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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!
Learning a Foreign Language in a City that Speaks English
During my first missionary term in South Asia, I relished the opportunity to dive deep into the culture and begin learning the local...
Kyle Brosseau
Feb 10, 20224 min read
How to Hit the Ground Running in Language Learning, Part 2
In part 1, we went through some mistakes missionaries often make with language learning. Now let’s look at the missionaries who succeed...
Andrea W.
Feb 7, 20225 min read
How to Hit the Ground Running in Language Learning, Part 1
Many missionaries start out motivated to learn and engage in the new language and culture around them. Unfortunately, those aspirations...
Andrea W.
Feb 3, 20224 min read
Caring for Your Sent Ones in Year One
Jose Luis, his wife, Wendy, and their three small children are preparing to move to Africa next year to work with a mission organization...
Larry McCrary
Feb 1, 20227 min read
Writing an MOU
There’s a lot of things in life that are really important but are also kind of boring: mowing the lawn, doing the laundry, filling out...
Mike Easton
Jan 10, 20224 min read
Discovering & Evaluating Potential Partners
As a Sending Church, does it matter who you partner with? Pretty easy question, right? Of course it matters! However, as mission leaders,...
Larry McCrary
Jan 3, 20226 min read
Turning A Supertanker Missions Convictions: The Compass for Charting a Course for Change
A turning point in our education came during a conversation with Upstream Collective about an element we lacked called Missions Convictions
Shirley Ralston
Oct 4, 20216 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
Resource of the Week: Sending Church Online Training
September's sending church online training will focus on Creating a Sending Pipeline for your church.
The Upstream Collective
Sep 10, 20211 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
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.
Kyle Brosseau
May 31, 20214 min read
Resource of the Week: Upstream Collective Cohorts
Our desire is to see your church move to the next level of being a Sending Church. We can help you do that through our cohorts.
Mike Easton
May 10, 20212 min read
Four Types of Sending Churches: Shotgun Sending Church
Rather than thinking proactively or strategically, the Shotgun Sending Church is involved in whatever comes their way.
Mike Easton
May 6, 20213 min read
Four Types of Sending Churches: Missionary Care Sending Church
A Missionary Care Sending Church desires to make those they send feel loved, cared for, and accountable to what they are sent to accomplish.
Mike Easton
May 3, 20213 min read
Four Types of Sending Churches: Strategic Sending Church
Strategic Sending Churches are great at partnering with existing team leaders on the field and members that are not from their church.
Mike Easton
Apr 29, 20214 min read
Four Types of Sending Churches: Team Sending Church
The Team Sending Church sends a group of people to one or more areas as a church-based team to accomplish a specific missionary task.
Mike Easton
Apr 26, 20215 min read
Introduction to the Four Types of Sending Churches
In this series of articles, I want to help your church, become the type of sending church God wants you to be.
Mike Easton
Apr 22, 20215 min read
Overview of Sending Church Element 17: Influencing Other Churches
As God works through your church, how might He be wanting your church to help other churches become sending churches?
Mike Easton
Apr 19, 20213 min read
Overview of Sending Church Element 16: Innovating as Sending Churches
Every aspect of being a Sending Church should be evaluated regularly.
Mike Easton
Apr 15, 20213 min read
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