Reasons why they leave
Reasons for leaving the field prematurely are often lumped under the general category of interpersonal problems, but reality can be more complex than that.
The most difficult debriefing to do as a mission administrator is one when a person or family is leaving the field early. It’s a huge lose all around. A common reason cited for why missionaries leave the field is interpersonal problems. But, Frank Allen, a missionary to the Philippines for 29 years, disagrees; he says that missionaries leave the field for a variety of reasons, some of which include interpersonal problems.1 I consider these reasons below.
Lack of gifts and experience
Allen notes that it is surprising how many missionaries come to the field, not only without the proper gifts, but also without having had any experience in evangelism. How much more difficult it is to gain experience in evangelism when doing it cross-culturally and in another language. Not surprisingly, many give up discouraged.
Culture shock and culture fatigue
In spite of receiving training and warnings in the area of cross-cultural living, many missionaries still leave the field because of culture shock. A more serious form of culture shock is “culture fatigue.” Even experienced missionaries can succumb to this over time. The demands to adapt to a different way of doing, thinking, and speaking can wear down even the most earnest missionaries.
Unfulfilled expectations
After 10 years on the field, one missionary said to me, “I wish I’d had more realistic expectations.” Many missionaries are disappointed when they get to the field and find that their actual role differs from the one their mission had painted. Some adapt, but most leave the field disappointed.
Moral problems
While it is true that missionaries don’t experience disqualifying moral problems more than those ministering in their home country, there are many strong moral temptations for missionaries who work closely with nationals of the opposite sex.
Family problems
The stress in marriage is much higher on the mission field than in one’s home country. Normal marital struggles and disagreements over child discipline can be magnified on the field. Even sadder is when missionaries justify neglecting their families because they are doing the “Lord’s work.” Often family problems are too far gone for intervention when they finally come to light. At that point, missionaries are forced to leave the field.
Disagreements with the mission
People who make good pioneer missionaries are not necessarily good team players. Difficulties occur when a mission agency asks a missionary to do things that differ from how the missionary feels God is leading them. Many interpersonal problems start with a misunderstanding of God is leading and of how the missionary can fit into the overall strategy for a field.
Difficulties learning the language
Language acquisition is a challenge for any field, but it’s particularly difficult for missionaries in Japan. The Foreign Service Institute (FSI), a US institution which teaches languages to diplomats, ranks the time required to learn various languages. For native speakers of English, closely related languages like French and Italian take about 23–24 weeks (575 to 600 hours) to learn. Japanese takes about 88 weeks (2,200 hours) to learn, and falls in the hardest category of languages. Within this category Japanese is assessed by FSI as to be the most difficult language to learn.2 Even after all that study, the learner is only expected to attain “general professional proficiency.”
In other words, language acquisition requires rigorous discipline and infinite humility. In any mission, there are those who never become proficient in the language. Some adapt well or get involved in ministries that use English, but most return home.
Church planting takes a long time
This is a reason I’ve added. The hard truth is that it generally takes a long time to plant a church in Japan. In our case, it took us 15 years from start to calling a pastor. It’s an experience that most missionaries of my generation go through once and then say they are done. Short-termers come to the field glowing with anticipation to do great things, only to be hit with the reality of church planting in Japan. One shared how he wished he had known how difficult it is to get long-term fruit.
In conclusion, interpersonal problems are a reality. But they are often outward manifestations of other problems. The underlying reasons for interpersonal problems can be one of the above-mentioned causes. So, it is important to consider the real reasons when trying to minimize attrition.
Finally, if someone does leave the field early, it is important to avoid using words like “failure” and “drop-out.” I concur with Allen’s opinion that returnees should be able to leave with as much dignity as possible.
1. Frank Allen, “Why Do They Leave? Reflections on Attrition,” in Helping Missionaries Grow: Readings in Mental Health and Missions, ed. by Kelly S. O’Donnell and Michelle O’Donnell (William Carey Library, 1988), p421–432.
2. “Language Difficulty Rating,” Effective Language Learning, accessed April 7, 2016, http://www.effectivelanguagelearning.com/language-guide/language-difficulty