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!
Erica Beiler
Jan 22, 20244 min read
A Church Re-Entry Example
Below is an example of how churches can debrief short-term teams during re-entry. As you take your team through this activity, give them...
Bruce Mewbourne
Jan 15, 20244 min read
Where to Now? Helping Short-Term Teams Return Well
Getting excited about sending out short-term teams is easy. A short-term mission experience is, perhaps, one of the most effective ways...
Christian Townson
Jan 9, 20244 min read
Developing Leaders and Missionaries through Short-Term Trips
Most churches channel their efforts into cross-cultural missions through short-term trips, enabling church members to experience the...
Greg Mathias
Jan 1, 20245 min read
Debriefing Short-Term Trips
Spending nine weeks in the Middle East during the summer of 1994 challenged my worldview, shaped my identity, and redirected my life’s...
Shirley Ralston
May 29, 20237 min read
Creating a Network of Care Trip Goers
Is Your Church Ready? Care team, what do you do when one of your church’s global workers reaches out and asks for help? What if your...
Larry McCrary
Feb 2, 20233 min read
How to Prepare for a Virtual Short-Term Trip
If you’re considering planning a virtual short-term trip, here are some things you might consider as you plan and prepare.
David McWhite
Jan 31, 20237 min read
Incomplete Responses to Short-Term Missions in Developing Nations
As a missions leader in my church, my first priority in organizing and executing short-term trips is to come alongside our missions...
The Upstream Collective
Jan 26, 20235 min read
Setting Expectations for Short-Term Mission Trips
The following is a guest article by Terry L. Brown. Short-term mission trips can be exciting and life-changing. From navigating...
Larry McCrary
Jan 23, 20235 min read
The Benefits of Going to the Same Place Year after Year
We have been involved in global missions for over twenty-two years now. For most of those years, we have served in Europe, though the...
Ellen Livingood
Jan 19, 20236 min read
Expect the Unexpected
Are you prepared for a crisis? As our world becomes more dangerous, what is the riskiest thing your church’s mission leaders can do? The...
Shirley Ralston
Jan 16, 20238 min read
Five Reasons to Revisit Your Partners
Trips with Purpose - Intention to Care Last year, two of my family members participated in a short-term trip to one of our church’s...
Ryan Martin
Jan 12, 20236 min read
Short-Term Fueling Long-Term Missions
Short-term missions provides the context through which the church can prepare and propel future missionaries for a lifetime of service
Mike Easton
Jan 9, 20233 min read
Evaluating Hosts of Short-Term Trips
As you finish up your short-term trips, a valuable step to take can be to evaluate the trip hosts. It’s likely that those to whom you are...
debbie4034
Jan 5, 20236 min read
Why I Wouldn’t Go on a Short-Term Mission Trip
The following is a guest article by Rachel Bell Hamm. The year was 2012, and I was never going to go on an international mission trip. My...
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...
Larry McCrary
Oct 24, 20225 min read
Exploring Alternative Pathways to Missions
Fourth Church is situated in a midsize city in the midwest. Their city has seen a lot of growth the last few years as people have moved...
Joshua Bowman
Oct 3, 20224 min read
Together on Mission with God: A Biblical Basis for Partnership
Partnership is necessary because the gospel is universally relevant and provides the plan of redemption for sinners separated from God.
Mike Easton
Oct 28, 20219 min read
Short-term Trips and the COVID Vaccine
In considering short-term trips for 2022, there are facts about world travel and the COVID-19 vaccine that need to be considered.
Shirley Ralston
Oct 28, 20215 min read
Continuing Care Trips in a Pandemic World
“In the midst of constant change, our commitment to care must remain unchanged.” Constant Change, The New Normal As a member of my local...
Larry McCrary
Oct 25, 20217 min read
Building Family Missions Trips: from the Field Side
As a church planter in the States during the 90s, and globally since 2001, we have used short-term teams as an important part of our...
bottom of page