“A lot of the planters and pastors I talk to think that involvement in global missions is something that has to wait until the church is more established, but shouldn’t international missions be part of a church’s DNA from day one? That’s the vision of The Upstream Collective – and I think it is a good one.
“Having served or currently serving as missionaries in Europe, The Upstream Collective’s founders have a common heart and vision for the post-Christian societies of the continent. They also realize that North American churches have a unique opportunity to make an impact on both sides of the ocean as they explore more incarnational approaches to ministry.
“I would encourage you to get connected with the guys at The Upstream Collective and see what innovative things God might have you do among the nations in Europe and in your own community.”
– Ed Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research and LifeWay Christian Resources’ missiologist in residence
“Larry is a passionate follower of Jesus who cares about the world. Combine Larry’s heart for the world with his experience as a mission leader, missionary, church planter and pastor and you have a unique kind of missional leader who is committed and competent in leading our churches into the world for greater impact.”
– David Putman, author, founder of churchplanters.com and teaching pastor of Mountain Lake Church, Cumming, Ga.
“As a young church plant, it was difficult to imagine investing time, energy and resources anywhere except on our local mission. While our desire was to invest somewhere internationally, it seemed impractical and impossible to even think about ministry beyond our local context.
“Larry McCrary helped us take those first baby steps to begin thinking and acting internationally as a young church. Our exposure to God at work in Spain opened our eyes to more effective ways to minister right here at home. I highly recommend Larry and his team to any new church seeking to expand their vision and mobilize their congregation toward an international vision.”
– Ken Murphy, lead pastor of Stonecreek Church, Atlanta, Ga.
