global church Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

Diving Deep for the Gospel

Despite opposition and personal sacrifice, global workers exemplify “Passionate Service” that goes well beyond surface level.

Jun 01 2023

Author’s Note: Here on the blog for the past few months, we’ve been featuring stories that exemplify each of TEAM’s Defining Values. As we came to the value of “Passionate Service,” I knew I wanted to share a story about a TEAM missionary with a passion for cross-cultural service. Here’s what God showed me in the meantime. A New Adventure I held my breath and kicked hard for the surface. Snorkeling in the teal blue waters off the coast of the Philippines was a new adventure for me. For the first few minutes, I had stayed close to the…

Today’s cross-cultural missions are marked by a movement “from everywhere, to everywhere.”

Dec 19 2022

The auditorium of Iglesia Impacto in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, was filled to the brim as volunteers buzzed around the room handing out booklets and TEAM pens. The event was promoted as a kind of “Missions 101” for Latin American believers eager to learn more about global, cross-cultural missions. Planned and coordinated by TEAM Mobilization Director, David Puerto, the global missions training was conducted entirely in Spanish and spoke to the very heart of the Latin American church and its desire to embrace God’s global mission. Initially, around 60 people were expected to attend the event. When 120 registered and 150 showed…

Congreagation worshiping during a church service.

One of the greatest needs in international churches is for interim (short-term) and transitional pastors.

Nov 22 2022

Imagine entering a place where people from many nations gather as one. The faces are a kaleidoscope of color. Multiple languages, cultures, and backgrounds find commonality in the Gospel. This is the scene at international churches. Sounds like heaven, doesn’t it? Jeff Winters agrees. “There’s something so rich about having so many cultures in one place worshipping God,” says Jeff. “It’s a prelude to heaven when you go to an international church.” Jeff is a retired pastor who with his wife Judy served as an interim, or short-term, pastor at an international church in Turkey. Jeff and Judy stepped in…

God is raising up missionaries from all over the globe, especially in Latin America.

Sep 22 2022

Julieta Murillo sees change on the horizon, and she’s not alone. As a TEAM board member and the Director of SIM Latin America, Julieta is a witness to the amazing work God is doing in her home country of Ecuador and other Latin American nations. “In the last decade, [global missions] is a topic that has been taught in Latin America,” Julieta explains. “There is a genuine interest to know more. We are ready to be connected to the world and to know how we can participate as global missionaries. This is something that is recent in most of Latin…

We all have a part to play in the fulfillment of the Great Commission, and it starts with prayer.

Sep 01 2022

For over 130 years, TEAM’s passion and priority have been to partner with the Church as it equips and sends individuals to share the Gospel of Christ with unreached and underserved nations. In today’s globalized context, TEAM’s focus remains the same. Yet, it is pivoting toward more of a supporting role of serving and assisting the global Church as it fulfills God’s call to make disciples among the nations. This shift is something God is doing. TEAM’s future fruitfulness depends on serving and following global leaders with whom we can link arms as we serve Christ together. It also explores…

God is building His global Church through creative and impactful women-focused ministries.

Jul 01 2022

“Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” We probably all recognize the words from Ruth to her mother-in-law, Naomi (Ruth 1:16 NIV). How amazing it is to realize that the bond between Naomi and Ruth played a role in the lineage of Jesus! The relationship between these two women paints a beautiful picture of how God knits women together for His purposes. As the global Church grows, so does the opportunity for women to reach other women with the Gospel. Just as God…

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…

More than just silly songs and bug spray, summer camps play a vital role in reaching families with the Gospel worldwide.

Jun 01 2022

S’mores over the campfire. Water balloon fights. Swimming in the lake. Any number of craft projects involving yarn and popsicle sticks. As a child of the 1970’s and 1980’s, these are my fond memories of summer camp. Also as a native Virginian, I have the tendency to think of summer camp as a very “American” tradition. The most cross-cultural aspect of my summer camp experiences was singing “Kumbaya” on taco night. Since starting at TEAM a few months ago, I’ve learned that summer camp ministries are a vibrant part of God’s work around the world! These short-term but highly impactful…

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…

Serving in ministry with Mexican believers has taught Emily to ask different questions and read Scripture with a new perspective.

Nov 16 2021

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon warns us, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9). With that said, I believe we need to pay careful attention to what God may be doing in each generation. Today, I am thankful for the shift in the global Church from the Global North/West to the Global South. As Christian belief declines in the North, it is thriving in places like Africa, Asia and Latin America. And these regions are increasingly sending their own missionaries. Now, before you worry that I’m somehow…

Tag - global church

Diving Deep for the Gospel

From Mission Field to Missionary Force

International Churches: A Prelude to Heaven

We’re Here, We’re Ready, We’re Waiting: Mobilizing the Latin American Church

A Call to Prayer for the Global Church and the Future of Missions

Women Reaching Women as the Global Church Grows

Families Transformed by the Gospel in Papua

Summer Camps Open Doors for the Global Church

Refining Gold in Pakistan

The Church is Shifting South — and That’s Good for Missions