missionary life Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

From Home Office to Mission Field: A Lesson in God Dependence

Doug and Becca Gooding and their children, Nathan, Jonah, Tirzah, and Sam have answered God’s call to serve in a unique way.

Feb 14 2023

Over the next several months of TEAM Ministry Updates, we’ll be sharing stories that highlight each of TEAM’s defining values. Today we’d like to introduce you to the Gooding family. Their journey toward overseas ministry in Japan is marked by the value of “God Dependence.” Here is their story. Meet the Goodings In missions organizations like TEAM, it’s quite common for global workers to transition from a ministry post overseas to a position with the organization’s home office. It’s not as common for the opposite to be true. But our God has a wonderful way of revealing His plan…

Matthew and Sara Titus led a diverse team in this amazing project.

Sep 15 2022

Since Day One of the Ukraine war, TEAM’s Matthew and Sara Titus have worked tirelessly to provide shelter and support to refugees. Their initial efforts included visits to Poland as well as renovating a series of apartments and other buildings in Prague, Czech Republic. Now about an hour outside of Prague, the Tituses’ latest project is renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse to provide housing for displaced families as they struggle to find a new normal. …

“We walked with spiritual giants.” Steve and Cindy Thompson share their journey of 35 years in ministry with TEAM Italy.

Aug 25 2022

They were two all-American kids growing up in the 1960’s. She was a little girl with a big heart to reach the unreached. He was a Michigan kid with a knack for radio broadcasting. Their journey translated into 35 years of faithful TEAM ministry and serves as encouragement of God’s faithfulness. “God has a real sense of humor” Steve grew up in a Christian home with parents who loved the Lord. As a teenager, Steve says, “I wasn’t as close to the Lord as I should have been. I accepted Christ as Savior, but I didn’t have any idea what…

Learn the language of missions with this quick reference glossary.

Jul 28 2022

If you’re just beginning to explore what it means to be a missionary, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by words and phrases in the “language” of missions. Some terms are used the same way across various missions agencies and audiences, while others are specific to a given mission organization. So what does it all mean? Here’s a quick and easy guide to “Missions Vocabulary 101” to bring you right up to speed with the latest in missions lingo. Key Terms in the “World” of Missions Of course, we can’t speak for every partner in the international missions community, but…

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…

Christian missionaries are increasingly coming from the Global South. Now it’s time to lift them up in prayer.

Dec 01 2021

When a Brazilian decides to become a missionary, she faces challenges most American missionaries don’t. An American missionary might worry about living in a slightly more expensive nation, like Japan or Germany. But one Brazilian real is worth just 18 U.S. cents. When a Brazilian sets out for Europe or parts of Asia, raising support takes an act of God. Like an American, the Brazilian missionary will go to language school. But before she can learn her host country’s language, she’ll likely need to learn English — the language of instruction. And, if our missionary is like many Brazilian workers,…

Brenda (center) has been able to serve for nearly 40 years — even during a pandemic, thanks to her supporters.

Nov 01 2021

We spend most of the year asking you for prayer, and God spends all year moving through those prayers. This month, instead of asking missionaries how we can pray for them, we asked what they’re thanking God for in their ministries and in their personal lives. We hope you’ll take a moment to praise God with us — and share your own stories of praise in the comments! Indonesia: Local Evangelists Sharing Jesus Every Week “We are deeply thankful for three Indonesians who are part of our evangelism team in Merauke, Indonesia,” says TEAM worker Jared Riepma. COVID-19 continues to…

How do we help our kids find peace in the midst of uncertainty when we’re struggling to find peace ourselves?

Oct 07 2021

We were supposed to fly back to our African home over a month earlier. Instead, we found ourselves settling in another completely unexpected place. My children had laid their heads in dozens of different locations over the past seven months. “Home” had become this fluid word meaning wherever we had currently been staying for the short while, and somehow even my 4-year-old understood. We had been hoping and praying that we would return to South Africa soon, but our future was very unclear. Thankfully, our children were doing well. They had embraced the nomad life like champs and had taught…

Covid-19 has cost many missionaries access to their host countries. New strategies and perseverance are vital for the work to continue.

Sep 23 2021

As I write this from Asia, we are weary from yet another round of strict restrictions on travel and gatherings. The world entered the third wave in June; Asia is facing some of our hardest days yet. Today, six countries in Asia are in the top 10 countries facing the highest new cases per day. Eighteen months ago, one colleague was out of her host country for the New Year’s break when COVID-19 hit. The borders were closed, and she returned to the States. She’s now been stateside for more than a year. Another colleague was in the United States…

Your first year as missionary is less about bold ministry than it is about diligent studying and acclimation.

Aug 25 2021

“Your goal for the first term is to survive and want to come back.” When Eric Binion got this advice, he was a new missionary in South Africa. And at first, it sounded as absurd to him as it probably sounds to you. Eric already wanted to be in South Africa. Plus, a missionary’s first term is generally four years in-country. After language school, you still have two years to dedicate fully to ministry. Why aim for such a low goal? Decades later, Eric is giving the same advice. So, what should you expect your first year as a missionary?…

Tag - missionary life

From Home Office to Mission Field: A Lesson in God Dependence

Farmhouse Turned Sanctuary for Ukrainian Refugees [Photo Journal]

On the Same Wavelength: Meet the Thompsons

Missions Vocabulary 101

When God Changes Our Plans

God’s Calling Missionaries from Every Nation. Here’s How to Pray.

What Missionaries are Thankful for This Year

Helping Our Children Through Uncertain Times

COVID is Still Changing Our Ministries — and God is Still Working

5 Things to Expect Your First Year as a Missionary