Good chaplains and counselors start “working themselves out of a job” when they first get involved. They truly succeed when the troubled people they help no longer need them. The opposite is what I call “missionizing” – the rescue mission version of institutionalization. It is possible to teach needy people to function successfully while staying in […]
With his recent passing, I was reminded that, even before I was born, Maurice Vanderberg was talking about many of the principles I’ve discussed in this column over the years. Rev. Vanderberg served as director of City Union Mission in Kansas City, Missouri from 1954 to his retirement in 1991. His Christian Life Program was one […]
How do we measure success at rescue missions? (Part Two) Since January, when I first wrote about this topic, a lively discussion about it has continued on the IUGM’s e-mail discussion list. It’s been interesting to see the various opinions that have been expressed by rescue mission workers. As a result, I am more convinced […]
