Pakistan: Mosque Broadcasts Scripture over Loudspeakers

Source: Mission Network News, October 4, 2023

A Muslim mosque, especially in volatile Pakistan, is the last place you’d expect to broadcast the Bible. Yet, nothing is impossible with God.

In an Afghan refugee village in northern Pakistan, the tribal chief’s son was known as a bit of a troublemaker. But eventually, this boy’s rebellious attitude softened. He began to show more respect and kindness and even stayed out of trouble.

When his father asked what changed, the boy told him about a Keys for Kids Storyteller he received and had been listening to. The Storyteller is a solar-powered mp3 player containing an audio Bible and Keys for Kids devotionals. The boy told his chieftain father that he believed in Jesus.

Greg Yoder, Executive Director of Keys for Kids Ministries shares, “The Muslim village chief said, ‘If this can change my son’s heart, we need to have more in this village.’ So I believe it was about 200 of them that were delivered into this Muslim village.”

Yoder says, “The village chief was just so amazed at what was happening within his village, he decided that… accompanying the Muslim call to prayer, they were going to play Keys for Kids in audio over these loudspeakers from the mosque itself.”

Read the full story.

See also Christian Persecuted in Pakistan Has Life Changed by Bible (Global Christian Relief).

Book: Life-Changing Cross-Cultural Friendships

Life-Changing Cross-Cultural Friendships, by Gary Chapman and Clarence Shuler. Zondervan, 2022. 160 pages.

After knowing each other for decades, bestselling author Gary Chapman and counselor and diversity trainer Dr. Clarence Shuler have come to believe that we can heal the racial divides in our country, one relationship at a time. Are you in?

I haven’t read this book yet, but our friend Shane Bennett has. Read his review for the Dennison Forum.

Book: Mobilizing Gen Z, Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions

Source: William Carey Publishing

Mobilizing Gen Z: Challenges and Opportunities for the Global Age of Missions, by Jolene Erlacher and Katy White. William Carey Publishing, 2022. 194 pages.

Have you seen shifts in the mindset, experiences, and readiness for mission of today’s young adults, particularly those in the US? This book will help you understand the characteristics of Gen Z (born 1996-2010), how these affect their approach to missions specifically, and how we can best connect with, serve, and care for them along the way. I found the book readable, motivating, and research-informed and was impressed by how practical it is without being prescriptive.

For example, the authors provide thoughtful suggestions for including more biblical principles in our mission presentations, ways parents and other adults can disciple young adults through the challenges in today’s culture, and strategies for mobilizers and team leaders to cultivate coaching relationships with young believers. The book also addresses the changing face of missions, globally, and the challenges and opportunities this presents for Gen Z (and the rest of us, too).

Learn more or purchase from William Carey Publishing for US$9.99 (epub) or $14.99 (paperback).

Just want the highlights? Listen to an interview with one of the authors (Missionary Mobilization Podcast).

Challenge: Will You Take the Hospitality Pledge?

Source: Welcome Churches

From childhood we are primed to fear strangers, our divided communities reinforce the cultural barriers, and the global pandemic has forced us to keep our distance. We have spent much of the last two years closing our doors to others. The Hospitality Pledge is an attempt to revive, encourage, and inspire a national surge in welcoming. It is a commitment to making 2022 a year of Christian hospitality.

Why now? Many people in our communities need to be shown hospitality, including those experiencing loneliness or homelessness or seeking asylum. Millions of people are fleeing conflict, persecution, famine, and climate disaster and need a safe place to call home.

The Hospitality Pledge is an invitation to take three simple yet revolutionary actions each week.

  • Talk with someone new each week and engage in meaningful conversation
  • Share something I can once a week with someone who needs it
  • Eat with someone each week I wouldn’t normally spend time with

Learn more, sign the pledge, and subscribe to a series of encouraging emails. Welcome Churches is a UK charity with a vision to see every refugee in the UK welcomed by their local church. Love it! Find resources on the Welcome Churches website. Some but not all are UK-specific.

Help us help our friends at Brigada

Web

Dear readers,

Do you know about Brigada Today?

Founded in 1995 in the same initiative that birthed Missions Catalyst, this free, weekly web-and-email journal offers resources, mission trends, motivation, strategy tips, and tools for Great Commission Christians. I use it to keep up with new resources and upcoming events. Maybe you do, too.

This month, editors Doug and Tina are asking us to pray for Brigada. Among other things, they ask us to pray that during these last months of 2015, the Brigada community would grow from 6,000 participants to 7,000.

So I prayed. I also started to wonder if we could help them reach that goal. That’s why I’m writing. If you haven’t seen it—or haven’t seen it lately—I’d encourage you to check out Brigada.

  • Browse through recent editions. Troll the archives.
  • If you like what you see, subscribe.
  • Tell your friends. Share it with others!

Thanks for reading and considering this request. Next week we’ll be back with the September edition of Missions Catalyst Resource Reviews.

Blessings,

Marti Wade
For the Missions Catalyst team

Behind the scenes at Missions Catalyst

Dear Readers,

Do you find Missions Catalyst inspiring, informative, or useful for your ministry? We sure hope so! If you do, maybe you can give us a hand.

Our publication is created and distributed by a small team of volunteers using affordable tools. This keeps production costs very low. We’ve been able to stay afloat since the mid-1990s, despite the economic and organizational storms.

We do, however, need to cover our direct expenses (primarily web hosting, mailing service, and promotion). Those costs add up to about US$1000 a year.

Rather than selling ads, recruiting sponsors, or charging fees, we’re trusting God to supply the funds through (tax-deductible) donations from readers.

If you find yourself able to give, please consider a donation to the Missions Catalyst account with Pioneers. We have a few bills due at the end of this month, so a gift right now would be particularly helpful. Questions? We’d be glad to hear from you.

Much thanks!

blessings,
(signature)
Marti Wade | publisher and managing editor

Opportunities to Volunteer

Interested in providing practical help to Missions Catalyst? We could use another team member. Here are some of the tasks involved. If you’d like to discuss volunteering your time and skills in one or more of these areas, let’s talk!

Missions Catalyst Tasks

1. News sleuthing – Read dozens of mission-related news sources looking for stories to highlight in our news digest.

2. Writing articles – Produce monthly, quarterly, or occasional articles on topics related to mission mobilization.

3. Reviewing resources – Look for and learn about materials likely to be useful and interesting to our readers; assess and describe them in a brief but balanced way.

4. Maintaining calendar – Seek out and sift through information about upcoming mission-related events likely to appeal to our readers; post them to online calendar.

5. Copyediting – Polish and organize content provided by writers; prepare all materials for publication.

6. Proofreading – Check links, formatting, style, and grammar.

7. Redistribution – Increase footprint by posting links to our content and other items on social media sites and elsewhere; initiate conversation and interact with those who respond.

8. Tech and design help – Update website look and increase its usability; possibly explore other tools and platforms.

Note: Content submissions are always welcome!