• NORTH AFRICA: Radio Helps Nomads Follow Jesus Wherever They Pitch Their Tents
• BANGLADESH: Garment Industry Reveals Dark Underbelly
• HUNGARY: Maybe God Is Busy
• ARABIAN PENINSULA: An Open Door for International Churches
• TANZANIA: Christians Killed in Violence over Meat Slaughter

Interested in more news stories? Follow us on Twitter.

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!

NORTH AFRICA: Radio Helps Nomads Follow Jesus Wherever They Pitch Their Tents

Source: SIM USA, May 1, 2013

Seven years ago there were only 10 or 20 believers at a time among a North African Muslim nomadic group of some 2 million people, even though they’d had a gospel witness for over 60 years.

Challenges to evangelism among the nomadic people were numerous: they have an oral culture and are largely illiterate, so written scriptures proved useless, and traditional evangelistic outreach methods fell flat. Plus, nomadic people are constantly on the move, making it difficult to plant a traditional community church.

[Then] radio broadcasts began. They incorporated bits of North African cultural, health, ethics, and relationship issues into the first 15 minutes of the program, and follow with 15 minutes of Bible teaching shared through storytelling by characters on the program.

The gospel is revealed program after program. Now, it is estimated that there are 140 or so of these nomadic people who follow Jesus wherever they pitch their tents.

» Full story. For another recent story from SIM (this time South Sudan), see Dedication of the Shilluk Bible.

» Learn more about African peoples at Pray Africa (Africa Inland Mission) and Africa Stories (International Mission Board), and check out the general news portal, AllAfrica.com.

BANGLADESH: Garment Industry Reveals Dark Underbelly

Source: Mission Network News, May 13, 2013

The one bright spot so far in the collapse of the eight-story Rana Plaza building, located in the Bangladesh garment district, is a woman who survived the conditions, trapped in rubble for 17 days.

The death toll surpassed 1,000, making it one of the worst industrial tragedies ever. The national co-director of Asian Access Bangladesh, Rev. Peter Mazumder, says, “It was like a bombed area…. The garment owner bought the permission from the government to construct up to five floors, but he constructed nine floors.”

Competitive pressure and corner-cutting make for a combustible situation, only needing a spark to set it ablaze. The garment sector is largely unregulated, which fueled the fury of the workforce in the wake of the earlier collapse and a fire last week.

Forced to choose between eking out enough to stay alive and working in a dangerous environment workers, many of them gambled on keeping their jobs. Most of these workers make little more than the national minimum wage of about US$38 per month.

» Full story.

» Two more pieces on Bangladesh. Read Islamists Push for Blasphemy Law (Asian Access) and watch a six-minute video, Holding Out a Hand and related stories to appreciate why Bangladeshis would take a job in a garment factory (International Mission Board).

HUNGARY: Maybe God Is Busy

Source: Pioneers, April 2013

A smaller group than usual gathered tonight: Babi and her husband and son, Gyüszi (Babi’s brother), and his wife Melinda. Tonight was Gyüszi’s first time to lead our study.

[We] use a Bible study method that is designed to train new believers to study the Scripture, understand what God is saying, and obey what they understand. I like this form of study because it allows God’s Word to teach. The facilitator must simply direct the group’s attention.

That night in our conversation together, it became clear that Babi still carried the weight of guilt about a specific sin in her past-even though she had already repented. “Maybe God is busy with more important matters than me,” Babi said at one point. “Maybe he’s off somewhere else.”

I was surprised when Gyüszi began to interject and correct his elder sister about her wrong understanding of God’s character.

He reminded her what they had learned a few weeks ago in our Bible study: “God knows your thoughts before you even speak them!” The irony is that Gyüszi didn’t believe in God then. Babi was the one with faith. Now he is encouraging her and helping her to gain a greater understanding of God’s Word. He did an excellent job facilitating the group.

» Full story. Pioneers has also produced several videos that illustrate the “Discovery Bible Study” process and related principles.

ARABIAN PENINSULA: An Open Door for International Churches

Source: RAK Evangelical Church, May 3, 2013

In 2012 the ruler of the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, the northern most Emirate of the United Arab Emirates, granted land for the establishment of an evangelical church in his emirate. This will only be the eighth evangelical church center on the entire Arabian Peninsula. A church center in this part of the world provides for legitimacy in the eyes of the government and stability for the multi-national congregation that it will house. A legally sanctioned church center plays a vital role in the establishment of a church in this region.

» Watch the eight-minute video Arabian Peninsula Church Center (RAKChurch’s Vimeo channel) and read Church Planting in the Desert: Relatively Safe and Immediately Strategic (The Gospel Coalition).

» Pray for this northernmost emirate, Ras Al Khaimah, using this great 2.5-minute PrayerShort (Praying through the Arabian Peninsula).

TANZANIA: Christians Killed in Violence over Meat Slaughter

Source: Barnabas Aid, May 2013

Christians in Tanzania are increasingly under threat from Islamists as a row over the slaughter of animals for meat has descended into violence. Two Christians were killed when their community in Tunduma came under attack on April 3. A pastor was among those arrested at the time, and when other Christian leaders went to see him they were beaten, in many cases so severely that they needed hospital treatment.

Muslims are denying Christians the right to sell their meat because it is not halal, although Tanzania has no law against Christians doing so. The authorities are siding with the Muslim aggressors; more than 60 Christians were arrested in Tunduma and dozens elsewhere.

In the absence of an offense with which to charge them, some of the Christians are being held illegally or charged with other offenses, such as breaking the peace or causing unrest, which can carry a five-year jail term. Three Christians were also arrested in February after violence broke out at a butcher’s shop in Buseresere. Pastor Mathayo Kachila was beheaded during the attack; no arrests have been made for his murder.

Threats and attacks against Christians are on the rise in Tanzania. Church leaders and evangelists are particularly at risk, and the threat to some of them from Islamists is so great that they have had to leave their homes.

» Full story. See also Escalating Violence Against Christians in Tanzania “Deeply Worrying” (Christian Today) and an editorial from Tanzania Daily News for background on the meat slaughter issue.

» Also read Nigeria: Upsurge of Violence in Northern and Central States (Christian Solidarity Worldwide). Christians are among the targets there, but it’s a complex situation, and others also suffer.

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.

• Seminary/Monastery/Mission Mash-up: How to Get the Next 13,000 Ready for the World
• Finding Internships

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!

Image: Oliver Tam, stock.xchng

Seminary/Monastery/Mission Mash-up: How to Get the Next 13,000 Ready for the World

By Shane Bennett

Around 13,000 young adults committed themselves to short and long-term missionary service at the close of the Urbana conference on New Year’s Eve 2012. You know what that means, don’t you? A ton of guilt-ridden young adults in the years to come. Because if history is any indicator, most of those goers will not actually go.

If you’re one of the pledged, but still at home (or you know someone who is), let me say this: There’s still time. It used to be you got too old to serve in other cultures, but no more. God seems pleased to use goers of all ages.

A Brilliant Trend

If you, like me, wonder how we can bump up the “keep the commitment” rate, I have an idea. Well, as usual, I didn’t “have” this idea. Other, smarter people did. I just want to notice it with you and see if we can’t encourage what seems to be a brilliant trend.

Years ago I read a suggestion from a well-known Christian leader (okay, okay, it was Brian McLaren!) He said:

“The seminary of the future should be one part seminary (focused on Scripture, theology, church history, leadership, etc.), one part monastery (focusing on spiritual formation, including emotional maturity and character development), and one part mission agency (deploying the student into experiences and internships among the poor, the sick, the mentally ill, the imprisoned, refugees, migrant workers, the elderly, children, and so on).”

I love that! And I love the way churches and organizations are building internships today that combine seminary, monastery, and mission agency in a way that will help committed believers honor their commitment to dive into different cultures for the sake of God’s kingdom.

Community-based internships provide an ancient but timely approach to preparing people for kingdom work. Among the many benefits, five stand out to me:

1. Modeling: Participants learn from experts who are also practitioners.

2. A short “learn-act” cycle: Content is presented and then promptly put into action.

3. Team building, team learning: This works against American “Lone Ranger” individuality.

4. Bi-vocational experience: Many internships involve full-time or part-time work in addition to internship commitments.

5. Very Jesus-y: Small cadres, bands of disciples, work out intense, focused teaching.

Interview on Internships

For the past ten years my friend Vince has headed up an internship program like that. Since a tough turn of events caused his church to kill the program, Vince actually had some time to chat with me about his internship and the idea in general.

Q: Your denomination has a strong record in higher education. Why a different form of education and training?

Actually it’s related to the fact that we so emphasize higher education. We wanted alternatives to requiring cross-cultural workers to be fitted with master’s degrees that often saddle them with $60-80,000 dollars in school debt! We had many students at our church attending local private Christian schools and facing the same situation. We wondered if we could honestly prepare people for Kingdom work without the excessive debt.

We also wanted to help pastors and cross-cultural workers see what it actually looks like to be engaged in ministry these days. Many pastors need to be bi-vocational and some see this as a best practice option. Cross-cultural workers too. We wondered if we could we could couple good biblical instruction with vocational and business training.

All that led to an apprenticeship model in which interns spend 12-16 hours a week in class and about 30 hours a week volunteering and working at the church and the related business.

Q: Your internship was based in the context of a local church. What are the pros and cons of that setting?

Interns who learn in the context of the local church deal right away with real-world ministry problems and opportunities. They’re bumping into situations that seminarians might not see until after they graduate. The flip side is that it can create greater strain on leaders as they engage with interns’ personal issues and problems. We couldn’t just flunk people out of the internship! They were part of our church, not just our class.

I also loved seeing how our church members connected with interns. For some, lifelong bonds have been formed. Of course, this came at the price of ongoing financial commitment from the church.

Interestingly, I found that the ongoing presence of the interns sort of enabled a laziness in the members of the church. Rather than a growing volunteer culture, I sensed an underlying desire to “let the interns do it.” If I could go back, I’d try to set those expectations better from the start.

Q: You mentioned an ongoing financial commitment from the church. How did the finances for the internship work?

Our driving value was that interns should finish the two-year program with no debt. We were given a house in which they could live together rent-free. They all worked in the church-associated business or did things like janitorial or maintenance work for which the church was accustomed to paying. This worked well: Interns left free from debt and ready to serve.

The church budgeted annual funds for the internship. That money went for food, utilities, and books. About half of the budget went to my salary. (Note: And that covered about half of Vince’s frugal family budget.)

Q: So if you could start over, what would you do differently?

Give more thought to how interns could be incorporated into the life of the church. For instance, recruiting church members to serve as mentors.

I’d also give more thought to the intern selection process and criteria. We sometimes struggled as a result of having younger, less mature people trying to keep pace (and live!) with older, more mature participants.

Q: So you’re a free man now. (That’s putting it nicely!) If someone gave you a US$100K a year for five years to launch another internship, what would you do?

I’m praying about that right now. I think the money is probably not the limiting factor. I’d think long and hard about location. I wouldn’t want to underestimate the proximity we enjoyed to several universities nearby from which to draw interns. I’d also work hard to establish a business or partnerships with nearby businesses that could provide both training and employment for interns.

(Thanks, Vince. May God lead you some Kingdom-rocking work.)

Finding Internships

In addition to church-based efforts like Vince’s and this one at City Church in Seattle, some internships are run by independent non-profits or combined efforts of various agencies. Four outstanding examples are TOAG, The Guild, Beautiful Feet Bootcamp, and The Ember Cast. You’ll have to move to L.A. to participate and learn from the master mentors with The Guild, Oklahoma City for BFB, and D.C. for Ember, but TOAG programs happen all over the U.S.

Several mission agencies have programs from nine months to two years that are designed especially for training as well. Check out Africa Inland Mission’s Training in Ministry Outreach (two years, in Africa) and Pioneers’ NYC Equip (one year, in – you guessed it – New York City).

Know of other good examples of cross-cultural internships? Help us build an annotated list of such programs! Share your comments on our website.

Want to start something like this in your church or city? I’d be happy to help or send you along to people who can. Shoot me an email.

Shane Bennett writes and speaks for a great organization called Frontiers. Lately he’s wondering about how Muslim immigrants in Europe might fully experience God’s blessing.

He’s also working with some buds to leverage a $49 a month smart phone plan to raise a ton of money for cross-cultural workers. Email him for info on the plan or the vision.

• DAGESTAN AND CHECHNYA: Unreached, Unengaged Peoples
• SYRIA: Caught in the Crossfire
• CHINA: Ministry Befriends Migrants
• THAILAND: Thai Believer Ministers to Sea Gypsies

Interested in more news stories? Follow us on Twitter.

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!

Greetings!

It seems that every blog, news feed, and email I read this past week included a call to prayer for someone or some nation. Wow! Are we in a season of increased prayer? Here are just some of the prayer campaigns (in chronological order).

• April 28-May 5, North Korea Freedom Week
• May 1-May 31, Lausanne Invitation to Prayer
• May 2, Worldwide Awareness Day for North Korean Refugees
• May 2, USA National Day of Prayer
• May 2-6, Prayer for Malaysia’s General Election
• May 4, A Day to Pray for the Balkans
• May 19, Global Day of Prayer
• June 1-2, World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk

Why not cover all of these needs by praying for the whole church to take the whole gospel to the whole world? Listen to the new CEO of the Lausanne Movement, Michael Oh, challenge the church to NOT not pray. Then sign up for prayer emails for the month of May from Lausanne.

And while you’re praying would you pray for my team coordinating an upstate New York Perspectives class?

Thanks!

Pat

Quotable:

“What, then, is the nature of petitionary prayer? It is, in essence, rebellion – rebellion against the world in its falleness, the absolute and undying refusal to accept as normal what is pervasively abnormal. It is, in this its negative aspect, the refusal of every agenda, every scheme, every interpretation that is at odds with the norm as originally established by God.” David Wells

DAGESTAN AND CHECHNYA: Unreached, Unengaged Peoples

Source: Mission Frontiers, March 2013

Today a blossoming church in the former Soviet Union is overcoming the “-isms” of the past, awakening to God’s heart to send messengers of God’s grace who can communicate a Caucasus Jesus to Caucasus souls on Caucasus soil.

Today praying groups have “taken into their hearts” (persistently and long-term) 31 of the 34 unreached peoples of Dagestan and the 11 unreached peoples between Chechnya and Adygheya.

Thirteen of 45 language groups are legitimately engaged with various phases of intentional, cross-cultural efforts toward disciple-making movements. Fruit comes from “work produced by faith, labor prompted by love, and endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

Still, 32 unreached peoples in Dagestan, Chechnya, and Ingushetia remain painfully isolated from God’s blessings of messengers, the message, and [Christ-focused] communities. But we know that God responds to persistent, praying people!

» Full story.

» Listen to Compassion Radio’s interview with a worker from Central Asia. He reveals some very interesting history of the area. If you want to take Central Asia into your heart for prayer, follow Pray4CA (Twitter).

SYRIA: Caught in the Crossfire

Source: Christian Aid Mission, April 17, 2013

As the exodus of Christians from Syria continues unabated, more reports are surfacing of the alarming conditions facing those who choose to remain.

“When people leave their houses in Syria in the morning to go to work, they say goodbye to their families in case they don’t come back,” a ministry leader in Damascus told Christian Aid Mission.

The stories from inside Syria describe extremely harsh and dangerous living conditions for everyone. Few people are employed. The infrastructure is in tatters. People are beheaded. Girls are raped and killed. The prices for gas and food are ten times what they were two years ago.

Some 300 churches in and around Syria have been damaged or destroyed. Before the revolution, Syria was governed as a secular nation, and Christians enjoyed some measure of freedom to worship in their churches. The legal protection afforded them by the current government would most likely vanish if the rebels seize power.

In spite of the tenuous situation, God is moving and subtle changes are taking place. The Syrian government appears to trust Christians more and is permitting them [freedoms].

“One reason is because the Christians are not politically active. Their purpose is to build a heavenly kingdom,” explained a spokesperson for Christian Aid Mission. “They are showing the love of Christ in tangible ways that were not possible before the war. Christians now have unlimited opportunities for ministry in Damascus.”

» Full story.

» Take a look at the photo essay Syria in Ruins (The Atlantic) and read about ordeal that refugees face at The Zaatari Refugee Camp (The Arabist).

CHINA: Ministry Befriends Migrants

Source: Operation Mobilization, April 25, 2013

Go almost anywhere in Hong Kong on a typical Sunday and you’ll have to compete for space with tens of thousands of foreign domestic workers enjoying their day off. Over 150,000 Filipinos and 150,000 Indonesian maids work in the city. So do at least 18,000 Pakistanis, over a third of whom were born in Hong Kong. Many are descended from relatives who migrated there when Hong Kong was a British Crown colony and then British Dependent Territory, allowing English speakers to get good jobs.

OM Hong Kong’s office move to the poorest district of Kowloon left them enough money to create a separate center for ministry to migrants. A church service for Indonesians is now held in this large, well-lit space on Sunday afternoons. On two other days each week, Chinese lessons are given to Pakistani children and their mothers. No Christian signs or symbols adorn the center, so even though visitors know that staff are Christians, they feel comfortable.

Team members also travel to a Christian primary school two afternoons a week to offer free after-school tutoring to non-Chinese students, and on Fridays up to 50 volunteers from various churches join them in visiting families. While they never try to force their faith on anyone, they find they are sometimes able to share a testimony or pray with individuals in Jesus’ name.

» Full story. Of particular interest is the growing outreach to Pakistanis and how that has unfolded.

THAILAND: Thai Believer Ministers to Sea Gypsies

Source: AsiaStories, April 21, 2013

Wasana Moonsiti closes her eyes and leans back, fighting seasickness as the boat rolls through the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea toward the island of Koh Payam, Thailand. There a small group of Moken people await her arrival. The Moken, or Sea Gypsies as they are commonly known, are semi-nomadic sea dwellers whose primary source of income is fishing and gathering shells.

Sliding her feet across the wobbly wooden plank, Moonsiti carries packages to dockworkers who form an assembly line to help unload the cargo. Boxes filled with snacks, food, medical equipment, and Bible stories are the catalysts Moonsiti uses in sharing the gospel among the Moken.

Moonsiti says it was not easy starting to teach the Bible here, but God has begun working in this village.

“I started with Genesis, ‘In the beginning, God created the world…’

» Full story. See also a related photo essay and short video.

» See also Delivering Bibles Before the Tundra Melts, which describes outreach to a rather different nomadic group. The Nenets are reindeer herders in Arctic Russia (OM).

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.

• TEACHING MATERIALS: Picturing the World as 100 People
• ARTICLE: Factors Leading to Conversion of Muslims to Christ
• BOOK: A Third Culture Kid’s Journey Through Cultural Transition
• EVENTS: Missions Catalyst Calendar

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!

TEACHING MATERIALS: Picturing the World as 100 People

Source: Stand4Kids

If the world’s population could be reduced to 100 people, what could we say about them? How many would be Buddhist, or African, or speak Hindi? Maybe you’ve seen this infographic or read a list like this one. Perhaps you’ve used something like this in a missions class or presentation.

If the World Were a Village: A Book about the World’s People by David J. Smith is a book for kids with the same thrust. It’s a good tool for expanding kids’ view of the world.

This book was also the basis of Small World, a resource from Stand4Kids designed to introduce elementary-age children to the “global village.” This fun, interactive lesson that shrinks the world population to 20 people, since 100 is difficult number for young, concrete thinkers to imagine. Children learn about the major languages spoken in the world, inequities in resources like food and water, and the spiritual condition of the peoples of the world.

The downloadable lesson (PDF format) is designed to take about 30 minutes. Include it in a home school lesson, children’s church or Sunday school, or as a chapel activity in a Christian school setting.

» Learn more about Small World or purchase and download it for US$5 from Stand4Kids.

ARTICLE: Factors Leading to Conversion  of Muslims to Christ

Source: Biblical Missiology

Georges Houssney of Horizons International has interacted with hundreds of Muslim converts from many nations around the world. Hearing testimonies by Muslims of how they have come to Christ, he decided to conduct more formal research into factors that led to their conversion. So Houssney prepared a 10-question survey and over a three-year period, asked 100 converts to complete it. Among his findings:

“This research clearly demonstrates that conversion to Christ is more driven by the positive aspects of Christianity than the negative aspects of Islam. Muslims are primarily drawn to Jesus because of his love and the love of his people. God is drawing Muslims to himself by appearing to them in dreams and visions.”

“Regardless of what factors drew Muslims to Christ, the Bible was always an important factor. Without a copy of the New Testament or the entire Bible, all the other factors would not have been enough. In all situations all converts had a personal relationship with a Christian who was involved in helping them understand God’s plan of salvation.”

» Learn more about Houssney’s survey and the results.

BOOK: A Third Culture Kid’s Journey Through Cultural Transition

Source: Pioneers

Hidden in My Heart: A TCK’s Journey Through Cultural Transition, by Taylor Murray. BottomLine Media, 2013. 107 pages.

“When [nine-year-old] Taylor Murray arrived in Japan, she felt like she was on an adventure – an adventure that God had called her family to take. The unique food, the strange language and the foreign culture were exciting and new.

“But the novelty of life overseas wore off, and Taylor became overwhelmed with frustration, loneliness and the sorrow of leaving everything she knew – the States, her home, her extended family – for everything she didn’t know. She kept these emotions hidden in her heart until they reached a boiling point.

“Written as a series of individual prayers to God, Hidden in My Heart tells Taylor’s story as she transparently unloads her grief and anger on him and, surprisingly, finds him willing to listen and bring her to a place of healing and – ultimately – joy.”

“What an amazing book!” says TCK specialist Ruth Van Reken. “The writing and insights expressed demonstrate an intellectual and spiritual maturity well past the author’s 14 years of age. Taylor’s writing speaks to all who have known the paradox of living in this world of rich experience, yet felt the pain of never belonging in one place or the other.”

» Learn more or preorder the book for US$8.99 from Pioneers. (Actual release date is May 1). I found it very well written. Includes good discussion questions to help missionary kids talk about their own experiences. The Pioneers article Making Tear Soup features Taylor and talks about issues TCKs face.

» See also a recent blog post about the TCK experience at A Life Overseas.

EVENTS: Missions Catalyst Calendar       

Source: Missions Catalyst Calendar

Please scan this list of items from our calendar for May and June 2013. There are some gems – maybe some you need to know about or share with a friend.

May 3-6 - GoFest 2013 (Bulstrode, Bucks, UK). A leading UK missions festival, held annually. This year’s theme: healing a broken world; you can make a difference.

May 6 - Developmental Leadership (online). Webinar provided by Missio Nexus; this one hosted by Steve Moore.

May 6-9 – Women of the Harvest Retreat (Guatemala City, Guatemala). Encouragement for North American women serving cross-culturally. (WOTH has also recently had a name change. Learn more about Thrive.)

May 8-12 – Tentmaking Business as Mission Course (Bergen, Norway). Use your profession or business skills to reach cross culturally. Provided by Global Opportunities.

May 9 - Expectations and Burnout: Women Surviving the Great Commission (online). Webinar provided by Missio Nexus; this one hosted by Sue Eenigenburg and Robynn Bliss.

May 9-10 - Mobilization Ideation (Elgin, IL, USA). Collaborative dialogue for mobilizers to brainstorm solutions to common problems, share best practices, and discuss emerging trends facing mobilization work today.

May 9-11 - Christian Community Health Conference (Atlanta, GA, USA).

May 14-15 – Church. Agency. Now. (Kansas City, MO, USA). Avant Ministries conference explores new ways churches and mission agencies can partner together to build the kingdom.

May 16 - Are All Translations Considered Equal? (online). Webinar provided by Missio Nexus; this one hosted by Dave Brunn.

May 17-18 – Muslim ConneXion (Beaverton, OR, USA).  Featuring Don McCurry.

May 17-19 – The Journey Deepens (Philadelphia area, 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 19 – Global Day of Prayer (international).

May 21-24 – Call2All Global Congress (Chiang Mai, Thailand). Bringing together top Christian leaders to focus and strategize together on completing the Great Commission in our lifetime.

May 26-31 – From Cubs to Lions (Boulder, CO, USA). Discipleship course for new and maturing converts from Islam. Provided by Horizons International.

May 30 to June 1 – Global Children’s Ministry EQUIP Conference (Bogota, Colombia). Preparing children’s leaders around the world for cutting edge, frontline ministry to today’s children and families.

May 30 to June 2 - Association of Christians Ministering to Internationals (ACMI) Annual Conference (Columbus, OH, USA). Theme: Discovering new frontiers in ministering to internationals.

June 1-2 - World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk (global).

June 10 to August 26 – Encountering the World of Islam (online). Twelve-week course will help you discover God’s heart for Muslims.

June 10-15 – International Conference on Computing and Mission (Upland, Indiana).

June 13-15 – Conference: Making Disciples among Muslims (Edmonton, Canada). Establishing and strengthening converts in their faith. Sponsored by Horizons International. Provided by Horizons International.

June 14-22 – Single Vision (Gibraltar). Retreat, renewal for single missionaries.

June 17-21 – Engaging Islam (Dearborn, MI, USA).Training in evangelism with outreach every afternoon. Provided by Horizons International.

June 17-22, 25-30 - Renewal Retreats (Huron City, MI, USA). Designed for missionaries and other global workers, including pastors and agency staff.

June 19-29 – “Breathe” Conference (Wilderswil, Switzerland). A ten-day retreat designed to refresh and renew cross-cultural workers. Provided by Catalyst International.

June 21-23 - Traction for God (Rocklin, CA, USA). Young adults ‘on mission’ for God; ignite your vision.

» View the whole calendar or tell us about a mission event.

Marti Wade is a writer, speaker, and project manager for the Church Partnerships Team at Pioneers. As a mission mobilizer, she has also trained and sent out many short-term teams to do relationship-based research to serve among the world’s least-reached peoples.

Marti has managed and published Missions Catalyst since 2004 and is the author of Through Her Eyes, a book about the lives of women serving cross-culturally in the Muslim world. She and her husband Chris live in Oregon.

• SOUTH ASIA: Reaching the Spiritually Thirsty by Radio
• AFRICAN SAHEL: A Song of Thanks
• HORN OF AFRICA: Lost in Legend
• PARAGUAY: Autistic Boy Becomes Missionary to Japan
• ALGERIA: Healing at a Soccer Match
• KAZAKHSTAN: Court Overturns Bible Destruction Order

Interested in more news stories? Follow us on Twitter.

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!

Quotable

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

John 4:13-14

Photo source here.

SOUTH ASIA: Reaching the Spiritually Thirsty by Radio

Source: TWR Europe, March 2013

The Lord has provided TWR with an opportunity to reach spiritually thirsty souls in the region of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and North India (PANI). While TWR has shortwave programming in some of the languages of the region (Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Urdu, Farsi, and Dari), the new AM transmitter will allow more time each week for programs in these languages.

Several years ago, God opened a door in this region of the world for TWR to increase its signal strength from shortwave to AM radio. More than 200 million people live under the reach of the new 500,000-watt AM PANI transmitter.

Four antennas have been installed and the transmitter is ready to be shipped. The next step is to complete the construction of the transmitter building. Lord willing, we’ll be on the air by July 2013 to the “heart of the unevangelized world,” as the seventh edition of Operation World describes the area. Interestingly, “pani” is a Hindi word that means water. Pray that those who will hear the gospel will joyfully receive the spiritual water of life that Jesus offers.

» Full story with pictures.

» Also from South Asia, see Bangladesh PM Rejects Muslim Demand for Blasphemy Law (World Watch Monitor).

AFRICAN SAHEL: A Song of Thanks

Source: Mission Network News, April 10, 2013

How do you respond when someone brings you food? Maybe you say, “thank you” or do something nice for them in return.

Jeff Palmer of Baptist Global Response (BGR) says people in the Sahel region respond like this: “They started dancing and sang a song of thankfulness that they just made up on the spot, saying, ‘You know who’s cared for us? Who’s cared for us? These followers of Jesus cared for us.’”

About 12 million people are facing widespread famine in the Sahel region. BGR recently brought food and supplies to Christian communities that had absolutely nothing.

“These were groups of believers that have fled their areas, and no other agencies were helping them,” states Palmer. BGR focuses on helping people who “fall through the cracks” of the governmental system. The recent delivery allowed one family to eat for the first time in a week.

“You have a lot of people caught in this very complex situation,” Palmer explains. “Crops have failed because of famine; [they] can’t grow the food because they can’t stay in one area.”

The Sahel is a 3,400-mile stretch that spans Africa from coast to coast. It covers portions of Senegal, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Eritrea, as well as volatile nations like Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, and South Sudan.

» Full story with picture.

» If you are interested in reversing desertification, consider this TED talk. It speaks more directly about the Sahel at about 18 minutes. (Thanks, Brigada!)

HORN OF AFRICA: Lost in Legend

Source: IMB Connecting, April 16, 2013

Jonah’s family told him he didn’t deserve to live and when he died he wouldn’t be buried. It’s all because of what he did with his knife one day – and with his heart.

That day, Jonah had walked into the room where his whole family was sitting. He slipped his finger under the black string tied around his neck and tugged on it gently, for the last time feeling its familiar pressure there.

“In our country, a black string around the neck is a sign of being Orthodox, so I cut it off in front of my family as a symbol that I don’t follow any religion – I follow Jesus Christ,” he said. The persecution came immediately.

Jonah’s family was Orthodox, a religion full of crosses and paintings and things that seem centered around Jesus. [Yet] when their son dusted off the family Bible in the corner and decided to read it and do what it said, they told him he was a sellout, a rebel.

Where in all that did Jesus get lost?

» Full story. If you’d like to know more about how to pray for the Orthodox people of the Horn of Africa, visit prayforthehorn.com.

» For another story from East Africa, see Evil Thrives in Lawless Sinai (Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin).

PARAGUAY: Autistic Boy Becomes Missionary to Japan

Source: Baptist Press, April 2, 2013

From the beginning, doctors said Steven was high functioning. Even so, he displayed all 14 of the most common symptoms of autism. Steven couldn’t tolerate change, for example. He didn’t like to hug. He preferred being alone. He avoided eye contact, echoed others’ words and laughed at inappropriate times. He also had a habit of spinning himself and objects.

Today, as a missionary in Japan, Steven has only one of the 14 symptoms and it’s hardly noticeable.

Steven spent years struggling to overcome most of the other symptoms, and God used many people in that process. Steven’s parents [IMB missionaries in Paraguay] created a structured and loving family environment, guiding him through the challenges of autism. Professionals like speech therapists and physicians provided specialized help. Strengthened by God and his support team, Steven himself did years of hard work for healing.

Through God’s power, Steven has climbed to some amazing heights. One of these was Steve’s commissioning as a missionary to Japan.

“I’ve felt today that so many questions about Steven’s autism have been answered,” Steven’s mom said, “like a veil is being lifted from my eyes and I’m seeing things through God’s eyes. I’m thinking, ‘for this day you were born, Steven.’”

» Full story with picture.

» Note: This story was published on April 2, United Nations Autism Awareness Day. Learn more about autism at autismspeaks.org.

ALGERIA: Healing at a Soccer Match

Source: God Reports, April 8, 2013

Mohand grew up in an Algerian mountain village among the Kabyle Berber tribe. His family were devout Muslims. After his father passed away when Mohand was young, his mother responded with a dose of Muslim fatalism, saying, “It is the will of Allah; He has done it. We can only accept it.”

In Mohand’s mind, this meant Allah killed his father, so he grew up hating God. Like so many others of the Berber tribes, he also grew up hating Arabs, because they conquered his country and imposed their rule many centuries earlier.

As a young man, Mohand played enthusiastically on his village’s soccer team. One summer weekend, several of the local mountain villages gathered together for a weekend playoff.

A group of Algerian Christians from the capital city, Algiers, decided to have a spiritual retreat in the mountains that same weekend and ended up camping next to the soccer teams.

The Berbers eyed the Christian group with curiosity, not sure who they were. They were obviously not a soccer team. They spent a lot of time reading, which led to the conclusion they were probably students. But why would they spend time studying during summer vacation?

Even more confounding, the group seemed to be a mix of Berber and Arab! Who could bring those two groups together in friendship and harmony?

» Read more about what happened in Mohand’s life as a result of this (now long-ago) soccer camp, and praise God for how he’s grown his church in Algeria.

KAZAKHSTAN: Court Overturns Bible Destruction Order

Source: Barnabas Fund, April 15, 2013

An appeal court in Kazakhstan has overturned a ruling that 121 pieces of Christian literature, including Bibles which were seized from a street evangelist be destroyed.

The controversial decision provoked widespread outrage among Christians and civil rights defenders in Kazakhstan and attracted negative publicity around the world. This is believed to have had an influence on the appeal court’s decision to cancel the ruling.

Vyacheslav Cherkasov [had been] found guilty of violating the country’s harsh rules regarding the importing, publishing, and distribution of religious literature, and fined the equivalent of around one month’s average wage in Kazakhstan.

Vyacheslav appealed the ruling, insisting that it was his constitutional right to distribute religious literature to those who wanted it. While the order to destroy the Bibles and Christian literature was lifted, the fine was upheld.

Vyacheslav said, “Thank God they didn’t destroy my books.”

» Full story.

» For news about human rights in this country, see Nazarbayev: Kazakhstan’s Glass of Democracy “Half or Three-Quarters Full” (EurasiaNet).

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.

• FEATURE: Look Smarter Than You Are – Ten Things You Need to Plan Ahead
• SUBVERSIVE MOBILIZATION: Summer Opportunity in Madrid

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!

Look Smarter Than You Are: Ten Things You Need to Plan Ahead

By Shane Bennett

Maybe you’re so smart that looking smarter than you are would be a really bad idea. More invitations to play pick-up chess games with grandmasters. Insistent requests to sit on think tanks. Cover shoots for Super Smart People Magazine. Really, who has time for all that?

I actually don’t have that problem. If you don’t either, let me share a sure-fire trick to look smarter than you are, particularly as you advocate for God’s blessing to extend to the ends of the earth.

Here it is: think 18 months ahead. Shocked? But you’d be surprised at how frequently people fail at this. (And by people, I mean, of course, me!) Talk to your pastor about things you want to do later. Pitch proposals to the missions committee this week for projects next year. Here are ten things you just can’t do tomorrow.

1. The missions conference at your church

One key to a successful missions emphasis is guarding the calendar leading up to and following it. And trust me, if you’re going to ask your pastor to keep anything special off the schedule for a month prior to your big splash, you’d better ask early.

2. The mission speaker for your church or event

Oh sure, you can successfully book some people to speak this coming Sunday. And I did once bag Doug Lucas on two weeks’ notice, but that required the donation of two major organs and a permission slip from God! Usually though, if you want a great speaker who will make your pastor smile, you’d better book early. Thinking ahead will also allow you to budget sufficiently to pay them well.

3. Taking leaders overseas

If the elders at your church are not into unreached peoples it may be because they’re carnal, tightfisted, parochial curmudgeons. Before you nail down that diagnosis, consider they might be as they are largely because of where they have and have not been. So it would be good to take them to hang out with the unreached. But they probably didn’t get on the elder board because they were the ones with the most free time. If you’re going to find a nine-day window to take a handful of busy, smart people to the other side of the planet, you’re going to have to flip ahead on the calendar.

4. International student care

Don’t do what I do, and only start thinking about international students when you see them on campus! You could plan now to amass furniture at this spring’s yard sales. Find a place to store your trove until new students arrive in the fall. Identify and schmooze with both the school employees who work with international students and the angels who do it simply because Jesus would.

5. Setting up a fund to respond to natural disasters

How cool would it be to have ten percent of your annual budget – or your church’s budget – banked to respond to unanticipated natural disasters? As I write, early reports roll in of a sizable earthquake in southern Iran. If this fund was in place, we could hop on a plane, buy blankets, cell phones, and water in Tehran and go care for people who’ve never seen a Christian do something nice.

6. Leading Bridges

If you can’t find anyone to go to Tehran with you because, you know, Muslims live there (yes, I’m being cheeky!), maybe you’d be wise to host a Bridges training course at your church. And because it might take some convincing, plan ahead. Asking to host the class in a year will give you time to get both more people to take it and maybe get some staff and leaders to add their influence.

7. Hosting a Perspectives or Pathways class

A perennial winner in the category, “It took a ton of work, but it was worth it,” Perspectives courses take a lot more than simply starting early. But if you don’t start early, you will die! Also, if you look far enough down the road, you might be able to get your church to provide an ample start-up fund. This has saved my bacon more than once.

8. Bringing back a missionary for an event

How fun would it be to ask one of your missionaries, “Is there a time, event, or occasion next year when you’d like to be back here? We’d like to fly you home for that and to share with us how things are going.” If your worker is laboring a really hard place, they might be willing to fly home tomorrow! But most of your people are doing serious stuff, and if they’re going to pull away, they will need to plan ahead.

9. Family mission trip to a nearby city

One of my favorite things in the world is taking families to hang out with immigrants and refugees. Well planned, it offers a lot of bang for your buck. Here’s the rub, though: most kids, even Christian kids (!) go to school. So right at the start, you’re pretty much limited to school breaks to do this. And then, you’re competing against things like Disneyland. Eat goat with Somali refugees or hang out with Cinderella in the “happiest place on Earth”? You’re going to need time to make your case for the former.

10. Focusing your global efforts

I’m a big advocate for groups that do a few things well. I think churches are smart to focus on a particular people group, and I love to help them do that. In that process, I’m tempted to say, “Let’s do this. Let’s think about what people groups we could focus on and decide at the next global outreach team meeting! Oh, that meeting is this Thursday? No problem. That gives us two and a half days!”

Usually this takes longer. Your church does what it does for generally good reasons. Adding to what you do or shifting resources from old to new, it takes time. What if you asked, “Can we look toward deciding on a focus by our next mission conference?”

See item number one. That’s a year and a half from now.

SUBVERSIVE MOBILIZATION: Summer Opportunity in Madrid

What if you said, “I hear what you’re saying here, Bud, but I’m hoping to do something cool and worthwhile a lot sooner than that, like, this summer.” I’d say, “Welcome to the club, brother. And here’s what you can do: join Robby in Madrid.”

My good friend and his family will spend the summer working with others to share the love of Jesus with North African immigrants there. They’re asking God to use their efforts to catalyze church-planting movements and would love you to join them from June 23 to July 2, July 24 to August 2, or another time that would fit your schedule. You’ll need to scramble to make it happen, though. Contact Robby.

Shane Bennett writes and speaks for a great organization called Frontiers. Lately he’s wondering about how Muslim immigrants in Europe might fully experience God’s blessing.

He’s also working with some buds to leverage a $49 a month smart phone plan to raise a ton of money for cross-cultural workers. Email him for info on the plan or the vision.

• PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Welcoming the Word
• VIETNAM: Hmong Christian Leader Beaten to Death in Police Custody
• BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: A Roma Man’s Dream
• SRI LANKA: Increased Attacks in March
• TAJIKISTAN: Prison as Mission Sending Base
• PAKISTAN: Reconciliation, Restoration, and Caution

Interested in more news stories? Follow us on Twitter.

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!

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Welcoming the Word

Source: Assemblies of God News, March 13, 2013

After 20 years of labor, the New Testament has been translated for the Mesem people of Papua New Guinea.

A song echoed through the wild mountains of Papua New Guinea: “We have the Book of God, and when Jesus comes we will go! Hold onto Jesus – hold onto his eternal life!”

The beautiful words were sung in Mesem, one of the 800 languages spoken across Papua New Guinea, an island nation off the coast of Australia. Samanzing, the largest of the nation’s Mesem villages, lies squarely in the heart of a mountainous jungle at an elevation of nearly 5,600 feet.

When the Bibles arrived in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea’s capital, customs refused to release the containers – forcing the date for the Bibles’ distribution to be changed eight times. At last, the date for the dedication was set for January 27.

People representing five Mesem villages attended. Each group performed traditional dances and brought a special offering. For a full day they celebrated with pageantry, reverence, and joy.

Even in their excitement of finally receiving the long-awaited New Testaments, the Mesem recognize the dedication as the beginning of their journey, not the end. Now that they have the Scriptures, they are responsible to share it with others.

» Full story. Watch this brief clip of the ceremony.

» See also Francis Chan: The Authority of God’s Word (two-minute video from The Seed Company).

VIETNAM: Hmong Christian Leader Beaten to Death in Police Custody

Source: ASSIST News, March 28, 2013

According to a story by Morningstar News, police beat [church elder] Vam Ngaij Vaj around his neck and shoulders and probably electrically shocked him, resulting in his death on March 17.

Hmong churches in the Central Highlands often report harassment by a communist regime that views Christianity as a threat, and the spurious charge of “destroying forest” on their own property was consistent with such harassment.

The husband and wife were transported to a police station in Gia Nghia Town and placed in separate cells, Christian sources said. That night Vaj was savagely beaten and tortured by police. The next day local authorities informed his younger brother that he had died.

Vaj, in his late thirties, was in excellent health, sources said. They added that the killing terrorized the Hmong Christian community. A photo of Vaj’s neck and shoulders showed signs of severe trauma. Those who saw the corpse said they suspected electric shock had been used, consistent with the announced cause of death.

In sending out this news about the murder, Hmong Christian leaders risked their welfare by asking for international intervention in hopes of some justice.

» Full story with picture.

» To learn more about the persecution of Vietnam’s minority Christians, visit The Degar Foundation.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: A Roma Man’s Dream

Source: OM International, March 28, 2013

The OM Bosnia team met Darmin while distributing Operation Christmas Child boxes at his home in Sarajevo. They noticed he seemed very interested to hear more about Jesus and was spiritually open.

OM workers returned to Darmin’s house to pick up Aldina, a little girl from that household who planned to come to church with the OMers to attend the Christmas program. One week, when the OMers arrived at the house to pick up Aldina, they saw Darmin waiting for them so he could go to church as well. That night at church, special visitors from Serbia shared their testimonies. Darmin and his partner Elmina were very touched by the service and asked afterward if the OMers could pray for them. Darmin smiled, despite the tears in his eyes, and Elmina said during the prayer time she felt her legs were going to give out at any moment. The OM workers set a time to meet and read the Bible with them.

[A few weeks] later Darmin had a dream. In the dream, Jesus came and sat on his couch and talked with him. Darmin told Jesus there had to be more to this life than just problems.

» Continue reading.

SRI LANKA: Increased Attacks in March

Source: Barnabas Aid, March 27, 2013

A “sudden increase in violence against the Christian community” in Sri Lanka has been reported. Barnabas Aid received news last week of ten anti-Christian incidents in different parts of the country during March. Incidents include a brutal attack on a pastor’s home and the burning down of a church building.

The most violent of them was an attack by Buddhist extremists on Pastor Pradeep Kumara’s house in Katuwana, Weeraketiya, that was used for worship meetings. Pradeep’s wife and children returned as the assailants were damaging the property. They threatened her, and she called both her husband and the police. Four officers arrived but could not control the mob.

The attack went on for three and a half hours; the assailants desisted only once they had forced Pradeep’s wife to promise that there would be no more worship meetings at the house.

It is rare to hear of so many anti-Christian incidents in one month in Sri Lanka. These may indicate a concerted campaign by Buddhists.

» Full story.

» See also Mob Threaten[s] Home of Christian Pastor (Colombo Gazette).

TAJIKISTAN: Prison as Mission Sending Base

Source: Joel News #853, March 21, 2013

The mountainous east of Tajikistan is one of the most unreached areas of the planet. Bordered on the east by China, the south by Afghanistan, the north by the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, and separated from Dushanbe by some of the roughest roads, it truly is a tough place to get to. It is also a tough place to live in, being a cold, high altitude desert and a militarized zone due to drug runners and Islamic militants. But God has a plan!

“Sergey, our team leader in Tajikistan, came to Christ while in prison during the Tajik civil war,” says [Canadian church planting trainer] Steve Hill. “Many died in prison during that time. The brother who led him to Christ had become a follower after an ‘Apostle Paul’ kind of experience. That brother never lived to come out of the prison, but he led many to Christ and saw many dramatic healing miracles. Once Sergey was released, he continued to serve the believers in several prisons. Sometimes he could not go in due to the high bribes demanded by the guards, but he maintains contact through cell phone.

“Some of the brothers in the prison are from remote villages in unreached areas of Tajikistan. Who better to send to those regions? They are from there, have family there, speak the language, and have the testimony of a changed life through Jesus. Sergey seeks to visit them in their home villages to encourage them.”

» Subscribe to Joel News here.

PAKISTAN: Reconciliation, Restoration, and Caution

Source: Mission Network News, March 13, 2013

The Christian neighborhood of Joseph Colony in Lahore came under attack [March 9] after a Muslim accused a Christian of blaspheming the Prophet Mohammed.

No one was killed in the attack because police had cleared most of the Christian families from the area. When it was over, the mob had torched over 170 houses, 18 shops, and two churches. Christians protested on Sunday over the lack of protection and the existence of the blasphemy laws that have caused them no end of trouble.

Speaking on a spotty cell phone connection, we reached a Christian from Pakistan involved in ministry there that encourages and equips the local church to face persecution. She explains, “Most of the blasphemy accusations in Pakistan have been false. This one is debatable, and there’s been a lot of speculation on it. We would hope that there would be some further investigation into the blasphemy laws of Pakistan.”

In the aftermath, a committee comprised of bishops, Muslim legal scholars (Ulema), and Christian leaders was established to assist in rebuilding. The Muslim scholars, often connected with the enforcement of Sharia law, condemned the attack [as] an anti-state, anti-humanity, and anti-Islam act of violence [and] setting aside March 15 in the mosques as a Day of Solidarity with the Christian Community. Government officials also pledged to help residents rebuild their homes and offered US$2,000 compensation to each affected family.

» Full story.

» See Pakistan: The Bitter Fruits of a Radicalized Society for some background info on this incident (WEA Religious Liberty Prayer Bulletin). For some good news from Pakistan, read about Jesus’ appearance on the “thorny road” (OM International News; Pakistan update is towards the end).

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.

• BOOK: Basic Missionary Skills for Christians Everywhere
• EVENT: Global PrayerCast
• BOOKLET: Raising a Support Team
• BOOK: Mondays in the Middle East (Free Ebook Edition)
• EVENTS: Missions Catalyst Calendar

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!

BOOK: Basic Missionary Skills for Christians Everywhere

Source: The Upstream Collective

Tradecraft: For the Church on Mission, by Larry McCrary, Caleb Crider, Wade Stephens, and Rodney Calfee. Urban Loft Publishers, 2013. 208 pages.

“For too long, the church has separated out ‘missionary training’ from the rest of discipleship,” says the authors of Tradecraft.

“We’ve acted like only those of us traveling abroad need to learn basic missionary skills. But as Christians, we are all outsiders. Our role on the earth is to incarnate the gospel about the people around us. We’re all missionaries; it’s just that most of us haven’t been properly trained yet.

“Tradecraft: For the Church on Mission is your manual for learning missionary skills. We took the same basic training most international missionaries receive and selected nine skills to apply to all Christians everywhere.”

The nine skills covered are following the Spirit, mapping, exegeting culture, building relationships, [fostering relationships with] persons of peace, engaging tribes, contextualization, [exploring] alternative paths [e.g., roles and platforms], and protecting indigeneity. Use them to train future missionaries as well as disciple believers in your local context.

One endorsement describes in this way: “In this book the authors lovingly articulate the key missionary tactics and approaches that can unlock neighborhoods and cities for the Gospel. They have a long experience in these matters and are very well-read. Highly recommended as a handbook to missions anywhere.” (Alan Hirsch)

» Look inside the book, read reviews, or get your copy from Amazon for US$12.99 (paperback), US$6.99 (Kindle).

Quotable

“Andrew Jones… has often said that his job is to ‘throw parties and tell stories.’ Thom Wolf taught that the missionary’s role is to retell people’s stories back to them in light of the gospel. This is very good missionary tradecraft indeed: find out what people are talking about, and show them how it all relates to the Most High God.”

- Tradecraft: For the Church on Mission

EVENT: Global PrayerCast

Source: Unleashed for the Unreached

Unleashed for the Unreached invites us to join other groups and churches participating in a worldwide simulcast prayer event focused on praying for the world, the unreached, and the fulfillment of the Great Commission. The Global PrayerCast is scheduled for April 17.

» Learn more, watch a brief video, or download fliers.

BOOKLET: Raising a Support Team

Source: Love Global

Love Global, a foundation dedicated to helping missionaries become fully funded, has published a simple, concise booklet on raising up a support team for your ministry or mission trip. It’s practical, contemporary, and free.

» Download Raising a Support Team.

» Looking for more substantial help on this topic? Consider a People Raising Conference or Personal Support Raising Bootcamp, talking to Tailored Fundraising Solutions, or picking up a book like Funding the Family Business.

BOOK: Mondays in the Middle East (Free Ebook Edition)

Source: Pioneers

Our February edition of Resource Reviews included a review of a brief but engaging book called Mondays in the Middle East. The author has recently been able to acquire rights to give it away for free (as an ebook), and would love you to have a copy.

» Learn more or download Mondays in the Middle East.

» Readers might also be interested in another short but powerful book distributed by Pioneers, Robert Miller’s Spiritual Survival Handbook for Cross-Cultural Workers.

EVENTS: Missions Catalyst Calendar

Source: Missions Catalyst Calendar

Items from our calendar for April 2013:

April 4 – How to Create a Crisis Management Team (online). Webinar provided by Missio Nexus, this one hosted by Bob Klamser.

April 6 – Bridges Seminar (Lodi, CA, USA). Building bridges to reach Muslims. Provided by Crescent Project.

April 11 - Initial Actions Following a Kidnapping (online). Webinar provided by Missio Nexus, this one hosted by Bob Klamser.

April 11 - Do Local Churches Really Need Mission Agencies? (online). Free webinar provided by Sixteen:Fifteen and Avant Ministries.

April 11-13 – MissionFest Toronto (Toronto, ON, Canada). Free, community-based mission festival for all ages.

April 11-13 - Missio Alliance Gathering (Alexandria, VA, USA). Topic: The future of the gospel – renewing evangelical imagination for mission.

April 17 - Global Prayercast (online). Worldwide simulcast prayer event, organized by Unleashed for the Unreached.

April 18 - How Do Interculturalists Approach Cross-Cultural Adjustment? (online). Webinar provided by Missio Nexus, this one hosted by Becky Johnson.

April 18-20 – Ethnic Ministries Summit (Chicago, IL, 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 19-20 – Care ConneXion (Beaverton, OR, USA). Equipping and networking leaders to provide relevant and effective care for missionaries.

April 21 – Internet Evangelism Day (global). Explore growing opportunities for digital evangelism.

April 25-28 – Global Congress on Business as Mission (Thailand). Bringing together BAM practitioners and leaders from all over the world.

April 26-28 – The Journey Deepens retreat (Kansas City, MO, 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 or tell us about a mission event.

• EGYPT: God Came to Garbage City
• LIBYA: Egyptian Christian Detained
• BURUNDI: Sweet Dreams
• SOMALIA: Peacekeeping Troops Bring Bibles
• KAZAKHSTAN: Court-ordered Book Burning

Interested in more news stories? Follow us on Twitter.

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!

Quotable

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.

“Who then is the one who condemns? No one.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:31-34, 38-39

Greetings!

This week we read about attempts to stop the spread of the good news. Though books were confiscated in Libya and Kazakhstan, the gospel spreads by through dreams, trash collectors, and in the hands of UN troops!

The Committee to Protect Journalists recently published its first-ever CPJ Risk List. I was surprised at some of the countries they considered dangerous for reporters. Where do you think freedom of the press declined most in 2012? This video (3.5 minutes) might surprise you.

I’ve combined the CPJ’s six risk indicators and Paul’s words in Romans 8:38-39 to express the unstoppable power of the gospel:

I am convinced that neither fatalities, imprisonments, restrictive legislation, state censorship, impunity in attacks, or the driving of messengers into exile will be able to stop the news of the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Praise God!

Pat

EGYPT: God Came to Garbage City

Source: Joel News International, March 5, 2013

As the sun sets over Mokkatam mountain on a Thursday evening, the garbage collectors leave the rubbish in the streets and move into the grounds of the Cave Church. Here they gather for a time of teaching and preparation for ministry.

Adel Gad El Karim serves at the church. “Someone told me not just to think of myself as a garbage collector. Because in Jesus my value is great. So now I’m an evangelist and the nations come to me [visiting the church] and I can tell them how Jesus changed my life.”

Changing lives and pointing them to the Father is the goal of Father Samaan’s life, who has become as dear as an earthly father to the people of Garbage City. He is their arbitrator and confident. He is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. He is their spiritual leader and companion. But to God the Father he is simply a man who has lived a live of obedience and whose daily prayer, “More of you and less of me” has been answered.

“This is our time to change our world,” says Father Samaan, “and the Lord will support this work of the Holy Spirit. But we’re not just talking about Jesus in words but also in miracles which will follow our faith, and the world will see and believe and come back to Christ.”

» Learn more about or subscribe to Joel News.

» See also Fr. Samaan and Garbage City (video, YouTube).

LIBYA: Egyptian Christian Detained

Source: Middle East Concern, March 11, 2013

On February 22, we requested prayer following the February 10 arrest of Sherif, an Egyptian Christian businessman, in Benghazi. Sherif remains detained. A number of other Christians were arrested in the following days, including four Egyptians and three non-Arab expatriates who were working as language teachers or businessmen, each of whom knew Sherif in business or social contexts.

We regret to report that one of the Egyptians, Ezzat Hakim Atalla Abdel-Malak, died in detention [March 10]. A few days ago, he reported having severe chest pains. He was taken to a hospital and received some treatment before being returned to the detention facility. However, this treatment proved insufficient. His body is understood to show extensive bruising caused by physical abuse while detained.

Sherif runs a bookshop in Benghazi. The stock includes Christian books, intended for sale to the many expatriate Arabic-speaking Christians living and working in Benghazi and the surrounding areas. He, and the others detained, have been accused of proselytizing, although no formal charges have yet been made against any of them.

» Full story with prayer points.

BURUNDI: Sweet Dreams

Source: Simon Guillebaud, February 27, 2013

Last week an old man had a dream. Jen Eckersall was upcountry visiting homes and doing a discovery Bible group with a few families when he said: “Last night I had a dream in which I saw a white person and two Burundian missionaries coming to my house and knocking on my door.” He looked over at Jen and the team and said, “Those people in my dream were you three. Can you explain to me why you were knocking on my door?”

Jen’s teammate shared with him Revelation 3:20, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

Beautiful.

God prepares people’s hearts to listen to and receive his message. It’s happening repeatedly around the country. We (the Scripture Union team) were in the North on the weekend and visited five schools, six churches, and showed films at five locations (not bad for a few days’ work) and in the process saw hundreds of lives impacted, some for the first time, others coming back to God, one demon-possessed man flipping out in the service, and more. The battle is so very real out here. Thanks for those of you who pray.

» Full story with picture.

» Please pray for Burundi, as the fragile nation recovers from a devastating fire.

SOMALIA: Peacekeeping Troops Bring Bibles

Source: United Bible Societies, March 4, 2013

Last month, Bibles were given to 1,000 Sierra Leonean soldiers awaiting deployment as African Union peacekeepers in Somalia. The men danced to show their thanks to the Bible Society. “Many of the men have been longing for a Bible,” said army chaplain Lieutenant Conteh Padre, “so this really is the right gift at the right time. When they are in Somalia they will read these Bibles in their quiet times. Even some of the soldiers who are Muslims are saying that they want to read it.”

“These Bibles will be like a second weapon,” Major Kargbo, Chief Chaplain of Sierra Leone’s Armed Forces, told the men. “You will go to Somalia armed with these Bibles, which will help you in your mission to bring peace. Meditate on the Word of God each day and let it be your shield and guide in the difficult times ahead.”

» Full story with pictures.

» See also Somalia: Humanitarian Snapshot (United Nations infographic). And for another encouraging story about the message going out, see a story from Madagascar, They Got “The Story” (Operation Mobilization).

KAZAKHSTAN: Court-Ordered Book Burning

Source: Forum 18, March 14, 2013

In what may be the first such instance in Kazakhstan, a court has ordered religious literature to be destroyed. A total of 121 books, confiscated from Baptist Vyacheslav Cherkasov, were ordered destroyed in the northern Akmola Region, according to the verdict seen by Forum 18 News Service.

The books [included] Bibles, children’s Bibles, and other books and leaflets on the Christian faith, mainly in the Kazakh language. Cherkasov was also fined one month’s average wage.

If he loses his appeal, court executors will carry out the destruction.

A Justice Ministry official in the capital Astana told Forum 18 that “most likely the books would be burned.”

» Full story.

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.

• Identity Dilemmas and Living in Both/And Land
• Drawing for a Free Book

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!

Greetings!

Carl Medearis, my friend and hero, writes a guest column for us this month. He wrestles with questions of role and identity in sharing the blessings of God with Muslims. Plus he shares a cool new way he’s living out the role God has given him. Enjoy.

Shane

Identity Dilemmas and Living in Both/And Land

By Carl Medearis

Are You a Christian Missionary?

I was speaking at The Veritas Forum in Boston, where Ahmed, a grad student from Harvard, asked me, “Are you a Christian missionary?” Maybe you or someone you know has been asked questions like this. As I see it, there are three potential answers:

1. Yes.

2. No.

3. What do you mean by that?

Lately many missions pros have taught that #3 is the correct answer. People ask the question and we feign surprise or even ignorance, saying, “Excuse me? Am I a Christian missionary? Why, what do you mean by that?” And then they say something (inaccurate) that allows us to say “no” (#2) with a bit more integrity. Make sense? Others would just say “yes,” (#1) thinking that answer carries the weight of integrity.

I don’t think either answer has a lock on integrity. Here’s why. Since we know that Muslims (and, I’d argue, almost everyone alive today) think of a “Christian missionary” as someone who is doing unhelpful maybe even harmful things to cultures and families, why would we ever agree to be labeled that way? And if we respond with answer #3, I’m afraid we give the impression we’re just trying to avoid #1. People aren’t dumb.

Let me back up a bit: If you are, in fact, a Christian missionary, then you should simply answer “yes.” We shouldn’t be deceitful or try to fudge by giving clever answers (which typically don’t work anyway). Just say “yes,” and then explain what you mean. You want to help people see Jesus. You choose to live in a different culture in order to do good things. And then give examples of what you’re doing. You’re supported by friends and churches back home and you love the people of your new culture. I think most folks respect that sort of answer.

If you’re not doing any of that stuff, then simply say no, and tell them who you are. Shouldn’t be any need for secrecy.

What if You Live in Both/And Land?

The challenge, of course, is that many of us live in “both/and land.” Sometimes we are “Christian missionaries” with much of what that entails. Other times we’re not, or would prefer not to be. Sometimes (like back home in our churches) we’re happy with the label. Other times, we’re embarrassed by it. We struggle to figure out who we are and whether we can sometimes be one thing and other times be something else. How can we live with authentic honesty, integrity, and wisdom?

I told Ahmed at Harvard, “No, but I used to be,” then went on to describe how wonderful most of the missionaries I’ve known have been. How much love for people and God they demonstrate. And that I was pleased to be counted among their ranks. But now I’m a businessman, doing many of the same things, and I’m still all about loving God and my neighbors! All that’s true and it really is my identity.

Middle East Experience

So to put this thinking into action, to live into the role of “businessman who loves Jesus,” I teamed up with some friends to start a website called Middle East Experience. It’s for-profit, as in, we want it to make money. And we expect to personally profit from the site. We got some investors together and put about $20,000 into design and production. We did this so it would be sweet. And make money. And help a lot of people.

Think about this website with me for a second. How do we make it do these things? Who’s our audience? Are we a Christian site? Are we Christian, but trying not to look like it? Are we a Jewish-Christian-Muslim site that doesn’t take sides? A political advocacy site? Supporting the Palestinians maybe? Or something else entirely?

It’s complicated. We need to make money, have integrity, share a message, not offend folks (or they won’t come back) and do all this in a way that’s crazy interesting. Let me just say, it’s not been an easy equation!

The solution is all wrapped up with where I started this article: My identity. Who do I want to reach, what am I reaching them with, and what is the best way for me do that? These are my questions, but I’m not the only one asking them and a lot more of us need to.

If we make the site appear Christian, we reach a Christian audience. But we want to be broader than that. If we are not Christian, then why are we even doing what we’re doing? Here’s where we landed: It’s a purely 100 percent secular site that presents all points of views as equal and valid, without commentary. We’ve let Middle Easterners, and those few outsiders who write for us, speak for themselves. So we have Israelis from all persuasions. Palestinians from all sides. Both liberal and conservative Muslims. Saudi women, businessmen, politicians, peacemakers and even some warriors. We have the Hezbollah, Hamas, and an Israeli Settler from the West Bank. They all speak from their varied personal perspective.

We also have some who love Jesus: traditional Christian Arabs and Muslims who are trying to follow him. Once in a while I bring in my perspective, just being who I am, talking freely and openly about this Jesus whom I love, worship, and follow. There are a couple of others who share their light in creative ways through videos and blogs. Even so, I doubt anyone would look at the site and come away with the thought that it’s “evangelistic” or Christian in some way.

We are making money through advertising and through charging a small fee for a premium subscription that allows members to join a monthly video conference call with some of the most influential leaders in the Middle East. Men and women doing extraordinary work in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Israel, Lebanon and Sudan. They are businessmen and women activists. Gandhi-esque peacemakers and undercover fighters. I know them all. They have agreed to do these calls to share their lives and stories with us just so we would know. They want us to know who they are. That they are real people with husbands, wives, children, dreams, and jobs. And yes, also people who want Jesus. They want to know him. They don’t only “need” to know him, they want to!

Business, Missions, or Both/And?

To all of you who are straight up good old-fashioned Christian missionaries: God bless you. I honor you for who you are and the integrity with which you live your lives. For those of you who are business people: Go for it. Make a million bucks and share the love. Really. Don’t hold back. Make wheel barrel-loads of dough.

But for those of us who live in “both/and land:” There’s hope. With some clear thought, lots of prayer and an amazing team, you can do it. Let the creative juices flow.

Editor’s Note: You can respond to this article in one of the ways described below, and don’t forget to check out Middle East Experience.

Drawing for a Free Book

Carl has graciously agreed to give a free copy of his book Muslims, Christians, and Jesus to three Missions Catalyst readers. To enter the drawing, do one (or more) of the following:

1. Comment on the article on our website.
2. Forward the article to a friend.
3. Tweet a link to the article.
4. Share this article on Facebook.

Winners will be randomly chosen on Friday, March 15.

Shane Bennett writes and speaks for a great organization called Frontiers. Lately he’s wondering about how Muslim immigrants in Europe might fully experience God’s blessing.

He’s also working with some buds to leverage a $49 a month smart phone plan to raise a ton of money for cross-cultural workers. Email him for info on the plan or the vision.