Dr. Darren Hercyk discusses the importance of humanitarian training for missionaries and the heart for mercy ministries.
Dr. Hercyk is an Assistant Professor at Liberty University School of Divinity and the program director for the online Masters in Humanitarian Action and Human Right
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:
- What is humanitarian work?
- Evangelism includes some type of humanitarian work
- Developing the heart attitude for those in need
ABOUT THE GUEST:
Dr. Darren Hercyk is an Assistant Professor at Liberty University School of Divinity and the program director for the online Masters in Humanitarian Action and Human Rights. Prior to serving in higher education, he had 18 years of international cross-cultural experience living in 10 countries. While overseas, the service spanned from child evangelism to responding to emergencies to long-term development programs. Through all these countries and experiences, a priority was placed on partnering with the local church.
RELATED LINKS:
- Liberty University – M.A. in Humanitarian Action & Human Rights – Law and Policy
- Liberty University – M.A. in Humanitarian and Human Rights – Disaster Relief
- Liberty University – M.A. in Humanitarian Action & Human Rights – Woman and Child Advocacy
- Email Dr. Hercyk
TIMESTAMPED SHOWNOTES:
00:38 – Introducing Dr Darren Hercyk
03:06 – Work in Pakistan
03:31 – 1998: overseas as an engineer
03:45 – …began working with a local church
03:55 – …transition to humanitarian work
03:58 – …to nine more countries
04:43 – Program Director for Online Masters in Humanitarian Action & Human Rights at Liberty University
04:56 – …started in 2022
05:08 – …increase in emergencies
05:16 – Leaders needed around the world with Biblical foundations and skills
05:56 – …work with the global church
06:13 – …Cross-cutting program – in School of Divinity, but with courses from government, law, behavior sciences
06:41 – Evangelism includes some type of humanitarian work
06:53 – …take care of people’s physical, social, emotional, and spiritual needs
07:19 – What is humanitarian work?
07:41 – …mercy ministries
07:59 – …emergency response
08:23 – …refugee crisis
08:31 – …human rights & trafficking
08:59 – …food aid
09:05 – living on the streets
09:28 – Prepare the heart for mercy ministries, for the needs around you
09:52 – How do you get from the book to the heart?
10:04 – …develop the skills in your local community
11:02 – …connecting the head, heart, and hands
11:30 – …learn the skills to engage someone, hear their story, learn why God loves them so much
11:53 – …sometimes, God works from the hands, to the heart, to the head
12:06 – …realize your commonality with that person
12:18 – …everyone is created in God’s image
12:21 – …read Scripture in an entirely new way
12:40 – …start where you are
14:11 – Humanitarian training is crucial for missionaries
14:15 – …show the overseas country that you have these skills to get a visa
14:25 – …understand the breadth of the opportunities in humanitarian work
14:34 – Old Testament: God’s provision and protection: one is charity, but the rest is doing life with people in need
15:32 – …there’s more opportunities to serve than just charity
15:48 – …our lives intersect with people in need
16:47 – Our job is not to become more efficient at delivering goods, but to have our heart and lives intersect with people in need
17:11 – Mercy ministries often involve going to places you do not normally go and engaging people you do not normally engage
17:51 – What’s our heart attitude to those in need and those around us?
18:14 – The one thing common to all stories was the need for relationship (social isolation)
18:55 – Foundation of God’s work
19:04 – …How did Paul build a bridge to people?
19:27 – …we are created in God’s image
19:39 – …affirm people’s God-given dignity
19:44 – …ask open-ended questions
19:46 – …use people’s names
19:53 – …are you there to fix them or are you there because you are interested in their lives?
20:37 – …listen to people’s stories
20:59 – …bridge to gospel conversations
24:41 – …when we hear people’s stories, it’s a gift exchange
25:24 – Trauma counseling
25:38 – …first responder training
25:45 – Proposal development
26:02 – Funding, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and progress
26:22 – Calculating physical needs in trauma situations
27:11 – Capstone course
27:21 – How to network
29:00 – Dr Hercyk’s upcoming book
30:04 – Dr Hercyk’s Email Address: dehercyk@liberty.edu
DID YOU APPRECIATE THIS PODCAST?
Checkout previous episodes, leave a review, drop us a note or support the mission here: oururbanvoices.com