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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!
Involving the Entire Church in Global Missions
A sending church involves the entire church by clearly and consistently teaching its missions convictions, vision, and strategy. This is...
Mike Easton
May 2, 20223 min read
When Missions Dreams Get Crushed
If you’re a missions leader, then you’ve been stirred by the vision of Revelation 7:9: to see every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping...
Mike Easton
Mar 28, 20225 min read
Reminders of Great Leadership Principles
Gleaning insights from popular leadership books and then applying them in the worlds of church and missions is no novel idea. Books on...
Kyle Brosseau
Mar 21, 20224 min read
Organizing Your Missions Leadership Team
Many churches have a mission team or committee that is too narrowly focused in its responsibilities and primarily tasked with overseeing...
Larry McCrary
Mar 1, 20224 min read
Afghan Refugees: The Sojourners Among Us
HOU Arrival They stood together, surrounded by ten canvas bags, each marked with a name, probably Dari or Pashto. The bags contained...
Shirley Ralston
Nov 29, 20216 min read
"God Can Use Me Right Where I Am." Encouragement or Excuse?
The phrase “God can use me right where I am” is a reminder to steward our time well and make disciples of all nations wherever we are.
Meredith Cook
Nov 4, 20214 min read
Short-term Trips and the COVID Vaccine
In considering short-term trips for 2022, there are facts about world travel and the COVID-19 vaccine that need to be considered.
Mike Easton
Oct 28, 20219 min read
Continuing Care Trips in a Pandemic World
“In the midst of constant change, our commitment to care must remain unchanged.” Constant Change, The New Normal As a member of my local...
Shirley Ralston
Oct 28, 20215 min read
Building Family Missions Trips: from the Field Side
As a church planter in the States during the 90s, and globally since 2001, we have used short-term teams as an important part of our...
Larry McCrary
Oct 25, 20217 min read
Building Family Short-Term Trips from the Church's Viewpoint
If your church takes family ministry seriously (and I’m sure you do if you’re reading this article!), then you’ve likely had...
Josh Navey
Oct 21, 20216 min read
New Book From Upstream: Listen
Check out the new book from Upstream entitled, "Listen: How to Make the Most of Your Short-term Mission Trip" by the Upstream Collective.
Larry McCrary
Oct 18, 20213 min read
Redeeming Short-Term Trips (Part 2)
The short-term trip is still a opportunity to create global awareness among your people and make an impact on the field.
Mike Easton
Oct 11, 20216 min read
Redeeming Short-Term Trips (Part 1)
Short-term trips have gotten a bit of a bad rap in recent years. Can we redeem a method of ministry to make it do more good than harm?
Mike Easton
Oct 7, 20215 min read
The Sending Pipeline Part 6: From Committed Goers to Sent
Here are some questions to ask to develop programs in this transition phase from Committed Goers to Sent, as members actually hit the field.
Mike Easton
Sep 30, 20213 min read
The Sending Pipeline Part 5: From US Senders or Potential Goers to Committed Goers
Committed Goers are those that have been assessed by your church and the sending agency and are cleared to be sent overseas.
Mike Easton
Sep 27, 20217 min read
The Sending Pipeline Part 4: From Global Christians to Potential Goers
Here are some questions to ask as you develop programs in this transition phase from Global Christians to US Senders or Potential Goers.
Mike Easton
Sep 23, 20214 min read
The Sending Pipeline Part 3: From Globally Aware to Global Christians
Global Christians understand that they have to orient their life around God’s mission of bringing the Gospel to those who have not heard it.
Mike Easton
Sep 20, 20214 min read
The Sending Pipeline Part 2: Moving Church Members from "New to Missions" to "Globally Aware"
These are three questions we need to answer when helping church members move from being new to missions to globally aware.
Mike Easton
Sep 16, 20214 min read
The Sending Pipeline Part 1: Overview of the Sending Pipeline
The goal of a sending pipeline is to mobilize church members towards the missions vision and strategy that you have set before them.
Mike Easton
Sep 13, 20215 min read
Ways to Help Sent-Ones Raise Support within Your Church's Giving Structure
How can a church support sent ones in fund raising in ways that are compatible with its giving structure?
Mike Easton
Jul 16, 20214 min read
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