The Specialized Cohorts are for missions leaders that have been introduced to Sending Church Elements in the Foundations and Advanced Missions Leader Cohorts, or other Upstream trainings, but want to take a deep dive into these subjects. Upstream will offer online Specialized Cohorts in the Spring, Summer, and Fall on the following topics: Missionary Care, Assessment & Development, Local Missions, Local International & Refugee Ministry, Short-term trips, Business as Mission, Multi-site Missions Leader, and much more. We will also yearly host an on-site cohort in Madrid Spain with our founder Larry McCrary for a hands on deep dive into Missionary Care, Partnership, and Developing Sent Ones.
You can sign up at any of the registration links below, or you can fill out our cohort interest form to let us know of a specialized cohort you would be interested in. As we have critical mass we will offer these online cohorts.
SPECIALIZED COHORTS
MISSIONARY CARE
AUGUST - OCTOBER 2023 | ONLINE
One of the most important aspects of a missions leader’s role is Missionary Care. The work of the sending church does not end at the Commissioning ceremony of a Sent One. It really is just the beginning. This specialized cohort will focus doing both proactive and reactive missionary care so that those who are Sent Ones stay connected to their local church and are shepherded well overseas.
Matt Clark, Missionary Care Leader at the Summit Church in Raleigh Durham, will be the facilitator for this cohort. This session will be held online and will include three half-day conference calls in August, September, and October for training and group collaboration. Each individual will receive 3 individual monthly coaching calls with the facilitator during the cohort. The cost for the cohort is $750 per person and enrollment is limited to 7 participants. If you would like to have more than one representative from your church, subsequent participant rate is $100 per person. Use discount code, “Cohort100” to sign them up.
Contact us if you have any questions.
SHORT-TERM TRIPS
2023 | ONLINE
Short-term trips can be an incredible piece of the long-term vision of an overseas partnership when done rightly. When poorly executed they can be harmful for the field, the goer, the nationals and the church. This cohort will focus on principles for sending great short-term trips. We will learn from guest missionaries and guest mission leaders in the local church.
This cohort will be led by Larry McCrary, Co-founder and Executive Director for the Upstream Collective. Participants will meet 3 times for two hours each session. Members will also have 3 one-hour individual coaching calls with Larry over the course of a few months. The cost of the cohort is $750 for the first church member to sign up. Each subsequent member can signup for $100. For questions contact Larry McCrary at: larry@theupstreamcollective.org
LOCAL MINISTRY TO THE CITY
2023 | ONLINE COHORT
Many missions leaders not only have global missions to think through, but often have local ministry to the city lumped into their job. For some this is a passion and for others this is just part of the job. Either way, ministering to those in our community who have been impacted by poverty is an important endeavor.
As well, being able to balance the role of global missions leader and local ministry to the poverty impacted can be a tough challenge.
In this cohort, Shane Kelley from Veritas Church in Iowa City will lead you through how to lead in local ministry to the poverty impacted and balance the multiple roles you are balancing.
This cohort will meet 3 times for two hours each session. On top of each session, members will have 3 individual coach calls with Shane for an hour each over the course of a few months.
Cost of the online cohort is $750/person. If you would like to add others from your church (which we would recommend) the cost is $150/person.
Contact Shane Kelley at: skelley35@gmail.com with any questions..
DEVELOPING HEALTHY PARTNERSHIPS
AUGUST - OCTOBER 2023 | ONLINE
During this three month cohort we will address key global partnership questions. How do you discover potential partners that fit into your mission strategy?
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What do you look for in a partnership?
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What expectations do you have?
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How do you develop a healthy partnership?
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How do you end a partnership that has run its course or is no longer a good match for your church?
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How do you organize your mission team around your partnerships to ensure effective mobilization efforts?
Our Upstream Collective Specialty cohort “Developing Healthy Global Partnerships” will be led by Larry McCrary. Larry and his wife Susan live in Europe and work extensively with mission organizations and national partners all over the world. During the course of this cohort you and your church will be able to define what partnership looks like in your context. You will develop a customized grid that will help you discern where to partner. You will write a MOU template for your partnerships. Each session we will meet with an international partner that will help you learn to evaluate what a healthy partnership looks like. The cohort will be online. Cost for the Cohort is $750 for the first member of a church and $100 for each subsequent member.
INTERNATIONAL AND REFUGEE MINISTRY
SUMMER 2023 | ONLINE
The nations are here in America. Over 200 countries are represented in our nation's universities. Many from unreached and unengaged areas around the world. We need to send people overseas to bring the Gospel, but with the nations at our doorstep, what can we do to reach them. Ministry in North America to internationals doesn't take a passport, a plane ticket or learning a new language. This cohort will help missions leaders learn strategies for starting an international or refugee ministry in their city, as well as, strategies for engaging church members in this endeavor.
This cohort is led by Eric Warren, International Ministry Leader at Cornerstone Church in Ames, IA. This will be an online cohort with three group sessions and three online individual coaching calls. The cost of the cohort is: $750 for the first church member to sign up. Each subsequent member can signup for $100. For questions contact Eric Warren at ewarren@cornerstonelife.com.
MULTI-SITE MISSIONS
TBD | IN-PERSON
Multisite can be a confusing world to lead in. The missions leadership cohort designed specifically for those in multisite churches. We will tackle the opportunities and challenges of leading in the multisite polity and then chart a better way forward. We will use the Sending Church Elements as our guide toward sending church maturity.
This cohort is led by Nathan Sloan, the pastor of sending at Sojourn Church Midtown. This session will begin with an overnight in-person conference, March 2023 in Louisville, KY at Sojourn Church. The conference will be followed by three group conference calls and three individual conference calls from March to May. The cost of the cohort is $950 per person and enrollment is limited to 7 participants. If you would like to have more than one representative from your church, subsequent participant rate is $200 per person.
Contact us if you have any questions.
Fill out the Cohort Interest form to let us know your interest in this cohort.