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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!
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
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...
Bradley Bell
Mar 9, 20232 min read
Liturgy for the Well-Worn Missions Leader
We hope this liturgy written by Upstream's Bradley Bell is an encouragement to you.
Mike Easton
Jan 2, 20233 min read
Entry Level Short-Term Trip Opportunities & Resources
In our article series “Redeeming Short-Term Trips,” we lay out some principles for doing short-term trips with intelligence and...
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.
Larry McCrary
Aug 25, 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...
Dave & Lorene Wilson
Aug 15, 20226 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...
Bradley Bell
Jun 20, 20224 min read
Why Church Planters Want to Do Something Bigger
In 2009, alpinists Fabrizio Zangrilli, Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, and Simone Leorin stood at the base camp of K2, the world’s second tallest...
Mike Easton
May 2, 20223 min read
Involving the Entire Church in Global Missions
A sending church involves the entire church by clearly and consistently teaching its missions convictions, vision, and strategy. This is...
Mike Easton
Mar 28, 20225 min read
When Missions Dreams Get Crushed
If you’re a missions leader, then you’ve been stirred by the vision of Revelation 7:9: to see every tribe, tongue, and nation worshiping...
Shirley Ralston
Oct 4, 20216 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
Mike Easton
Sep 20, 20214 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.
The Upstream Collective
Sep 10, 20211 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.
Larry McCrary
Sep 7, 20213 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.
Mike Easton
Aug 25, 20214 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 16, 20214 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
May 10, 20212 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 6, 20213 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
Apr 29, 20214 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 26, 20215 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.
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