In this issue: Grow and help others grow in relationship with God
Month: May 2015
CURRICULUM: The Prayer Course
Source: Alpha International and 24/7 Prayer
Looking for something simple and practical to grow and help others grow in their relationship with God? We just came across this resource from the UK. Alpha International (creators of The Alpha Course) and 24-7 Prayer developed a free prayer course based on the Lord’s Prayer and designed to fuel discussion and deepen the prayer life of your church.
Each lesson includes a short video, leader’s guide, and questions to help small groups explore topics such as worship, intercession, dealing with disappointment, learning to listen, and spiritual warfare. The leaders say the course has been used in 104 countries in the 20 months since it began.
» Learn more or download materials. You might also check out a recent article from 24/7 about prayerwalking as part of the strategy for reaching your city.
FOR CHILDREN: New THUMB Coloring Book
Source: Weave and CMM Press
Take your kids beyond the ordinary to the amazing spectrum of peoples and cultures in the world with the newly revised THUMB Coloring Book. Every fun drawing includes a caption with a cultural fact about each of 25 vibrant people groups in South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Activities will engage kids ages 4-10 in learning about these unique groups and their need to hear the life-changing gospel message of Christ.
This coloring book is built on the THUMB acrostic—a fun, easy way to remember the major non-Christian belief systems found around the world. You can teach your kids to remember and pray for people with these beliefs by using this acrostic:
- T is for Tribal
- H is for Hindu
- U is for Unreligious (or Atheist)
- M is for Muslim
- B is for Buddhist
Includes important facts about other belief systems, focused prayer points, a world map indicating where each people group lives, and suggestions for using this book with your family or church class.
» Learn more or purchase for US$3.99 from CMM Press. A digital download version, US$20, grants you a license to make as many copies as you need.
ARTICLE: When Missionaries Come to Town
Source: Catalyst Services
Brief home-assignment visits can leave missionaries and churches feeling disconnected. Real relationships require more than a quick Sunday school update and a “Moment for Missions” report in the worship service before saying goodbye for another two to four years. What’s the solution when missionaries’ time is limited?
Better planning can help churches and global workers maximize the impact of even short visits. The April edition of Postings includes suggestions for both churches and missionaries as well as a customizable planning tool to clarify goals and make the most of your days together.
» Read the article or download it as a 6-page PDF. We’d also encourage you to subscribe or browse the archives.
BOOK: A Winsome Missionary Memoir
Unbelievable: Living in the Son, by Graham Charles Bee. 2015, 310 pages.
Are you a fan of missionary biographies and autobiographies? I bring this one to you because you may not find it on your own and it’s well worth the read. Graham Bee describes his early years in Australia, later ministry in Ghana, family life, and experiences in mission agency leadership with good grace and humor.
Admittedly, this is a self-published memoir and may be of greatest interest to those who know the author, have connections with WEC International or Australia, or who have served in West Africa. Yet the book is well written, and I found the author’s sunny attitude, sensitivity to God, and thoughtful insights reminding me of Thomas Hale (author of Don’t Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees and others). The stories in 50 short and encouraging chapters are well chosen to interest and inspire the reader on his or her own journey of faith.
» Learn more or purchase for US$13.13 from Amazon or elsewhere.
» Looking for something to listen to on a family road trip? YWAM Publishing now offers audio versions of many of their popular biographies.
EVENT: 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World
Source: 30 Days Prayer
Ramadan is coming up, June 18 to July 17, and with it the annual 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. Do you plan to pray? How might you mobilize others to join you?
Each year a new illustrated prayer guide booklet is published in a number of languages and locations around the world. The booklet contains daily readings that focus on various topics, people groups and geographical areas of the Islamic world. Each day’s subject focus is followed by prayer points. It also features informative background articles and resources for involvement.
» Purchase copies of the US edition from WorldChristian.com for US$3 (bulk discounts and an edition just for kids also available); a downloadable PDF is US$2.50. Excerpts from the US edition should be posted online day by day on the same website. Get material in different languages or locations from the international site.
» See also the DVD In the House of Islam, a documentary based on David Garrison’s book A Wind in the House of Islam.
EVENTS: Conferences, Training Events, and More
June
June, GoFest 2015 (across Asia, Australia). One mission mobilization event, seven cities: Singapore; Penang, Malaysia; Dili, Timor-Leste; Pontianak, Indonesia; Perth, Melbourne, and Sydney, Australia.
June 5-6, The Justice Conference (Chicago, IL, USA). Annual event to promote dialogue around justice related issues such as human trafficking, slavery, poverty, HIV/AIDS, and human rights.
June 5-13, Single Vision (Lisbon, Portugal). Renewal for single missionaries.
June 6, Disciple Making Movements Training (Plano, TX, USA). Provided by Act Beyond.
June 8 to August 30, Encountering the World of Islam (online). Twelve-week class will help you discover God’s heart for Muslims.
June 9-29, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (Pasadena, CA, USA). Three-week intensive.
June 10, Rethinking Short-term Mission (online). Free hour-long webinar from Sixteen:Fifteen.
June 9, Mobile Ministry Training Course (online). Start of four-week class, repeated several times a year. Learn how to use mobile technology for evangelism.
June 14, World Refugee Sunday (international). Churches praying for refugees and displaced people. Some also observing this event June 21.
June 14-24, Refresh! (Grenoble, France). Retreat for cross-cultural workers. Provided by Heartstream Resources.
June 18 to July 17, 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus (global).
June 19-21, GOFest (Bulstrode, Bucks, UK). Free, annual mission festival for all ages.
June 23-24, Support-raising Bootcamp (Lombard, IL, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.
June 24 to July 4, Breathe Conference (Wilderswil, Switzerland). Ten-day retreat for renewal and encouragement for cross-cultural workers.
June 25-27, National African-American Missions Conference (Vienna, VA, USA).
June 30, Four Things Every Team Leader Should Do After a Short-term Mission Trip (webinar). Provided by DELTA Ministries.
July
July 5-15, Refresh! (Thailand). Retreat for cross-cultural workers, provided by Heartstream Resources.
July 6 to November 8 Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course (online). Provided by the Perspectives Study Program.
July 12-17, ABIDE (Joplin, MO, USA). Re-entry and debriefing for singles, couples, and families. Provided by TRAIN International.
July 14-17, Thrive Retreat (Breckenridge, CO, USA). For North American women serving cross-culturally.
July 16-17, Disciple Making Movements Experience (Nashville, TN, USA). Hosted by Long Hollow Baptist Church.
July 18-25, New Wilmington Mission Conference (Western Pennsylvania, USA). Annual, week-long multi-generational mission conference; a tradition for more than 100 years.
July 19-25, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (Grapevine, TX, USA). One-week intensive.
July 19 to August 7, Manarah (Detroit, MI, USA). Muslim evangelism training provided by Christar. Also offered elsewhere in Spanish.
July 22-23, Support-raising Bootcamp (Rogers, AR, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.
July 28, How to Protect Yourself after a Short-term Mission Trip (webinar). Provided by DELTA Ministries.
July 26 to August 1, ReBoot Re-entry Program (Kitchener, ON, Canada). For returning missionary kids, ages 17-20, transitioning to life in Canada.
August
August 3-9, MK/TCK Re-entry Retreat (Gaston, SC, USA). Retreat designed for teens transitioning to college from missionary families.
August 8-14, ReBoot Re-entry Program (Calgary, AB, Canada). For returning missionary kids, ages 17-20, transitioning to life in Canada.
August 9-15, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (Pittsburgh, PA, USA). One-week intensive.
August 11, Four Things Every Friend of a Short-term Missionary Needs to Know (webinar). Provided by DELTA Ministries.
August 17 to December 20, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Course (online). Provided by the Perspectives Study Program.
August 20-21, Support-raising Bootcamp (Blooomfield, NJ, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.
Missions Catalyst News Briefs
In this issue: Glimpses of the Global Church
- HAITI: Time to Send Out Missionaries
- SOUTHEAST ASIA: Calling Hispanics to Change the World
- IRAN: Actor Transformed by the Gospel
- NEPAL: Miriam Refuses to Stop Praying
- SYRIA: “We Are Going Through a Terrible Moment”
For additional news, see our Twitter feed.
Dear Readers,
My all-time favorite prayer for the nations is from Psalm 24: “Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” You may also recognize it from Handel’s Messiah. I was delighted to find that the same prayer is being sung by Pakistanis. Enjoy this upbeat version in Hindi/Urdu, Punjabi Zabor 24:7-10.
Don’t forget that this week you have the chance to join millions who are praying this Global Day of Prayer, Pentecost Sunday, May 24. As you consider how to pray, may I again commend to you the resource World in Prayer? I noticed that they often give praises for “good news” as well as lift up the “bad news” before God. The May 8 edition of World News This Week in Prayer is a great example.
Also this week, Christian Solidarity Worldwide has asked for prayer for China. Watch this two-minute video and access more resources.
William Carey famously said, “To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map.” Wouldn’t he love to see the maps we have now? Here are some I bet he would have used (all from Flowing Data):
- Map of Most Common Race (US counties)
- Disaster Risk Indices Estimate Impact on People
- Self Printing a Wall-Sized World Map
A recent Lausanne Global Analysis challenges our ideas about data:
“What is happening in mission statistics is wonderful for prayer and for mobilization. By and large, what is missing are actionable data. To obtain data that informs on-the-ground ministry, another step is needed,” says the report, adding that for national churches and mission organizations to use data in developing and implementing their strategies, the information needs to be reliable, recent, detailed, and reportable.
“The way to do this is to change from gathering statistics for missionaries to gathering data for a nation: national church statistics. An outsider perspective has to be changed to an insider perspective. That is the major challenge facing missionary statistics today.”
I hope you’ll read the whole article. Meanwhile, some insider perspectives; today’s newsbriefs highlight stories of laborers for the kingdom whom God is raising up from all over: a Haitian missionary, Hispanic mobilizer, Iranian evangelist, Nepali intercessor, and an Assyrian advocate. Thanks for standing with them in prayer.
Blessings,
Pat
HAITI: Time to Send Out Missionaries
Source: OM News, May 7, 2015
Pastor Marc had a vision to mobilize the Haitian church into missions, and now his prayers are becoming a reality. Six Haitians have joined OM full-time this year, and OM has a vision is to send even more, especially to French-speaking North Africa.
Ruth is a nurse with a passion for HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention. She is also a new OM missionary from Haiti who is raising support to travel to schools and communities around Haiti providing education to those who are still greatly affected by stigmas and lack of knowledge. HIV and AIDS is a big problem in Haiti and is on the rise.
“I wanted to go to people and teach them more about HIV and AIDS and also about Jesus,” Ruth said. “I want to go all over Haiti, I want to go school to school, mountain to mountain… I really like that, and I wanted to be a nurse-missionary!”
There are many Haitians who are excited about missions and want to make a difference yet struggle to raise the funds necessary. But they persevere, determined to overcome the many challenges to serve in whatever way God calls.
» Note: Former receiving nations that now send workers may avoid making the mistakes of those who came to them. Watch this humorous Cautionary Tale (Helping Without Hurting in Short-Term Missions).
SOUTHEAST ASIA: Calling Hispanics to Change the World
Source: IMB Commission Stories, April 30, 2015
Hispanic followers of Christ are ready to change the world, declares singer Coalo Zamorano, one of the top contemporary Christian musicians in the Spanish-speaking world.
That’s the message—and the title—of Zamorano’s new music video (Cambia el Mundo), produced in partnership with IMB. The video, shot in a part of Southeast Asia mostly untouched by the gospel of Jesus Christ, invites Hispanics to “open your hands, your heart… change the world, change the world today.”
“The next missionary movement is going to come from the Hispanic community,” said Zamorano, 42, an internationally renowned singer, composer, producer, and Latin Grammy winner.
“I think that God is already calling many people in the Hispanic world to bring the gospel… We must go, we must be brave and believe in God because he is going to open doors.”