February 2016 - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

To Send Missionaries is to Pray

Prayer is not merely the entry point of missions in a sending church. It’s the foundation for every element of sending. Photo by TEAM

Feb 25 2016

This post is the second in a three-part series exploring the role of the sending church in missions. Read Part I or Part III. The following is an excerpt from The Sending Church Defined, written by Upstream Collective. It can be purchased in print. While at a secret meeting with house church leaders in an intensely persecuted region of China, missiologist Nik Ripken was asked a peculiar question: “Are the believers [in other countries] persecuted like we are?” Ripken answered yes, describing the kind of persecution taking place in two Middle Eastern countries. The group became eerily silent. Early the next morning Ripken was jarred…

The sending church, not missions agencies, send missionaries. So what does it mean to be sent?

Feb 22 2016

This post is the first in a three-part series exploring the role of the sending church in missions. Skip ahead to Part II or Part III here. The following is an excerpt from The Sending Church Defined, written by Upstream Collective. It can be downloaded as a free e-book or purchased in print. Nothing Moves Without Being Sent What makes you go? Not in the “Go, therefore” or “Daddy, I gotta go!” sense, but just at the most basic level. Go. Move. Do something. Your brain sends signals to your body and it stands. Pretty simple, you know, except for the dozens of muscles…

With high poverty and crime rates, the prosperity gospel has taken root in Guatemala. Read about one missionary's heart to show his community the only hope to change this narrative.

Feb 15 2016

Every single day, we wake up to the latest news in Guatemala. “Three people wounded in gun battle.” “Remains of two young girls who were murdered discovered in Zone 6.” “Millions of dollars swindled by president and vice president.” Even though these aren’t actual headlines, these are actual things that have happened. A Narrative of Violence and Brokenness People are wounded and killed in gunshot battles every single day. Violence is rampant. The former president and vice president are currently in jail for stealing millions of dollars in what should have been taxes to help sustain and develop Guatemala. The stories aren’t just stories…

As Chicago becomes globally-integrated, it is creating new ministry opportunities like never before.

Feb 08 2016

Imagine a quiet May Sunday morning in a Chicago neighborhood. I am on my way to catch a Blue Line train for worship at our local church. Suddenly, from behind me arises the baritone backfire of hundreds of motorcycles cruising along the street. As the cyclists pass, I notice the red and white of the Polish flag everywhere, from the patches on riders’ jackets to the flags flying from the rear of the motorcycles. It is May 3 — Constitution Day — a public holiday in Poland that celebrates the Duchy of Warsaw from the 18th century and the fall…

What will God do in our lives this Lent as we become still and pray daily? Photo by TEAM

Feb 03 2016

Have you considered this bold invitation from God: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations” (Ps. 46:10, NIV)? In the frenetic craziness of our world, what might happen if you, me and millions of people accepted God’s challenge and found time to “be still’” with him, even for a few minutes? What if we all did it on the same days, for 40 consecutive days, in anticipation of the greatest day in human history, Easter Sunday? What might God say to us? What might he be planning to do “among the nations”?…

As Muslims continue to migrate to the United States, the opportunity for Muslim ministry is greater than ever.

Feb 01 2016

Today, we welcome a long-term worker in the Middle East to the TEAM blog. He shares his thoughts on the unprecedented opportunity North Americans have today to engage in Muslim ministry. Because of governmental opposition to the Gospel and gospel workers in his region, his identity will remain anonymous. When I was a newcomer to the Middle East 30 years ago, I quickly realized that effective communication requires interpreting language through the filter of culture. For example, the common phrase “Bukra, Insha’Allah” is easily translated as “Tomorrow, if Allah wills.” But with time and experience, I learned that in application, the real meaning is…

Archive - February 2016

To Send Missionaries is to Pray

What Does it Mean to be Sent?

Fighting the Prosperity Gospel in Guatemala

Urban Ministry is a Gateway to the Globe

40 Days of Stillness + Free Lent Prayer Guide

Loving, Not Fearing, Your Muslim Neighbor