6 Ways to Pray for Creation Care Ministries [April Prayer Focus]

TEAM – The Evangelical Alliance Mission • Apr 04, 2017

Whether it’s ruined soil, contaminated water or disease caused by piled up garbage, there’s no doubt that environmental destruction hurts people deeply. In the midst of that hurt, many people doubt God’s power, His love or that He even exists.

That’s why missionaries around the world are shining a light on God’s handiwork through creation care ministries. By teaching sustainable farming methods, cleaning beaches and more, missionaries get to show how faithfully God has provided for our physical needs — and that opens doors to share about the eternal life He offers all of us.

This April, will you pray with us for creation care ministries?

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Pray for people to understand the importance of creation care.


“We do not get any agricultural change or change in any communities unless you’ve first dealt with the heart issues.” –Craig Deall, CEO Foundations for Farming in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, many farmers were taught to plow deeply into their fields, not knowing it would cause soil erosion and hurt their ability to grow healthy crops in the future. That’s why TEAM missionaries partner with local workers to show the long-term impact such practices have — and teach sustainable methods.

When farmers understand how their methods hurt their land, they’re more than ready to try solutions like no-till farming and aquaponics.

Ask God to give missionaries around the world insight into how local, natural resources can be nourished. Ask that they will be able to communicate this clearly. And pray for the people they serve to see clear benefits in using these new methods.

Pray for trusting relationships with local people.


Scott Downing drills wells in a mostly Muslim area of Chad. Village leadership knows he teaches God’s Word, but they allow him to remain because of the love he demonstrates. Photo by TEAM


Chadian villages are eager for water wells drilled by TEAM missionary Scott Downing. But the gift of clean water isn’t what opens them up to the Gospel. It’s seeing the servant’s heart Scott’s team has for the people.

“We know you are teaching God’s Word when you go to villages to drill wells,” one village chief said, “but that’s OK because we can see that you love the people.”

Pray for missionaries to demonstrate trustworthiness and love to those they serve. Pray that they won’t be seen as trying to take advantage of others but as humble servants of God.

Pray for wisdom and favor in navigating legal systems.


“God gave us this world and said, ‘Care for it.’ … It’s like He’s saying “Pick up your room,” so we need to take care of our room and pick it up.” –Kurt ZurBurg, TEAM worker in Ukraine

Whether it’s a village counsel or miles of bureaucracy, governments have the power to create strong partnerships or stop programs in their tracks.

After years of running a recycling program in Ukraine, TEAM missionary Kurt zurBurg still struggles to navigate his city’s corrupt legal system. As he seeks registration for a new phase of the project, he says, “It’s not easy getting clear answers and knowing the best path forward.”

Please pray for wisdom and favor as missionaries build relationships with government officials. Ask for discernment as they take legal steps to grow their ministries.

Pray for resources to build effective programs.


In Zimbabwe, an agricultural training program is planting a new future for aged-out orphans. Photo by TEAM


Steve and Anthea Love helped launch a simple agricultural training program in Zimbabwe , but the possibilities for growth are endless. One day, the Loves hope to see their students living on campus and balancing out their farm skills with business skills, computer knowledge and more. But first, they need the resources to make that possible.

Whether missionaries need teachers, land, money or something else, ask God to provide resources to build effective programs. Also, pray that they will know how to make the most of what they have now.

Pray for lasting stability among the people served.


Dave and Cheryl Jereb started an aquaponics garden to generate a sustainable food source for Karanda Hospital. Now they are trying to make every aspect of their garden sustainable by using local labor and materials. Photo by TEAM


A program will only provide long-term relief if people can replicate it after the missionary leaves. That’s why Dave and Cheryl Jereb make their aquaponics systems with as many local materials as possible. Recently, they stopped using plastic nets from the U.S. and taught Zimbabweans how to make them out of wire.

Pray for missionaries to create programs that are easy to replicate without their help or foreign resources. Pray for long-term economic success in the communities they help.

Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel.


In La Paz, TEAM worker Steve Dresselhaus says his involvement in beach cleanups has opened doors to share the Gospel. Photo by TEAM


People in La Paz, Mexico, are often surprised to see Christians involved in beach cleanups — or showing any concern for the environment. This surprise gives TEAM missionary Steve Dresselhaus the perfect opportunity to talk about the Creator who told us to care for the earth in the first place (Gen. 2:15).

As missionaries care for creation, ask God to open doors to share the Gospel. Pray that they can share how sin has brought about great destruction but God Almighty has brought us great hope.

To get a printable reminder of these requests, click the image below.



By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
By Suzanne Pearson 23 Feb, 2024
Justin Burkholder, pictured here with his wife Jenny and their daughters Isabella, Olivia, and Zoey, has recently been named as TEAM’s next International Director. On February 19, 2024, with much excitement and gratitude to the Lord, TEAM announced that Justin Burkholder will become our organization’s new International Director, effective July 1, 2024. Justin, who is currently TEAM’s Executive Director of Global Ministry, will assume his new role upon the retirement of the current International Director, Dave Hall. ( Read the full press release here. ) We sat down recently with Justin to learn a little more about his background, his family, and the journey that has led him to TEAM. Q: Tell us a little bit about your “origin story” - Where did you grow up? What was your family like? A: I grew up in Mexico City as a missionary kid. My parents were focused on church planting. We were very close as a family. Both of my parents are still alive, and my dad serves as a pastor in southern Florida. I have one brother who is a pastor in Wisconsin, and the most special individual in my family is my sister, Amber. She was born with a very severe case of cerebral palsy and is entirely dependent on my mother...who is extraordinary! The three most impactful forces that have shaped who I am (outside of God’s grace) are growing up in Mexico, having parents who loved and planted churches, and sharing life with someone with a severe disability. My parents belonged at the time to a church and denomination that came with quite a bit of legalism and performance-oriented Christianity. Grace was a challenging concept to grasp. While I had an awareness of my sin and need for redemption, it wasn’t until I attended Moody Bible Institute that I began to grasp the fullness of God’s grace and His delight in His children. I have continued learning and trusting in the Gospel through formal education, like completing my M.Div., and through spiritual practices in community. Learning the Gospel and believing the Gospel has been a daily exercise. The Gospel is as beautiful and multi-faceted as a diamond! At an individual level, it is simple enough for us to live convinced that “Jesus loves me, this I know.” At a corporate level, it becomes the foundation that forms and informs our life as a spiritual family. At a cosmic level, it is redemption that reaches as far as the curse is found. It is hard to even grasp the multiplicity of goodness found in the Good News. Q: Share a little bit about your family life now. What does a typical day look like in the Burkholder household? A: My wife Jenny is my high-school sweetheart! She brings joy and kindness wherever she goes. She’s the best listener I’ve ever met, and we love spending time together. We have three daughters. Isabella is ten, Olivia is seven, and Zoey is four. Each of the girls is unique and has taught us a lot in our process of following Jesus together. We like to go out on walks and go to the park together. Once a month I try to get some alone time with each of my daughters which usually includes bowling or trampolines. A typical day in the Burkholder house starts around 5:00am. Because of traffic here in Guatemala City, we have to leave early for school. After school, the girls come home to different activities - sometimes swimming class, sometimes piano lessons. Four or five nights a week we have dinner together where we usually talk about our high and low moments of the day. On weekends, we enjoy time together, playing outside, or watching sports together. Go Cubs and Go Buckeyes! Q: What are your interests and hobbies? If you have the day off, what are you likely to be up to? A: I enjoy physical activity, running, strength-training and following sports. I also love music and, truth be told, am a bit snobby about my taste in music! I also am a very curious person and love reading just about anything that passes through my hands. A day off is usually an opportunity for time with family. Jenny and I like to cook something interesting together on our days off. Often there is time for some reading and watching some type of athletic event. Q: How did God lead you to TEAM? A: My wife and I were working in the Chicago suburbs. I was a youth pastor and she was a Spanish teacher. When we got married, we had already sensed God’s direction to serve cross-culturally, but it was a matter of discerning when and where. There was a driving desire in me to see a church deeply love the Scriptures and at the same time, be deeply engaged in loving and serving their city and the most vulnerable among them. As God directed our paths, we visited a variety of places and made some friends in Guatemala who opened up the path for us to serve here. While we were exploring, we knew that the International Director of an organization called TEAM happened to go to our church, so I decided I should probably invite him out for breakfast - his name was Charlie Davis. Charlie was extremely thoughtful, passionate about disciple-making, and very gracious in creating space for us as we stepped into this endeavor. Charlie connected me with Steve Dresselhaus, a fellow TEAM global worker who was at that time serving as the Senior Director for the Americas. I cannot express the debt that I owe Steve. He walked closely with me in the transition, encouraged courageous thinking about the church and her role in society, and blasted open the doors for us to serve in Guatemala. After meeting Steve, we spent some days praying about joining TEAM. One thing I will never forget – one night during the process, I found myself wide awake in the middle of the night. A peace like I have seldom experienced passed over me confirming that we should join TEAM. There is no doubt in my mind that God tied all of these pieces together to bring us into the TEAM family and community. Q: What roles have you held in TEAM? What have been the milestones in those roles? A: The most important role I have held in TEAM is that of a global worker. God in His grace has allowed us to help plant two churches here in Guatemala, serve in leadership development, counseling, and discipleship. Our greatest joy has been found walking with those who are learning to follow Christ more deeply. I served as the Ministry Area Leader in Guatemala from 2016 to 2019. We helped to establish and lead this ministry area as it grew from just four global workers to over 15. I then served as Senior Director for Mexico and Central America from 2019 to 2021, Regional Executive Director for the Americas in 2021 and 2022, and then transitioned to the role of Executive Director of Global Ministry which I’ll continue in until the end of June. Q: What do you love most about being a part of TEAM? Why TEAM rather than other organizations or job opportunities? A: The TEAM community is full of people who have faithfully served God’s mission and have given up a lot to do so. It is a privilege to know many of our global workers and be counted among them. I am also fascinated by the fact that TEAM has existed now for more than 130 years! There is something to be said about the resilience and faithfulness of an organization that has continued to impact the world for so long. The rest of our conversation with Justin will be coming soon on blog! We’ll hear more about how God called Justin to the role of International Director, and what Justin sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church.
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