Content Resources

What are the answers to the 10 most common questions to ask before becoming a missionary? From, "How to know God's will?" to "How to pick a missionary organization? and from "What about raising my kids overseas? to "How do I avoid burnout?" this talk will deal give you the answers.   About David Stevens: Dr. David Stevens is the Chief Executive Officer of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), the nation’s largest faith-based organization of doctors. As spokesman for more than 16,000 doctors, Dr. Stevens has conducted hundreds of media interviews. Prior to his service with CMDA, he served as medical director of Samaritan’s Purse. From 1981 to 1992, Dr. Stevens served as executive officer and medical superintendent of Tenwek Hospital in Bomet, Kenya. He helped to transform Tenwek Hospital into one of the premier mission healthcare facilities in that country. Learn more at David Stevens page.

Health professionals in all settings should take a history from their patient(s). National guidelines in the U.S. recommend a spiritual assessment be included with most or all patients. Yet, surveys show that over 95% of patients say that no health professional has ever inquired of their spiritual or religious beliefs. Furthermore, most health professionals indicate that they never been taught how or why to incorporate a spiritual or religious assessment into their patient history. In this session you'll learn why a spiritual assessment is now considered a part of quality, evidence-based patient care. In addition, you'll be exposed to a number of spiritual history instruments to consider using in your patient care and you'll be exposed to options of how to utilize the information obtained from a spiritual assessment.Finally, you'll be introduced to a small group training tool that you can use at home to facilitate the introduction of these principles to other health professionals.

Your planning to serve but fun raising scares you to death or you have done this before and you hated it because it didn't go well or fast. This session will teach you how to raise your support and enjoy it. It will also teach you how to communicate effectively to cast your vision and inspire others to participate in the Great Commission.

The most common cause for expatriate healthcare professionals to abandon their service in a mission hospital is unresolved conflict with those that they work or live with in community. This session will share proven principles and techniques to resolve conflict that inevitably comes to everyone during their lives.

Burnout among healthcare workers is at record levels, and working in an underserved area is a significant risk factor. So how do we prevent missionary burnout? While there is increasing awareness of the problem, effective solutions have been elusive. The development of resilience is a key factor in the prevention and management of burnout. This session will help participants deepen their understanding of burnout and take steps to prevent it.   About the author: Dr. Steve Sartori (Director at CMDA - Center for Well-being) Dr. Steve Sartori is Director of the Center for Well-being at CMDA. A physician well-being coach and consultant, he helps doctors and other healthcare professionals align with God, optimize well-being and maximize influence. He has served as CEO of a private group practice, chief of staff at two hospitals, faculty member for a family medicine residency program and chief medical officer for a community health center. He has served as a board member and treasurer of CMDA, and has participated in mission trips to Romania, Jamaica, Thailand, Kenya and Swaziland. He is married, with two adult children, and enjoys traveling and sports.

Knowledge of good health practices often does not change health behaviors. This session will share proven ways to motivate people to change their health behaviors using non-financial incentives as demonstrated in a community health program that has changed the health of 1.2 million people. These techniques are applicable in both the USA or abroad.

This session will have an emphasis on medical mission organizational mission true behavior, and will look at why Christian organizations or institutions, including those committed to using medical missions as a tool for gospel outreach, drift away from or sometimes shift their purpose away from their original intention.

When we think about our role in missions, we usually focus on where we'll go, what we'll do, and who we'll do it with. While all those things are important, they pale in comparison to - and come after - God's greater call on our lives, which is far more scary and rewarding. This session will explore your own 'greater call' through Genesis 12:1-9, where we meet Abram and see God's call on his life.

The Ten Questions Everyone Asks About Career Missions: How do I pick a mission agency? How do I know I'm "called?" What about raising children overseas? How can I avoid burnout? These and other questions are answered in this popular talk illustrated with real and sometimes humorous real life stories.

There is little in the medical literature about applying the basic tenets of medical ethics in resource limited situations common in mission hospitals. For example, healthcare professionals are taught not to attempt medical or surgical interventions they have not be trained to do. That prohibition will be quickly violated when you are the only option for the patient. With real life stories and practical suggestions, this talk prepares future missionaries to serve well and ethically overseas.

many of the consequences of human trafficking have health ramifications, both physical and mental. It is important to be aware of these to help in identification of victims and to meet their health needs

This session will give a general overview of the topic of human trafficking specifically designed for healthcare professionals. It will cover both domestic and international trafficking as well as sex and labor trafficking. The session will also discuss general identifiers of human trafficking, as well as how to prepare to respond to victims of human trafficking in the healthcare setting.