In This Issue: Books, Videos, Training Ops, and More
- DVD – Collection of Mission Mobilization Videos
- WEBSITE – Internet Evangelism Ideas
- BOOKS – Top Ten Books about Missions
- EVENTS – Crisis Management, Pre-field Training, and More
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 warm welcome to 30 new subscribers from Perspectives classes in Indiana, and 15 joining us from a class in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We’re glad to have you!
Thanks for everyone who is helping spread the word about Missions Catalyst. We’ve picked up more than 400 new subscribers in 2009. Our goal of 10,000 subscribers still seems far off but we’re glad to see our ezine helping more people! Please feel to forward this edition or pass on its contents as you like.
blessings,
Marti
DVD – Collection of Mission Mobilization Videos
Source: Create Emerge, a ministry of Create International
ENGAGE: Missions Mobilisation Resources, by Create Emerge, 2008.
You may be familiar with Create International, in Australia, one of several YWAM ministries that create media tools for evangelism and other purposes. Fairly new on the scene is Create Emerge, a subgroup of this ministry focused more specifically in telling the story of what God’s doing, worldwide, in order to mobilize others.
They’ve put their best stuff together for the rest of us in a two-DVD set distributed through the Create store. You can still get it there and have it shipped worldwide, but now they are offering it to us in North America for US$20. Send an email to Create Emerge for more information.
Many of these videos would work in a variety of contexts, including church services, mission conferences, or small groups, and some have short and long versions. Several music videos round out the list. Play them all together as one, 50-minute presentation or use the pieces separately. I haven’t watched all of it yet but I like what I’ve seen and think you will, too.
These presentations are designed to inform, motivate, and enlighten a new generation to engage in the world of missions. They take viewers on a journey through the world’s challenges and needs and introduces ordinary but inspiring people who have said yes to Jesus and are changing the world.
The second disc also includes slideshows and PDFs with facts and statistics you can use in presenting the big picture of world missions to others.
Several other videos and stories are posted on their website.
WEBSITE – Internet Evangelism Ideas
Source: Tony Whittaker, Coordinator of Internet Evangelism Day
Are you among the thousands of Christians asking how to use the bewildering mix of technologies now at our fingertips to share the good news? One place to find answers is the website of Internet Evangelism Day. This site provides detailed resources, ideas, and strategies to help Christians use what many leaders have called a ‘God-given medium.’ These include a networking guide to help mission agencies and a self-assessment tool to help churches improve their websites.
Internet Evangelism Day is also an event: April 26 is the annual worldwide focus day to equip Christians for online outreach. IE Day is an initiative of the Internet Evangelism Coalition, an umbrella group of online ministries based at the Billy Graham Center, in Wheaton, Illinois.
See also the ministry’s new blog on Digital Evangelism Issues, which provides news, ideas, and strategies which ordinary people can use to share their faith online.
Editor’s note: Here’s another creative idea – an online missions trip, the brainchild of Tim, a Minnesota youth pastor.
BOOKS – Top Ten Books about Missions
Source: Eddie Arthur, Kouya Chronicle, February 6, 2009
“I thought that I would draw together a list of what I consider to be the top ten books on overseas mission. No doubt others will disagree with the books I’ve listed (I may well do so myself next week).
“I’ve tried to avoid books that are too academic. I’ve also aimed for books which deal with the contemporary realities of the world church and mission in a multicultural world. Many of the missionary biographies that I grew up reading are excellent guides to Christian discipleship, but very poor introductions to mission in a world which has changed massively over the last 50 years.”
Here’s Eddie’s list. Read his comments and his readers’ responses, here.
Mission After Christendom, by David Smith
The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative, by Christopher J.H. White
Christianity Rediscovered, by Vincent J. Donovan
Changing the Mind of Missions: Where Have We Gone Wrong? by James F. Engel and William A. Dyrness
Walking with the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development Theology, by Bryant Myers
The Shaping of Things to Come: Innovation and Mission for the 21st Century Church, by Michael Frost
The Message of Mission, by Howard Peskett
The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, by Philip Jenkins
Whose Religion is Christianity?: The Gospel Beyond the West, by Lamin Sanneh
A Time for Mission: The Challenge for Global Christianity, by Samuel Escobar
Editor’s note: Eddie Arthur currently serves as Executive Director of Wycliffe UK. I also found much food for thought in his essay, Is the Age of the Great Commission Over?
Readers might also be interested in the recent discussion of books (not necessarily “missions” books) that mission-types are recommending at Brigada Today.
EVENTS – Crisis Management, Pre-field Training, and More
Source: Marti Smith, Missions Catalyst managing editor
Crisis Consulting International provides a three-day seminar for mission leaders to train them in risk assessment, current threats and trends, setting policies, contingency planning and crisis management. Two seminars are planned for 2009, both in Waxhaw, NC, USA: March 23-25 and October 21-23. A more advanced Field Security Seminar is also scheduled for that location, April 27-29. You can also call them at 805.642.2549 or reach them by email.
TRAIN International provides coaching for sending churches and cross-cultural and language acquisition training for cross-cultural workers, and facilitate re-strategizing for teams on the field and debriefing for those going through re-entry.
Most events are held in Joplin, MO, USA. To learn more check the web site, call 417.621.8962, or send an email. Scheduled events for 2009 include:
June 1-19 /orient/ Pre-field cross-cultural training
August 3-7 /abide/ Re-entry and debriefing for singles, couples and families
August 31-September 4 /retool/ Re-strategizing retreat for cross-cultural workers who have been on the field and need refocusing
September 7-18 /acquire/ Language acquisition training
October 5-9 /abide/ Re-entry and debriefing for singles, couples and families
Editor’s note: If you’re looking for programs like these (in the US), you might want to also check out Missionary Training International and Center for Intercultural Training, among others.
Ministering cross-culturally in the US? The Ethnic America Network is sponsoring an Ethnic Ministries Summit in Scottsdale, AZ, USA, March 19-21.
More events are listed on our Missions Events Calendar.