local missions Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

Bitter Enemies Reunited in Christ

Julio and Libia sit together and study the Bible.

You would never guess that Julio and LIbia were once bitter enemies. Keep reading to see the amazing way God worked in their lives!

Aug 21 2019

On Sunday mornings, Libia and Julio don’t look like anything special. Just two close friends worshiping God, maybe imagining their future together. You would never guess that this time last year, they wouldn’t speak to each other — much less be in the same room together. Or that they were bitter enemies for five long years. The fact that they happily sit together at church now? TEAM missionary Dawn Moore says it’s nothing short of a miracle. Peruvian Couple Seeks Better Life in States Libia and Julio’s relationship was complicated from the beginning. They both grew up in Peru as…

What would it look like for your church to carry out the mission of Acts 1:8, integrating both local and global missions? Photo by TEAM

Jan 25 2018

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 is a common verse in the missions world, used to encourage every Christian to take the Gospel to their Jerusalem (local city), Judea and Samaria (region), and the ends of the earth (world). But with limited time and resources, this mission can seem like more than we can handle. Churches often start asking, “Should we focus on local or global missions?” In answering this question,…

Cross cultural relationships aren’t neat and tidy. They require flexibility, humility and compromise. I felt this personally in my friendship with Burundian refugees this year. Here’s what I wish I would have known from the beginning. Photo by TEAM

Nov 01 2016

As a missions coach at TEAM, I love getting to walk alongside others who feel called to international ministry. But I was challenged early on by an applicant who asked, “What are you doing in cross-cultural ministry?” A little jarred, I honestly responded, “Great question. I can tell you that right now, I’m not involved.” That moment launched the past year of befriending and loving refugees in Knoxville, Tennessee. After that conversation, I did some research and found a local nonprofit agency committed to providing protection and assistance in refugees’ journeys. They set me up as an English tutor for…

Building a global missions strategy is not about a bigger budget. It's about greater intention. Read five ways to your church can create a successful missions strategy. Photo by TEAM

Jun 08 2016

Your church probably doesn’t have a global missions strategy. And sadly, you aren’t alone. The truth is that most churches don’t have a strategy for their global involvement. As a result, many simply aren’t engaged overseas. Those who are are more likely to answer a question about their strategy by telling you how big their “missions budget” is. Whether your church gives $500 or $1 million per year to missions, the real question isn’t how much you’re giving, but how you’re giving it. There are lots of ways to build a great global missions strategy. For now, I’d like to…

The collaborative workspace at Missions Place invites kingdom workers to work side-by-side locally for the sake of the gospel globally.

Mar 10 2016

Missions Place by TEAM was started in 2013 as a “storefront” concept for international missions. Since then, thousands of people have walked through the doors of Missions Place to to attend an event, talk to staff about missions or simply enjoy a coffee. This year, Missions Place takes its next step with the addition of a collaborative workspace. This relaxed, shared working environment brings together a local, kingdom-minded community in cities for the sake of the gospel around the world. Scroll through the photo journal to catch a snapshot of this collaborative community. The Faces of Missions Place Meet…

The eagerness to go overseas is good. We should not shun the promptings of the Spirit to pursue international service if the Lord continues to confirm it. But neither should we neglect the opportunities to serve where we are, especially those who live within earshot and driving distance.

Mar 07 2016

It’s an apartment complex. It’s the gymnasium. It’s the Mother’s-Day-Out program down the street. It’s the restaurants, workplaces and community gatherings. It’s in the city. These are where the people of the world live, work and play, and that is where the believer lives, works and plays. For most of us, when we think of cross-cultural ministry, our initial thoughts float toward airplanes, geographical borders and major unknowns. While this can be part of what it means to serve cross-culturally, it only paints the obvious picture. The more nuanced, yet immediate, definition could be walking across the street. Before Serving…

As Chicago becomes globally-integrated, it is creating new ministry opportunities like never before.

Feb 08 2016

Imagine a quiet May Sunday morning in a Chicago neighborhood. I am on my way to catch a Blue Line train for worship at our local church. Suddenly, from behind me arises the baritone backfire of hundreds of motorcycles cruising along the street. As the cyclists pass, I notice the red and white of the Polish flag everywhere, from the patches on riders’ jackets to the flags flying from the rear of the motorcycles. It is May 3 — Constitution Day — a public holiday in Poland that celebrates the Duchy of Warsaw from the 18th century and the fall…

As Muslims continue to migrate to the United States, the opportunity for Muslim ministry is greater than ever.

Feb 01 2016

Today, we welcome a long-term worker in the Middle East to the TEAM blog. He shares his thoughts on the unprecedented opportunity North Americans have today to engage in Muslim ministry. Because of governmental opposition to the Gospel and gospel workers in his region, his identity will remain anonymous. When I was a newcomer to the Middle East 30 years ago, I quickly realized that effective communication requires interpreting language through the filter of culture. For example, the common phrase “Bukra, Insha’Allah” is easily translated as “Tomorrow, if Allah wills.” But with time and experience, I learned that in application, the real meaning is…

We are desperately in need of a more nuanced conversation around the topics of local and global mission. Photo courtesy of Melissa Barber

Sep 04 2015

Mission agencies like TEAM exist because of our conviction that mission is incomplete if it ignores those beyond our immediate geographic reach. A critical aspect of the agency’s task within the church is to remind the larger community of far-flung needs that might otherwise be forgotten. We have beaten this drum loudly and persistently. In our passion to keep the global unreached in the North American church’s vision, however, we have sometimes encouraged the belief that international mission is of a higher order than domestic mission. We have inadvertently created the belief that international missionaries are the hardcore, the totally committed,…

China is a quickly urbanizing country where, by some estimates, more than 20,000 new skyscrapers will be built in the next two decades. Robert Johnson / TEAM

Feb 27 2014

You may have heard it, the saying often attributed to pastor and author Tim Keller, about why God loves the city more than he does the country. The country has more trees than people. The city has more people than trees. Because God loves people more than he loves trees, he loves the city more than he loves the country. This bit of tongue-in-cheek probably strikes you differently depending on whether you live among the trees or the concrete. But at least as it relates to global missions strategy, there is much truth in it. Urban mission is one of…

Tag - local missions

Bitter Enemies Reunited in Christ

4 Ways to Unite Your Local and Global Missions Strategy

7 Critical Things I Learned as a Refugee Volunteer

How to Develop a Church Missions Strategy That Works

What’s New at Missions Place? [Photo Journal]

Serving Here Before Going There

Urban Ministry is a Gateway to the Globe

Loving, Not Fearing, Your Muslim Neighbor

Why Local and Global Missions Need Each Other

Why Cities Matter (INFOGRAPHIC)