2021 - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

The Church Planting Program That Became a Filipino Movement

Thanks to CPI's network, dozens of churches like this one in Mangaldan have been planted across the Philippines.

Dec 15 2021

The students at the Church Planting Institute are a mismatched bunch. High school dropouts and college professors. A former gang member and a former aspiring priest. Mature believers and brand new ones. But they’re all attending the CPI because they share two things in common. “It’s basically, do you believe in Christ? Are you passionate about Him enough to invest your life in multiplying for Christ?” says TEAM missionary David Weaver. “And if you are, then … we’ll take you wherever you’re at and disciple you from there.” This easy entry philosophy might not lend the Filipino school much prestige,…

Christian missionaries are increasingly coming from the Global South. Now it’s time to lift them up in prayer.

Dec 01 2021

When a Brazilian decides to become a missionary, she faces challenges most American missionaries don’t. An American missionary might worry about living in a slightly more expensive nation, like Japan or Germany. But one Brazilian real is worth just 18 U.S. cents. When a Brazilian sets out for Europe or parts of Asia, raising support takes an act of God. Like an American, the Brazilian missionary will go to language school. But before she can learn her host country’s language, she’ll likely need to learn English — the language of instruction. And, if our missionary is like many Brazilian workers,…

Serving in ministry with Mexican believers has taught Emily to ask different questions and read Scripture with a new perspective.

Nov 16 2021

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon warns us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9). With that said, I believe we need to pay careful attention to what God may be doing in each generation. Today, I am thankful for the shift in the global Church from the Global North/West to the Global South. As Christian belief declines in the North, it is thriving in places like Africa, Asia and Latin America. And these regions are increasingly sending their own missionaries. Now, before you worry that I’m somehow…

Brenda (center) has been able to serve for nearly 40 years — even during a pandemic, thanks to her supporters.

Nov 01 2021

We spend most of the year asking you for prayer, and God spends all year moving through those prayers. This month, instead of asking missionaries how we can pray for them, we asked what they’re thanking God for in their ministries and in their personal lives. We hope you’ll take a moment to praise God with us — and share your own stories of praise in the comments! Indonesia: Local Evangelists Sharing Jesus Every Week “We are deeply thankful for three Indonesians who are part of our evangelism team in Merauke, Indonesia,” says TEAM worker Jared Riepma. COVID-19 continues to…

Letting your kids experience another culture’s art can be scary. But doing so can be a key step in understanding your host culture and what the people value.

Oct 27 2021

How is it that two people can look at the same situation and have completely different takes on it? I’ve been asking myself this frequently, especially in the current climate of politics and society. It matters what lens we look at the world through. Do you agree? Have you ever looked through a kaleidoscope? The tinted and distorted shapes in the glass leave us dizzy and a bit disoriented as we try to figure out up from down. Sometimes I think people assume this is the experience viewing the art of another culture will be for them. Disorienting. Confusing. Silly,…

Gaby thought Christians were fanatics. Now, Gaby’s whole life is centered on knowing God and leading others to Him.

Oct 13 2021

“I remember that my mother told me, ‘Now that you know about the word of God, are you ready to wear a straightjacket?’” Those aren’t the words you expect a Christian mother to say to her newly-saved daughter. But Gaby knew her mom’s teasing came from a place of inexpressible joy. Gaby married and had children young, so she spent years trying to recapture her youth. While her husband “worked all the time,” Gaby says, “I really like to be in the streets.” Her mom tried to tell her about God. Gaby thought it was madness to give up freedom…

How do we help our kids find peace in the midst of uncertainty when we’re struggling to find peace ourselves?

Oct 07 2021

We were supposed to fly back to our African home over a month earlier. Instead, we found ourselves settling in another completely unexpected place. My children had laid their heads in dozens of different locations over the past seven months. “Home” had become this fluid word meaning wherever we had currently been staying for the short while, and somehow even my 4-year-old understood. We had been hoping and praying that we would return to South Africa soon, but our future was very unclear. Thankfully, our children were doing well. They had embraced the nomad life like champs and had taught…

Every ministry has a beginning. Join us in prayer for some of the new ministries God is creating right now.

Oct 01 2021

The Korat people of Thailand don’t consider conversion lightly. Buddhism is so woven into their culture that switching religions is seen as akin to changing one’s nationality or family ties. In many ways, for the Korat, religion is about relationships. And that’s why Mek, a Thai pastor, is ready to try a new kind of outreach. Next year, his church is partnering with TEAM missionaries Amy and Ryan Green to start a community center. “Our plan is to … serve the community, build relationships and look for opportunities to share the Gospel and train disciples to … make disciples,” Ryan…

Covid-19 has cost many missionaries access to their host countries. New strategies and perseverance are vital for the work to continue.

Sep 23 2021

As I write this from Asia, we are weary from yet another round of strict restrictions on travel and gatherings. The world entered the third wave in June; Asia is facing some of our hardest days yet. Today, six countries in Asia are in the top 10 countries facing the highest new cases per day. Eighteen months ago, one colleague was out of her host country for the New Year’s break when COVID-19 hit. The borders were closed, and she returned to the States. She’s now been stateside for more than a year. Another colleague was in the United States…

Papuan pastor Nimbrot preaches at a baptismal service

Nimbrot (left) knows the Gospel because of Western missionaries. Now he's calling his people to continue Christ's mission.

Sep 14 2021

Nimbrot was a kid when white, Western missionaries came to his part of Papua, Indonesia. “Now,” Nimbrot says, “it’s our turn.” It’s a rare attitude in Nimbrot’s tribe, the Auyu. Since the first missionaries came to and left South Papua, the Church there has struggled with discipleship and growth. Nimbrot decided to become a pastor in his 20s and was quickly sucked into a leadership vacuum. Without any Bible training, he became a regional leader for his denomination. But Nimbrot was already thinking beyond his region. He knew there were many tribes, deep inside Papua’s jungles, who hadn’t heard the…

Archive - 2021

The Church Planting Program That Became a Filipino Movement

God’s Calling Missionaries from Every Nation. Here’s How to Pray.

The Church is Shifting South — and That’s Good for Missions

What Missionaries are Thankful for This Year

A Roadmap for Navigating Cultural Art Overseas

A Hurricane Destroyed Her Neighborhood — and Led Her to Christ

Helping Our Children Through Uncertain Times

The Unique Prayer Needs of New Ministries

COVID is Still Changing Our Ministries — and God is Still Working

‘Now It’s Our Turn’: A Papuan’s Call to Reach Papuans