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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!
Hope for When Missionaries Come Home Early
If you’ve had the opportunity to send overseas missionaries from your church for long, you have undoubtedly seen some return early from thei
Mike Easton
Jul 29, 20244 min read
How the Sent Send the Senders: Three Ways Missionaries Can Catalyze Mission at Home
As the term is commonly used, missionaries are those who are sent to make disciples in places that are usually geographically and...
Matthew Bennett
Apr 24, 20234 min read
Why Missions Organizations Utilize Psych Evaluations
Mental health has become a major focus in our post-COVID world, as rates of depression, suicide, and anxiety are climbing at alarming...
Steve Allison
Apr 17, 20234 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
The Importance of Creating a Mobilization Team
Most churches have a champion of missions—a missions pastor, a director of missions, a lay leader. Every church needs one of these people...
Christian Townson
Apr 10, 20234 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
10 Questions to Ask Potential Missionaries
I have often said that if I could give a million dollars towards global missions, it would dedicate it to figuring out who will flourish...
Mike Easton
Apr 3, 20234 min read
Training Sent Ones for Multiplicative Discipleship
We should teach our future missionaries the principles of multiplicative discipleship no matter which church model they encounter.
Mike Easton
Nov 10, 20223 min read
So You Wanna Be a Missionary—Who Are You Discipling?
I love the enthusiasm I encounter among aspiring missionaries. It drips from them like water from your hands when there are no paper...
Bradley Bell
Nov 3, 20225 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
The Collective Sending Potential of Smaller Churches
The discussion of the sending church may cause some leaders and churches to feel left out. Many of the churches touted as sending...
Bradley Bell
Sep 1, 20224 min read
The Importance of Local International Ministry in Mobilization
As missions leaders, we work hard to get our people overseas on short-term trips and as long-term missionaries. This is an awesome...
Mike Easton
Apr 28, 20223 min read
Discerning Readiness in a Potential Sent One, Part II
In part 1 of “Discerning Readiness in a Potential Sent One,” we talked about the positive traits that would lead us to give a green light...
Mike Easton
Apr 25, 20225 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
The Grace in “Don’t Go”: A Defense for Slowing Down the Process of Being Sent
I heard that a professor once said to his students after an aggressive theological debate, “I put little trust in your zealous opinions;...
Bradley Bell
Apr 18, 20225 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
Evaluation Tools & Personality Tests for Potential Sent Ones
As we begin this month’s focus on Missions Mobilization, we wanted to provide some helpful tools for you to use in evaluating those who...
Mike Easton
Apr 4, 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
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