In This Issue: Statistics, Students, Short-terms, and More
- DVD – State of the Gospel
- DVD – Why Europe? Why Now?
- BOOKLET – Praying through the Arabian Peninsula; Other Prayer Guides
- BOOK – Waking the Giant: The Resurgent Mission Movement
- EVENTS – New Items on the Missions Events Calendar; Networking Tips
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.
DVD – State of the Gospel
Remember the “State of the Gospel” materials by Operation World’s Jason Mandryk that we wrote about in November? Global Mapping International (GMI) is now providing distribution for the DVD version in the US for $2.95 plus shipping and handling. More info here. Write Jason for information about distribution points in other countries.
Other elements of this presentation are available for free here, with more detailed commentary here (4 MB). These are useful resources for anyone preparing mission sermons, Sunday school classes, executive briefings, etc., who wants charts, maps, analysis, and statistics.
DVD – Why Europe? Why Now? and Mirpuris of Britain Prayer Guide
This fantastic video explores the changing face of the European church, its challenges and opportunities, and why many believe the future is bright. It’s been available for several years in Europe and is now being distributed in the US by World Outreach. The World Outreach office in the US is located in Sandy, UT, sharing a building with “The Fellowship.” You can reach them at 801.572.0211 or 801.572.1749, or by email. (Sorry, you can’t order these on the web).
World Outreach is also selling copies of a 2007 booklet about Mirpuri of England which will help you understand and intercede for the UK’s large Pakistani Muslim population. If you live in Europe, get these resources from World Outreach offices there.
Update: Get the German version (Europa im Umbruch) from here.
See also: This 2003 “New Faces of Europe” prayer guide focused on immigrant and refugee populations.
BOOKLET – Praying through the Arabian Peninsula; Other Prayer Guides Too
Have you seen the latest material for praying for the Arabian Peninsula? An informative booklet was published in July 2007. Copies are very reasonably priced and available from PTAP’s web site, or write to PTAP here. Moreover, PTAP is open-handed with the content, including photos, making them freely available to anyone who wants to translate, reprint, or reuse the material in their own context. The whole thing is posted for free download in several file sizes on their web site. Much thanks, PTAP!
We’re also pleased to see a recent 30-day prayer guide for the peoples and country of Yemen available online for free in both Spanish and English here.
Other Prayer Guide Booklets
A number of printed prayer guides about East Asian countries and people groups are available from OMF (some titles not available in all countries).
Caleb Resources continues to distribute prayer guides about various countries and people groups which were published over the years by Caleb Project.
Here’s a question for you. I’ve worked on many similar projects myself and am considering publishing a “how to write a prayer guide” document for free download on our (long unchanged) free resources page. Sound useful? Maybe it’s not needed, or someone has already done it. If you’re interested in discussing this project, please contact me.
BOOK – Waking the Giant: The Resurgent Student Mission Movement
Waking the Giant: The Resurgent Student Mission Movement, by Ryan Shaw (Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library) 2006.
“I firmly believe that today’s global Church can reach the world for Jesus in our lifetime. We are living in extraordinary times,” writes Ryan Shaw of SVM2 Student Volunteer Movement 2, in the 2006 book he wrote to share the vision and inspire others. Want to find out why he thinks so? Get copies of the book for $11.19 plus shipping and handling; discounts available.
This could be a useful tool for student mission fellowships or short-term-mission training programs.
Reviewer Georgia Grimes describes the book for Global Missiology: “In nine short chapters you move from a look at the 200-year history to the student movement, to current trends, to barriers facing the emerging generation, and then to a plan for becoming God’s vehicle in the world.
“This book is a quick read that you will be drawn to reread and share with others. Shaw has an easy style as he moves from past, to present, to future student movement issues. The weaving of Biblical truths and personal experiences throughout give the reader a sense that it is written by a godly young man who indeed feels the throb of the heart beat of God for the nations.
“Waking the Giant presents a growing sense of awareness for the critical days we are living in with a challenge to answer the call to action. It provides lists of materials, resources and recommended reading that can be used to go beyond what is presented in the text.”
See also: Marv Newell’s article Profile of Students Today: Preparing for Missionary Service, published in October 2007’s Evangelical Missions Quarterly. Newell’s article contains a helpful brief overview of past student missionary movements, as well as an analysis of the characteristics and concerns of students today.
EVENTS – New Items on the Missions Events Calendar
October 15-18, 2008 – Fellowship of Short-term Mission Leaders(Atlanta, GA, USA). More info: here. This annual gathering of North-American leaders in the short-term mission movement will focus on how to care for and nurture STM participants.
January 23-25, 2009 – National Short-term Mission Conference (Atlanta, GA, USA). More info: here. Learn how to do short-terms with excellence.
Basic Networking Tips
Some of the most interesting events are not publicly advertised, including those that provide the chance to network and discuss strategies with others who share your interest in ministry in a specific country or area. Attending such a gathering may help you identify great ministry opportunities and keep you from making costly mistakes. So how are you going to find these events and make the most of them?
1. Explore. If there’s a country or people group on your heart, ask the most knowledgeable people you know if there is a time and place when those who share your interest get together. Ask them how to get an invitation.
2. Prepare. Similarly, if you plan to attend a missions event and want to make the most of it, try to learn in advance who else may be attending. Consider contacting several of these folks before or at the beginning of the event to see if you can schedule some time together, perhaps for coffee or a meal. (Your treat, of course!)
3. Pay attention. Bring a notebook and be prepared to write down ideas and information you want to remember or pass along to others.
4. Be available. Rather than arriving late, leaving early, or trying to keep up with other responsibilities during the event, make the most of it by being available to pursue the divine opportunities God brings your way! And of course, pray and ask him to do just that.
Note to Readers: Need Help?
Often we point you to various web sites for more information, but some of you have little or no web access. We’d be happy to copy and email you anything you can’t get otherwise or put you in phone/email contact with the original source. Just let me know.
Questions? Problems? Submissions? Contact publisher/managing editor Marti Smith.