Ministry Updates Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

Walking the Path Together

Deep generosity prompted local believers to invite TEAM into a partnership to provide better access to a Gospel training center.

Mar 01 2023

In this series of TEAM Ministry Updates, we’re sharing stories that highlight each of TEAM’s defining values. The following narrative is shared by a TEAM Asia global worker as an example of the value of “Church Focus.” As the motorbike bumped and slid over a rough and muddy track, I was doing my best to contain my emotions. On one hand, I was partially terrified of falling off and being injured in a very remote part of southeast Asia with medical help at least a half day away. Simultaneously, I was excited. This trip was the culmination of several years…

Sunshine through the city buildings in Italy.

“Alba” in Italian means “Sunrise.” And that’s just what the Alba Safe House and Recovery Program in Italy is all about…the sun rising on a brighter day for women in need of a new start.

Jan 17 2023

For many of us, when we think of Italy, we envision the breathtaking architecture, stunning landscapes, and incredible food. But what we may not know is that Italy is also home to a subculture that can be cruel to the weak and vulnerable. Prostitution is legal in Italy, and the infrastructure for social services is sparse, even for its own citizens. For these reasons among others, Italy is an epicenter for sex trafficking. The result is a sea of women, many of them foreigners in a country far from their own. They are trapped in the sex industry but…

Dec 15 2022

As 2022 draws to a close, all of us here at TEAM are so grateful for the many things God has done in our midst throughout the world. We wish that we could share EVERY story from TEAM’s 500+ global workers and their ministries! But even though we can’t (think how tired my typing fingers would be!), it is our joy and blessing to feature one story each month in our Ministry Updates. For December, we thought you might enjoy hearing some Ministry Update….updates! Here are some new reports from the folks you “met” here on the blog throughout the…

River running through Am Timan in Africa.

God has uniquely positioned TEAM Chad to help build a literal bridge of hope over troubled waters.

Nov 17 2022

Life in the sub-Saharan country of Chad is not easy. In this landlocked African nation twice the size of Texas, there is only one major airport and few paved roads. With problems such as water-borne illness and poor sanitation, Chad has one of the lowest life expectancies of any nation in the world. And yet Chad is a harvest field that is desperate for the Light. For TEAM global workers Scott and Eric, as well as their wives and families, Chad is home. Here among nomadic Muslim people groups in southeastern Chad, God uses TEAM’s holistic approach to ministry to…

Yoyogi Park in Tokyo plays host to a pair of unique, effective, and multi-cultural outreach ministries.

Oct 13 2022

In Japanese, “shiki ga takai” (しきが高い ) refers to a “high step.” The phrase means that it’s difficult to enter somewhere – not literally, but figuratively. Shiki ga takai is something we’ve probably all experienced at one time or another. It’s that moment when you feel like an outsider. The situation is daunting, and it’s difficult to bring yourself to take that initial step. For TEAM Japan’s David McClanahan and his co-laborers, years of cross-cultural ministry have shown that exploring Christianity can be a “high step” for the Japanese people. Many come from Buddhist, Shinto, or atheistic backgrounds, and regard…

Matthew and Sara Titus led a diverse team in this amazing project.

Sep 15 2022

Since Day One of the Ukraine war, TEAM’s Matthew and Sara Titus have worked tirelessly to provide shelter and support to refugees. Their initial efforts included visits to Poland as well as renovating a series of apartments and other buildings in Prague, Czech Republic. Now about an hour outside of Prague, the Tituses’ latest project is renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse to provide housing for displaced families as they struggle to find a new normal. …

Holistic community development enables people to see that God cares for them and the issues they face each day.

Aug 18 2022

James didn’t mince words in his epistle to the early Church. “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food,” says James. “If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:15-16 NIV) The effort to address both physical and spiritual needs is often referred to as “holistic ministry.” When these principles impact an entire community, the result is holistic community development or “transformational development.” Michael Cochran, his wife Susan, and their four young children know first-hand that transformational…

Man with walker and assistant in southeast Asia.

Nabin is a living testimony, but the journey hasn’t been easy.

Jul 14 2022

In a dark, cramped room in southeast Asia, a young man lay paralyzed and in despair. On the wall next to him sat a row of Hindu idols, collecting dust and unable to help him see any purpose or hope ahead. Yet today this young man, healed and redeemed by Christ, proclaims the Gospel to his friends and neighbors. The journey to this happy ending was not an easy one, but it is one marked by the faithfulness of the God who heals and redeems… Two Friends on a Walk The story began on a typical February day in 2020….

The light of Christ now shines through Hatam families once entrenched in darkness.

Jun 16 2022

How do we impart biblical truth while also respecting important cultural traditions? As we follow Jesus’ command to “go into all the world,” how do we make sure we don’t “go” like a steamroller? This is perhaps one of the greatest challenges of cross-cultural ministry, especially when it comes to something as central to a society as its concept of “family.” God’s heart for marriage and family is seen throughout Scripture. For traditionally Judeo-Christian cultures, a loving and nurturing family dynamic is easily understood. But what about in cultures where family relationships look very different? How can we as the…

40th Celebration at Zarephath Bible Seminary.

Zarephath Bible Seminary is a shining example of globalized discipleship which spans 40 years.

May 19 2022

The word Zarephath in Hebrew means “a place where gold is refined.” For 40 years, God has been refining gold for His Kingdom in Pakistan through Zarephath Bible Seminary. What began as an initiative of mostly western missionaries has grown into an amazing institution led by Pakistani leaders who train up other leaders to impact their nation for Christ. It Began with a Question The ZBS journey began in the mid-1970s. TEAM global workers saw the need for a Bible training program in Pakistan. They began asking the question, “How can we train local leaders to be pastors and leaders…

Category - Ministry Updates

Walking the Path Together

Sunrise on a New Beginning

Looking Back on Stories from 2022: God’s Work Continues

Building a Bridge of Hope

Japanese Park Ministries Offer a “Level Step” to the Gospel

Farmhouse Turned Sanctuary for Ukrainian Refugees [Photo Journal]

A People Highly Prized by God

Nabin’s Story: Healed and Redeemed by Christ

Families Transformed by the Gospel in Papua

Refining Gold in Pakistan