disciple making Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

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

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…

Cristian felt like he was falling apart. Now, through sports ministry and discipleship, he’s a passionate believer with a vision to spread the Gospel.

Aug 16 2021

When two visitors showed up at Cristian’s middle school, he had no idea that the basketball program they promoted would end three long years of loneliness. It wasn’t easy growing up in La Paz, Mexico, where Cristian regularly navigated offers of drugs, family dysfunction and his own adolescent hormones. And he was doing it pretty much all on his own. He’d had some good friends, neighbors who provided a safe space and a listening ear — and who also pointed him to Jesus. But they moved away. Where Cristian had once found friendship and spiritual guidance, now there was only…

Kids play basketball at sports ministry Transformados

Drugs are a big lure for kids in La Paz, Mexico — but a sports ministry is getting kids off the streets and teaching them the saving truth of Jesus!

Sep 14 2020

“[If] my brother wouldn’t have invited me to Transformados, then I wouldn’t have known anything about God. … I would probably be on drugs, alcohol and sex,” Chuy says. Chuy’s alternate life isn’t hard to guess at because many of his friends are already living it. In the sprawling city of La Paz, Mexico, drugs are widely available. Some kids start using them as early as 13 years old. But in recent years, more and more children have found an alternative through a program called Transformados. Five days a week, they gather on a basketball court, eager to learn new…

Men sort bottle caps as part of recycling project

Zhenya had lost everything to his addiction. But a surprise job at a recycling plant — and an unlikely friendship — led Zhenya to redemption.

Aug 12 2020

Kurt drove away from the rehab center — and from his friend Zhenya. As the miles went by, he felt a growing relief. For the first time in months, the heavy burden of responsibility that came with helping Zhenya was lifting. Caring for Creation and Their Community Kurt and Rochelle zurBurg have served as TEAM missionaries in Odessa, Ukraine, for more than 12 years. Their ministry has included a variety of activities — from apartment building repairs to backpacking to teaching science classes. It is always, “at its core,” Kurt says, “about serving people and sharing Jesus with them in…

Becoming a Christian was life-changing for Anne, but her partner hated it. Was following Jesus going to cost Anne her closest relationship?

Jun 18 2020

Despite its post-Christian culture, Germany loves a good Easter celebration. They take four days to celebrate, from Good Friday through Monday. They hold Easter markets and share amazing food. They shut down offices. Few people actually believe in the miracle of the holiday, but they know the story. So when a German celebrates Easter as a believer for the first time, it’s a day like no other. For the first time, this wonderful holiday has meaning beyond what they could ever have imagined. But on Easter of 2017, Anne wasn’t feeling all the joy she was supposed to. It had…

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…

Tag - disciple making

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

‘More than Just a Basketball Thing’

Keeping Kids from Drugs — through Basketball and Jesus

Freed from Addiction — Through Recycling

‘Nobody Believes in God Here’

Ruined by Gambling, Redeemed by Christ