Missions Catalyst 08.27.08 – Resource Reviews

In This Issue: Biographies, Devotional Guides, Resource CDs

  • BOOKS – Konnichi wa Kiwi and Two Other Biographies
  • BOOKS – Devotions Especially for Missionaries
  • CDs – Church Mission Resources from David Mays
  • WEB SITE – Muslim Journeys to Hope
  • EVENTS – Harvest Multiplication, Call2All, Medical Missions, and BAM

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!

Resource Reviews, edited by Marti Smith, are published once a month.

Dear Readers,

A big thanks to those of you who sent in feedback via July’s reader survey. We’re sorry for the technical glitch that caused the survey to shut down after the first 100 responses. Discovering that, many of you sent in your comments by email. Much appreciated. We’re still compiling the results and looking for patterns. To add your perspective email your responses to me.

An American working in the Middle East won our drawing and will be getting a free copy of the Islam Essentials Collection from Caleb Resources. Congratulations!

blessings,
Marti Smith

BOOKS – Konnichi wa Kiwi and Two Other Biographies

Source: Warren Payne, OMF New Zealand

Konnichi wa Kiwi by Warren Payne (Auckland, NZ: OMF New Zealand and Castle Publishing, 2008), 123 pages.

Here’s one that may be of special – but not exclusive – interest for our two dozen subscribers in New Zealand. Konnichi wa Kiwi is the autobiography of an ordinary New Zealander and his family who crossed a vast cultural divide to become Christian workers in Japan (1974-2000). Each chapter includes reflection exercises to make it personal for the reader. Warren Payne is now the OMF New Zealand National Director. An iinterview with the author is also featured on the publisher’s website.

To order: In the US, US$10.99 from OMF Books. In New Zealand, NZD$14.90 from Bamboo Resource Centre. Available in the UK from the OMF Book Shop.For bulk or overseas orders please email Angela at Bamboo.

Editor’s note: See also two biographies of missionaries to Asia, both Brits, recently added to the OMF USA’s online bookstore

Point Me to the Skies: The Amazing Story of Joan Wales by Ronald Clements, explores what it’s like to get to the field after years of trying – only to discover you cannot stay. Then what? It’s an all-too-common question. The OMF UK Book Shop also carries this book and has posted the first chapter online here.

Smoking the Mango Trees, by Martin Hayworth, is about church-planting in the jungles of the Philippines. More info is also available on the UK site here.

BOOKS – Devotions Especially for Missionaries

Source: Pioneers USA

Climbing Higher: Inspiration for the Cross-Cultural Church Planter, by Roger Dixon. Orlando, FL: BottomLine Media, 2007), 214 pages. Available for USD$8.00 from Pioneers, 10123 William Carey Drive, Orlando, FL 32832, 407.382.6000, or send an email.

As missionary teams multiplied across Muslim Southeast Asia in the late 1980s and early 1990s, veteran church planter Roger Dixon began investing in newer personnel. Climbing Higher includes 100 of his letters of encouragement. It’s been called a My Utmost for His Highest for cross-cultural workers.

Read excerpts (compiled by David Mays) here.

Editor’s note: See also two other helpful resources specifically designed to refresh and renew cross-cultural missionaries –

Screams in the Desert: Hope and Humor for Women in Cross-Cultural Ministry, by Sue Eenigenburg, reviewed in our September 26, 2007 edition.

Walk as He Walked (a series of devotions for short-term teams; in several versions) by Howard and Bonnie Lisech, available from Deeper Roots.

CDs – Church Mission Resources from David Mays

Source: Brigada Today, July 27, 2008

Stuff You Need to Know about Doing Missions in Your Church: A Handbook of Lists. Second Edition (Brownsburg, IN: David Mays, 2008), 400+ pages. USD$32.00 from David Mays.

Stuff You Need to Know about Doing Missions in Your Church has been updated and a fifth volume added. Stuff is an encyclopedia of one-page lists, outlines, handouts, and guidelines on hundreds of topics to help your church do missions effectively.

For more information or to order your CD go to David’s site or contact him by email.

Editor’s note: See also Trip Stuff, 229 forms, samples, policies, procedures, tips, guidelines, and outlines used by churches for short-term mission trips.

WEB SITE – Muslim Journeys to Hope

Source: Pat Noble

Pat, our newsbrief editor, sent us a link to this web site featuring audio and video testimonies – the personal journeys of believers who came to Christ from Muslim backgrounds. “With Ramadan coming I hope to show some of these testimonies in my church,” she says. Good idea. Take a look. The site is in both English and Arabic.

EVENTS – Harvest Multiplication, Call2All, Medical Missions, and BAM

Source: Submissions from Subscribers

1. Train to Be a Strategy Coordinator:

Harvest Multiplication Training (Strategy Coordinator Training) is a two-week course suitable for anyone focusing on unreached people groups and cities. Train and become equipped to answer the question, “What actually needs to be done for this whole people group or city to have access to the gospel and have multiple church-planting movements (CPMs) among them?” Interact with case studies and principles, develop plans, and run with the vision the Lord is giving you to reach the lost.

October 2008: Chiang Mai, Thailand

November 2008: North Africa

More information here. For additional opportunities to be trained for this strategic kind of ministry, check out the resource list recently posted at the bottom of this page by Call2All.

2. Have You Heard the Call to All?

Call2All is a worldwide movement calling the church to a renewed, focused collaborative effort to fulfill the Great Commission. Global congresses bring together Christian leaders to work together, share best practices, and focus on the least reached. Four “Global Congresses” are coming up soon:

October 14 to 18 – Call2All East African Global Congress (Nairobi, Kenya).

October 30 to November 1 – Call2All North America Congress (Toronto, Canada).

January 20 to 23, 2009 – Call2All North America Congress (Dallas, TX, USA).

March 24 to 27, 2009 – Call2All South America Congress (Curitiba, Brazil).

3. Explore Medical Missions

The next Global Missions Health Conference will be taking place November 13-15 in Louisville, KY, USA. The world’s largest medical missions conference, each year it draws more than 3,000 participants. Featured speakers include Kay Warren from Saddleback Church.

4. Want to Use Your Business Skills?

A great many “Business as Mission” (BAM) events are planned for the coming months as well. We’re not going to add all of them to our calendar at this point, but check out The Business as Mission Network.

Questions? Problems? Submissions? Contact publisher/managing editor Marti Smith.

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