Missions Catalyst 10.24.07 – Resource Reviews

In This Issue: Ways to Reach the World, Ethiopia’s Warriors, and More

  • BOOKLET – Six Ways to Reach God’s World (and 200 Practical Ideas)
  • EVENT – Unreached and Least-evangelized Peoples Forum
  • BOOK – Warriors of Ethiopia
  • DOCUMENTARY FILM – A Cry from Iran
  • NETWORKS – Changes at IFMA and EFMA

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.

BOOKLET – Six Ways to Reach God’s World (and 200 Practical Ideas)

OMF International has just published a new booklet (significantly revising an old one) which explores and explains six ways you can serve God’s kingdom purposes – going, praying, sending, mobilizing, welcoming, and learning. Order copies of the booklet for US$3 a copy to use in your mobilization efforts from the US office, here.

Or, for free – take a look at the content on OMF’s web site here and in the East Asia Insight newsletter (summer 2007 edition).

See Also . . .

  • In 2005 Caleb Project produced Eternal Impact, a curriculum for small groups and Sunday-school classes which also leads participants through six strategic mission roles – roughly the same as those in the OMF material above. It is also designed to encourage local as well as international responses.
  • Nate Davis has an even simpler missions-mobilization model for use in local churches, based around serving in three key ways: learn, care, and go. He’s building up his Learn, Care Go web site and could use our participation evaluating materials and participating in discussions. Will you give him a hand?

EVENT – Unreached and Least-evangelized Peoples Forum

Source: Bill Sunderland, VisionSynergy

WHERE: Irving Bible Church, Irving TX
WHEN: November 27-29, 2007
WHO: Missions pastors, network and partnership leaders, agency executives, and practitioners who are focused on unreached and least-evangelized peoples

In this forum key ministries, churches, agencies, and others from or within North America will gather to increase and multiply the focus and engagement with unreached peoples. Explore the big picture and current world realities, cross-pollinate, engage in strategic conversations around the challenges and issues that emerge, connect to a growing group of partners, models, resources and new ideas, get and receive input, intercede, and hear from God.

More information is available by email from John Quam.

BOOK – Warriors of Ethiopia

Source: Serving in Mission (SIM)

Laliso was a missionary sent by his church in Ethiopia to an unreached group far to the south. Waylaid for hours by police, he was forced to complete his journey on foot in the dark. Suddenly the trail gave way and he fell down a steep bank into a rushing river. Unable to climb back out, he splashed his way upstream until at last he heard voices and called out.

Several men came with a torch and guided him to dry land. Then one exclaimed, “He is a fair one [lighter-skinned] and he came to us out of the water.” Another asked, “But has he brought the gold leaves?” The people gathered around expectantly.

Recognizing his opportunity, Laliso unwrapped his Bible. The people saw the gold edges of the pages and they gasped, clasped their hands, and cried out, “It is true! The gold leaves have come!” The local spirit medium fell to his knees and reached out a hand to touch the Bible. “Yes, it is true. The truth has come at last. Now we can find the way to life.” For decades the people had waited for a soothsayer’s prediction to come true.

Laliso is only one of 28 “heroes of the gospel in the Omo River Valley” whose stories are told in Warriors of Ethiopia, written by Dick McLellan. Order for US$14 plus shipping and handling, here.

Editor’s Note: Even where this item is not listed on SIM’s websites you can order it from your SIM office.

DOCUMENTARY FILM – A Cry From Iran

Source: A Cry from Iran

A Cry From Iran is the untold story of Iran’s Christian martyrs, specifically the story of Haik Hovsepian’s death as told by his sons, filmmakers who directed this documentary. The film will be shown at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival in San Antonio, Texas, October 25-27; at Calvary Chapel of San Jose in San Jose, California, October 28; and at the Arpa International Film Festival in Hollywood, California, November 2-4. The documentary will later be released on DVD (in English and English/Farsi editions) but can be ordered now. More information here. Not recommended for children under age 13.

Editor’s Note: You might also be interested in a new documentary being released by the makers of The End of the Spear and Beyond the Gates of Splendor. Miss HIV follows the story of an HIV-positive woman who enters the Botswana “Miss HIV Stigma Free” beauty pageant. It explores the international conflict around HIV/AIDS policies.

EVENT / PRAYER GUIDE – Seek God for the City 2008

Source: WayMakers

In drastic days, pray great things. God is about to do the best things he’s ever done in history. That’s why we’re seeking him for whole cities. Before he acts, he wants to be asked. Seek God for the City 2008 lasts for 40 days from February 6 to March 16, 2008 (Palm Sunday). Thousands of churches will use the 40-day prayer guide to pray prayers of biblical hope, connecting biblical promises to the needs and challenges of their communities. Order the 64-page booklet online for US$3 a copy (with significant quantity discounts available) from WayMakers here or call 800.264.5214.

Complimentary review copies are available for pastors. See also the supplemental materials for children available for free downloading from the WayMakers web site here.

NETWORKS – Changes at IFMA and EFMA

After many decades, two of North America’s big networks of mission agencies and leaders both decided they had outgrown their names. IFMA (The Interdenominational Foreign Mission Association) and EFMA (The Evangelical Fellowship of Mission Agencies) are now CrossGlobal Link and The Mission Exchange. These two associations, between them, represent nearly 200 mission agencies and 35,000 missionaries.

Wonder if you should be part of either of these associations, or which one?

  • Read more about CrossGlobal Link (formerly IFMA) here.
  • Read more about The Mission Exchange (formerly EFMA) here. [Note: link removed July 2009]

Agency leaders and members might be interested in several upcoming events: In November 28-30, 2007, the two will jointly sponsor a conference in Virginia focused on mission personnel issues. Leadership development programs are planned for Florida in March 2008 and Kenya in March 2008, and a triennial meeting for North American mission leaders will be held in Colorado in September 2008.

The Mission Exchange is offering some interesting phone-in, web-based seminars (yes, ‘webinars’) described by David Mays here.

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

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Missions Catalyst welcomes comments, especially those that provide additional insights on a topic or story as a help to other readers. We reserve the right to screen comments and may provide light editing. Note that comments including links may be delayed so we can make sure they are not spam; we hope you will include relevant links, anyway!

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.