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Upstream Blog

The Upstream Blog has a range of short articles on various topics around sending. Look through the tags to discover articles that meet your need.

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...

The role of advocacy teams has become increasingly vital to global missions and church planting as a means of caring for missionaries as...

When you communicate and celebrate missions giving you communicate vision and priorities to your people.

We as church leaders want to see our people practice radical generosity. We want our churches to be intentional and wise in directing...

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

In 2 Corinthians 8, Paul testifies of the Macedonians that “according to their ability and even beyond their ability, of their own...

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...

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...

I have been a support-raised missionary. It’s pretty awesome. Here are some of the challenges, along with a few pleasant surprises.

Being a fully-funded missionary is pretty awesome. Here are some of the benefits, along with a few unpleasant surprises.

Almost two years ago, after watching the Covid virus spread across the globe, many governments responded by closing their borders and...

Paul's partnership with the Philippians and specifically Epaphroditus shows how missionary care serves the work of gospel proclamation.

How can a church support sent ones in fund raising in ways that are compatible with its giving structure?

Maintaining healthy souls on reentry is a community effort that takes time and commitment.

The Sending Church can provide personalized care that keeps the Sent-One energized for the challenging work they endeavor upon.

I noticed some common components about strong sending churches that enabled them to have such an identity.

What can the local church do to support their single women sent ones while they are overseas?

The hierarchy of Christian faith—the one that puts missionaries as the closest to God—harms churches, missionaries, and ourselves.