2015 - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

How Many Bibles Do You Own?

Operation Joshua aims to give every Greek family access to the New Testament.

Dec 28 2015

How many Bibles do you own? Two? Ten? As I am writing this, I have a Bible sitting next to me on my desk, a Bible app on my phone and an Internet full of websites that can pull up a Bible in seconds. I so often take for granted having the inspired Word of God at my fingertips at any time. But for so many around the world, easy access to Scripture is simply not the reality. You might immediately think of an unreached tribal community or a rural village. You probably do not think of Greece. One of the…

We have 10 of our favorite missions books to add to your reading list.

Dec 17 2015

Dropping temperatures mean more nights spent inside, curled up with a warm mug and a good read, so we decided to share 10 of our top picks for books on missions. You’ll find some classics, a few academic selections and maybe your next favorite book. Check out our list and then let us know in the comments what must-read missions books we’re missing. Foreign to Familiar: A Guide to Understanding Hot- and Cold-Climate Cultures | Sarah A. Lanier In this quick read, Lanier provides a practical introduction to understanding cultures through the categories of “hot-climate” (relationship-oriented) and “cold-climate” (task-oriented) cultures. We love it so much, we give…

TEAM staff pray for Pastor Rodriquez and his wife as they work to bring light to La Paz. Photo by TEAM staff

Dec 15 2015

Pastor Rafael Rodriguez and the El Faro congregation in La Paz know adversity. In seven years, their church in Mexico has been burglarized three times, and last year an arsonist ignited their sanctuary — just to watch it burn. But through every setback, God has refined their community and sharpened their focus. When Pastor Rodriquez trusted Christ 30 years ago, he did not feel called to be a pastor. “I didn’t know you could be that,” he recalls. “I just wanted to serve. That’s all I wanted to do.” Years later, Rodriquez connected with La Paz de Cristo, a TEAM church plant, where he was…

Dave and Cheryl Jereb provide food, skills training and the gospel message to their community through Fish for Life. Photo courtesy of Cheryl Jereb

Nov 30 2015

History is full of missionaries who found success by blending in with the local culture. TEAM missionary Dave Jereb found it while building a reputation as a crazy, old, white guy. Dave and his wife, Cheryl, came to Zimbabwe with a vision to provide sustainable food sources and job training for needy communities through aquaponics, a self-contained system for growing produce and fish. The fish live in tanks, and the nutrient-rich water is piped into plant beds where crops grow hydroponically. The plant roots cleanse the water, which is then pumped back into the fish tanks. Within a few months, fresh…

This Advent, more people will hear the gospel and meet Jesus than in any other time of the year.

Nov 29 2015

What are the next three big events on your personal calendar? You probably don’t need much time to answer. For most of us, our busy calendars stretch out months ahead, with new opportunities and invitations coming almost every day. Much of the fun of special events is the anticipation, right? Engagements anticipate the advent of a wedding day. Pregnancies anticipate the advent of a birthday. For Christians, the Advent season anticipates Christmas, the celebration of God coming to earth to live among us in the person of Jesus Christ. Six centuries before that Bethlehem miracle, the prophet Isaiah wrote, “The…

Christian workers are reaching Muslims for Christ through interactions on Facebook.

Nov 25 2015

For many Muslims around the world, government and social restrictions make accessing the gospel nearly impossible. In these “closed countries,” Christian workers must be both creative and careful in how they share the gospel message with their Muslim neighbors. Increased Internet access, however, has created a new avenue for Muslims to gain access to the teachings of Jesus: through the smart phones in their pockets. Now, through digital media, Christian ministry workers can engage large Muslim audiences with the gospel, and the interactive networks like Facebook give users the platform to ask questions and receive personal responses. Dave and Janet* are TEAM workers who see fruit from this…

The Eifel Tower in Paris, France. Photo by Taylor Nesse

Nov 16 2015

I wake up Saturday morning to the news. Paris has been the target of a coordinated terrorist attack. Paris is certainly not the first and already not the last, but like so many of my students at Black Forest Academy, this to me was not just something to read about in the news. This feels close and personal. This is the city and country I called home for most of my childhood. Both of my sisters were born there. This is a country that is currently only a 20-minute drive from my apartment. Several of my students commute daily from France….

Two qualities every person should take along on their short-term mission trip.

Nov 12 2015

Whether it’s your first short-term mission trip or your 10th, making a packing list is probably on your mind. In fact, your team leader may even hand you a list with specific details about the weather, appropriate dress, evangelistic materials to disperse or even the much-appreciated advice to throw in some granola bars, just in case. None of what you pack in your duffle, however, is going to make or break your trip. You are not a tourist but an advocate for God and His love. The most important part of your preparation will be all about the heart. This leads us…

Italy in the fall. Photo by TEAM

Nov 10 2015

Have you ever had a ripe persimmon on a crisp day in October? I’m sad to say, despite priding myself on a broad palate and a love of eating locally and seasonally, it’s something I’ve only recently discovered. This is my seventh autumn in Italy, and every year, right around this time, I see the cachi start to show up in the markets. Every year, I think I should buy a few and figure out what to do with them, and every year I let the fall pass without actually following through. A few weeks ago, the missions pastor from…

Archive - 2015

How Many Bibles Do You Own?

9 Missions Books We Recommend

A Church in Mexico Refined Through Fire

A Crazy Man, Fish and the God Who Provides

The Advent of Hope, Peace, Love and Joy

How Social Media is Reaching Muslims for Christ

Reflections on the Paris Terrorist Attacks

Two Traits You Need on a Short-Term Mission Trip

Taste and See That God Is Good