Signal Fire Blog
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History Grants Vision, Perspective, and Wisdom:
Nov 04, 2024 3 min · Brian W I love history. A big part of my discipleship was delving deep into Church history; a little later, reading a lot of missions history, too. It is too easy to find bad church history because well-intentioned… Read More
Availability and Affordability
Oct 21, 2024 3 min · Travis M For the past 15 years, I have had the amazing privilege of traveling to various parts of the world to equip pastors and church leaders for the important task of studying and proclaiming God’s Word. It… Read More
Seek First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness
Oct 14, 2024 5 min · Joel H Fewer topics are as important as the kingdom of God. Fewer topics get more twisted and distorted than this one. I am writing about this topic now with a bit of fear and trepidation because I have seen… Read More
Lessons from the Field: Protect Your Disciples
Oct 07, 2024 3 min · Brian W I learned a lot on the field. One of the things I reflect on repeatedly is, did I protect my disciples enough? As the years go by and I gain more experience in ministry, I come to realize that protecting… Read More
The Coming Paradigm Shift to Local Church-Centered Missions
Sep 23, 2024 2 min · David M Many local churches are beginning to realize that the Bible teaches, models, and anticipates that local churches should take the lead in world missions. What does it mean when we state that “the local… Read More
The Importance of Church-centric Training
Sep 16, 2024 4 min · Travis M MissioSERVE Alliance is privileged to be part of a growing movement within missions, one that seeks to emphasize and develop the role of every local church in the work of the Great Commission. It is a… Read More
The Tip of the Spear
Sep 09, 2024 4 min · Joel H A wooden shaft supports a metal tip, propelled through the air at a target. All energies and efforts are directed toward one goal. The tip of the spear cannot hit its target unless the entire spear is… Read More
Serving the Sent: Uncovering the Missionary among you
Sep 06, 2024 2 min · Brian W Missionaries. Are they made, are they discovered, or is it a bit of both? Before you can serve your missionaries, you have to find them. Finding a missionary can be challenging. Here are some tips for… Read More
Will you Fight for His Glory?
Sep 02, 2024 4 min · Brian W Ephesians 1:4–6 [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through… Read More
How to Make Sure Your Short-Term Trip Helps Instead of Harms the Mission Field: Part III
Aug 26, 2024 4 min · Brian W Short-term trips can be challenging to evaluate. Even terrible trips have some excellent and powerful testimonies coming out of them. How can we evaluate someone’s spiritual experience or even determine… Read More
Connecting a Text to Christ, Part II
Aug 19, 2024 4 min · Travis M In the previous article, we noted that good expository preaching will not only exalt Christ but do it in a way that is consistent with the message of the passage being proclaimed. One tool to help us in… Read More
How to Make Sure Your Short-Term Trip Helps Instead of Harms the Mission Field: Part II
Aug 16, 2024 3 min · Brian W Part II: How to Make Short-Term Trips Go Right In part I, we learned about some reasons that poorly designed and executed short-term trips occur. Now, we will look at some of the ways you can make sure… Read More
Two Missions
Aug 12, 2024 4 min · Joel H When we begin our thinking about missions with biblical concepts and language, we can come away with two distinct missions. First, there is the missio Dei, the mission of God. Second, there is the mission… Read More
How to Make Sure Your Short-Term Trip Helps Instead of Harms the Mission Field: Part I
Aug 09, 2024 3 min · Brian W Part I: What Goes Wrong Whenever people prepare for a short-term trip, good feelings abound. People want to help and serve and have an adventure. The missionaries are happy and supportive of the trip… Read More
Short Term Trip, Long Term Impact.
Aug 02, 2024 1 min · Parker J Have you ever stopped to think about the value of short-term missions? Sure, we could all write a list of the harmful effects of a trip-gone-wrong, but what about the blessing of a trip-gone-right?One… Read More
Is My Church Too Small?
Jul 29, 2024 4 min · David M (This article is an excerpt of Appendix D from the book Missions on Point: The Local Church at the Heart of Ecclessiology and Missiology, by David C. Meade. You can purchase the book on Amazon.) Most… Read More
Connecting a Text to Christ, Part I
Jul 22, 2024 3 min · Travis M Once we have been convinced that the Scriptures demonstrate an expectation that every part of the Bible should be understood in relation to Christ, we must yet be careful in how we go about doing this.… Read More
A Prayer for Georgia
Jul 19, 2024 2 min · Brian W "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy… Read More
Cutting-Edge Missionaries
Jul 15, 2024 3 min · Joel H Missionaries are in a precarious position. Depending on how you look at missionaries you could see them as on the edge of either compromise or confrontation or somewhere in between. Regardless, missionaries… Read More
Serving the Sent on a Short-term Mission
Jul 12, 2024 2 min · Parker J In many churches, short-term mission trips, like many mission activities and efforts, are just an outlet for a few mission enthusiasts with no long-term vision for what short-term missions can do to serve… Read More
MissioSERVE Board Update
Jul 08, 2024 2 min · David M God is to be praised for an unusual season of change and blessing for MissioSERVE Alliance. He guided and helped the merger of Propempo International into MissioSERVE. The merger brought experienced staff… Read More
Serving the Sent: Using the Calendar
Jul 05, 2024 2 min · Brian W In a previous column, we discussed using space to benefit our sent ones. Now we are going to talk about time. Most specifically, we will talk about the church calendar and how it is important to carve… Read More
Taking Care of the Kids
Jun 28, 2024 2 min · Brian W To borrow from The Sound of Music: Has there ever been a problem like a missionary kid? Missionary kids fit into one of those problematic grey zones. They are not missionaries, but at the same time, they… Read More
Expository Preaching Exalts Christ, Part II
Jun 17, 2024 4 min · Travis M In the previous article, I expressed our conviction at MissioSERVE Alliance that true expository preaching must exalt Christ regardless of where in the biblical canon one may be preaching. This springs… Read More
Prayers for Ukraine
Jun 14, 2024 2 min · Brian W Light In the Darkness Father, war is darkness. Death of the enemy is the grim purpose of war, but light can shine all the brighter in that darkness. I pray for believers everywhere, Russian, Ukrainian,… Read More
Missionary Candidacy: How Do Churches and Candidates Navigate Candidacy Together?
Jun 12, 2024 3 min · There’s much to consider for sending churches and aspiring missionaries who desire to healthily participate in cross-cultural missions. Among other things, the sending process includes vetting candidates… Read More
Impossible Mission
Jun 10, 2024 3 min · Joel H Dear missionary (and missionary candidate, missions pastor, missions support worker, and anybody who is involved in missions in any way, which should be every Christian), Two things make missions impossible… Read More
Prayer Pathways
Jun 07, 2024 2 min · Parker J Advancing the Gospel to the unreached (UPG) starts with, is dependent on, and is accomplished through prayer. S.P.A.R.K. Prayer Pathways will guide your church through the process of identifying UPGs within… Read More
Missionary Guide to Learning a Foreign Language
Jun 05, 2024 Less than a minute. · Parker J Here is a great article from Crossworld. We could not agree more here at MissioSERVE. Why learn the language of the people you serve? "A heart language bonds a people group together with a shared source… Read More
Why Give?
May 31, 2024 2 min · The question of giving is a question of the heart. How does the Spirit of God direct the desires of your heart toward the Mission of God? How is the Word of God informing your faithfulness in the stewardship… Read More
Missions on Point
May 29, 2024 2 min · David M Christ’s church is under siege. This battle is not new. The biblical church has always faced bitter persecution, politically and institutionally, from outside the family of faith. Atheists, antagonists,… Read More
Serving the Sent: Using your Space
May 24, 2024 2 min · Brian W The church is not the building; it is the people! This is true, but people live, worship, and operate in space, and today we will talk about how you can use your space to serve your missionaries. It is… Read More
Expository Preaching Exalts Christ
May 20, 2024 3 min · Travis M In previous articles, we have noted the importance of keeping our sermons based on the text. We want to discover and preach the message that the biblical author, under the guide of the Holy Spirit, intended… Read More
How To Go?
May 17, 2024 3 min · Brian W How do you train a missionary for a God so awesome, and a mission so vast that it covers the whole world? It is a challenging question! The standard solution is to provide the missionary with basic orientation… Read More
The Seven Lamps of Missions
May 13, 2024 4 min · Joel H I teach a New Testament survey class to 8th graders, and I was reminded again this week of why I love it so much. There is such joy in discovering afresh the sweetness of God’s word. Some parts of the… Read More
Prayers for the Persecuted
May 10, 2024 1 min · Parker J Through powerful prayer, God can heal one’s mind and transform one’s heart. It can be hard to remain in prayer and communion with the Lord when being persecuted for following Christ. Many Christians face… Read More
No Plan B
May 08, 2024 Less than a minute. · Joel H Broken Missiology is the personal blog of Bradley Bell, who contributes to Upstream Collective. He blogs on spiritual formation and global missions. Here is an excellent article representative of what… Read More
Relationships with other Churches
May 03, 2024 2 min · Brian W "For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved,… Read More
Serving the Sent- Share the Burden!
Apr 26, 2024 2 min · Brian W If you regularly read our blog, especially this series, you might think, “There are some good ideas here but doing all of this for all our missionaries… Wow.” It can seem overwhelming because it would… Read More
Affirming the Missionary Call: The Vital Role of the Local Church – Biblical Roles, Part IV
Apr 22, 2024 1 min · David S In the grand tapestry of missions, the Holy Spirit's call is not solitary but communal; affirmed or negated through the lens of the local church. Misconceptions abound, with suggestions that financial… Read More
Preaching Conveys God’s Intent
Apr 15, 2024 3 min · Travis M Over the years, one of the most common objections I have heard against expository preaching is that it can seem dry and boring. I must confess that this complaint is not altogether unfounded. Most of us… Read More
Praying for Missionaries
Apr 12, 2024 1 min · Brian W Suppose you are passionate about missions. You have probably seen the problem of church members being indifferent or at least lacking connection to both your missions efforts and your church’s missionaries.… Read More
Moving Forward by Looking Back
Apr 08, 2024 2 min · Joel H Sometimes the unknown future can be terrifying. So much uncertainty. So much risk. Where can we find security and comfort facing what seems insurmountable to us at this time? Perhaps you’re a missionary… Read More
What is Needed?
Apr 05, 2024 3 min · Brian W MissioSERVE's role in missions is to help churches send the best missionaries possible. We have a specific vision in mind for what will advance the Kingdom of God and what kind of missionary it takes to… Read More
What it means to Send, Part I
Apr 01, 2024 4 min · Brian W Before we can define a sending church, we need to see how Scripture looks at it, especially in terms of the “setting apart” and the sending forth functions the Holy Spirit has empowered the church to do.… Read More
Serving the Sent: Create the Fun!
Mar 29, 2024 2 min · Brian W We have explored making fun things for the missionary when they come for a visit, but I wanted to expand on that point a bit here. First, burden-sharing churches should aim for some variety in their interactions… Read More
The Holy Spirit Calls – Biblical Roles, Part II
Mar 25, 2024 3 min · David S In the intricate tapestry of Luke’s narrative, Acts 13:2 illuminates a profound truth: the divine call to mission emanates not from mere human ambition, but from the sovereign will of God, facilitated… Read More
Lord of the Harvest: Part V
Mar 22, 2024 2 min · Steve B “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
Where Next?
Mar 15, 2024 1 min · Parker J He who spoke creation into being by the Word of His power said these authoritative words to His disciples before ascending into heaven: “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on… Read More
It's Not a Bug, It's a Feature
Mar 11, 2024 3 min · Joel H Have you ever heard that line before? It’s usually used when someone can’t fix a problem and they repackage their product trying to make something that was originally undesirable into a selling point.… Read More![A Partnership of Giving and Receiving [Philippians 4:15]](/assets/image-cache/images/blog/aaron-burden-9zshnt5opqe-unsplash%281%29.c17b1d56.jpg)
A Partnership of Giving and Receiving [Philippians 4:15]
Mar 08, 2024 2 min · Brian W "And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only." [Philippians 4:15… Read More
Is Every Christian a Missionary?
Mar 06, 2024 Less than a minute. · Parker J Have you ever heard the saying, "everyone is a missionary"? This article by Elliot Clark thoroughly addresses the issue from a biblical perspective and upholds the authority and responsibility of the local… Read More
Missionary Fellowship
Mar 01, 2024 2 min · Brian W "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due… Read More
Who is Next?
Feb 23, 2024 1 min · Parker J Are you willing to risk it all for the sake of the gospel? Are you willing to surrender your skills, your gifts, and your finances and say: “God, I know that all I have has been given to me by your faithful… Read More
God's Word is Uniquely Designed
Feb 19, 2024 3 min · Travis M We have alluded to the inspiration of the Scriptures several times already in this series of articles, and we have considered a few ramifications of this truth. Yet, an important aspect of inspiration… Read More
Serving the Sent - Sharing the Burden
Feb 16, 2024 2 min · Brian W "For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due… Read More
A Prayer Based on Ephesians 2:6-10
Feb 09, 2024 1 min · Brian W Lord, remind me that the Missio Dei is about worship. Help me remember your glorious grace and the wondrous ways in which you saved me. Help me not forget that there are areas of the world that have never… Read More
Who Goes?
Feb 07, 2024 2 min · Brian W Missionaries are not called alone. The church and their missionary must form a true partnership of giving and receiving (Phil. 4:15) that blesses people who need to hear the gospel. Sometimes, the church… Read More
Serving the Sent
Jan 26, 2024 2 min · Brian W When serving missionaries, the same problem repeats itself. Despite good intentions and genuine effort on both sides, a gap grows between the missionary and the sending church. This gap comes from the… Read More
Expository Preaching Regards God's Word as Sufficient
Jan 22, 2024 4 min · Travis M Every pastor worth his salt has felt, at some point in his ministry, the tremendous need for his congregation to hear and know the truths of God that will transform their thinking and rescue them from… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. IV
Jan 19, 2024 3 min · Steve B "And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
That "AHA!" Moment
Jan 15, 2024 3 min · David M What comes before that “AHA!” moment? That moment when a church realizes that God has entrusted the incredible opportunity to send out a missionary from their own congregation. Several factors can prepare… Read More
A Prayer Based on Ephesians 2:1-5
Jan 12, 2024 1 min · Brian W Jesus, thank you for your wonderful salvation. I was dead in my sins, in service of the spirit of the air, and a child of disobedience. My life before your salvation was in service to the flesh and the… Read More
A Christmas Prayer
Dec 14, 2023 1 min · Brian W We praise you, Jesus, for coming as a child to Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem. We wonder at it all as it is too much for us to grasp."Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who,… Read More
Foundation of the Call
Nov 27, 2023 4 min · David S Faith missions can sometimes resemble the untamed frontier of the Wild West in early America. Mission fields are like rugged frontiers, and missionaries take on the roles of pioneers. They must make swift… Read More
God Vindicates His Word
Nov 20, 2023 4 min · Travis M God likes to do things that He alone can receive credit and praise for what is done. For example, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 indicates that He often works in and through people whom the world would view as… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. III
Nov 17, 2023 2 min · Steve B "And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
Why Put the Church at the Center of Missions?
Nov 13, 2023 3 min · David M Why do we think of the local church as the key to healthy biblical missions? Isn’t that kind of scary, edgy, and unnecessary? If mission agencies whom we trust are doing the job, why isn’t it acceptable… Read More
Who Sends?
Nov 10, 2023 4 min · Steve B In our postmodern day of ambiguity, the popular idea is that everybody is a missionary. Many say that we are all sent to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A careful look at Acts reveals that those sent… Read More
A Prayer Based on Ephesians: 1:15-23
Nov 03, 2023 1 min · Brian W Thank you, Lord, for the reports I have heard from around the world from all the men and women sent to do your will: (name your missionaries here). I want to give thanks to these men and women that serve… Read More
The Fireworks of Israel
Oct 30, 2023 3 min · Joel H 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come” [ESV]. This is a clear instruction given… Read More
Let Your Glory Fill the Earth!
Oct 27, 2023 1 min · Parker J My heart is steadfast, O God! I will sing and make melody with all my being!Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises… Read More
God’s Word is Essential to What He Does
Oct 23, 2023 3 min · Travis M At MissioSERVE, we are committed to equipping pastors and church leaders worldwide to do the work of expository preaching. We do this because expository preaching recognizes the unbreakable link between… Read More
What Power?
Oct 20, 2023 3 min · Jim B Critical to fulfilling our mission is the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit. He is the source of shared wisdom, vision, and power in us individually and corporately. Jesus tells us in John 15; that we… Read More
Global Missions Strategy
Oct 16, 2023 1 min · David S Today, I want to talk about the pinnacle of the Global Missions Pyramid – strategy. For a local church to effectively fulfill its responsibilities in global missions, it must have clear strategic initiatives… Read More
Why the Senders & the Sent Need Each Other
Oct 13, 2023 1 min · Brian W When I went to the mission field, my agency helped my church to send me. In other words, my church defined the mission I was on. Tangibly, I was the extension of the church; our “man on the ground,” so… Read More
Shepherding
Oct 09, 2023 3 min · David M Jim and Jane (*fictitious names) were ready to throw in the towel and leave the mission field forever. Family problems, an unusually stressful host culture, immigration hassles, team conflict… You name… Read More
A Prayer Based on Ephesians: 1:3-14
Oct 06, 2023 2 min · Brian W Thank you, Father, for every spiritual gift you have so graciously given me. It is only through your grace that I have become your child, chosen before the foundations of the world to worship you. You… Read More
A Holy Ambition
Sep 29, 2023 1 min · Parker J “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him will see, and… Read More
A Bit of Missions History
Sep 27, 2023 3 min · Brian W History has been a long friend of mine, a childhood friend, in fact. At about nine years old, I found a history book about the American Revolution. It was a book of Revolutionary War battles, and each… Read More
Expository Preaching
Sep 25, 2023 3 min · Travis M Here at MissioSERVE, we partner with other organizations to train pastors around the world in the skill of expository preaching. But, unless you have been attending a church where that type of preaching… Read More
What News?
Sep 22, 2023 2 min · Steve B The news we proclaim is good news. The gospel (good news) begins with God, who spoke the world into being and created man in His own image. All that God created was very good until man rebelled in disobedience… Read More
Thinking about the Present: Corruption
Sep 20, 2023 3 min · Brian W Reading this from Ministry Watch was like a punch to the gut: Authorities are looking for a Georgia man they allege posed as a missionary and squandered at least half of the $33 million in funding he promised… Read More
Global Missions Philosophy
Sep 18, 2023 2 min · David S Today, I want to talk about the second level of the Global Missions Pyramid – philosophy. For a local church to effectively fulfill its responsibilities in global missions, she must understand who she… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. II
Sep 15, 2023 2 min · Steve B “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
What does it mean to be a MissioSERVE Missionary?
Sep 13, 2023 2 min · Brian W What does it take to be a MissioSERVE missionary? What does it look like on the field? What makes a MissioSERVE missionary distinct? This first article will only scratch the surface of the subject. Future… Read More
Mentoring
Sep 11, 2023 2 min · David M One of the scariest moments in a church leader’s life is when someone in the congregation says to him, “I think God is calling me to be a missionary. Will you help me?” Paradoxically, it should also be… Read More
The Supporting Church
Sep 08, 2023 2 min · Brian W We have learned about sending churches which are assemblies of believers called along with a missionary to send and aid them in accomplishing their mission. What about supporting churches? Is there a Biblical… Read More
Lessons from the Field: Transparency
Sep 06, 2023 4 min · Brian W I got many things wrong when I started my life as a missionary. While my church, my mentors, and I all did our best to prepare for the mission field, our steps were just inadequate. That does not mean… Read More
3.29 Billion Unreached People
Sep 01, 2023 1 min · Parker J “I have but one candle of light to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than a land flooded with light.” – Keith Falconer Out of the world’s population of 7.83 billion, an… Read More
Cold Water News
Aug 28, 2023 1 min · Joel H The local news is not covering it, neither are the prime news outlets. You can’t Google it. You can’t wait for it either because it won’t come unless you’re looking for it. What’s happening on the other… Read More
Whose Mission?
Aug 25, 2023 1 min · Brian W The Old Testament is alive with the mission of God (Missio Dei), and it all points to Jesus on the cross. Jesus comes in the form of the promised child of the House of David, and at the beginning of His… Read More
Lord of the Harvest, Pt. I
Aug 18, 2023 1 min · Steve B “And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he… Read More
Global Missions Theology
Aug 14, 2023 2 min · David S For a local church to fulfill its responsibilities in global missions, it must understand God’s mandate, His character, and His interests before the church can develop an effective and long-lasting strategy.… Read More
Leadership
Aug 14, 2023 4 min · David M Four pastor friends meet up for lunch at their favorite ministry conference. They’re sitting together at the table, enjoying the food, the conference, and freedom from the 24/7 pressure of pastoring their… Read More
What is a Sending Church?
Aug 07, 2023 1 min · Brian W So, are we a supporting church or a sending church of our missionary? What difference does it make, anyway? Great questions. Let’s look first at what it means to be a Sending church, and then we will see… Read More
How Seriously do we take the Mission?
Aug 04, 2023 4 min · Brian W Imagine you are on a beach surrounded by soldiers of your own country. Before you can even process why you are there, enemy shells begin exploding all around you, and enemy gunfire starts raking the beach.… Read More
What's in a Name
Jul 31, 2023 2 min · Steve B MissioSERVE Alliance Explained Words matter, so do names! So, what’s in a name? Three things are significant to the name that was chosen to identify our mission. We wanted a name that is meaningful, memorable,… Read More
Deployment Strategies
Feb 06, 2021 2 min · Steve B The Glory of God and Going . . . to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth till the end of the age. There are many motives and justifications for going into missions today, just as… Read More
Missions Development Plan
Feb 05, 2021 1 min · Brian W Missions Development Plan — Mission Plan A Missions Development Plan (MDP) is developed organically with the missionary candidate to define their training process and the short and mid-term goals for their… Read More