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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!

How to Communicate Missions Giving to Your Church Members

Mike Easton

Jul 27, 20234 min read

How to Communicate Missions Giving to Your Church Members

When you communicate and celebrate missions giving you communicate vision and priorities to your people.

How to Inform the Church on the Impact of Their Giving

Ashlyn Portero

Jul 24, 20235 min read

How to Inform the Church on the Impact of Their Giving

We as church leaders want to see our people practice radical generosity. We want our churches to be intentional and wise in directing...

Jared Burwell

Jul 10, 20235 min read

Staying Connected While Far Away

I have the privilege of knowing and working with people around the world. Many of these people are expats serving in humanitarian,...

How the Sent Send the Senders: Three Ways Missionaries Can Catalyze Mission at Home

Matthew Bennett

Apr 24, 20234 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...

Working with Your Elder Team in Global Missions

Ashlyn Portero

Mar 27, 20235 min read

Working with Your Elder Team in Global Missions

When developing a global missions strategy and leading a local church in sending efforts, it is critical that a ministry staff and elder...

Ashlyn Portero

Feb 13, 20235 min read

Caring for Sent Ones in the First Year

When I served as an advocate for sent ones in my home church, there was a story I recalled often (and still do) that captured who I hoped...

Language Learning beyond Babel: The Biblical Redemption of Local Languages

Matthew Bennett

Feb 9, 20234 min read

Language Learning beyond Babel: The Biblical Redemption of Local Languages

I hope that we never let go of the strategic value of learning language as missionaries seeking to demonstrate that the gospel is for all.

Together on Mission with God: Principles and Practices of Healthy Partnerships

Joshua Bowman

Oct 10, 20224 min read

Together on Mission with God: Principles and Practices of Healthy Partnerships

Cross-cultural partnerships happen because they mutually submit to King Jesus. Here are principles and practices of healthy partnerships.

Matthew Hirt

May 23, 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...

Troubled Waters: Reasons International Partnerships Go Awry

Anna Daub

Jan 31, 20224 min read

Troubled Waters: Reasons International Partnerships Go Awry

In today’s connected world, churches, missions organizations, and missionaries work with partners from nations around the globe. Some of...

The Sending Pipeline Part 2: Moving Church Members from "New to Missions" to "Globally Aware"

Mike Easton

Sep 16, 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.

The Sign Says Closed: Communicating With Our Sent Ones

Greg Mathias

Aug 4, 20215 min read

The Sign Says Closed: Communicating With Our Sent Ones

While closed countries and security can make communication daunting, do not let it stop you from staying in contact with sent ones.

How to Get Good Video Coverage Overseas on a Budget

Mike Easton

Jul 23, 20216 min read

How to Get Good Video Coverage Overseas on a Budget

How can I do video and interviews on a budget, without having to pay one of my communications staff to come overseas?

Heart Medium: The Precedent for Digital Media in Missions

Kyle Brosseau

May 31, 20214 min read

Heart Medium: The Precedent for Digital Media in Missions

As missionaries utilize digital media to reach people in their heart language and heart medium, they are marching in lockstep with history.