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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!
Entrusting Mission Ministry to Lay Leaders
When considering the Great Commission, is it prudent to entrust mission efforts to lay leaders? The missionary task is best accomplished whe
D. Ray Davis
Apr 22, 20244 min read
Resources for Cultivating Missions Awareness in Kids
My family has an obsession—the Sacramento Kings basketball team. Despite fifteen years of marriage to a hardcore fan, I didn't cross the...
Jenny Marcelene
Apr 1, 20245 min read
Lunch and Learns
At the end of Paul’s first missionary journey, there is a wonderful, descriptive paragraph on what Paul and Barnabas did as they returned...
Mike Easton
Sep 18, 20235 min read
Sending BAM Individuals from Your Church
How do you know if you are qualified and ready to practice business as mission (BAM)? Many members of our churches already have...
Hatley Hambrice
Aug 21, 20233 min read
On-Field Care: Prayer Is Not Just the Means to Do the Work—It Is the Work
“Prayer does not equip us for greater works—prayer is the greater work. Yet we think of prayer as some commonsense exercise of our higher...
Ryan Martin
Jun 8, 20234 min read
Creating a Network of Care Trip Goers
Is Your Church Ready? Care team, what do you do when one of your church’s global workers reaches out and asks for help? What if your...
Shirley Ralston
May 29, 20237 min read
Developing a Global Heart in a Digital World
I have the privilege of serving as the Lead Pastor at Cornerstone Church in Ames, IA. When this church was planted in 1994, the founding...
Mark Vance
Sep 15, 20223 min read
Toward a Better Definition of Missions
A few months ago, I had a conversation with the editorial director of one of today’s most highly trafficked Christian websites. I thanked...
Bradley Bell
Sep 5, 20224 min read
How to Design a Mission Space in Your Church
The Sunday gathering is a great time to create mission awareness in your church. Assuming you are already using some graphics or slides...
Larry McCrary
Aug 25, 20224 min read
Why Every Church Member Needs Glasses: Fostering a Missional Lens
I started wearing glasses in the fourth grade. The optometrist whispered to my mom, “He’s nearsighted in one eye, farsighted in the...
Bradley Bell
Aug 22, 20224 min read
Creative Ways to Cultivate Awareness, Pt. I
After serving in the church as a missions pastor for more than twenty years, I am often amused when I reflect on the variety of failures...
Dave & Lorene Wilson
Aug 15, 20226 min read
Resources & Suggestions for Cultivating Missions Awareness in Your Church
Mission Vision Toolbox: Tools for Casting a Great Commission Vision in your Church I think most pastors have the desire for their church...
Matthew Hirt
Aug 4, 20225 min read
Cultural Sensitivity in the US Context
A large movie poster of Shah Rukh Khan was not what my wife and I expected to see as we walked into the movie theater in southern...
Matthew Hirt
May 23, 20225 min read
Sharing the Gospel Cross-Culturally: You Don't Have to Be an Expert
You don’t have to be an expert to share the hope of the gospel with someone who is much different than you.
Meredith Cook
Nov 1, 20215 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
Building the Foundation for Healthy Sending
While it can be said there are no perfect Sending Churches, we do see some common practices of healthy Sending Churches.
Larry McCrary
Sep 7, 20213 min read
Tips for Creating a Global Missions Display
A global missions display validates your efforts in global missions and shows your members what you are doing around the world.
Mike Easton
Aug 25, 20214 min read
Resources to Help Guide Your Prayer for the Nations
Prayer is vital to the work of missionaries around the world. Here are some organizations that have developed prayer guides for the nations.
Meredith Cook
Aug 20, 20212 min read
Tips for Creating a Missions Website for Your Church
In the global information age a website can be a key part of your plan to cultivate global awareness in the life of your church.
Mike Easton
Aug 16, 20214 min read
Overview of Sending Element 1: Cultivating Missions Awareness
Missions awareness starts with you. You can begin creating awareness by helping those close to you understand God’s heart for the nations.
Mike Easton
Feb 17, 20214 min read
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