A Legacy of Lifelong Learning

Barry Winchell • May 01, 2023

In this series of TEAM Ministry Updates, we’re sharing stories that highlight each of TEAM’s defining values . The following narrative is shared by Barry Winchell, a second-generation TEAM global worker who served in the U.S. and Italy and now acts as one of TEAM’s Regional Executive Directors. Barry shares this story as a beautiful iteration of “Lifelong Learning.”

When I reflect on TEAM’s value of Lifelong Learning my thoughts tend to consider the future and how we need to keep learning and growing as we move into the days to come. Imagine my amazement when I recently encountered this value from a more historic perspective and personal experience!

Newlyweds on a New Adventure

It was July 14, 1982, when my wife Dawn and I entered Brooklyn, NY for the first time in our ‘76 Chevy. The vehicle contained all our earthly possessions and a boatload of wonder, anxious thoughts, dreams, and questions about what this new ministry was going to hold. We had only been married a couple of weeks and headed to Brooklyn only because the Lord had closed every other door I had tried to go through (some of which I tried very hard to keep from closing). What did I know about urban ministry in one of America’s most famous and infamous places? Nevertheless, the Lord had His way, and off we went to serve with the First Evangelical Free Church of Brooklyn.

What an amazing, personally challenging, and fruitful experience He had in store for us! In fact, this experience shaped us so deeply that our cross-cultural destination for ministry changed from Africa, where I had been born as a TEAM missionary kid, to Europe. (Incidentally, Dawn had anticipated her cross-cultural ministry would be in Europe, having been deeply influenced by global workers from TEAM who served in France. But I digress.)

Dawn and I knew how important it was for us to get ministry experience in our own country before trying to replicate that in another part of the world. And speaking of another part of the world, Brooklyn was anything but what we knew our country to be. I still believe we suffered more culture shock going to Brooklyn than we ever did when we eventually made it to Italy. That was primarily because we did not expect it! In many ways, it was a whole new world we had to learn, or rather, a whole new world we got to learn! And learn we did!

Through decades of cross-cultural ministry, Barry and Dawn are wonderful examples of lifelong learning.

Inseparable Ties

Recently, we went back to that same church where we still enjoy lifelong friendships. I was asked to share about our current ministry with TEAM. My mind went immediately to two places. First, to TEAM’s Mission Statement: We partner with the Global Church to send disciples who make disciples and establish missional churches to the glory of God. Secondly, to TEAM’s founder Fredrik Franson. I knew that TEAM was founded in Brooklyn, NY, but I didn’t realize that Franson’s vision and this local church are inseparably tied.

Franson was born in Sweden but raised in Nebraska where he was saved as a young adult. His gifting as an evangelist and teacher were soon discovered and he was later commissioned by Moody Church as an evangelist. As he ministered in Scandinavia and Germany, Franson heard the call of Hudson Taylor for 1,000 missionaries to go to China. Franson personally committed to sending 100 of those. Franson returned to the United States, and on October 14, 1890, he held his first Bible course at Pilgrim Church in Brooklyn. Of the 50 young people who attended, 16 would be included in the first party to sail to China.

Franson was also one of the founders of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The First Evangelical Free Church of Brooklyn, where we had served, was the first of these established in that borough! The church originated as an outreach to Scandinavian immigrants who came to work on the docks and as domestic servants. The Lord richly blessed that outreach and the church flourished to the point of having two distinct congregations: a Norwegian-speaking congregation and an English-speaking congregation. Out of this local body of believers, three generations from the same family were sent, loved, and supported as TEAM global workers in China!

Lifelong Learning Comes Full Circle

As I stood before the English-speaking congregation that day some 40 years since our start in ministry, and over 130 years since Franson first landed in that city, I looked out at a congregation that is now majority Chinese in its makeup. The church hosts a Chinese-speaking congregation as well.

The Lifelong Learning lesson I shared with that church on that day was this: The fact that there is a Chinese congregation that meets in this church, and that there are so many Chinese believers here in this very service today is a tribute and a legacy to the ministry of the pioneers who went from here in Brooklyn to China, not only 130 years ago, but also during more than a century of faithful ministry of this church.

Today, as TEAM sits poised on a new era of global ministry – where God is raising up workers from everywhere, to everywhere , we continue to learn and adapt to a role as “partner” rather than “pioneer.” What started with 16 Americans in a Brooklyn church is now a collaborative effort of resourcing and empowering the global Church to reach the nations.

May our lives and our ministry ever reflect a life of learning of both what God has done and what He has yet to do as we join Him in partnering with the Global Church to send disciples who make disciples and establish missional churches for the glory of God.

Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024
When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.

Hospitality, Help, and the Hope of the Gospel

By Suzanne Pearson • 16 Apr, 2024
TEAM Canada provides warm welcome and trusted friendships for diaspora populations living far from their native countries. As TEAM Canada workers Peter and Ruth (names changed) drive from their home to a nearby community center, they pass numerous apartment buildings and townhouses. Most of the families who live there are immigrants. They’ve left their countries of origin due to political unrest, trauma, and other difficulties. They’ve left family, friends, homes, jobs, and personal wealth behind. They search for peace, justice for the oppressed, and rest from fear and weariness. And as they adjust to a new country and a new language, they are often very isolated from others around them. “The sad reality is most immigrants are never even invited inside a Canadian home,” says Ruth. Peter and Ruth and their team try to change that reality. For the last nine years, the team, which includes workers from partner organizations as well as volunteers, has held English classes at the community center. Three days a week, over 60 students from more than 20 countries come together to learn English as well as to fellowship together and receive practical help in assimilating to a new normal. Meeting Needs and Building Trust That practical help may come in the form of procuring furniture, clothes, or dishes for newcomers, assistance with creating a resume and finding a job, or teaching people how to navigate Canadian laws and the medical system. As these tangible needs are met, relationships are built. “We invite them into our homes for meals and games,” Ruth shares. “We take them on hiking trips, picnics, outings, and out for coffee.” This is particularly important in this type of ministry because most immigrants come to Canada from cultures that value hospitality. Conversely, Canadians do not typically prioritize hospitality and consequently many newcomers feel lonely and isolated. Inviting folks to various gatherings and outings allows the team to spend extended time hearing people’s stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. When she speaks about building friendships, Ruth’s heart for the people she serves is evident. “Hearing their stories, it’s easy to love them, and many have become close friends,” Ruth says. “We recognize the value of steady one-on-one relationships.”
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