preparing for missions Archives - TEAM Christian Missions Blog

A Roadmap for Navigating Cultural Art Overseas

Letting your kids experience another culture’s art can be scary. But doing so can be a key step in understanding your host culture and what the people value.

Oct 27 2021

How is it that two people can look at the same situation and have completely different takes on it? I’ve been asking myself this frequently, especially in the current climate of politics and society. It matters what lens we look at the world through. Do you agree? Have you ever looked through a kaleidoscope? The tinted and distorted shapes in the glass leave us dizzy and a bit disoriented as we try to figure out up from down. Sometimes I think people assume this is the experience viewing the art of another culture will be for them. Disorienting. Confusing. Silly,…

How do you know if God is calling you to long-term missions? Who are the best candidates for short-term mission trips? We’ve got answers.

Jul 27 2021

The journey of pursuing missions is unique for each person. God is personal and above all, and He is able to orchestrate all the details of a missionary’s life for His honor and glory. And yet, as you pursue cross-cultural Christian missions, you might find yourself stuck on this question: How long should you commit to overseas missions service? Is there really a valuable difference between short-term missions or a mid-term assignment? Should you just jump into long-term missions and commit your foreseeable future to overseas work? As a TEAM missions coach, I regularly help people walk through these questions,…

No matter how far they go, missionaries are always part of their local church — and their local church should always be part of their lives.

Dec 16 2020

There are a few different ways to approach this question. We often think of the missionary’s role in the global Church, but the missionary also plays a critical role in their local church. We can also turn this question around and ask what the church’s role is in the life of a missionary. What is the missionary’s role in the global Church? Like all believers, missionaries are part of a much bigger story than what they see in their local context. For one, missionaries prevent the Church from getting stagnant. One missionary described it as cross-pollination. When missionaries interact with…

Moving abroad can reveal a side of yourself you didn’t know. The Enneagram can help you process what’s happening and submit it more fully to Christ.

Oct 26 2020

I don’t even recognize myself anymore, Christine thought to herself. Have I changed this much? Christine knew that she was going through an intensely stressful season of life — starting a new business with her new husband, while navigating a new culture and new language in a new country. She’d been preparing for the external upheaval. But what she didn’t expect was the upheaval she saw in herself. Some of her actions and thoughts surprised and disturbed her: Anger at her circumstances, and her excessive attempts to control them. Difficulty in expressing her feelings and needs. Frustration at her limited…

Missions is no ordinary job — and that’s true even when it comes to the paycheck. So, how do missionaries get paid during their service?

Oct 09 2020

When we picture missionaries, we often think of simple lives, free of material pursuits, focused entirely on God. But even the most frugal, godly missionary has to pay for airfare, language classes and every other normal expense of daily living. So, where does a missionary’s money come from? There are two main ways missionaries get paid: a salary or self-funding. Missions agencies generally choose one for all of their missionaries to use. And while there are pros and cons to both models, the goal is the same: to bring God’s salvation message to the ends of the earth. Missionaries Who…

Can You Manage Student Loans on Missionary Support?

Sep 23 2020

Let’s start with the good news: The world is full of missionaries who are happily serving in ministry while paying off their student debt. They aren’t all stellar financial planners, and they aren’t living in poverty to make it happen. In other words, you can be one of them. The tips I’m about to give you are simple and practical. I’m not going to tell you what to do, because every situation is different, and I am not a financial advisor. But I will share what’s worked for missionaries before you and share resources created for nonprofit workers. I’ll also…

Missions is a complex topic, but the most important thing is actually quite simple. And getting this right will impact everything we do on the field.

Sep 04 2020

With each generation, the Church learns (and forgets) vital factors of success in missions. We want to lead ministries that are authentic, culturally sensitive, holistic in care, empowering to local believers, effective in planting churches — the list goes on and on. All of these are important things, worthy of deep, rich discussion. But what is the most important thing in Christian mission work? The answer is simple: Jesus. As cliché as it sounds, Jesus really is the most important part of mission work. He’s at the center of it all, He’s the reason for it all, and He’s the…

The first step to serving God overseas is serving Him at home. Find out how these missionaries took their first steps! Photo courtesy of Kit Tischler.

Aug 20 2020

If you’re the typical aspiring missionary, there’s a question you may be dreading: How are you making disciples in your everyday life? When you’re applying with quality missions agencies, the question is unavoidable. Before you go through the trouble of raising support, learning a new language and moving abroad, agencies want to know you have a good chance at success. “If a person isn’t involved in ministry and reaching out for the Lord back home, it will be even harder to do that when they arrive in a new culture,” says TEAM missionary Jann Vander Mey. But if you’re like…

Two men sit outside at a table and talk. Feature photo: Preparing for missions during COVID-19

COVID-19 has forced us to adapt and live our lives in ways we never have before — kind of like missionaries. Turns out, preparing for missions during COVID-19 has big advantages.

May 22 2020

If you’re an aspiring missionary, COVID-19 may seem like a major roadblock to your plans. Short-term trips are being postponed. Carefully planned timelines for departure are now in shambles. And everyone keeps talking about how “the world will never be the same.” But Beth Fussner, a former missionary and TEAM’s learning and development project director, sees things with a bit more optimism. “There’s so many times when God’s people were on delays and detours. … And all of those things, when you look at the Scripture, at the stories, you realize that God either caused them or used them,” Fussner…

A potential missionary sits with his friends to discuss how to become a missionary

Are you interested in becoming a missionary but don't know where to start? Look no further! We broke down the process into 5 main steps most missionaries go through!

Sep 24 2019

The pursuit of becoming a missionary is ambiguous. It starts as a dream, and the process of taking it from a dream to reality includes a lot of little “next steps” that aren’t super clear. In my role as a missions coach, that is exactly what I like to help people do. I help people take their best next step as they discern how God wants to use them in cross-cultural ministry. So, here is a simple overview of the main steps toward becoming a missionary. Talk with Your Church It’s easy to feel like cross-cultural mission work is an…

Tag - preparing for missions

A Roadmap for Navigating Cultural Art Overseas

How Long Should I Be a Missionary?

What is the Role of a Missionary in the Church?

The Enneagram for Missionaries: Tips for Overseas Life

Ask TEAM: How Do Missionaries Get Paid?

How to Be a Missionary with Student Debt

Ask TEAM: What is the Most Important Thing in Christian Mission Work?

6 Ways to Serve in Cross-Cultural Ministry Before the Mission Field

How COVID-19 Can Prepare You for Missions

How to Become a Missionary