Field Perspective on Advocacy Team Care
Human beings all have needs, and those who live cross-culturally are no exception. We can meet each other’s needs in many ways. I have...
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!
Bradley Bell
Mar 183 min
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...
Mike Easton
Mar 123 min
Microskills for Advocates
When you have a struggle in life, who do you go to? Is it a friend? A pastor? An older man or woman? A counselor? When someone in your...
Christian Townson
Mar 44 min
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
Feb 264 min
Beyond Reverse Culture Shock Introduction
I’m a World War II history nerd. I have watched almost every documentary out there on this time period. As the largest conflict in...
Kelsey Jarjour
Feb 55 min
Four Practical Ways to Care for Missionaries on Furlough
If you have ever served in long-term missions or known someone who has, then you know that following the missionary call God often...
Abigail Newport
Dec 25, 20234 min
Questions to Ask TCKs
One of the best ways to show love to the third culture kids (TCKs) in your church and missionary body is to ask them questions, but it...
Shirley Ralston
Aug 28, 20235 min
Mobilizing Marketplace Workers in Your Local Church
As a returned global worker, I occasionally get this request from our church’s mission’s office: “We had a visit from someone about to...
Larry McCrary
Jun 29, 20231 min
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
Jun 26, 20234 min
How Can the Sending Church and Organization Work Together in Missionary Care?
A sending church provides ongoing care in partnership with a missions organization by building a relational structure that nurtures the...
Bradley Bell
Jun 22, 20234 min
A Practical Way to Structure Your Church’s Missionary Care
When I was six years old, my parents accidentally forgot me at church. Both of them had driven that day, and they simply pulled away...
Matthew Hirt
Jun 19, 20235 min
Serving Sent Ones in Hard Places
Sending missionaries from your church is exciting, but caring for your sent ones long term is often very difficult. Caring for them when...
Caleb Alford
Jun 15, 20233 min
Sending Does Not Mean Letting Go
Sending someone does not mean letting them go. It means holding on tight to the relationship so that the nations may know the glory of God.