Day: November 25, 2015

In This Issue: Assessing readiness and raising up new workers

1. VIDEO: Am I Ready to Serve in Missions?
2. INFOGRAPHIC: Mobilizing New Harvesters
3. LESSON: Happy Birthday, Jesus!
4. BOOKS: Charitable Giving Guides
5. EVENTS: Upcoming Conferences and Training

Dear Readers,

A couple of cool resources have come our way this month. Looking for something to keep you praying for those you’ve sent to the ends of the earth? See How to Pray for Missionaries A–Z from the International Mission Board. Adapt the list for your own purposes, or just print the PDF of 26 simple prompts as is and put it somewhere you will see it often. You could even use it to help you teach your family or missionary team to pray for missionaries.

You may be one of those sent-out ones, yourself. Check out The Missionary’s Thanksgiving Prayer from Marv Newell at Missio Nexus. Some of the items may not apply to you, but perhaps more of them do than you have brought to mind recently. We all have much to be grateful for!

In times of trouble it may be hard to know how to pray. “Help!” may be a good place to start. As pastor and social media chaplain Jon Swanson points out, our Heavenly Father listens not only when we talk to him but also when we talk about how we should talk to him. Author Jack Hayford once wrote, “We worry about knowing exactly what to pray in some cases because we think we know what to pray in all others. We may, at times. But aren’t there many times that we have asked imperfectly? God was not befuddled. Our ignorance did not clog the wheels of the universe.”

Praying with you to the One who made the world,
Marti

PS: A warm welcome to nearly a hundred new subscribers from several Perspectives classes, Pioneers’ Church Partner Forum, and the Global Missions Health Conference. Thanks for signing up!

Source: SEND International

What can you tell those wondering if missions is for them—or who look in the mirror and wonder if they will ever measure up? A few quick words from Rob Magwood (“Mags”), Canadian Director of SEND International, provide a pithy and on-point perspective.

» Watch the video. See also other videos from Magwood on topics like excellence in short-term missions, using your career skills cross-culturally, and more. Mags also hosts the Global Missions Podcast for which he recently interviewed Ellen Livingood on mission strategy in the local church.

Source: Weave Family

With Christmas just around the corner, you might be looking for something festive (but not too complicated) to do with the kiddos in your life or in your classroom.

Using a birthday party theme, this Christmas lesson shares Bible truths about why Jesus came to earth. Who sent the birthday invitations? Who were the first guests? Who gave the biggest gift? Who is still waiting to receive their invitation to the celebration? Two plans, 30 and 60 minutes, include a demonstration and Bible verse, plus optional snack and craft activities that encourage prayer for the unreached.

» Purchase lesson plan for US$5 from Weave Family (download only).

Source: GMI Missiographics, Center for Mission Mobilization

While most of the Church is aware of the Great Commission, mobilizing people for mission is still a great challenge. With the insecurity in the world, changing funding models (causing a drop in funding for many), and hurdles getting permissions to live in various countries, harvesters face great challenges. But in the midst of all of that, the global Church is seeing an amazing answer to prayer, with thousands of new missionaries being sent from everywhere to everywhere! Missiographics takes a closer look at the newer sending countries and calculates their “sending potential.”

» Learn more and download the infographic, the first in a series developed for the Center for Mission Mobilization. You might want to subscribe.

Source: ECFA Press

Need help managing charitable donations? The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) provides oversight and accreditation for Christian non-profits and has published a series of short books which may help you understand and navigate the worlds of law and finance as they pertain to charitable giving (at least in the US). Two of their ebooks, coauthored by three ECFA leaders, are US$9.95 each:

• Charitable Giving Guide for Missionaries and Other Workers (2013)
• Charitable Giving Guide for Short-term Mission Trips (2014)

» Learn more about these and other resources, including a series of free, downloadable pamphlets for churches, clergy, and charitable organizations in both Spanish and English.

Source: Missions Events Calendar

December 1, Sending New Missionaries (Greenville, SC, USA). One-day workshop provided by Catalyst Services. Several more events like this one are planned for the new year in different cities.

December 2-3, Support Raising Bootcamp (Lombard, IL, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions. Offered regularly throughout the year in different locations.

December 2-4, Finishing the Task Conference 2015 (Lake Forest, CA, USA). Prioritizing the unreached and unengaged.

December 10, Understanding the Components to a Successful Mid-Career Assessment (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus, featuring Steve Hoke and Tom Wilkens of Church Resource Ministries.

December 27 to January 1, Urbana Student Missions Conference (St. Louis, MO, USA). Held every three years by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

December 28 to January 2, Mission-Net (Germany). European gathering of younger Christians passionate about serving God.

December 29 to January 2, Chinese Missions Convention (Houston, TX, USA). This annual five-day event exists for one purpose: to see people unleashed for God’s global glory.

» View the complete calendar and/or submit an item. We just posted 60+ items for 2016. Let us know if an event you care about is missing.