Evaluation & Reflection

UPSTREAM BLOG

The Upstream Blog is published two times a week and contains content from missions leaders, pastors, missiologists, and the Upstream team on a wide variety of topics pertaining to being a sending church. Leave us some comments or questions!

Leaning into Your Giftings as a Missions Leader

Ashlyn Portero

Apr 85 min read

Leaning into Your Giftings as a Missions Leader

Missions leaders are multi-faceted, and being one requires a diverse set of skills that reflects the diversity of the ministry of global...

Year-End Evaluation & Reflection Resources

Mike Easton

Nov 27, 20232 min read

Year-End Evaluation & Reflection Resources

As we come to the end of the year, it’s a valuable time to reflect on the work God has done in 2023 and look forward to the work he will...

Incomplete Responses to Short-Term Missions in Developing Nations

David McWhite

Jan 31, 20237 min read

Incomplete Responses to Short-Term Missions in Developing Nations

As a missions leader in my church, my first priority in organizing and executing short-term trips is to come alongside our missions...

Mike Easton

Dec 22, 20227 min read

Reflecting as a Missions Leader

The rhythms of the calendar are a gift from a good God who understands the heart and rhythms of his children. Each day provides the...

Mike Easton

Dec 19, 20223 min read

Year-End Reviews with Sent Ones

As a missions leader, you likely are having regular calls with your Sent Ones. These times are super valuable for catching up on their...

Annual Evaluations With Sent Ones: What They Should and Shouldn’t Be

Ellen Livingood

Dec 15, 20225 min read

Annual Evaluations With Sent Ones: What They Should and Shouldn’t Be

I can do real damage with something as simple as a screwdriver. Just a couple of weeks ago, I managed to get a screw jammed halfway into...

Mike Easton

Dec 12, 20223 min read

Letting Go of Partners

In our previous blog post, “Year-End Partner Evaluations,” we gave a template for evaluating partners. What do you do if the evaluation...

Mike Easton

Dec 5, 20224 min read

Year-End Partner Evaluations

In October, our theme was partnerships. What agency we partner with, what local field workers we partner with, who we partner with to...

How Can We Make Our Local Partnerships More Effective?

Scott Harris

Dec 13, 20215 min read

How Can We Make Our Local Partnerships More Effective?

Sally is a member of your church. She also tutors kids at a faith-based non-profit in your city. These four “characters”–Sally, the kids,...

New Years Resolutions for Missions Leaders

Mike Easton

Dec 6, 20214 min read

New Years Resolutions for Missions Leaders

Each new year brings the opportunity to practice one of the most loved and hated R words in the English language: resolutions. Forty-one...

Recapturing Our First Love as Missionaries

Greg Mathias

Dec 2, 20214 min read

Recapturing Our First Love as Missionaries

God has called us all to remember our first love. Missionaries are no different in order to be effective for the message of the Gospel

Eight Dangers of Becoming a Sending Church

Nathan Sloan

Oct 30, 20215 min read

Eight Dangers of Becoming a Sending Church

I love the sending church. That’s why I’ve devoted my life to it. So why would I want to talk about the dangers of it? First, because it...

Overview of Sending Church Element 13: Maintaining Strategic Focus

Mike Easton

Apr 5, 20213 min read

Overview of Sending Church Element 13: Maintaining Strategic Focus

The Sending Church can provide unique insight and encouragement to help the Sent-One live out the vision and strategy that is before them.