Missions Catalyst

Free electronic digest of missions news, resources, and practical ideas

URL: http://missionscatalyst.net

Updated: 15 hours 13 min ago

Missions Catalyst 05.16.12 – World News Briefs

Wed, 05/16/2012 - 15:06

In This Issue: Gathering a harvest in Pakistan

PAKISTAN: Reaping the Harvest
SAUDI ARABIA: Glimmers of Light
HORN OF AFRICA: Lost Christians
IRAN: Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s Letter from Prison
INDONESIA: World Prayer Assembly Happening Now

Photo: OM International

Quotable

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

John 4:34-38

Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!

PAKISTAN: Reaping the Harvest

Source: OM News and Information, May 11, 2012

In one Pakistani city, a revolution is taking place in the church. Three and a half years ago, a small OM Pakistan team settled down in the city, in answer to God’s call. The local church welcomed them, saying, “We are very glad you are back here, working again in the city doing outreach. We will do the praying; you do the outreach.”

Instead, the OM team coordinator visited the churches and offered a partnership: they would teach church members selected by the leaders about how to do outreach in the local community. Church members were invited to a weekly Bible class for three months, and 18 students came.

One particular volunteer came for three months to learn alongside the team and then returned home to his family. His short stint with the team seemed purposeless. A while later, though, when the team coordinator was visiting the [former] volunteer’s hometown, he was asked to visit him and his family. Although the coordinator was tired and short of time, he went.

The man, his parents, and his brother welcomed the coordinator. “We understand what our son has shared from everything you taught him, but something is missing. Can you share with us?” they asked.

The team coordinator used a bracelet of beads to share the truth of the gospel, and the brother asked if he could pray to confess his sin and accept Jesus into his life. The team coordinator took the [bracelet] off his arm and gave it to him. The brother rejoiced and thanked him: “Now I won’t forget,” he explained, and asked if they could go to his married brother’s house. At the end, everyone in the room said they wanted to give their lives to Jesus.

“What about our other brother?” asked the ex-volunteer. ”Can we go and visit him now?” Again they set off, the group getting bigger each time.

That night 13 people came to know Jesus.

>> Full story.

SAUDI ARABIA: Glimmers of Light

Source: Open Doors, May 10, 2012

In Saudi Arabia, where conversion to any religion other than Islam is a capital crime, the Internet is making an impact, leading to both conversions to Christ and increased persecution. Recently the grand mufti of Saudi Arabia demanded that former newspaper columnist and pro-democracy Saudi activist Hamza Kashgari be tried in Islamic court for three of his Twitter posts.

The lack of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia was underscored last month when the grand mufti declared the necessity of destroying all churches in the region. This fatwa, a legal opinion or decree handed down by an Islamic religious leader, prompted a Filipino human rights watch group to advise migrant workers from the Philippines, many of whom are Christian, to exercise caution while conducting religious activities in their homes.

>> Full story.

>> Listen to a recent debate, Arabs Tell Governments to Protect Religious Minorities (Doha Debates). The moderator was unusually tough on both sides. Also read about the Malaysian Christian using social networking for electoral reform: Twitter, Texting, and Facebook Bring Malaysia’s Street Protests to Worldwide Audience (BeliefNet).

HORN OF AFRICA: Lost Christians

Source: Baptist Press, April 16, 2012

“Orthodox Christians are the Horn of Africa’s ‘hidden lost,’” said Aaron Shaw (pseudonym). “They appear to be Christian, and on maps that show a country’s religious makeup, this place is marked as a Christian region.”

The faith of their fathers was pure at the beginning, Shaw said. Christianity first came to the region nearly 2,000 years ago, just after the death of Christ.

For centuries, Christ was at the center – until outsiders wove a macabre legend into their religion, Shaw said. In the folk story, a man was approached by Satan in disguise and asked to sacrifice his son.

“Delighted to have been found worthy like Abraham, he did what they asked, cooked and prepared his son for them to eat,” Shaw said. “Satan and the men with him asked him to take the first bite of his own son, and when he did, Satan revealed himself.”

He eventually was sent to hell, Mary “tipped the scales in his favor with her mercy” and redeemed him to heaven.

Another Christ follower in the area said people’s spiritual need in the Horn of Africa is exponentially larger than any physical need they may have.

“This land has a deep spiritual famine,” he said. “People are hungering for the Word, but there are not enough people to take it to them.”

>> Full story. See also a story from another part of the Orthodox world, Russian Orthodox Church Leads National Day of Prayer amid Attacks (Christian Post).

IRAN: Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s Letter from Prison

Source: Jason DeMars, Present Truth Ministries, May 9, 2012

I have received a letter from brother Youcef Nadarkhani regarding his current condition, his thoughts about his persecution, and his response towards the burning of Qu’rans. I am very blessed by what he writes and am sincerely thankful for the testimony he is maintaining through the power of God. I am reminded of the Scripture, “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you” (Colossians 4:18).

Letter from Prison

“Greetings from your servant and younger brother in Christ, Youcef Nadarkhani.

“To: All those who are concerned and worried about my current situation.

“First, I would like to inform all of my beloved brothers and sisters that I am in perfect health in the flesh and spirit. And I try to have a little different approach from others to these days, and consider it as the day of exam and trial of my faith. And in these days which are hard, in order to prove your loyalty and sincerity to God, I am trying to do the best in my power to stay right with what I have learned from God’s commandments.

“I need to remind my beloveds, though my trial due has been so long, and as in the flesh I wish these days to end, yet I have surrendered myself to God’s will.

“I am neither a political person nor do I know about political complicity, but I know that while there are many things in common between different cultures, there are also differences between these cultures around the world which can result in criticism, which most of the times response to [these] criticisms will be harsh and as a result will lengthen our problems.”

>> Keep reading. For a report of this story that includes more history and context, see Youcef Nadarkhani Pens Letter to Supporters, Expresses Perseverance, Faith in God (Christian Post).

INDONESIA: World Prayer Assembly Happening Now

Source: Joel News, May 2012

Christian leaders from across the globe gather at the World Prayer Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia, on May 14-18, 2012. This historic event is taking place as millions of Indonesians are connected in prayer for their nation. Thousands of prayer, mission, and marketplace leaders, along with on-fire youth and children, seek the Lord together for his strategies of “prayer-action” for the world.

On May 17 there will be a gathering in the national stadium in Jakarta with 100,000 others, including 20,000 children and 20,000 youth, with simultaneous gatherings in 300-400 cities of Indonesia, connected by live television. Tens of millions more will join in across the world by satellite TV and Internet streaming.

The full program is now available on the conference website.

>> Subscribe to Joel News.

Pat Noble has been the “news sleuth” for Missions Catalyst since 2004. In addition to churning out the news, she is working to create a SWARM (Serving World A Regional Mobilizers) in Northern New York using the NorthernChristian.org website. You can connect with her at www.whatsoeverthings.com.

Missions Catalyst 05.09.12 – Practical Mobilization

Wed, 05/09/2012 - 00:15

In This Issue: Six keys to promoting global outreach

FEATURE: Six Essential Keys to Promoting Global Outreach Events at Your Church
SUBVERSIVE MOBILIZATION: The Power of a (Nearly) Impossible Mission

FEATURE: Six Essential Keys to Promoting Global Outreach Events at Your Church

By Shane Bennett

In the next five minutes you’re going to get an amazing crash course in how to promote a global awareness event at your church. For free. What a deal. I think this is going to help you because I know it works. I know it works because I saw it. I was a bit player in a Global Outreach Weekend in Ohio a few weeks ago. The event was held on Friday night and Saturday morning. And get this: 100 of the 400 people at the host church participated! Yeah … 25% buy-in for a two-day outreach training. I mean, we hope for 100%, but 25% is amazing.

Two people were key to that rate of participation. I’ll call them Mike and Mary because, well, because those are their names. Mike is the senior pastor and a really cool guy. His job was essential, but simple: flip the green light switch and do what Mary asked him to. (He and his wife also attended the entire seminar, which made me forever proud and grateful.)

Mary’s role was more extensive, but she was apparently more than up to the challenge. She agreed to let me share with you the basics of what she did that resulted in so many of her folks participating in this key weekend. Here you go:

1. Pray.

Now I know you’re saying, “Dang, I never would have thought of that.” I hear you, but get this: Mary says, “First, I prayed over the packet The Mission Society sent me [and asked] ‘Is this what God really wants me to do?’ With all doors opening, I moved forward.” I contrast this with my tendency to see a cool idea and go after God like a kid in Wal-Mart: “Please, oh, please, can I have it?!”

So the first promotional idea is asking God if the event should even happen. Mary added to that wisdom the recruitment of a prayer team, early on.

2. Start early.

Again, self-evident to you, but so hard for me. I want to do stuff now, because what if I got hit by a truck and was killed?

Mary set the date for the weekend eight months out. Go, Mary.

3. Develop a marketing plan.

Seriously? Yes, in December, ahead of an April event, Mary put together a plan both to get the word out and to get people signed up.

4. Talk a lot.

Unless you get Gabriel or the guy who did that cool Darth Vader VW commercial on your team, expect that you will need multiple opportunities to get your message across. Here’s the sad reality: most people don’t care about your event as much as you do. So when your brain says, “If people just know this is happening, they’ll totally do it,” it’s lying to you. It is, in its own crazy way, reassuring you that you’re into cool stuff. You are, but others are going to take some convincing.

Here’s what Mary did: In January and February she met with every small group and class in the church! Using a flier and a promo video, she talked about why they were planning this weekend, who it was for, and what would happen. Then she passed a clipboard and asked for commitments.

Her first meeting was with the men’s ministry; she called on them to lead their families into learning about the Great Commission. Bam!

At the end of February Mary sent out an all-church email, explaining the who, what, when, where, and why, and asking, “Have you signed up yet?” She also began to push the weekend on the church website. When I saw it, it was one of four rotating images on the main page.

In March the effort grew to include a Facebook page and promotion from the pulpit on Sunday mornings. Additionally, nice framed posters were hanging in the restrooms (prompting the question, “Is no place sacred?”) A 16-foot banner hung in the foyer.

5. Form teams.

Moses had Joshua and the craftsmen (a good name for a folk band, by the way). David had his mighty men. Mary here, she had her teams. In January Mary began putting together work groups to promote and keep things alive. There were teams for registration and for lunch and snacks, setup and tear-down crews, and office help. One special group was called the “talking it up” team and included the church’s staff and key leaders, equipped with all the information they needed in early January. They were asked to commit to both being at the event and to talking with people in their circles of influence.

6. Clear the calendar.

Finally, the church cleared the calendar ahead of the event. All else was “no.” They made the Global Outreach Weekend a top priority. The fact that the church did this indicates serious commitment. Without senior leadership buy-in, this would not have happened. (If you don’t have senior leadership buy-in, maybe slow down, grimace, and go back to number one.)

Bonus: watch your words.

Arguments from silence are risky, but consider this: as far as I can tell Mary promoted her event without using one of our favorite words (hint: It rhymes with fishin’). I have done the same in this article. Many of our pew-sitting pals have well-earned queasiness about the word or they hear it and simply, logically assume the information is addressed to someone else. If it is for them (and is going to be excellent), call it something, and promote it with words they can respond to.

>> Have some raging, great promo ideas of your own? We’d love to see them in the comment section for this article. Know of someone with an event they need to promote? Hit the forward button and let Mary teach them a thing or two.

SUBVERSIVE MOBILIZATION: The Power of a (Nearly) Impossible Mission

Several buds and I are looking for people to raise up teams to go live among and love the lost in some of the most challenging places on the planet. These places are hot, maybe dangerous, and more than a few miles off the main tourist routes.

It seems to me that our mobilization efforts take something of a two-pronged approach. We start by highlighting the difficulty of the role, in hopes of sparking curiosity in the minds of high-capacity people and inspiring them to rise to the challenge. We talk about being the first, about being a pioneer. We may even imply that lesser people will probably not make the cut. Jesus seemed unafraid to use this approach, sometimes highlighting the difficulty of following him. One time he famously waved farewell to those who wouldn’t “eat my flesh and drink my blood.”

I also recognize the risk inherent in this approach: pride. And nothing incites the spiritual sharks like the smell of hubris in the water! So while we stress dependence on God as the antidote to self-confidence grown too large, we’re still looking for people with the faith and chutzpah to try something that hasn’t been done before.

This brings us to the second prong of this approach: because trying something truly new (if, in fact, we are) is terrifically difficult, we look for ways to connect here to there.

My agency’s Big Cheese recently shared with me a new metaphor he’s working on. “Shane,” he said, “what we’re doing is building a zip line, a way to fly over some of the rough and uneven terrain between here and there.” We’re doing that by placing a few sharp people in key cities. They serve as hosts, receiving pastors, potential team leaders, and others. They help them launch out from the main city to areas where (as far as we can tell) no one is living for the sake of the gospel.

So, on the one hand, we make it easy. Like Jesus saying, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” On the other hand, we point out the hardness. Follow me, but remember, “the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

>> How do you use these motivations or similar ones?

Shane Bennett has served in missions mobilization since 1987, much of his energy going to recruiting, training, and sending short-term teams. He’s been on research teams in Bangkok, Bombay, and Turkey. He coauthored Exploring the Land, a guide to researching unreached peoples, and has written numerous articles.

Shane now works as a public speaker for Frontiers and helps his church, Commonway, follow God to the nations. He and his wife, Ann, have five school-aged children. They live and work in Indiana.

Missions Catalyst 05.02.12 – World News Briefs

Wed, 05/02/2012 - 00:05

In This Issue: Ministries all over the world bearing fruit

MIDDLE EAST: Internet Evangelism Bears Fruit in Libya, Saudi Arabia
INDIA: Women at the Heart of Apatani Church
DENMARK: Making Disciples
NIGER: Sowing Seeds of Change
HIMALAYAS: A Commitment to Tibetans

Quotable

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people – the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world – just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. (Colossians 1:3-6)

MIDDLE EAST: Internet Evangelism Bears Fruit in Libya, Saudi Arabia

Source: Arab World Media, January-March 2012

Excerpts from AWM’s quarterly report:

We received 223,907 visits to maarifa.org from Saudi Arabia this quarter; 45 percent of these were to our new mobile site. We interacted with 148 spiritual enquirers, and five people were passed on for face-to-face follow up. There were 825 downloads of the book What Do You Think of Jesus the Messiah?; 6,253 downloads of the Bible; and five enrollments in online Bible studies.

[In Saudi Arabia] we are roughly a third of the way to reaching our target for spiritual enquirers (450) and have exceeded our target for Bible downloads (1,000) by more than 5,000! We hope to see more spiritual enquirers in face-to-face follow-up later in the year.

We received 41,369 visits to maarifa.org from Libya this quarter. We interacted with 112 spiritual enquirers who filled in our “contact us” form, and there were many more informal discussions on our Facebook page. There were 248 downloads of the book What Do You Think of Jesus the Messiah?; 1,643 downloads of the Bible; and one enrollment in online Bible study.

[In Libya] we are over halfway to reaching our target for spiritual enquirers (200). We have also exceeded our Bible downloads target (100), this time by over 1,500. Libya is a challenge for face-to-face follow-up, so we expect this to take [more] time.

>> Full story.

>> See also and pray about this story: Grand Mufti Declaration and Reaction (Window International Network).

INDIA: Women at the Heart of Apatani Church

Source: United Bible Societies, April 20, 2012

The Apatani Church in northeast India may still be small but it is growing steadily, thanks in part to the dedication of women who are sharing their faith with their families and communities. And this year, with the imminent launch of the New Testament in their language, Apatani women are even keener to share the Bible message.

Around five percent of the 25,000 Apatani speakers, who live in the Ziro valley in the mountainous state of Arunachal Pradesh, are Christians – most of them first-generation believers.

It is usually women or girls who become Christians first and gently share their new faith with their families. Older women work alongside younger women in the churches. Together they collect funds, care for the needy, and organize literacy classes for the many women, especially the older generation who cannot read.

“We cannot wait for the New Testament to arrive so that all these women can read it!” says [one]. “I find my joy and courage from the Bible, and I love helping other women to do the same and to serve God.”

>> Full story with pictures.

DENMARK: Making Disciples

Source: Joel News International 815, April 24, 2012

Evangelist Torben Sondergaard reports that in the past two years in Denmark, 110 people have been baptized after being healed on the street, in shopping centers, and in workplaces.

“We know it’s not us, but Jesus who heals,” says Sondergaard. “It’s a good way for people to experience God.” He relates the story of two girls he met in McDonald’s. He asked them: “Would you like to really experience God? There’s only one condition: in the next 15 minutes you have do everything I tell you.” The girls agreed, he took them outside and asked passersby whether they were ill and open to receive prayer for healing. He told the girls: “Put your hand on this person and ask Jesus to heal them.” They hesitantly obeyed, but what a shock when Jesus healed, leaving the girls completely overwhelmed. They had experienced God hands-on. “In China 70 percent of the people come to Christ through a healing in the family,” says Sondergaard.

“When people want to follow Jesus, I get my iPhone and immediately ask them to become friends on Facebook so we continue the relationship,” says Sondergaard. “When I upload the movie I made of their healing, they can spread it easily to their friends.” Some of his movies have been watched over 10,000 times. He also forms simple church groups with the new believers, so they continue as a missions team.

>> Learn more about or subscribe to Joel News.

>> See Tina from Denmark, who has never prayed for people before, learn how to heal in Jesus’ name: Miracles in Denmark (YouTube); and Miracles in Sweden (even better in my opinion).

NIGER: Sowing Seeds of Change

Source: SIM, April 2012

Biodiversity and food security have been decreasing at an alarming rate in the Sahelian zone of Niger due to land clearing, soil erosion, and population pressure. This in turn leads to water loss, crop failure, and famine.

“Sowing Seeds of Change in the Sahel” conducts on-site research into sustainable agro-forestry farming systems appropriate to the region, and communicates the results through hands-on training and demonstration farms. It also provides training in nutrition, infant and maternal health, and hygiene to improve the overall well-being of the community. Trials have shown that income has increased two to three times over traditional farming methods.

A village survey on acacia food showed that this high-protein food supplement has been widely and enthusiastically accepted in the villages which the project serves. The food brings significant benefits such as increasing strength, helping staple foods to go further, and increasing the milk production of nursing mothers.

>> Full story with pictures.

HIMALAYAS: A Commitment to Tibetans

Source: Global Recordings Network, April 2012

Much work over the years has been carried out without much fanfare by friends of the ministry who, with a love for God, have quietly gone about making him known. Stephanie Vernon was a missionary who used gospel recordings as a key entrance to Tibetan hearts before she passed away at age 92.

Stephanie first went to India on a tourist visa with only US$100 in her purse. While there she felt that she needed to evangelize as many Tibetans as she could. And that is what she did for the next 20 years. Gospel recordings and Christian literature were her tools of evangelism. Moving from village to village and temple to temple, she brought the good news to countless Buddhist monks.

Stephanie was so careful with her funds that she often went without food in order to buy and transport Scripture portions and recordings. She could afford only one [porter]. So, rather than carry food, her literature and recordings were the most important part of her luggage.

Ask God to raise up more workers with a true commitment to do whatever it takes to get his Word to all peoples.

>> Full story with pictures.

>> See also this story of another Christian woman’s commitment to serve: Kidnapped Swiss Christian Freed amid Mali’s Unrest (Compass Direct).

Missions Catalyst 04.24.12 – Resource Reviews

Wed, 04/25/2012 - 00:05

In This Edition: Recognizing untapped potential

ARTICLE: Untapped Potential
VIDEO: The Fuel of Death-defying Missions
BOOKS: Member Care Resources for Missionaries
VIDEOS, ILLUSTRATIONS: Resources from GemStone
EVENTS: May/June Missions Events

ARTICLE: Untapped Potential

Source: Catalyst Services

“The untapped potential sitting dormant in every church is power ready to be released for the Kingdom of God. Yet too many times it is wasted, often because it isn’t even recognized,” writes Ellen Livingood. The February issue of the Catalyst Services Postings can help you identify some of the hidden treasure God has invested in your people for global outreach. For example, during certain periods of life, people can more easily invest significant amounts of time in global ministry:

Gap year: More and more teenagers are investing a year in missions between high school and college (a certain level of maturity required).

Recent college graduates: While the recession has made finding a job difficult, young adults can invest time in overseas ministry, especially if their church will help with college loan payments.

Teachers: Sabbaticals may be harder to snag, but most teachers have several months during the summer that they could invest in missions.

Businesspeople: Today some of the highest-impact ministries are carried out by businessmen and women who can arrange their schedules to spend several weeks at a time, several times a year, in overseas ministry.

Retirees: Since “70 is the new 50” for many senior adults, their potential productivity during retirement years is huge. Opportunities abound!

>> Read the rest of the article.

>> See also an article from another source that asks, “Can a small church have a robust missions program?” (The Missions Moment).

VIDEO: The Fuel of Death-defying Missions

Source: Together for the Gospel

In 2006, four long-time friends began sponsoring a pastor’s conference called Together for the Gospel. David Platt’s presentation at the 2012 event hit the ball out of the park (as we Americans might say).

Find something you can preach or teach or show to others in the hour-long recording of Divine Sovereignty: The Fuel of Death-defying Missions. Rather read? See Pastor: Global Evangelism Tragically Neglected, or check out the transcript.

>> Readers, maybe you could let us know of any great sermons and other online sessions on topics like this one which you’d recommend.

BOOKS: Member Care Resources for Missionaries

Source: Missionary Care

The last time we featured the Missionary Care website we told you they had six free books online, books to help missionaries understand reentry, parenting, and navigating the common struggles of cross-cultural living. Since then the list has doubled to a dozen. Most originated as series of brochures or articles; they tend to be simple, practical, timeless, and direct.

Here are 12 book-length resources you can download and/or share with others:

What Missionaries Ought to Know

Missionary Marriage Issues

Missionary Singles Issues

Psychology for Missionaries

Understanding Adolescence

Third Culture Kids and Adolescence: Cultural Creations

Raising Resilient MKs

Coming “Home”: The Reentry Transition

Before You Get “Home”: Preparing for Reentry

We’re Going Home: Reentry for Elementary School Children

I Don’t Want to Go Home: Parent’s Guide for Reentry for Elementary Children

Reentry after Short Term Missionary Service

>> This may be a good time to put in another plug for Member Care Media, which produces daily radio programs on these topics and more. Lots of encouragement and helpful suggestions for cross-cultural workers and the rest of us as well.

VIDEOS, ILLUSTRATIONS: Resources from GemStone

Source: GemStone Media

Our friends at GemStone Media (a ministry of Greater Europe Mission) have created some excellent (and free) media resources you might be able to use, too. The Voice tells the story of a Bulgarian believer who makes the choice to pursue and trust God completely. Reach the World illustrates the multiculturalism of Europe.

Need a good, simple evangelism tool? The Creation to Christ Story is a simple way that you can share a summary of the Bible’s basic message with people who have heard little or nothing about the gospel. One of GemStone’s graphic designers made a series of 20 original illustrations to help.

“Each image contains visual prompts that will help guide the teller throughout the story and also provide a way for the viewer to better remember and interact with what they are hearing.” You can download the illustrations in several formats to use them on your phone or tablet to share the gospel with friends and acquaintances in small group settings and one-on-one conversations. Good stuff.

>> Readers might also be interested in Ludmilla, one of the beautiful short films from Deidox. It’s about prayer and hospitality in the life of an elderly Czech woman. The latest from Deidox is Kimberly, an exploration of integrating faith and work. And if you’re interested in Bible storying tools and principles, see The 70%: Orality and the Mission of the Church (Lausanne).

EVENTS: May/June Missions Events

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

May 07 to 09 – CONFERENCE: Consortium on the Support of Indigenous Ministries (Phoenix, AZ, USA). A gathering for learning and networking focused on cross-cultural partnership.

May 09 to 11 – CONFERENCE: Hispanic Connection (Rockville, VA, USA). Connecting US agencies with the US Hispanic church.

May 14 to 18 – MEETING: World Prayer Assembly (Jakarta, Indonesia).

May 15 to 16 – CONFERENCE: Church. Agency. Now. (Kansas City, MO, USA). Avant Ministries event explores new ways churches and mission agencies can partner together to build the kingdom.

May 18 to 20 – RETREAT: The Journey Deepens (Philadelphia, PA, USA). Sense God is calling you into missions, but need help in discerning your direction? The Journey Deepens Retreat is a great next step.

May 20 – SEMINAR: Tentmaking Business as Mission (Portland, OR, USA). Free. Provided by Global Opportunities.

May 23 to 25 – CONFERENCE: Global Children’s Ministry Equip Conference (Chiang Mai, Thailand). Coordinated by Kidzana.

May 24 – WEBINAR: Ten Commandments to Counteract Dependency – A Peruvian Case Study. A learning initiative from Missio Nexus.

May 27 – EVENT: Global Day of Prayer (international).

May 30 to July 11 – CLASS: Kingdom Expansion 101 (online). Six-week intro-to-missions course provided by DualReach.

June 04 to August 26 – CLASS: Encountering the World of Islam (online). Twelve-week course will help you discover God’s heart for Muslims.

June 08 to 15 – CLASS: Perspectives One-week Intensive (Valley Forge, PA, USA). Alternative to the regular semester class. Curriculum workshop (coordinator training) to be held following the class.

June 10 to 20 – RETREAT: Refresh! (Grenoble, France). Provided by Heartstream Resources for Cross-cultural Workers.

June 12 to July 02 – CLASS: Perspectives Three-week Intensive (Pasadena, CA, USA). Alternative to the regular semester class.

June 15 to 17 – CONFERENCE: American Society of Missiology (Techny, IL, USA).

June 16 to 24 – RETREAT: Single Vision (Gibraltar). Renewal for single missionaries.

June 20 to 30 – RETREAT: Breathe (Wilderswil, Switzerland). Ten days designed to refresh and renew cross-cultural workers. Provided by Catalyst International.

>> View the whole calendar.

Marti Smith is a writer, speaker, and project manager for the Church Partnerships Team at Pioneers. Since the mid-90s she has helped prepare cultural research teams to explore unreached communities and mobilize efforts to serve them.

Marti manages and publishes Missions Catalyst and is the author of Through Her Eyes, a book about the lives of missionary women in the Muslim world..

Missions Catalyst 04.18.12 – World News Briefs

Wed, 04/18/2012 - 00:05

In This Issue: Many ready, but yet to be reached

CHINA: Millions Ready to Believe
AFGHANISTAN: Parliament Members Embracing Christianity?
WORLD: Day of Digital Outreach
UGANDA: A Night in a Kraal
EGYPT: Sending Out Missionaries

The city of Chengdu. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

CHINA: Millions Ready to Believe

Source: Baptist Press, April 11, 2012

“Carter Hubbs” [a Christian in China's western city of Chengdu], believes that God wants to use his interaction with people in Chengdu whose hearts he has opened.

In talking to a lady at a clothing store, Hubbs asked if she had ever seen a Bible or knew anything about Christianity.

“No, never seen a Bible, don’t know anything about Christianity. But I am open,” the woman said.

“And that just seems to be the case here right now. We are sitting on 16 million people [in the larger metropolitan area of Chengdu] and maybe 1 to 1.5 percent believe, so [there are] 12-15 million people that don’t believe,” Hubbs said.

Hubbs tells of one Chengdu resident, “Song Li,” who took a seat in the back room of a building where a training session for church leaders was underway.

The first thing she said to him: “Is it stupid for me to believe in this? Is it silly for me to even ask questions?”

He learned that Li was consumed with sadness and bitterness. She had been through trial after trial. Seeking solace, Li had tried other religions but nothing soothed her hurting soul.

“I am just empty,” she lamented. “Can Jesus help?”

In the next hour, Hubbs explained the loving nature of God and how Li could have peace with God despite the turbulent circumstances of her life through a relationship with him bought by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

“What do I do now?” Li wanted to know. “I’m ready for this.”

The Hubbses rejoice over Li’s salvation but know that many more are yet to be reached in the city of millions.

>> Full story with pictures. With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, Baptist Press is taking a multi-part look at a number of the world’s major metropolises such as Chengdu.

AFGHANISTAN: Parliament Members Embracing Christianity?

Source: ASSIST News, April 1, 2012

Mohabat News said, “Informed Afghan authorities acknowledge that Christianity has obtained a special place not only among youth, but also among various layers in society. (In addition) house churches are growing tremendously.”

An independent Shi’ite website in Iran has quoted a knowledgeable Afghan official as saying, “There is evidence of widespread Christian propaganda in Afghanistan, and the existence of more than ten churches that operate secretly in residential houses have been proven.”

New reports indicate that the Christian faith is spreading among Afghanistan’s movers and shakers. Some members of the country’s parliament have embraced Christianity.

Mohabat News said, “Farsi News Service of AghanTelex, also published a report on the conversion of some members of the Afghani Parliament to Christianity and wrote, ‘Evangelism and Christian propaganda is taking place in the country at a high level, but this is the first time that those who call themselves representatives of the Afghani people not only have become ‘apostates,’ but have joined Christian ministries to evangelize. This time they want to present their Christian services to Muslim people through parliament.’”

>> Full story.

>> See also: Don’t Underestimate the Supernatural Power of Conversion (Charisma Magazine).

WORLD: Day of Digital Outreach

Source: Internet Evangelism Day, April 2012

“An incredible new technology enables the transmission of text on a worldwide basis. It rapidly reduces production and distribution costs and for the first time allows large numbers of people to access text and pictures in their own homes.”

What is this referring to? You’ve guessed it. The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg! It transformed education, communication, and evangelism. It has shaped the world culture we know today.

The computer revolution and the Internet are also changing the way we communicate forever. This will impact Christian evangelism and discipleship in ways which are only just beginning. Just as the Roman road system in New Testament times enabled the rapid spread of the gospel, so also the Internet is becoming an effective worldwide channel for evangelism.

The sad thing is relatively few Christian groups are using the Web for real evangelism. There are perhaps 60,000+ English-language Christian websites, but the overwhelming majority are targeted entirely at Christians. There are over 150,000 church websites, but again, most are written largely for their own members.

>> Full story with lots of resources. April is “Digital Outreach Month” leading up to April 29, Internet Evangelism Day. Watch for some giveaways on that day.

>> See also Iraq Emerges from Isolation as Telecommunications Hub (New York Times).

UGANDA: A Night in a Kraal

Source: Pioneers, April 2012

With the Milky Way painted across the night sky, a couple of elders gathered around our fire to sit and talk with us. They questioned us, why would rich mezungus (white people) choose to spend the night with them in the cattle kraal? My teammate was able to share our love for them and the love that we have for the Word of God.

As we sat there surrounded by thousands of head of cattle, unknown numbers of men and boys, and even more flies, Tom began to share the story of David and Goliath. This is a story that I have heard many times before, but on this night, the image of David as a shepherd boy took on a whole new meaning. As the Philistines taunted the Israelites, I could imagine the Karamojong warriors facing one another in tribal raids.

The elders were also making cultural connections and often interrupted the story to identify with David as a shepherd boy who bravely cared for his sheep. At the end of the story, the elders declared that what was spoken was true and right. They asked us to come and share more stories with all of the people, rather than just the few elders that were gathered around the fire.

>> Full story. For more stories like this, consider signing up for Pioneers’ free, monthly BottomLine Update.

EGYPT: Sending Out Missionaries

Source: ASSIST News, April 12, 2012

“This is one of the most exciting opportunities I’ve seen in 49 years of missionary ministry,” says Dr. Howard Folz, the founder of AIMS. “Please join with me in releasing a powerful flow of missionaries to the Middle East and North Africa.”

The first thought that comes to many people when they consider the Middle East is warfare and terrorism. However, Dr. Folz wants believers to consider a different vision. “Please remember, Paul was also a terrorist against Christians, and yet he became the greatest missionary the world has ever seen. Can we believe God for miracles like this in the Middle East and North Africa? Even Jihadists coming to Jesus!” he suggests.

“On my first trip to Egypt, our partner Mustafa (a pseudonym) gave me a completely new view of the Middle East and North Africa. He said, ‘Howard, we have a huge reservoir of Egyptian missionaries just waiting to be sent out to this part of the world.’

“‘We are in a special ‘window of opportunity,’ Mustafa continued, ‘to gather together 600 plus pastors and leaders. Our goal is to send out hundreds of missionaries from Egyptian churches. Fifty-six missionaries have already been sent, and miracles, signs, and wonders are happening for God’s glory,’ Mustafa says.”

>> Full story.

>> Editor’s note: This story is consistent with the principles and anecdotes reported in the recent book Miraculous Movements. Evidently many Muslim leaders and radicalized Muslims are finding new life in Jesus! See our April 28 review.

Missions Catalyst 04.11.12 – Practical Mobilization

Wed, 04/11/2012 - 00:05

In This Issue: Being honest when you don’t succeed

Succeed by Being Honest When You Don’t Succeed: The Humbling, Scary, Liberating Power of Admitting Failure

By Shane Bennett

Introduction

I hung up the phone this morning and swore under my breath (just a Christiany “near swear”). The Athens trip was officially cancelled. Dang. I’d had high hopes about a small group of people learning about and loving the growing community of Afghan refugees in Athens this summer. I’d envisioned us hearing stories of hope and heartache, and spending hours trading thoughts on the lasting hope that Jesus promises. But it’s not going to happen.

Trouble is, I failed to find the people to go. That’s about it in a nutshell. It pains me to say it. I suppose part of me says it so some of you will say, “Oh, come now, it wasn’t your fault.” But it was, at least enough for me to say, “I failed.”

Truth be told, I’m not a total stranger to failure. In my notes for this article I have a dandy list of examples. Some would take too long to tell, some are too embarrassing, and some would simply bore you. I’m not proud of them. And I don’t talk about them often. I feel safer if I keep them to myself.

Admitting Failure

But lately I’ve been thinking a lot about failure, and not just my own. This was sparked by my recent preparation for some Perspectives classes. I was learning about community development and came across a video by a young Canadian engineer. Watching it would be a very good investment of 13 minutes of your life. He tells how his failure in India helped lead his organization to a much more open stance regarding their failures. They began to publish an annual report on them. Then, realizing no one reads annual reports, they developed a website. Admitting Failure is absolutely brilliant! It’s a growing depository of stories of relief and development efforts gone wrong. Anyone heading into that field would be a fool to not thoroughly digest the entire site.

Why We Hide

It’s easy to read about the failures of others, but why is it so hard for me (and maybe you) to admit my own? Last week in the car I asked Ann and the kids, “Why do you think it’s hard to admit failure?” Their answers were the same that you’d likely give: We’re proud. It hurts. People will define us by our failures. Admitting our failures will expose the falseness of the image we project. Ouch. It hurts. But it’s not rocket science.

Recognizing and confessing failure in our mobilization efforts is further hindered by the muddy complexity of what we do. Cause and effect in mobilization don’t always tightly correlate. What looks like your failure may simply come from the reality that those you hope to mobilize have not been able to escape the gravity of their own safe and normal world. On the other hand, over the years you may have forgotten the taste of that fear and really did fail to address it.

What about this diagnosis: “It wasn’t the Lord’s will for this project to succeed.” Sometimes true. Sometimes the lamest excuse of the year. One good thing about being an atheist is that that arrow’s not in your quiver!

What It Costs Us

It feels safer to hide our foul-ups, but really it’s much more dangerous. Think of what we give up by failing to share our failures.

1. The Chance to Learn from Failure

First, we diminish the chances that we’ll learn personally from the failure. And we’ll almost certainly prevent others from learning from it. Now you might intuit the inherent risk that goes with taking two pastors to four cities, in four countries, highlighting three major religions and eight major people-group clusters, all in nine days, even if I didn’t tell you how I made that mistake one time. But not everyone’s as smart as you! For me to admit that failure just might spark smarter thinking in others.

2. The Opportunity to Live without Pretense

Further, by hiding our failure we surrender an important opportunity to be real with each other. Some of my favorite people are those who say without pretense, “I’m a screw-up, from a race of screw-ups. But I know the one who’s making all things new and he likes me.” There is life in the twin discoveries that (1) we all fail, and (2) quality people – the really good ones – know this. They will stay with us even when we fail.

3. The Favor of God

Finally, owning our failure, not hiding it or diminishing it, puts us on the right side of a very important equation: “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” Solomon, Peter, and James all stress this dynamic. I don’t want God opposing me, so I’m opting for the scenic drive down Humble Avenue.

Out of the Dust

Added to our humility, we have this great good news: God causes all things to work together for the good. God masterfully works through our failures, redeeming them and knitting them into his grand design for the redemption of all things.

I’ve seen this work out in real life: I once spent three months with a research team in India. We failed our way through a convoluted series of bad choices, faulty decisions, messy relationships, hubris, sickness, despair, procrastination, and pride, finally pulling together a few dozen pages of information on Muslims in Mumbai. A Muslim who loves Jesus took the information, put it into action, and subsequently started a series of churches across northern India. God indeed makes beautiful things out of the dust.

If it’s not sacrilege to add to William Carey’s great aphorism, I would make it say this: “Expect great things of God. Attempt great things for God. Fail miserably. Admit your failure, learn from it, and try again.”

How about Admitting Missions Mistakes?

If you’re game to admit some failure in your efforts to mobilize, or really in any mission effort, how about this: let’s put together a page of failures on Facebook. It will be a collection of mobilization missteps, Great Commission goof-ups, and evangi-blunders! You get the point. We’ll call it Admitting Missions Mistakes. Go here and tell your story. We’ll all be healed and helped. God will be honored and he’ll lift you up.

Shane now works as a public speaker for Frontiers and helps his church, Commonway, follow God to the nations. He and his wife, Ann, have five school-aged children. They live and work in Indiana.

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Missions Catalyst 04.04.12 – World News Briefs

Tue, 04/03/2012 - 16:58

In This Issue: Living and telling the story of his suffering

MALI: Military Coup, “It’s Personal”
NORTH KOREA: Global Day of Prayer
YEMEN: Youth on Slain American, “We Love You, Joel”
BURMA: Army Ransacks Church

Greetings!

I was carefully watching for a story that had an Easter or Lenten theme to give you this week. In thinking about the suffering of Christ it dawned on me that the stories of our brothers and sisters in North Korea, Yemen, and Burma are “passion” stories. They “participate in the sufferings of Christ.” As you meditate on the suffering of Christ this passion week, please remember them.

Thanks to blogger Ann Smith for pointing me to the beautiful Lutheran hymn (YouTube) by Thomas Kelly (see sidebar).

See The Story of Jesus for free print and audio downloads you might be able to use. I plan to send a link to this one out on Sunday with some Easter e-cards!

Speaking of stories, you may remember our previous mention of a collection of Bible stories told Malian style. I’ve downloaded the 16 pictures and made them a slide show on my computer as a reminder to pray for Mali at this critical time.

Telling the story … He lives!

Pat Noble

Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted

Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See him dying on the tree!
‘Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, ’tis he, ’tis he.
‘Tis the long-expected Prophet,
David’s Son, yet David’s Lord;
By his Son God now has spoken:
‘Tis the true and faithful Word.

>> Read all four verses.

MALI: Military Coup, “It’s Personal”

Source: Baptist Press, March 27, 2012

I sat stunned for what felt like hours when I read the first email from Bamako, the capital of Mali, from one of our Southern Baptist friends. Something I had known might happen – but prayed wouldn’t – had indeed occurred. In that frozen moment of time the morning of March 22, hundreds of memories raced through my head: the people I had encountered, the places I had been, the smells, the sounds – hundreds of memories.

When I was in Mali in February, I told the believers in our village the day may come when we could not get to them. Either the economy, or more likely political unrest in their country, may prevent us from being able to get to their village. I challenged them to continue to assume responsibility for sharing the Word of God with their family, other villagers, and neighboring villages. Now I sat wondering, “Was that my last trip?”

>> Full story.

>> Also read Is There a Solution to Tuareg Insurgency? (Institute for Security Studies), and take a look at this interactive map of the Sahel region (Sydney Morning Herald).

NORTH KOREA: Global Day of Prayer

Source: Open Doors, March 2012

The “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-Il promised his citizens that North Korea will be a strong and prosperous nation in 2012, right on time for the 100th anniversary of the [birth of] “Eternal President” Kim Il-Sung. Kim Jong-Il passed away before he could live up to his promises. His son, Kim Jong-Un, inherited a country where between two and three million people have died of hunger and that still holds hundreds of thousands prisoner in infamous labor camps, including scores of [known] Christians.

Because of this, Open Doors calls on Christians worldwide to participate in a global day of prayer and fasting on Kim Il-Sung’s birthday, April 15, 2012.

>> Full story and resources.

>> Also watch reporter Euna Lee’s moving testimony about her imprisonment (Q), and another missionary and former prisoner Robert Park’s North Korea: The World’s Principle Violator of the Responsibility to Protect (Carnegie Council).

YEMEN: Youth on Slain American, “We Love You, Joel”

Source: CBN News, March 25, 2012

Protestors and young students in Yemen are demanding justice for Joel Shrum, the American English teacher executed by terrorists this week in the city of Taiz. Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for the killing, accusing Shrum of trying to convert Muslims.

Meanwhile, the people Shrum devoted his life to are demanding the murderers be caught and tried. Hundreds of young protesters marched in honor of their teacher this week, holding posters that read, “We Love You, Joel.”

The young Yemenis said Shrum was gunned down in his car for no good reason. He had worked in the Islamic nation for the past two years, teaching poor people English and vocational skills.

“Mr. Joel came all the way from the United States of America, having nothing but good intentions to help and teach the people of Taiz. And I believe he did nothing to be killed for,” one young student said in a video of the protest posted on YouTube.

>> Full story.

>> Also read Slain American Teacher Honored in Yemen (CBS News), and watch Shem, Sanaa and Jesus (PTAP). Pray for the local prophecy about Jesus to come true!

BURMA: Army Ransacks Church

Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, March 26, 2012

On March 13 the Burma Army ransacked [a] Baptist church. According to Reverend Jangmaw Gam Maw, pastor of Pang Mu Church, soldiers from the 33rd battalion of the Burma Army’s 88th Infantry Division burned Bibles, destroyed church property, and stole a video player, loudspeakers, and villagers’ belongings. The soldiers claimed that the property belonged to a Kachin Independence Army outpost. They also took money from the church donation boxes.

The pastor and over 1,000 church members from Pang Mu village had abandoned the village for Mai Ja Yang IDP camp on November 19, 2011.

On March 10, Burma Army soldiers disrupted a Christian conference and threatened a Member of Parliament (MP) at gunpoint in western Burma’s Chin State, according to the Chin Human Rights Organization (CHRO).

More than 1,000 delegates from 80 local branches of the Mara (Chin) Evangelical Church at Sabawngte village, in a remote area of Matupi township, southern Chin State, had gathered for the conference, which had official permission. CHRO reports that several Burma Army soldiers disrupted the meeting and rebuked the village headman for not reporting the event to the army camp. When Pu Van Cin, an MP from the Ethnic National Development Party, saw the soldiers confronting the village headman and tried to intervene, he was threatened at gunpoint.

>> Full story.

Missions Catalyst 04.28.12 – Resource Reviews

Wed, 03/28/2012 - 11:00

In This Issue: Miraculous movements, language learning tools, and more

BOOK: Miraculous Movements
ARTICLE: Status of Global Mission
BOOKLET: Bible Story Coloring Book
WEBSITE: Everyday Language Learner
EVENTS: April Missions Events

Quotable

“She was an ordinary village woman; she was in a newly planted church. She started teaching them the stories, especially the women, with songs, and the most important thing she taught them to do was to obey the truth.”

Jerry Trousdale, Miraculous Movements

BOOK: Miraculous Movements

Source: Thomas Nelson

Miraculous Movements: How Hundreds of Thousands of Muslims Are Falling in Love with Jesus, by Jerry Trousdale. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2012. 208 pages.

Miraculous Movements recounts an amazing change taking place within Muslim communities where the truth of Jesus Christ is turning around the lives of many thousands of Muslims from more than 20 people groups. Discover through the sometimes humorous, often sobering, but always enlightening and encouraging true stories how imams, sheiks, and entire mosques are forsaking Islam and embracing Christ.

This close look at what the Lord is doing to spread the gospel highlights the key scriptural principles that help Christians reach out in love to share the gospel in their own community. The author outlines the principle of service to others that opens doors of opportunity to the work of the gospel.

Author Jerry Trousdale works with CityTeam International, an organization dedicated to helping disciples make disciples through CityTeam’s own ministry and through training other ministries in more than 30 countries.

>> Purchase the book for $US9.99 from Amazon (US$7.99 for the Kindle edition). Learn more at Miraculous Movements. See also a mission leader’s review (Ted Esler) and an interview with the author, Missions Leader on Thousands of New Church Plants in Muslim Areas (The Christian Post).

>> Editor’s note: I recently finished another (older) book that illustrates some of the same disciple-making principles but primarily in an American context. See Felicity Dale’s An Army of Ordinary People.

ARTICLE: Status of Global Mission

Source: Justin Long, January 31, 2012

The 2012 issue of the International Bulletin of Missionary Research is out, and it features the latest Status of Global Mission page. IBMR is free to download.

“Among the many other bits that are shown on this page year after year is the addition of data for AD 1800, thus giving us a 225-year window onto the progress of the missionary task, and the most current estimate of the global total of unevangelized individuals: 2,066,504,000. This number is still rising right now, at a rate of about 1.01% per year. The remaining task is getting larger. More workers are needed! By 2025, it is estimated that the total of unevangelized individuals will top 2,261,675,000-in other words, between now and then, we will have added another 200 million unevangelized souls – roughly the equivalent of the total population of Brazil.”

BOOKLET: Bible Story Coloring Book

Source: OSCAR

Editor’s note: Readers, what do you think of this? A tip of the hat to OSCAR, the UK information service for world mission. Editor Mike Frith writes:

“We like to feature simple resources that can be used by missionaries in cross-cultural situations. One such resource used by a number of missionaries working with children, is the Colour Bible. It’s a simple printed resource which consists of 10 stories from the Old Testament and 10 from the New Testament, each with text in simple English and a picture to colour in. The Messianic promise develops as you progress through the stories. It’s the gospel in a nutshell, simple but effective.

“There is no copyright on the Colour Bible, so you can print as many copies as you like or use it as part of your own outreach material. A Spanish version is also available and a version in the Swahili language is in preparation.

>> Download the Colour Bible.

>> See also: new downloadable lesson plans to help you teach kids about the world from Stand4Kids.

WEBSITE: Everyday Language Learner

Source: Everyday Language Learner

Want to have more fun learning language? Poke around the Everyday Language Learner site. The page on language learning activities has some great ideas to get you started or keep you going, whether you are studying on your own, working with a language helper one-on-one, or learning as part of a group. See Ten Essential Tools for Everyday Language Learners. EDLL’s latest tool is a free email series called the Ten-week Journey. Check it out.

>> Editor’s note: If language learning is going to be your full-time or part-time job for a while, especially if you won’t have close supervision to keep you going, consider additional training in language acquisition. Programs like MTI’s PILAT course are pricy but priceless.

EVENTS: April Missions Events

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

Looks like a busy month for mission events. Here’s our listing. Let me know if I’ve missed something that ought to be included so we can put it on the calendar. Thanks!

April 2 to June 24: CLASS: Encountering the World of Islam. Online classes are offered regularly; twelve weeks long.

April 4 to May 9 – CLASS: Leading Change & Managing Transitions. A web workshop from Missio Nexus (six sessions).

April 5 – WEBINAR: Cultivating a Missions Culture in the Local Church: Inculcating Values that Bring Missions to Life. A learning initiative from Missio Nexus.

April 9 to 17 – CLASS: Perspectives Intensive (Minneapolis, MN, USA). One-week alternative to the regular semester class; designed for pastors and business leaders.

April 11 to 12 – CLASS: Personal Support Raising Boot Camp (Milwaukee, WI, USA). Provided by The BodyBuilders.

April 12 to 14 – CONFERENCE: MissionFest Toronto (Toronto, ON, Canada). Free, annual, community-based missions conference in the Missions Fest tradition. Largest missions gathering in this part of Canada.

April 16 to 19 – CONGRESS: Call2All Western Europe Congress (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Bringing together Christian leaders to focus and strategize together on completing the Great Commission in our lifetime.

April 19 – WEBINAR: Above Reproach: Sins that Ministries Tolerate and What to Do about It. A learning initiative from Missio Nexus.

April 19 to 21 – CONFERENCE: Ethnic Ministries Summit (Spartanburg, SC, USA). A coalition of ministries encouraging local churches to share Christ’s love with the growing ethnic diversity in our communities. Sponsored by the Ethnic America Network.

April 20 to 21 - CONFERENCE: Mission ConneXion Alaska (Fairbanks, AK, USA). Free, community-wide mission conference formerly known as Mission Fest Alaska.

April 20 to 22 – CONFERENCE: Hindu Ministry Consultation (Chicago, IL, USA). Promoting the birth and development of Christ-centered movements in Hindu cultures and communities. Sponsored by the Rethinking Forum.

April 20 to 22 – RETREAT: The Journey Deepens (Portland, OR USA). Sense God is calling you into missions, but need help in discerning your direction? The Journey Deepens Retreat is a great next step.

April 23 to 27 – CONFERENCE: Global Member Care Conference (Chiang Mai, Thailand). The Global Member Care Network provides a platform to hear global voices about member care in a borderless world, which is characterized by increasing hostilities and schisms.

April 27 to May 1 – CLASS: GO Equipped TENTmaking Course (Bergen, Norway). Provided by Global Opportunities.

April 29 – EVENT: Internet Evangelism Day (global). Website also provides resources you can use year-round.

>> View the whole calendar.

Marti manages and publishes Missions Catalyst and is the author of Through Her Eyes, a book about the lives of missionary women in the Muslim world.

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Missions Catalyst 03.21.12 – World News Briefs

Wed, 03/21/2012 - 00:10

In This Issue: Overcoming fear to build relationships

USA: Evangelicals and Muslims
SOUTH SUDAN: 2,200 New Refugees
UGANDA: Child Sacrifice
LAOS: Officials Confiscate Church
ISRAEL: Hate Crimes against Christians

Mosque in Boston, MA. Source (Wikimedia Commons)

USA: Evangelicals and Muslims

Source: The Christian Post, March 12, 2012

How should evangelicals view Muslim growth in the U.S.? Is it the harbinger of more conflict in an increasingly polarized American experience, or is it the dawn of a new age of evangelism and witnessing for Jesus Christ?

[The Christian Post will publish] a multipart series titled “Evangelicals and Muslims: Oil and Water or Fertile Ministry?” The series intends to cover the major aspects of evangelical life with a growing Muslim community, including efforts by some of the larger churches in the U.S. to build bridges to the community, the fears that some Christians have with Muslim law and Islamic radicals, and the theological underpinnings of the biblical tension between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael.

>> Full story. See part one, Few Churches Overcome Fear to Build Relationships.

>> Readers might also be interested in the new website from COMMA (Coalition of Ministries to Muslims in [North] America), as well as a quiz from the Christian Science Monitor, Sunni and Shiite Islam: Do You Know the Difference?

SOUTH SUDAN: 2,200 New Refugees

Source: Mission Network News, March 7, 2012

As clashes have heated up over the border between South Sudan and its ex-wife Sudan, the number of refugees from the disputed region has increased daily.

Gill Reitsma with Africa Inland Mission confirms that the influx of refugees in recent days has been large. She says Sudan’s president Omar al-Bashir has been increasing military forces to the area, going as far as bombing refugee-ridden regions.

“He has definitely stated that he wants to cleanse this area. So there’s been a huge buildup of military,” says Reitsma. “The Nuba people have largely fled. Half of them have either been killed or displaced, or have gone into a refugee camp over the border or in Bentiu.”

The Nuba make up the majority of those living in the disputed border area. For their sake, says Reitsma, “I’m just praying that the rains come early – they come in April – and that will stop any military offensive.”

>> Full story.

>> You may have heard about George Clooney’s recent trip to the Sudan and his arrest at the embassy in Washington. But have you heard about “The Man Who Stayed”? Watch this nine-minute video about a former Samaritan’s Purse worker. Better yet, follow him on Twitter!

UGANDA: Child Sacrifice

Source: Pat Noble

A BBC story picked up by our friends who compose OM’s NewsBytes reports that school children in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, are being closely guarded and their families and communities warned about the danger that they will be abducted by witch doctors for use in child sacrifices. Yikes! As the NewsByte states,

“‘Child sacrifice has risen because people have become lovers of money…’ explains Pastor Peter Sewakiryanga of Kyampisi Childcare Ministries Church. ‘They have a belief that when you sacrifice a child you get wealth, and there are people who are willing to buy these children for a price.’”

On a related note, Invisible Children’s Kony 2012 campaign sure has people talking. See On Kony and Viruses or “How Should We Respond to Bad Guys?” (Reaching Africa’s Unreached), Why Joseph Kony Is Trending (Christianity Today), and Blind to Reality: Invisible Children and the LRA (Carnegie Council).

I started to wonder about media and methods myself when the movie Machine Gun Preacher came out. What is going on? After reading up on this issue, be sure to also check out the new network Helping without Hurting (thanks Brigada for the heads-up!).

LAOS: Official Confiscate Church

Source: Christian Aid Mission, February 24, 2012

The following information from Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF) was sent by a Christian Aid-assisted indigenous ministry impacted by current developments in Laos:

“On February 21-22, 2012, a group of 4-5 Saybuli district officials traveled to Kengweng village and conducted a seminar entitled ‘Tricks of the Enemy.’ Officials and villagers of Kengweng were asked to join the seminar. At the end of the seminar, on February 22 at around 4:00 p.m., district officials summarized the teaching sessions and ordered the confiscation of the Kengweng church building and prohibited Christians from using it, which went into effect immediately. The confiscation of Kengweng Church took place in less than two months after officials confiscated Nadaeng Church in the same district.”

>> Full story.

>> More reports from HRWLRF.

ISRAEL: Hate Crimes against Christians

Source: The Christian Post, March 19, 2012

The Roman Catholic Church has made a formal request for Israeli president Shimon Peres to get involved and help put a stop to the vandalism of Christian places of worship that has been taking place in Israel over the past several weeks.

Nearly a week ago, a Baptist church in the center of Jerusalem was vandalized. Israel Today reports that graffiti reading “Death to Christianity,” “Jesus was a son of a whore,” and “We will crucify you,” was spray-painted on the outside of the church. Cars parked nearby had their tires slashed. Also spray-painted on the church were the words “Price Tag,” which refers to a radical group that has been attacking churches and mosques in recent weeks. Similar graffiti was seen on the walls of a Greek Orthodox church within the city.

Price Tag is the name of a group of militant Jewish extremists who are mostly known for committing violence toward Israeli and Palestinian peace activists. The New York Times describes Price Tag as a group that wishes to “exact a price from local Palestinians or from the Israeli security forces for any action taken against their settlement enterprise.”

>> Full story.

>> Readers might also be interested in videos and reports from a conference held earlier this month entitled Christ at the Checkpoint: Hope in the Midst of Conflict (Bethlehem Bible College).

Missions Catalyst 03.14.12 – Practical Mobilization

Wed, 03/14/2012 - 00:10

In This Issue: Four ways you matter (and may not know it)

FEATURE: What’s in Your Hand? Four Ways You Matter in Mission, but Might Not Realize
SUBVERSIVE MOBILIZATION: An Invitation

FEATURE: What’s in Your Hand? Four Ways You Matter in Mission, But Might Not Realize

By Shane Bennett

A long time ago, God asked Moses to do something pretty big. Moses, famously, whined about his inadequacy for the task. God asked him, “What’s in your hand?” It was just a stick, but a soon-to-be-extraordinary stick.

Moses may have hefted that staff all over the wilderness. Maybe he’d traded up from time to time, finally settling on this as the perfect one. Even so, it’s safe to say he never imagined it would turn water to blood, split the sea, and (on a darker note) disqualify him from his great third-career quest. It had always been a sweet stick. It turned out to be something entirely more.

I think we have similar “sticks” in our lives, particularly as we think about contributing to God’s global purposes: we have gifts, capacities, and connections that matter hugely but often remain overlooked. Because of this we downgrade the role we imagine God wants us to play. We assume we matter less and that we can accomplish less than we really can.

Like with Moses and the stick, God says to us, “Think about what you already have. Your stuff, empowered by my Spirit, might just be enough for some pretty big things I’m asking of you.” Here are some unnoticed “sticks” you may have in your hand, or on a shelf, or, in the case of the first one, lying around the house.

1. Your kids

Now back in the old days, people like us produced a lot of kids in hopes that some would survive to adulthood and feed us when we were too old to feed ourselves. Since those dynamics have pretty much passed, many of us decided it a better idea to have fewer kids. (Perhaps we also thought it would be more fun to spend our money on ourselves!) Take a look at those you may have: while you hope they’ll do well with their lives, maybe you’ve not thought of them as a world Christian asset, a stick in your hand. But really, over whom do you exercise greater influence than your own little flock? I know it doesn’t feel like it when they’re 12 or 18, but think back over all the years.

Your shaping influence on your kids is almost incalculable. And while I’d never coerce my kids into becoming missionaries, I most certainly want to encourage them to align their lives with God’s purposes. The outcome of that effort may well be my greatest contribution to world evangelization.

2. Your age

Since we don’t really keep track, I’m just guessing when I say that few Missions Catalyst readers are under 16 years old. (If you are, let me know. I’d love to meet you.) So, few of us are likely saying, “God can’t use me ’cause I’m too young.” On the other hand, maybe a lot of us think God won’t use us in any cool way in the world because we’re just too old.

I don’t know how it is where you are, but I have noticed that my culture, though it has many strengths, is weakened by a disdain, distrust, and disrespect of age. (The older I get, the more this is a big deal to me!) The great news is that just as we feel the “younger is better” mentality beginning to nudge us out to the rocking chair on the porch, we’re entering a season of honor and authority in many more traditional cultures that those “Johnny come latelys” won’t experience for years to come. We have something to give that the younger set cannot.

I encourage older people (a term I use gingerly and with utmost respect!) to expect that God wants to use us in amazing ways. For instance: become snowbirds, but replace Phoenix with Antalya. You’ll save money, chat with people who’ve never met someone who loves Jesus, and have way better stories for the young whippersnappers back home!

3. Your tribe

Do you realize there is a set of people watching your life who think you have it all together and assume you totally know how to follow Jesus the right way? Once you’ve stopped hyperventilating, let me tell you this is a gift from God. In the unlikely event that you don’t have it all together, don’t worry: it was the same Paul who confessed he was the chief of sinners, who also said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.”

So it’s fine if you think you’re a dope. People will still look to you for guidance and example. Happily, humbly point them toward aligning their lives with God’s global purposes. Of course the best way to do this is by example. Actively love the nations, and your tribe will learn to love the nations too.

4. Your sphere

Orbiting beyond your tribe is a set of people to whom you have connections and over whom you exercise some influence. Think in terms of the people you know at church, at work, and in the ‘hood (neighbors, parents of your kids’ friends, the pseudo friend who sells you coffee). God wants these people involved in his kingdom, both in terms of finding life in Jesus and participating in the reconciliation of all things.

This is one of the foundational assumptions of my life.

a. Your church

Whom do you know at church, and how can you help them take God-ordained steps toward people far from God? What resources do you know about that might help them? What opportunities? To what groups at your church could you extend this offer: “Hey, I realize a lot of people are troubled right now by Islam and what’s going on. I’d be happy to lead a discussion that will help us get God’s perspective on the whole matter”? (Let me point you to some audio resources that will help with this and some books and links to help you plan.)

b. Your workplace

Is your job a drag? Don’t despair. God put you there for a reason. You’ll touch people’s lives that I never will. I know, partly because we live in different states, countries even! But there are also the sociological reasons. Though it seemed like such a good idea at the time, many young Christians find that their Bible or missions degree doesn’t help them connect with certain segments of society. Because of what you do and among whom you do it, you have access to relationships, skills, and influence other people never will have.

Some of your co-workers may be ready for life in Jesus. Or, already loving him, they might be ready for action that you could catalyze. Your co-workers might not think it’s cool to give Bibles to Muslims, but they might rally to an officewide effort to get malaria drugs and mosquito nets to a small town in Mozambique. Jesus is into all those kinds of things.

c. Your neighborhood

OK, now you tell me. How do the same kind of principles carry on out through the casual relationships you have with people around your town? Have you discovered ways to help them see Jesus and invite them into what he’s doing?

Conclusion

These are just four “sticks” that I see often overlooked in the hands of people I minister to. Surely there are more. Could you do two things for me?

1. Share other overlooked missional capacity that you see in the comments section for this article, below.

2. Think about others who might benefit from this. Send this on to them. I’d appreciate it.

Subversive Mobilization: An Invitation

An apt invitation can change your life. I know this personally. When I was a senior in college, wondering what God wanted to do with my life, Steve Hawthorne invited me to come and work with him. Made a greater difference than I can imagine.

So, can I invite you to do something with me? I’m looking for some pals to spend three weeks with me early this summer learning about and loving Afghan refugees in Athens. It will be intense, hot, and humbling, and just may be the way God helps you see what he wants to do with your life. Check out the details or write me with questions. Time is short. If God’s nudging you, act now.

Shane now works as a public speaker for Frontiers and helps his church, Commonway, follow God to the nations. He and his wife, Ann, have five school-aged children. They live and work in Indiana.

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Missions Catalyst 03.08.12 – World News Briefs

Thu, 03/08/2012 - 10:07

In This Issue: Religious communities struggling to live side by side

TURKEY: On Questioning Religions
INDONESIA: Saying “No” to Islamic Intolerance
CHINA: House Church Leader Released
IRAN: Officials Concerned over Spread of Christianity in Malaysia
SRI LANKA: Pastor Threatened, Church Ordered to Close

Greetings!

Last month Newsweek published Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s The Global War on Christians in the Muslim World. While this voice of experience deserves to be heard, some with less personal experience but perhaps with a broader view disagree. Read Newsweek Feeds Fear (Baptist Center for Ethics) and Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s Tale of Christophobia (Peace Catalyst International).

And by now you may have heard reports that the “Arab Spring” has turned into a “Christian Winter.” Again, I give you some challengers: read Egypt Revolution Not a “Christian Winter” (The Christian Post) and After the Spring (International Mission Board).

Have you noticed that in many media outlets, Christianity is fair game for criticism even when other faiths may be more carefully portrayed? The BBC admits this and offers some explanation (ASSIST News Service). Two points made me proud: that Christianity is not tied to any one ethnic group and is more “broad shouldered.” What do you think?

Be blessed,
Pat Noble

TURKEY: On Questioning Religions

Source: Forum 18, February 18, 2012

The prosecution of – among others – a cartoonist, a website contributor, and the publisher of a diary has raised concerns about how the complementary human rights of freedom of expression and freedom of religion or belief can be exercised in Turkey, including the religious freedom right not to believe. The common element is that all these cases relate to the prosecution of questioning or criticism of all religions, or Islam specifically, from an atheist perspective.

In all these cases, Article 216 (3) of the Turkish Criminal Code (“denigrating the religious values of a group”) has been used as the legal basis of prosecution. A close look at this provision and its application is therefore necessary to understand the developing intersection of freedom of expression and freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief in Turkey.

These cases are taking place in the context of public debate on drafting a new constitution. This has opened up discussion in Turkey of a wide range of issues to do with freedom of religion or belief.

>> Full story. See also a previous article about the drafting of this new constitution.

>> Also on the topic of denigrating religious values, Jere Van Dyke has some advice about the Afghanistan Qur’an-burning protests. Other countries grappling with these issues are Pakistan (Pakistani Christian Leader Addresses Challenges) and India (Are We Ready for Spiritual Democracy?).

INDONESIA: Saying “No” to Islamic Intolerance

Source: ASSIST News Service, February 29, 2012

Something happened in Palangkaraya, the provincial capital of Central Kalimantan, on Saturday, February 1, 2012, that may prove pivotal for Indonesia. On February 11, four prominent leaders of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) flew into Central Kalimantan from Jakarta to inaugurate their organization in Palangkaraya. Upon landing, however, the FPI delegation – which included FPI founder, Saudi-educated Habib Rizieq – was blocked by a crowd of around 800 locals, mostly indigenous Dayaks, at Palangkaraya’s Tjilik Riwut Airport.

The protestors forced their way onto the runway to confront the FPI officials, causing air traffic to be disrupted for over three hours. They dispersed only after airport officials convinced them that the FPI members would not be permitted to disembark and would travel on to another destination.

The Jakarta Globe headline on February 16 was a classic: “Could Palangkaraya Be Our Rosa Parks’ Moment in the War against Violence?” According to Jakarta Globe correspondent Pangeran Siahaan, “The people of Palangkaraya believe violence, which the FPI advocates, is intolerable, and they found FPI’s presence in their city as a threat to society. The residents were successful in ousting the FPI, as the FPI officers … fled without stepping off their plane.”

>> Full story.

CHINA: House Church Leader Released

Source: Christian Solidarity Worldwide, January 24, 2012

Pastor Shi Enhao, Deputy Chairman of the Chinese House Church Alliance, was unexpectedly released from labor camp Friday, January 20, after serving six months of a two-year re-education through labor (RTL) sentence. The reason for his early release is unknown.

Pastor Shi, who oversees several hundred house churches with thousands of members, had previously disappeared on June 12, 2011, before police confirmed his detention on June 21, 2011. Early release from RTL is rare, except in cases of illness.

Leaders of the group have faced severe persecution in the past, including arrest, imprisonment, and harassment.

While many house churches in China operate with relative freedom, there continue to be cases of arrest, disappearance, harassment, and confiscation of property among house church Christians in China. 2011 saw a crackdown on any form of dissent, with lawyers, writers, religious leaders, Tibetans, Uyghurs, and others affected. The Chinese authorities have been largely immune to international pressure on these issues in recent months.

>> Full story with picture.

>> More stories of prisoners released include Lao Pastor Set Free after Nearly Thirteen Years (Barnabas Aid), Accused Pastor in Kashmir, India Given Reprieve (Compass Direct), and Joy as Pastor Is Released from Labour Camp in Turkmenistan Prisoner Amnesty (Barnabas Aid).

IRAN: Officials Concerned over Spread of Christianity in Malaysia

Source: ASSIST News Service, February 4, 2012

The ruling Islamic regime of Iran is not only worried about the growth of Christianity inside the country [of Iran], but is also concerned about the increase in tendency of Malays [in Malaysia] towards Christianity.

Mohabat News reports the IRNA news agency, which is backed by the Islamic republic, reflected this news quoting the Malaysia Insider news site as saying: “Jamil Khair Baharom, the minister of Islamic affairs, expressed his concern over the growth of Christianity among Malays and in reaction to the growth in evangelism said, instead of passage of new rules, all efforts should be made to enforce current rules more strongly.”

Mohabat News says the law to control and restrict non-Islamic religions among Malay Muslims was adopted in 1980.

The news agency says the minister of Islamic affairs in Malaysia believes that the law lacks strength in its execution, and officers of religious affairs should exert more seriousness in executing these laws.

>> Full story.

>> Also listen to a six-minute talk on Iran’s “Halal Internet” (NPR) and read The Situation in Iran: Human Rights, Youth, and the Media (Chatham House).

SRI LANKA: Pastor Threatened, Church Ordered to Close

Source: WEA Religious Liberty Prayer News, March 1, 2012

A pastor in Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka, was threatened by a large group of Buddhist monks who accused him of conducting Christian religious activities. He was also warned not to convert Buddhists. When the pastor responded to allegations, he was slapped and assaulted by one of the monks. The extremist Buddhist monks have issued an ultimatum for the pastor and his family to leave the village or face death.

On February 27, the monks organized a large demonstration in front of the police station against the pastor. The pastor was ordered by the police to stop worship services and close down the church.

>> Full story with prayer points.

Missions Catalyst 02.29.12 – News Feature

Tue, 02/28/2012 - 22:21

In This Issue: Can you believe what you read?

Are the Gospels Reliable?

FEATURE: Are the Gospels Reliable?

Source: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Editor’s Note: In honor of leap year, we’ll take a leap back in time to an old question many are still asking today: Can you believe what you read? Specifically, can you believe what you read in the Bible?

I wonder how much the debate has changed. Have you found other approaches or resources helpful for responding to such questions as they arise in your context? Go to our website to share your experience and opinions.

Are the Gospels Reliable?

It was a cold winter day. I was sitting in the Union at the University of Rochester talking with a student. We were discussing a passage in the Gospel of Mark where Jesus calms a storm. The discussion about the passage was lively. Suddenly the student focused on me with a stunned look on her face. “Do you believe that this actually took place?”

I said, “Yes.” She asked, “Why?” I said, “For the same reason that when I pick up The New York Times or The Washington Post and read the front page, I consider them reliable sources of information on events.”

I went on to say that I consider most current newspapers reliable sources for information on people, events, and information. I also said that when I am, or anyone is, trying to determine the reliability (different from absolute scientific accuracy) of any document that makes claims about events that have taken place, they should ask three questions. These are the same questions that scholars often ask when they approach historical documents. Those questions are:

Do I have what the author wrote?
Does the author claim to be telling the truth, and is what he writes consistent with that claim?
Is there evidence from other sources that verifies that the author is a reliable source?

When you read a current newspaper like The New York Times, the answers to the three questions is:

Mostly.
Yes.
Almost always.

When you read the Gospels, the answers are:

More closely than many newspaper articles.
Yes.
Not as much as a current newspaper, but an amazing amount.

There is as much evidence for their reliability as there is for events like the Crusades and the Inquisitions. There is more external evidence for the facts and events in the Gospels than any event in ancient history. Furthermore, I would strongly suggest that if you are going to believe in the historical oppression of women, the Crusades, and the Inquisitions, ask yourself the following: why am I ignoring the historical reliability of the Gospels?

The claim that in some ways the Gospel writings can be considered as reliable as what you read in a current newspaper is very important. It demonstrates that the Bible must be taken seriously. Instead of it appearing that intelligent people should be wary of the Gospels and the New Testament, it shows that those who have intellectual integrity will look seriously into the claims of the Gospel accounts and the New Testament. Mark Twain, the great American author who wrote Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, was known to dislike organized religion. Yet, he said, it is not “those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.” The things that Jesus says and does in the Gospels challenge the way we view the world. Therefore, it is important to know if it is a reliable account.

It is critical to distinguish between the reliability of the Gospels and the “inspiration” of the Gospels or the New Testament. Many people, particularly skeptical ones or those who do not have a religious or church background, find it difficult to believe that the Bible is God’s words, holy words. Often, these types of individuals have found it much easier to study the Bible and simply treat it as they would a newspaper. This has helped them make a decision about who Jesus is. After they decide about the historical reliability of the Gospels and who Jesus is, then they are more prepared to make a personal decision about the inspiration of the Gospels.

My claim that the Gospels have reliability similar to a current newspaper may seem remarkable, but it is a claim that can be supported.

>> Read the rest of this article. The author’s recommendations for further reading include Josh McDowell’s Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Craig Blomberg’s The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, and Paul Barnett’s Is The New Testament Reliable?

>> We recently published a review of The Jesus Accounts, a documentary on the reliability of the Scriptures. The producer thought you might also want to know it’s available in Arabic, Turkish, Persian (Farsi), Mandarin, and Cantonese.

>> See also coverage of a story about an alleged first-century fragment of Mark (Baptist Press).

Marti manages and publishes Missions Catalyst and is the author of Through Her Eyes, a book about the lives of missionary women in the Muslim world.

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Missions Catalyst 02.22.12 – Resource Reviews

Wed, 02/22/2012 - 00:15

In This Issue: A round-the-world prayer journey

WEBSITE: A 365-day Global Prayer Journey
DVD: The Jesus Accounts
VIDEOS: What Should You Know (about Unreached Peoples)?
BOOK: A New Edition of “Serving As Senders”
WEBSITE: Directory of Global Evangelical Networks
EVENTS: March Missions Events

Photo by Jan Egil Kirkebo (via Etnopedia). Creative Commons.

WEBSITE: A 365-day Global Prayer Journey

Source: Treasure in Earthen Vessels

Have you heard the saying, “God cannot lead you on the basis of information you do not have”? A Missions Catalyst reader has invited us to join her in a prayer journey around the world using Operation World, Prayercast videos, and more. Wouldn’t that be a great way to systematically learn a bit about every country on the planet?

>> Visit Rosa’s blog for the basic idea behind this and prepare yourself for the journey. You can still join up before they’re through with the A’s and B’s!

>> See also GlobalPrayer365, a ministry of WEC, where you can join people around the world in a chain of continuous prayer and conversation.

DVD: The Jesus Accounts

Source: The Jesus Accounts

Looking for a tool to help you explain the reliability of the Bible and answer the most common objections or misunderstandings in a positive and respectful way? Consider The Jesus Accounts. I think you’ll find it the kind of thing you can show a secular or Muslim friend as well as use with Christians.

This 30-minute documentary attests to the historical accuracy and reliability of the New Testament Gospels. It demonstrates unequivocally that the oldest manuscripts of the Christian Gospels are completely consistent with the present-day Bible.

It explains in detail how this consistency has resulted from the dedication of New Testament scribes and other guardians of biblical integrity. They devoted their lives to the accurate preservation of the Gospel accounts and the other documents making up the New Testament – just as Jewish scribes did for the Old Testament.

>> Go to the website to view the trailer, learn more, or place an order for US$11.99 per DVD (plus shipping and handling).

VIDEOS: What Should You Know (about Unreached Peoples)?

Sources: Various

Mission to Unreached Peoples released an updated and improved version of their informational/motivational video, You Should Know.

Advocates for ministry to unreached peoples might also find use for another short video, People Groups: An Imperfect Illustration. It’s a bit softer and gentler.

Joshua Project has compiled a list of additional videos. What would you add?

BOOK: A New Edition of Serving As Senders

Source: Emmaus Road International

Serving As Senders Today, by Neal Pirolo. San Diego, CA: Emmaus Road International, 2012. 223 pages.

In the decades since Neal Pirolo began his advocacy for the ministry of missionary care, many have responded to the call. Even though how people think, communicate, and operate in the world of mission has changed a great deal, the need for member care remains unchanged. Thousands have found Neal’s 1991 book, Serving As Senders, a useful tool to equip mission supporters and senders. We’re pleased to announce that an expanded and updated edition has just been released.

Like its predecessor, this book explores the need for senders, then shares stories, principles, and practical stories about how to provide moral support, logistical support, financial support, prayer support, communication support, and reentry support. This edition also includes new stories about how churches and individuals are using what they learned through this book or “Senders” seminars. It also includes resource lists and provides guidelines for group discussion and study.

Most of the changes to this edition are minor. I found them sufficient to keep it a relevant tool. Though the cover is similar, the interior has a more contemporary and pleasing design. Dated language has been removed and resource lists have been refreshed. The book’s biggest limitation may be its continued focus on the sending of long-term vocational missionaries to foreign contexts, in a day when what missionaries and missions look like has so diversified. Still a great book to put in the hands of supporters, mission committee members, and others called to the crucial ministry of sending. Thanks to ERI as they keep calling us to caring!

>> Purchase Serving As Senders Today from Emmaus Road for US$7.95 plus shipping and handling; bulk discounts also available. See also The Reentry Team: Caring for Your Returning Missionaries.

WEBSITE: Directory of Global Evangelical Networks

Source: Linking Global Voices

Linking Global Voices highlights the strategic role that networks play in the global paradigm of missions. This site contains the most exhaustive listing of global evangelical networks on the Web today.

The goal is to facilitate effective missions in the global paradigm by supporting networks and bringing awareness of their unique role. In a world where partnerships are essential for effective ministry, networks are helping the individual ministry connect both locally and globally. The site provides contact information on networks and leaders around the world plus a calendar of events of global significance.

>> Visit Linking Global Voices.

EVENTS: March Missions Events

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

On the Web

Missio Nexus – the network formed by the recent merger of CrossGlobal Link and The Mission Exchange – has planned five webinar-based learning initiatives for the month of March:

March 1 – Serving with Cultural Intelligence in Cross-cultural Ministry (with David Livermore).

March 8 – Security #1: The Emerging Terrorism Threat to Missions (with Bob Klamser).

March 15 – Security #2: Evaluating and Assessing Threats and Risk-tolerance on the Mission Field (with Bob Klamser).

March 22 – Ten Commandments to Counteract Dependency: A Peruvian Case Study (with Jarvis Ferguson).

March 29 – Scrooge in the Pews: 10 Keys for Motivating Christians to Give (with Keith Marion).

>> See the complete list.

Other Events

March 1-3 – CONFERENCE: Impact (Orlando, FL, USA). Learn about what God is doing in the Indo-Malay world and how you and your church can partner with field workers, agencies, and national leaders to impact the unreached and unengaged. Invitation required.

March 2-6 – CONFERENCE: Central Asia Consultation (Turkey). Working together to reach the unreached. Details restricted due to security concerns; invitation required.

March 9-10 – CLASS: Personal Support Raising Boot Camp (Fayetteville, AR, USA). Similar events held regularly around the country.

March 16-17 – CONFERENCE: Care ConneXion (Beaverton, OR, USA). Equipping and networking leaders to provide relevant and effective care for missionaries.

March 16-18 - CONFERENCE: Vision Home (Philadelphia, PA, USA). “What must it be like to return to China as a Christian when you had no concept of Christianity when you left for the States? Wouldn’t it be great to be with some people who can help you prepare for your return?”

March 16-18 - RETREAT: The Journey Deepens (Dallas, TX, USA). Sense God is calling you into missions, but need help in discerning your direction? The Journey Deepens Retreat is a great next step.

>> View the whole calendar.

Marti manages and publishes Missions Catalyst and is the author of Through Her Eyes, a book about the lives of missionary women in the Muslim world.

Missions Catalyst 02.15.12 – World News Briefs

Wed, 02/15/2012 - 00:05

In This Issue: 200 years after Adoniram Judson

NORTH AMERICA: Debut of New Evangelical Missions Network
BURMA: Christian Kachins Killed, Tortured Despite Ceasefire
SAUDI ARABIA: Christian Men and Women Arrested for Meeting Together
EUROPE: The Status of Church Planting
CENTRAL ASIA: Baptized in the Shower

“You have chosen the noblest and most honorable work on earth. But it is also arduous and perilous … I hope you will never forget that, without Christ, you can do nothing. Without his help you can no more advance his kingdom among idolaters, than you can scatter the darkness of midnight by a word …. But if you go forth in the strength of Christ, you will be burning and shining lights in regions of death.” – Professor Leonard Woods of Andover Seminary, 1812, to America’s first ordained missionaries

NORTH AMERICA: Debut of New Evangelical Missions Network

Source: The Christian Post, February 13, 2012

The merger of two dominant mission associations in North America culminated Monday with the public unveiling of Missio Nexus, which is now the largest evangelical mission network in North America.

Missio Nexus, formed through the marriage of CrossGlobal Link and The Mission Exchange, will represent 35,000 evangelical missionaries deployed in every country by more than 200 agencies and churches.

Top evangelical leaders across North America convened for a special service held Monday in Boston that celebrated both the debut of Missio Nexus and the 200th anniversary of North America’s first ordained missionaries.

>> Full story. Learn what Missio Nexus is trying to do and be in their new magazine (2.2 Mb PDF).

>> Missio Nexus stands on the shoulders of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions that sent some of the first American missionaries 200 years ago. I found it interesting that they considered themselves “commissioners.” Brigada has collected some data about commissioning services, which made me wonder what was said at that first American commissioning service (Congregational Church History). See the pastor’s words quoted above.

BURMA: Christian Kachins Killed, Tortured Despite Ceasefire

Source: Worthy News, February 13, 2012

Burmese troops kill or torture civilians and destroy churches and even entire villages of the predominantly Christian Kachin minority despite pledges from Burma’s nominally civilian government that it seeks ceasefire agreements with ethnic groups, investigators said Sunday, February 12.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide cautioned that while “a window of opportunity for change … after decades of oppression and conflict, may have now opened,” the situation in Kachin and northern Shan states illustrate that “there is still a very long way to go.”

>> Full story.

>> See also this report from the field (Free Burma Rangers).

>> February 19 is the 200th anniversary of the sending of American missionary Adoniram Judson, who served in Burma for 37 years. As you pray for Burma, consider the challenge in an admirer’s tribute, Please Go and Dig (Baptist Press).

SAUDI ARABIA: Christian Men and Women Arrested for Meeting Together

Source: Baptist Press, February 9, 2012

Saudi police raided a private home in Jeddah December 15 and arrested the 29 women and six men gathered to pray, International Christian Concern reported.

Saudi authorities have charged the Ethiopians with “mixing with the opposite sex,” Christian leaders told International Christian Concern. Saudi Arabian law prohibits males and females who are not members of the same family from being in the same room, ICC reported.

“The Saudi officials are accusing the Christians of committing the crime of mixing of sexes because if they charge them with meeting for practicing Christianity, they will come under pressure from the international human rights organizations as well as Western countries,” a Saudi Christian leader told ICC.

Saudi officials strip-searched the women, including searches of their body cavities, and physically abused the men, some of the Ethiopians told ICC in a phone conversation from prison.

>> Full story.

>> Also read Cleric Says Nothing Wrong with Genders Mixing, Listening to Music (Al Arabiya News).

EUROPE: Status of Church Planting

Source: Joel News International 806, February 14, 2012

Eurochurch, a collaborative network for church planting and innovation, undertook extensive research to identify the major missional organizations and networks in Europe. A few weeks ago they published a status report and directory of contacts.

“The report represents the tip of an iceberg,” says Darrell Jackson of the Nova Research Centre. “Contemporary church planting activity in Europe is more diverse than at any other point in its history. There’s a huge variety of emerging church, fresh expressions of church, cafe church, motorbike church, church on the way, simple church, mission-shaped church, cell church, virtual church, pub church, mega-church, and many others.” The report gives a description of every nation in Europe, the status of church planting in that nation, and the contacts of key people involved.

Jim Memory, associate director of the Nova Research Centre, states it’s important to measure the effectiveness of church planting, especially in a challenging context like Europe. He found that many church planters (over half of the respondents) don’t take time to evaluate the effectiveness of their mission. If they do, “peer review,” where church planters look to their colleagues to validate their work and give meaningful feedback, is common. The research also showed that church planters in Europe are highly concerned with the life quality of the church, but only very few measure the impact their church has on the community.

Eurochurch hopes the outcome will help church planters to cooperate more effectively.

>> Download the full report here.

>> Learn about or subscribe to Joel News.

CENTRAL ASIA: Baptized in the Shower

Source: Operation Mobilization Headlines, February 2, 2012

Like thousands of other Uzbeks, “Ona” moved to Novosibirsk, Russia, in search of better-paid work. Ona not only found work, though; she also found Jesus through the friendship of two OM Russia church planters working to establish an Uzbek fellowship in the city.

After believing in Jesus, she attended house church meetings and grew in faith. Last year Ona returned to her native country. Not too long ago, she wanted to be baptized but found it difficult because of the persecution. So she decided to take things into her own hands. She got up early one morning, put on a white shirt, went into the shower, and baptized herself.

Later that morning she called her friends at OM Russia to share about what she had done. They explained that usually pastors baptize people. Later that day she attended a secret Christian fellowship in a neighboring town and talked with the pastor. He agreed to baptize her that afternoon – this time in the bath.

Since Ona has been home, two relatives have also come to faith. Her mother, however, is strongly against it. Ona plans to ask a few of the senior women in the church to visit her mother. Please pray that her mother will have ears to hear.

>> Full story. See also another OM story from Central Asia, I Want to Learn about Jesus.

Missions Catalyst 02.08.12 – Practical Mobilization

Wed, 02/08/2012 - 00:05

In This Issue: Debriefing – 7 deadly debacles

Seven Deadly Debriefing Debacles
Mission Events

Seven Deadly Debriefing Debacles

By Shane Bennett

It’s the time of year when a young man’s fancy turns to thoughts of, “Where am I going to go this summer and who can I take with me?!?” At least that’s where my thoughts go. And sure, it might have been better had my thoughts turned this way a couple of months ago, but hey, here we are now.

So you’re planning on leading a team somewhere this summer, right? (Do I need to remind you that ALL Mission Catalyst readers are contractually obligated to lead summer teams? Better have another look at the subscription Terms and Conditions. See item 1, paragraph two.) Can I encourage you from the very beginning to carefully consider the ending? Debriefing cross-cultural experiences can increase the impact on participants by 40%. (OK, I made up that stat, but it really is important.)

Sometimes in the adventure and excitement of pulling a trip together, the sum-up section gets overlooked. Pitfalls may plague even the well-planned debrief times. Forewarned is forearmed, so I’ve gathered seven of the more common debrief foul-ups.

Let’s be really clear here: I have only heard about these mistakes. I have not personally experienced them, no. And I definitely have not made these mistakes myself. At least not all of them, not all in the past week.

The Seven Deadly Debacles

1. I forgot about debriefing!

I’ve done this and I can hardly believe it. I should know better. You should too. That’s why I’m telling you. Plan early to “tithe” your short-term experience time to debrief. A day trip to an immigrant area in a nearby city gets a 90-minute debrief. A ten-day excursion to Athens requires a whole day.

2. We’ll pick a day to debrief once we’re back and settled.

Yeah? Well, you might as well wait until the “roll is called up yonder,” because you won’t be getting together down here. Once a team lands back on home soil, an amazing elemental force kicks in to prevent that collection of people from ever occupying the same room at the same time again. I can’t explain it. I can only observe it. Lock in your debrief day(s) early.

3. I think I’ll just wing this debriefing.

This is a good way to celebrate the debriefing of your 100th team. Short of that, please have a plan. Check out some helpful articles for ideas on making a good plan, questions to ask, and basic components of a good debrief.

4. I’ve scheduled every minute so I feel nicely in control.

Ahhh, it’s a good feeling for some of us. Our five-hour debrief session is broken up into 35 specific blocks, including two 90-second bathroom breaks, and we even have a back-up timer in case the main one malfunctions!

While a plan-free debrief can lead to rambling, an over-regimented schedule says at least two things:

A. “Since we probably don’t have time to hear your whole story, please respond with short, shallow answers.”

B. “Thanks, Holy Spirit, but I’ve got this one covered.”

Be ready to flex for a tear, a cheer, and when the Holy Spirit decides to interfere.

5. I hope the right people show up.

Muff the guest list and it’s hard to recover. Nothing says, “This debrief doesn’t really matter,” like key participants not showing up. If your pastor was on the team, make sure he can be at debriefing. Again, this goes back to planning ahead. Set the tone early: Debriefing is as much a part of the experience as the plane ride and preaching.

6. Talk on, nonstop jabber mouth.

“Nonstop jabber mouth” can happen to you, as a leader, if you fail to plan. You will cover your lack of preparation by launching into extemporaneous debrief talk which quickly devolves into stream-of-consciousness chatter. And because you don’t know where you’re going, it’s pretty hard to tell when you arrive – and maybe drive right on by two or three good stopping points. A good rule of thumb is to have a solid but flexible plan (see #3 and #4) with the intention that most of the talking, say 80%, will be done by the participants, not you.

The other side of the jabber-mouth equation is that it may be a participant who answers each and every question with a poignant, though ponderous, story whose length puts all but the most stalwart team member to sleep. Your job here is gatekeeping, and I hate it. But you have to do it. If you don’t close the gate, all the cows will wander down to the pond for a drink and a snooze.

Learn to use the dreaded line, “Let’s let someone else share.” Or maybe give a time limit and go around the circle. “You have exactly two minutes to respond to this and I want to hear from everybody. Billy will keep time.” That’s harsh, but it’s less embarrassing than having everyone but Johnny Jabbermouth looking at you, screaming out with their eyes, “Please, for the love of all things holy, make it stop!!”

Here’s a bonus from Interpersonal Skills 101: I’ve found that most people who tend to talk incessantly have had experience with people asking them to stop. (Surprising, no?) If you gate-keep them, they’ll be OK with it because it’s not the first time it’s happened. There are some who get offended, cry, and tell on you; it doesn’t matter how nice and in the Spirit you are. These things happen. Don’t let talkative types spoil things for everyone else.

7. Feel free to keep quiet, Silent Sue.

It’s a manifestly bad idea to hold a debrief where participation only means showing up. Getting people to talk, however, is a tricky art. Some of your team members may be those 35-year-old men who simply don’t have “feelings about life in the village.” Others, maybe also 35-year-old men, do have feelings about life in the village, and it is such a weird sensation that they think if they start talking about what they saw in India they’ll cry like a baby and get themselves tossed out of their hunting club.

Then there are other participants, maybe younger ones, who are pouting about a “mistake” you made at the start of the trip. They reward your “incompetence” with the silent treatment (or its first cousin, the “incessantly text through the whole meeting” treatment). Either way, you lose their participation and may have to face collateral damage as others wonder, “What’s up with her?”

Good questions and varying mechanisms of response may help. I like to have people write stuff down, then share what they wrote. Have some evaluations that are turned in and some responses that can be kept completely private. And for those who stare at their phones through the whole meeting? Well, if kind, loving requests don’t work, you can always resort to jamming.

>> Got a great debrief debacle story of your own? Or better yet, someone else’s? Please share it.

Mission Events

We just added a few more to our online calendar – but they’re happening on the same weekend so you can’t go to both!

March 16 to 18 – Vision Home conference (Philadelphia, PA, USA). “What must it be like to return to China as a Christian when you had no concept of Christianity when you left for the States? Wouldn’t it be great to be with some people who can help you prepare for your return?” Pass the word on to any Chinese students you know or share it with friends who work with internationals.

March 16 to 18 – The Journey Deepens Retreat (Dallas, TX, USA). Sense God is calling you into missions, but need help in discerning your direction? The Journey Deepens Retreat is a great next step. Good for young adults, but all are welcome. Similar events are scheduled for Portland, OR (April 20 to 22) and Philadelphia, PA (May 18 to 20).

>> View complete calendar.

Shane now works as a public speaker for Frontiers and helps his church, Commonway, follow God to the nations. He and his wife, Ann, have five school-aged children. They live and work in Indiana.

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Airport photo from Creative Commons (Source).

Missions Catalyst 02.01.12 – World News Briefs

Wed, 02/01/2012 - 00:05

In This Issue: Breakthroughs and challenges for the Church in Africa

EGYPT: Loving Your Enemies
NIGERIA: Bloodiest Attacks Yet
SUDAN: Church Leaders Threatened
CAMEROON: Wycliffe Celebrates 25 Years of Progress
ACROSS AFRICA: Deepening Discipleship

EGYPT: Loving Your Enemies

Source: Arab World Media Impact, January 2012

“Munira” is a philosophy student from Egypt. Six months ago, her research led her to the Maarifa website. It was here that she came across one of Hayat’s articles on loving your enemies. After reading it, she had many questions, so she got in contact.

Hoda was able to lead Munira through an online Bible course. Some time later, it was felt that she was ready to meet someone face to face. A church pastor met with Munira and was impressed by her depth of knowledge.

Munira then took another Bible course along with some other believers from a Muslim background. She wanted to know how to become a Christian.

During the demonstrations in Egypt, Munira (remember, she is still new in her faith!) joined a group of Coptic Christians demonstrating for equal rights to Muslims, carrying with her a large wooden cross. She called our media office, urging our staff to come and join the protest!

Please pray for Munira in her newfound faith and as her baptism approaches. May God continue to deepen her knowledge and love for him and use her to build his church among the Muslims of Egypt.

>> Full story. See also Loving Our Neighbor, a series of AWM articles about sharing our faith with Muslims.

NIGERIA: Bloodiest Attacks Yet

Source: Christian Aid Mission, January 25, 2012

“On January 20, multiple bombs rocked Kano as Boko Haram sprayed gunfire on eight government sites including the headquarters of both local and zonal police, the State Security Service, which is the much-feared secret police, and immigration and passport offices. So far more than 200 people have died, many more are injured,” [writes a CAM-supported native minister].

“Pray with us that this violence and hatred does not reach the areas where our missionaries live. We are concerned about our work among Muslims.”

With a population of 10 million, Kano is not only Nigeria’s second largest city, it is an important ancient Muslim stronghold, known as the gateway of Islam into sub-Saharan Africa. These newest attacks on predominately Islamic government agencies just as Muslims were exiting mosques after Friday prayers are especially shocking. Nigerians are reeling and increasingly fearful.

>> Full story. See also: Father Murdered by Boko Haram Terrorists, Christian Boy Escapes Enslavement, Needs Our Help.

>> Another perspective on the conflict: In Nigeria, Boko Haram Is Not the Problem (New York Times).

SUDAN: Church Leaders Threatened

Source: Compass Direct News, January 18, 2012

Sudan’s Ministry of Guidance and Religious Endowments has threatened to arrest church leaders if they carry out evangelistic activities and do not comply with an order for churches to provide their names and contact information, Christian sources said.

The warning arrived a few days after Sudan President Omar al-Bashir told cheering crowds on January 3 that, following the secession of largely non-Islamic South Sudan last July, the country’s constitution will be more deeply entrenched in sharia (Islamic law).

Sources said the order was aimed at oppressing Christians amid growing hostilities toward Christianity. One church leader said the order was another in a series of measures by the government to control churches.

“They do not want pastors from South Sudan to carry on any church activities or mission work in Sudan,” he said.

Christians are facing growing threats from both Muslim communities and Islamist government officials who have long wanted to rid Sudan of Christianity, Christian leaders told Compass. They said Christianity is now regarded as a foreign religion following the departure of 350,000 people, most of them Christians, to South Sudan following the July 9, 2011 secession.

>> Full story.

CAMEROON: Wycliffe Celebrates 25 Years of Progress

Source: Mission Network News, January 27, 2012

[January 27] marks a celebration of 25 years since Bible translation projects began in Cameroon, West Africa.

President of Wycliffe Bible Translators, Bob Creson, has been in Cameroon for the last few days, revisiting spots where he himself was involved in translation, although the translation climate now looks significantly different than it did 15 years ago.

When Bible translation began in Cameroon in 1987, the model for translation was still to send a single expatriate team to begin a project. But that has changed.

“Cameroonians are now taking the leadership of these projects,” explains Creson. “Local communities are very much involved in helping to shape the nature of the translation process – what they want to see, what they want to have built for them in terms of tools for discipleship, evangelism, and church planting.”

Nationals are taking over, and Wycliffe likes it. The local Cameroonian involvement has been vital to the speed and success of the numerous translation projects there. Above all, that means the gospel is reaching people quicker.

>> Full story. See also Cameroon Natives Involved in Bible Translation (CBN News).

ACROSS AFRICA: Deepening Discipleship

Source: Missions Catalyst, January 2012

Maybe you have noticed that every item in this edition of News Briefs has to do with Africa. Here are a few more Africa stories that caught our eye:

In an editorial called The Desperate Cry of Africa’s Women, Charisma’s Lee Grady says, “My dream is that the church – not only in Africa but throughout the world – will stop playing in the shallow waters of feel-good, me-centered Christianity and decide to apply the gospel of Christ to the injustices of the world.” His article includes a list of reasons Ugandan women struggle with fear.

Low levels of literacy in many African contexts, especially among women, call for more oral and visual forms of communication and discipleship. A team with Avant Ministries has created a great devotional book illustrated with beautiful photographs of Malian Christians acting out the stories of the Bible. Want to see what it would look like if Moses was from Mali? Would this approach work in other contexts?

Two articles from SIM explore challenges related to planting churches among “unplanted” peoples, such as African nomads. See Shepherds Still Seek the King and Discipleship on the Move (which mentions the strategic role of cell phones!).

Primary links

Missions Catalyst 05.16.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 05.09.12 – Practical Mobilization

Missions Catalyst 05.02.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 04.24.12 – Resource Reviews

Missions Catalyst 04.18.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 04.11.12 – Practical Mobilization

Missions Catalyst 04.04.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 04.28.12 – Resource Reviews

Missions Catalyst 03.21.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 03.14.12 – Practical Mobilization

Missions Catalyst 03.08.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 02.29.12 – News Feature

Missions Catalyst 02.22.12 – Resource Reviews

Missions Catalyst 02.15.12 – World News Briefs

Missions Catalyst 02.08.12 – Practical Mobilization

Missions Catalyst 02.01.12 – World News Briefs

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