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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!
Bradley Bell
Mar 18, 20243 min read
Leading the Advocates
I once had a turtle named Fred. Fred liked to eat watermelon. But I went on vacation and forgot to leave Fred any watermelon. When I came...
Christian Townson
Mar 4, 20244 min read
The What and Why of Advocacy Teams: Nurturing and Supporting Sent Ones
The role of advocacy teams has become increasingly vital to global missions and church planting as a means of caring for missionaries as...
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.
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...
Mike Easton
Jul 13, 20234 min read
When and How to Stop Financially Supporting Missions Partners
No missions leader enjoys the part of their job where they let go of partnerships financially. Inevitably, if you want to be a strategic sen
Ryan Martin
Jul 3, 20235 min read
How to Think About Funding One-Time Requests
In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul testifies of the Macedonians that “according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own...
Larry McCrary
Jun 29, 20231 min read
Long-Term Missionary Care
I just ran into one of your missionaries and asked them to describe in one word the kind of care they have received from your church that...
Larry McCrary
Jul 25, 20225 min read
How Much Should the Sending Church Give to Their Sent Ones?
The question of what percentage of funds a sending church should give their Sent Ones can be tricky to answer, and there is certainly no...
Bradley Bell
Jul 11, 20226 min read
Fully Funded or Support Raised? The Pros and Cons of Each, Pt. II
I have been a support-raised missionary. It’s pretty awesome. Here are some of the challenges, along with a few pleasant surprises.
Bradley Bell
Jul 7, 20226 min read
Fully Funded or Support Raised? The Pros and Cons of Each, Pt. I
Being a fully-funded missionary is pretty awesome. Here are some of the benefits, along with a few unpleasant surprises.
Anna Daub
Feb 28, 20225 min read
Supporting Single Missionaries in the Wake of Covid
Almost two years ago, after watching the Covid virus spread across the globe, many governments responded by closing their borders and...
Ryan Martin
Aug 11, 20216 min read
Partnership In The Gospel: Biblical Support For Missionary Care From Philippians 2:25–30
Paul's partnership with the Philippians and specifically Epaphroditus shows how missionary care serves the work of gospel proclamation.
Mike Easton
Jul 16, 20214 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?
Shirley Ralston
Jun 24, 20214 min read
Healthy at Home: Healthy Souls
Maintaining healthy souls on reentry is a community effort that takes time and commitment.
Mike Easton
Apr 1, 20212 min read
Overview of Sending Church Element 12: Providing Ongoing Care for Sent Ones
The Sending Church can provide personalized care that keeps the Sent-One energized for the challenging work they endeavor upon.
Larry McCrary
May 28, 20203 min read
Sent Identity, Part 2: What Do Sending Churches Do Differently?
I noticed some common components about strong sending churches that enabled them to have such an identity.
Anna Daub
Mar 9, 20205 min read
How the Local Church Can Support Single Women on the Mission Field
What can the local church do to support their single women sent ones while they are overseas?
Anna Price
Jun 3, 20194 min read
Missionaries Are Not Superheroes: How the Hierarchy of Missions Hurts the Gospel, the Church, and th
The hierarchy of Christian faith—the one that puts missionaries as the closest to God—harms churches, missionaries, and ourselves.
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