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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!
Developing Leaders and Missionaries through Short-Term Trips
Most churches channel their efforts into cross-cultural missions through short-term trips, enabling church members to experience the...
Christian Townson
Jan 9, 20244 min read
Profile of a Sent One
What constitutes the ideal missionary candidate? It’s fitting to begin such a discussion by examining conventional wisdom on the subject....
The Upstream Collective
Apr 13, 20236 min read
How to Pastor Members with a Missions Interest
A church member walks up and says, "Excuse me, pastor. I think I want to be a missionary." Oh no. What do you say?! Here are a few common...
Bradley Bell
Apr 6, 20234 min read
Getting Members Involved in Local Partnerships
Mobilizing the Body for the Community: Micro vs Macro When I first stepped into the role of Missions Pastor, I often lived in my head in...
Jonah Fox
Oct 20, 20226 min read
Discerning Readiness in a Potential Sent One, Part I
If you gave me a million dollars and told me I could use it toward anything related to global missions, I would probably invest it into...
Mike Easton
Apr 21, 20226 min read
Helping Potential Sent Ones Discern Calling
The story of Moses and the burning bush is the iconic example of God calling someone to accomplish His purposes in this world....
Dave & Lorene Wilson
Apr 14, 20225 min read
The Cheerleader and the Curmudgeon
Fostering Both Excitement and Sobriety in Potential Sent Ones Choosing the right road trip companions can mean the difference between...
Bradley Bell
Apr 11, 20226 min read
Navigating Proactive and Reactive Sending
If you’ve been a missions leader for very long, you’ve likely had this experience: A married couple in your church emails you with the...
Mike Easton
Apr 7, 20226 min read
Keeping Track of Those Interested in Going Overseas
Going overseas involves many steps, and it is easy for a potential Sent One to get lost in the process. It is also easy for a missions...
Mike Easton
Mar 10, 20224 min read
Why Go to the Mission Field During a Pandemic
Leaving home is always emotional, especially during a time of global crisis. But crisis does not negate Jesus's Great Commission.
Matthew Hirt
May 13, 20214 min read
Overview of Sending Church Element 7: Identifying Sent Ones
Churches that actively identify sent ones are actively developing the leadership potential of their members.
Mike Easton
Mar 17, 20213 min read
Missionaries Are Not Superheroes: How the Hierarchy of Missions Hurts the Gospel, the Church, and th
The hierarchy of Christian faith—the one that puts missionaries as the closest to God—harms churches, missionaries, and ourselves.
Anna Price
Jun 3, 20194 min read
Discerning a Call to Missions
Consider these questions when trying to discern if you're being called to missions.
Matthew Bennett
Mar 4, 20194 min read
Spirit-Led Sending
One of our most popular posts from 2017 was a two-part interview with Dr. Gregg Allison discussing the role of the Spirit in churches...
debbie4034
Oct 5, 20185 min read
Missions & Marriage
Everything we do at The Upstream Collective is aimed at one goal: for every church to see themselves as a sending church and every...
debbie4034
Sep 28, 20181 min read
The Faithful Missionary: A Case Study in Missing the Point, Part One
BY BRADLEY BELL, DIRECTOR OF CONTENT DEVELOPMENT My junior year of college our campus ministry kicked off the year with a gathering...
Bradley Bell
Aug 10, 20184 min read
Building A Team || Part 2
In Friday’s post Jesse Eubanks, Director of Love Thy Neighborhood, described how he handles the challenge of building teams on mission....
debbie4034
Aug 6, 20184 min read
Grace in the “Missionary Call”
Written by Bradley Bell, Director of Content Development Much has been stewing in my heart lately regarding the “missionary call”. Not...
Bradley Bell
Apr 23, 20186 min read
Missions and Dating: The Intersection of Disparate Longings
THIS ARTICLE IS BY ZACH BRADLEY, DIRECTOR OF CONTENT STRATEGY We were crying so hard that strangers in the airport were crying too. It...
Bradley Bell
Jan 15, 20185 min read
The Good in Goodbye: A Defense for Being Sent When Others Say No
Let’s be honest. Saying goodbye stinks. Not the normal, everyday goodbyes. The kind of goodbyes that tear our hearts out, like a child...
Bradley Bell
Aug 29, 20165 min read
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