better ensure that humanitarian aid reaches its intended recipients (46%) and secondarily to help improve infrastructure (36%).
In summary, our survey hints that missions continue to have needs regarding finances and in some cases security and logistical issues within the host country. Further the missions assist populations with lower wellbeing than commonly seen in the first world. Despite these challenges, however, missionaries themselves have good wellbeing and both missionary and those to whom they minister have had improved wellbeing since the recent change in US presidential administration.
