TEAM - The Evangelical Alliance Mission, Author at TEAM Christian Missions Blog

What Missionaries are Thankful for This Year

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…

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…

A group of men in Honduras consult their Bibles.

Every church needs to train leaders for the future. Join us this month in praying for missionaries who train local church leaders and missionaries.

Sep 01 2021

For Jose, it was just another normal run around the park. He didn’t know that he would end up having a conversation that would change his life and his family. But that day at the park, Jose met members of TEAM missionaries Ralph and Ellen’s church plant in Mexico. They invited Jose and his wife, Amilia, to be a part of one of their house churches. Soon, Jose put his faith in Christ and was baptized. Since then, he has been actively sharing his faith with everyone he meets! The change in Jose was so apparent that his wife and…

A missionary talks with a woman from an unreached people group in Chad.

Unreached people groups are found in rural villages, high-tech cities and everywhere in between — but all have the same need for the Gospel.

Aug 01 2021

What pops into your mind when you read the words “unreached people groups”? Simple, tribal living or high-tech, city life? Intense religiosity or no religion at all? Commitment to community or extreme individualism? Hard-to-reach or just a plane ride away? Actually, any of those answers could be correct. Ask TEAM missionary Eric Kroner about the unreached people group (UPG) he serves in Chad, and he’ll share about farmers who live without electricity or running water. “They are very much aware that their livelihood is dependent upon rains, at the whim of disease, and with the very rhythms of day and…

From finding the right care to fighting shame, missionaries with chronic health conditions have a whole set of unique prayer needs.

Jul 01 2021

When Noelle and Lee* sensed God calling them to Italy, they put out a fleece. Noelle has an autoimmune disorder that requires treatment every six weeks. If God provided a place for treatment, they would move forward. “He provided, so we came,” Noelle says. The treatment wasn’t local, but it was doable. Every six weeks, Noelle travelled to Germany for blood product infusions that keep her immune system from attacking itself. Thankfully, travel among European countries was easy. Then COVID-19 began to spread. Borders closed. “Without this treatment, I can deteriorate very quickly,” Noelle says. “It was a bit frightening…

7 Ways to Pray for Translation and Linguistics Ministries [July Prayer Focus]

Millions of people around the world can't read the Gospel in their own language. Let's pray for translation ministries around the world. Photo by TEAM

Jun 01 2021

It’s a Monday night, and 15 Kwong men eagerly fill a small classroom, waiting for the opportunity of a lifetime. Tonight, they’re going to study the Bible — in their own language. The Kwong tribe first received the Gospel in the 1950s, but getting a Kwong Bible translation has taken much longer. Local pastors struggle to teach from Bible translations in other languages they barely understand. And for most Kwong believers, those sermons are the only biblical teaching they get. But for nearly 30 years, a team of local believers and TEAM missionaries has been painstakingly translating God’s word into…

A church stands in Dresden, Germany, a post-Christian culture

Post-Christian cultures see the Church as a quaint relic at best — and dangerous at worst. Pray for post-Christian cultures to see Christ’s life-transforming love.

Apr 01 2021

When a missionary goes to serve in Europe, most people assume they must have a pretty easy time. After all, there are already church buildings everywhere. But TEAM missionary Jessica Applegarth describes it differently: “I heard a missionary here in Ireland says they feel like they spend all of their time pulling rocks out of the soil. [It’s] incredibly important for the planting process, but you don’t see any growth. You’re not even to the planting seeds stage yet.” For generations, Europeans have seen religion used to gain political power. They’ve watched religious leaders abuse the vulnerable without being held…

Missionaries around the world serve to help the church bloom and grow. Here's how you can pray for church plants this month. Photo by TEAM

Mar 01 2021

Ask a church planter how you can pray for them, and they’ll tell you they need perseverance. Church planters have to learn a whole new culture, while building relationships, organizing services and staying in close connection with God. On top of all that, being a church planter means being available to your new congregation at all hours. “There are times when the people in your young church need you to drop everything and help them,” says Vicki Reyes, a TEAM church planter in Mexico. Vicki shared a few examples: “A woman and her two children show up at the door….

City train. Urban ministries have to compete with the busy lives of city-dwellers.

It’s been a tough season for cities, but missionaries are working hard to bring hope to people in need. Here’s how we can pray.

Jan 03 2021

The last year has ravaged the world’s cities. COVID-19 regulations shut down businesses — many to never recover. Low-income workers struggled to find work, and many went without food for days at a time. Meanwhile, wealthier professionals abandoned cities after realizing they could work from anywhere. And various protests have disrupted what little peace was left. “Unrest is more predominate as people are questioning the authorities of government, religion and the Thai Kingdom,” says TEAM missionary Kennedy Paizs. Yet, despite cities’ failings, missionaries like Kennedy see them as a key part to fulfilling the Great Commission. A year before COVID-19,…

No matter how far they go, missionaries are always part of their local church — and their local church should always be part of their lives.

Dec 16 2020

There are a few different ways to approach this question. We often think of the missionary’s role in the global Church, but the missionary also plays a critical role in their local church. We can also turn this question around and ask what the church’s role is in the life of a missionary. What is the missionary’s role in the global Church? Like all believers, missionaries are part of a much bigger story than what they see in their local context. For one, missionaries prevent the Church from getting stagnant. One missionary described it as cross-pollination. When missionaries interact with…

Author - TEAM - The Evangelical Alliance Mission

What Missionaries are Thankful for This Year

The Unique Prayer Needs of New Ministries

Praying for the World’s Future Church Leaders

How to Pray for Unreached People Groups

Missionaries with Chronic Health Problems Need Your Prayers

3 Ways to Pray for Translation Ministries

How to Pray for Post-Christian Cultures

3 Ways to Pray for Church Plants

How to Pray for Urban Ministries

What is the Role of a Missionary in the Church?