We wondered where this term might have originated. One contributor responded, “There was a book published first in February, 1991 titled, “Serving As Senders: How to CARE for your Missionaries While they are preparing to go, While they are on the field and When they come home.” The author recently commented to Brigada, “We have come to like to use the phrase Paul used in commending the people in the church of Philippi: ‘I thank God every time I pray for you, for it brings back to my remembrance how you have been PARTNERS IN THE GOSPEL from the very first day even until now.’ They never traveled with him, yet he called them partners. … Different tasks; different responsibilities-yet PARTNERS in the accomplishment of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A LOT has happened in this area of missionary (member) care since that date! To the glory of God! AND, to the better care of missionaries!” (God bless you Neal Pirolo!) If you’d like to order an updated copy of Neal’s book, you can find it on Amazon, by the way, at…
https://www.amazon.com/Serving-As-Senders-Neal-Pirolo/dp/1880185245/
Certainly Neil Pirolo’s book should be a part of every member care library. God has used him to make an impact in the field of member care. As the terms member care and missionary care have developed over the years I have not found one particular person stated as the one who “coined the phrase.” Kelly O’Donnel’s 1992 book, Missionary Care: Counting the Cost for World Evangelization which drew from a number of contributors demonstrates an already existent use of the term which he choose to use interchangeably with missionary care (page 2).