November 2015 - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

A Crazy Man, Fish and the God Who Provides

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…

Refugees in Athens are welcomed by Hellenic Ministries.

Nov 06 2015

As critical needs grow in the global refugee crisis, TEAM missionaries continue to partner with the local church to welcome the nations arriving on their doorsteps. Today we welcome a long-term worker in Greece to give us a snapshot of his work among refugees from the Middle East. Every European country has been impacted to some degree by the influx of refugees. Athens, Greece, where we live, is a crossroads for many of these refugees pouring into the European Union. The news stories capture much of the heartache, difficulties and challenges for the refugees. They also capture the challenge nations…

Emmanuel Evangelical Church of Los Cabos in Mexico was destroyed by Hurricane Odile in 2014. Today the congregation gathers in their new building. Photo by Armando Lomelí Perales.

Nov 02 2015

Scrubbed off the earth: That is how Hurricane Odile left the church building of the Emmanuel Evangelical Church of Los Cabos in San José del Cabo, Mexico. Distressed at losing a building they had sacrificed to build, the congregation despaired that they would ever have a place to gather again. But they prayed. That is when God stepped in. After the storm, TEAM put out the word through social media of our Baja hurricane relief effort, and gifts started to come in — not just for Emmanuel Evangelical Church, but for other hurricane relief needs as well. While on a quick,…

Archive - November 2015

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

Muslim Refugees Find Christ in Greece

Church Destroyed by Hurricane Odile is Rebuilt