Hope for When Missionaries Come Home Early
If you’ve had the opportunity to send overseas missionaries from your church for long, you have undoubtedly seen some return early from thei
top of page
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!
Matthew Bennett
- Apr 24, 2023
- 4 min
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...
Steve Allison
- Apr 17, 2023
- 4 min
Why Missions Organizations Utilize Psych Evaluations
Mental health has become a major focus in our post-COVID world, as rates of depression, suicide, and anxiety are climbing at alarming...
The Upstream Collective
- Apr 13, 2023
- 6 min
Profile of a Sent One
What constitutes the ideal missionary candidate? It’s fitting to begin such a discussion by examining conventional wisdom on the subject....
Christian Townson
- Apr 10, 2023
- 4 min
The Importance of Creating a Mobilization Team
Most churches have a champion of missions—a missions pastor, a director of missions, a lay leader. Every church needs one of these people...
Bradley Bell
- Apr 6, 2023
- 4 min
How to Pastor Members with a Missions Interest
A church member walks up and says, "Excuse me, pastor. I think I want to be a missionary." Oh no. What do you say?! Here are a few common...
Mike Easton
- Apr 3, 2023
- 4 min
10 Questions to Ask Potential Missionaries
I have often said that if I could give a million dollars towards global missions, it would dedicate it to figuring out who will flourish...
Mike Easton
- Nov 10, 2022
- 3 min
Training Sent Ones for Multiplicative Discipleship
We should teach our future missionaries the principles of multiplicative discipleship no matter which church model they encounter.
Bradley Bell
- Nov 3, 2022
- 5 min
So You Wanna Be a Missionary—Who Are You Discipling?
I love the enthusiasm I encounter among aspiring missionaries. It drips from them like water from your hands when there are no paper...
Jonah Fox
- Oct 20, 2022
- 6 min
Getting Members Involved in Local Partnerships
Mobilizing the Body for the Community: Micro vs Macro When I first stepped into the role of Missions Pastor, I often lived in my head in...
Bradley Bell
- Sep 1, 2022
- 4 min
The Collective Sending Potential of Smaller Churches
The discussion of the sending church may cause some leaders and churches to feel left out. Many of the churches touted as sending...
Mike Easton
- Apr 28, 2022
- 3 min
The Importance of Local International Ministry in Mobilization
As missions leaders, we work hard to get our people overseas on short-term trips and as long-term missionaries. This is an awesome...
Mike Easton
- Apr 25, 2022
- 5 min
Discerning Readiness in a Potential Sent One, Part II
In part 1 of “Discerning Readiness in a Potential Sent One,” we talked about the positive traits that would lead us to give a green light...
Mike Easton
- Apr 21, 2022
- 6 min
Discerning Readiness in a Potential Sent One, Part I
If you gave me a million dollars and told me I could use it toward anything related to global missions, I would probably invest it into...
Bradley Bell
- Apr 18, 2022
- 5 min
The Grace in “Don’t Go”: A Defense for Slowing Down the Process of Being Sent
I heard that a professor once said to his students after an aggressive theological debate, “I put little trust in your zealous opinions;...
Dave & Lorene Wilson
- Apr 14, 2022
- 5 min
Helping Potential Sent Ones Discern Calling
The story of Moses and the burning bush is the iconic example of God calling someone to accomplish His purposes in this world....
Bradley Bell
- Apr 11, 2022
- 6 min
The Cheerleader and the Curmudgeon
Fostering Both Excitement and Sobriety in Potential Sent Ones Choosing the right road trip companions can mean the difference between...
Mike Easton
- Apr 7, 2022
- 6 min
Navigating Proactive and Reactive Sending
If you’ve been a missions leader for very long, you’ve likely had this experience: A married couple in your church emails you with the...
Mike Easton
- Apr 4, 2022
- 6 min
Evaluation Tools & Personality Tests for Potential Sent Ones
As we begin this month’s focus on Missions Mobilization, we wanted to provide some helpful tools for you to use in evaluating those who...
Mike Easton
- Mar 10, 2022
- 4 min
Keeping Track of Those Interested in Going Overseas
Going overseas involves many steps, and it is easy for a potential Sent One to get lost in the process. It is also easy for a missions...
bottom of page