Church Planting Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

When God Changes Our Plans

The Junker Family knows that God’s plans are always best.

Apr 27 2022

“If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.” We’ve likely all heard this saying before, but it still takes us by surprise when things don’t go the way we expected. We so often have the best of intentions for our family, lives, and ministry and it throws us for a loop when God takes us in a different direction. Jon and Tammy Junker, TEAM global workers in Japan, know what that feels like. Jon was a missionary kid, born and raised in Japan. Tammy grew up in California, and served as an English teacher and with TEAM’s…

When Steve and Lois Dresselhaus invite you to kayak, be ready for deep conversations about God and worship at sea.

May 13 2021

TEAM missionary Steve Dresselhaus was in his usual place of worship on Sunday morning. Not in a sanctuary, but in nature. Not with a congregation, but with fellow ocean enthusiasts. Not in a pew, but in the seat of a kayak on the Sea of Cortez. One of his friends paddled up. “Steve, I like this church,” the man told him. A Ministry Born out of Burnout On any given week, Steve and Lois Dresselhaus see church happening around their dinner table, in a kayak, in someone’s yard, on a hike or in their living room. It takes place during…

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….

Why I Need Other Cultures on My Church Planting Team

Every church planter has cultural blind spots. One of the best ways to find them is working with fellow believers from a variety of cultures.

Oct 19 2020

I’m not sure if you know this, but you have a culture — and not all of it reflects God’s Kingdom values. Shocking, I know. This may not be an entirely new idea to you, but let me push it a bit further. Not all of the cultural convictions that you think reflect God’s Kingdom values actually reflect God’s Kingdom values. In other words, you and I have values we think are rooted in Gospel principles — but are actually, mostly, born from our cultures. There is some irony here for missionaries because many are great at spotting this in their…

Gerald's gambling addiction ruined his life, but thanks to friends like you, Gerald was plugged into a church that showed him a new way.

Dec 25 2019

How do you know when your gambling habit’s gotten out of hand? Probably when you stop coming home . . . for three months straight. Gerald had a mind for greatness. He started his business at a young age and quickly earned millions in pesos, the Philippines’ currency. He had more than enough to support a wife and two sons. It’s no wonder Gerald thought a little gambling at the casino would be harmless. However, his great mind didn’t prepare him for how gambling sucks people in and takes over their lives. Gerald stopped coming home for three months. He…

Jeff Ingram sits and plays a game with a child

Over 30 years of planting churches, Jeff Ingram has learned three character traits every church planter needs. Today, he shares his keys to success!

Oct 07 2019

So you’re thinking of planting a church? Perhaps you’re wondering whether you’ve got the right stuff. When my wife and I started planting churches in Europe in 1992, we didn’t know what all we were getting into. But along the way, we’ve learned some key character traits every church planter needs. Today, I’d like to describe just a few. Diligence When we left for Europe in 1992, my dad had just started his own business — an auto-painting and body shop. I heard firsthand how much time, effort and money it cost him. I can assure you, he had to…

Missionaries Keith and Dawn Moore pose outside of their home in Charlotte, NC.

Keith and Dawn Moore spent years serving as missionaries in Latin America — but then God called them back to the United States. Keep reading to see how God is using them in Charlotte.

Aug 15 2019

After serving overseas for nearly 30 years, Keith and Dawn Moore were back in their home country for a new assignment. Except it didn’t feel like home anymore. This wasn’t the first time they’d felt like strangers. When they served as TEAM missionaries in Colombia and Honduras, Keith and Dawn grew accustomed to hearing “What are you doing here?” Their light skin and hair made it a natural question. Over time, they learned to welcome their visibility as a way to strike up conversations and start friendships. But now they were transitioning from ministry in Latin America to ministry in…

Tag - Church Planting

When God Changes Our Plans

Building House Churches Through Outdoor Adventures

3 Ways to Pray for Church Plants

Why I Need Other Cultures on My Church Planting Team

Ruined by Gambling, Redeemed by Christ

3 Character Traits Every Church Planter Needs

Called Home — to Reach the Same People