ABSTRACT SUPERVISING GIFTED PEOPLE: A CONSIDERATION OF THE FIVEFOLD GIFTS IN THE EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION OF MISSIONARIES Donald Stanley Meador, Th.M. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017 Supervisor: Dr. M. David Sills God gifted to the church certain people with specific ministry functions in order to develop a complete and healthy church. These gifts are ministry functions that the apostle Paul presented in Ephesians 4:11 and 1 Corinthians 12:28. This thesis proposes a conceptual framework loosely based on these five ministry functions and examines effective supervision of cross-cultural missionaries in light of them. Chapter 1 outlines foundational presuppositions to aid in understanding the ministry functions in a missions context. Chapter 2 describes six ministry functions common to the missionary task. The visionary strategist, church encourager, evangelist, pastoral caregiver, and teacher are examined as equipping functions. The administrator is examined as a function that facilitates the equipping functions. Chapter 3 addresses effective missionary supervision. The role of the missionary, current trends in missionary supervisor training, and effective missionary supervision are examined. Mentoring and spiritual direction are featured as functions of biblical supervision. Chapter 4 concludes this thesis summarizing five keys to effective missionary supervision.

ABSTRACT IMPROVING THE LEVEL OF CARE FOR SOUTHERN BAPTIST INTERCULTURAL MISSIONARIES SERVING IN NORTH AMERICA Trent Isaac DeLoach, D.Miss. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2013 Chair: Dr. J. D. Payne This dissertation explores the contemporary conditions and challenges of Southern Baptist cross-cultural missionaries serving in North America for the purpose of determining how Southern Baptists can improve the level of care for their domestic missionaries. The dissertation will be guided by three basic questions: How are the missionaries doing? What challenges are they facing? How can Southern Baptists better care for their needs? The spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial condition of the missionaries will receive special attention. An effort will be made to identify challenges that are unique to cross-cultural missionaries in the North American context. Finally, the data obtained from the missionaries will determine how Southern Baptists can improve the level of care for its domestic missionaries. Chapter 2 describes the significance of cross-cultural missions in North America. Research will be presented that reveals the growing gap between the diversity of North America and the diversity found within Southern Baptist churches. Chapter 3 presents the results from the qualitative research gained from the surveys, interviews, and site visits. Special attention is paid to the spiritual, physical, emotional, and financial condition of the missionaries. The missionaries' assessment of the care they are receiving from the Southern Baptist entities concludes the chapter. Chapter 4 provides a response and an interpretation of the data collected from the study. Strengths and weaknesses of Southern Baptist care for cross-cultural missionaries in North America are explored. Chapter 5 concludes the study by presenting a strategy to improve missionary care in North America among Southern Baptists. The strategy includes practical steps that can be taken to ensure Southern Baptists remain on the frontlines of engaging the nations in North America. Chapter 6 reviews the salient observations from the study and presents areas that need further research.