Category: Resource Reviews

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

February 3-4, Santa Barbara Mission Conference (Santa Barbara, CA, USA). An annual community event.

February 3-5, Missionfest Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB, Canada). Community-based mission festival.

February 6 to June 11, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). New online classes begin regularly. Most in-person classes have already begun for the semester, but consider visiting a class in your area if there is one.

February 6-7, Support Raising Bootcamp (Cedar Park, TX, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions. Note that another February bootcamp will happen in Bali, Indonesia, February 20-21.

February 7, 8 Myths about Missions and What They Mean for the Church (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

February 9, The End of Globalization (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

February 12, Call to Prayer Virtual Prayer Gathering (online). Join others to engage the Muslim world through prayer on the second Sunday of each month.

February 14, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer For Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI and held on the third Tuesday of each month. 

February 16, Diversity and Mission Mobilization (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

February 16-19, Haven Retreat (Palawan, Philippines). For kingdom-minded women serving overseas from various nations. Provided by Azmera.

February 17-18, Midwest Conference on Missionary Care (Roseville, MN, USA). An annual event.

February 17-18, The Journey Deepens retreat (Tempe, AZ, USA). Go deeper with Jesus and journey into missions; provided by MissionNext.

February 20-23, Thrive Retreat (Rome, Italy). For cross-cultural workers from the US and Canada who serve overseas. 

February 21 to April 26, Encountering the World of Islam (Littleton, CO, USA). Focused on embracing Muslims with the love of Christ. A second in-person class will start on March 7 in St. Louis, MO and go through May 22.

February 22-23, George Liele Missions Summit (Ferguson, MO, USA). Celebrating and re-imagining a diverse global missions movement. Sponsored by Civil Righteousness, Launch Global, and others.

February 22-25, Tell: Orality Training (Joplin, MO, USA). Learn gospel storytelling with TRAIN International.

February 23 to March 31, Foundations of Media to Movements (online). Develop a social media outreach strategy; from Media Missions U.

February 24-25, Short-Term Mission Connexion (Seattle, WA, USA). A MissionWorks and MissionConnexion event focused on short-term missions.

February 24-27 Haven Retreat (Da Nang, Vietnam). For kingdom-minded women serving overseas from various nations. Provided by Azmera.

February 25, Mission Mentoring Morning (online). Connect and share strategies to advance your church’s missions commitment. Sponsored by Into All the World (a Canadian mission).

View the complete calendar, updated regularly. We welcome your submissions.

1. You Reign: The Year in Review
2. Recommended: Best Missions Books of 2022
3. Classes: Learn about Muslims and Islam
4. Events: January Conferences, Training, and More

View or share the email edition or scroll down for more.

Source: Prayercast

Same song, different year. Some things change but the love and sovereignty of God continue. A six-minute video reflects on the events of 2022 and recognizes that “amid the overwhelming events of this year, his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14).

Watch or download the video.

What would be in your own highlight (and lowlight) reel for 2022? Consider setting aside time for an annual “examen” (Unhurried Living) or get some coaching from Steve Moore on How to Do a Year-End Reflection Exercise (Learning @ the Speed of Life).

Source: Catalyst Services

Looking for a good read recommended by others in the mission community? Catalyst Services offers a baker’s dozen of suggestions (including several we featured) in the categories of theology/missiology, evangelism, missions mobilization, leadership, missionary preparation, and missionary care.

See what they recommend and follow links to previous “best books” lists at the bottom of the article.

Sources: Various

Heading to the Middle East or Southeast Asia? Want to learn more about the world of your refugee neighbor? Several ministries we’re loosely connected with are gearing up for 2023 training programs for Christians who want to learn more about Muslims and Islam.

Encountering the World of Islam

Encountering the World of Islam offers a 12-week online course featuring expert instructors and mentors with experience among Muslims. Videos, readings, and other assignments are enhanced through online discussions. The next class is from January 9 to April 9. They can also work with you to set up a cohort class.

Learn more or sign up. Already had the Perspectives class? Contact EWI for a Perspectives alumni discount code (January class only).

Summer Institute on Islam

The Summer Institute on Islam, typically offered as a one-week intensive, provides a solid foundation for understanding a Muslim’s worldview, theology, and culture from within their own frame of reference. This course can help Christians get past stereotypes and misunderstandings and form relational approaches for sharing our faith with Muslims in ways that make sense to them. Academic credit may be available for those who need it.

SII 2023 will be held in Orlando, Florida April 16-22.

Download a brochure about SII.

Lilias Trotter Center Global Courses

The Lilias Trotter Center aims to help prepare the hearts and minds of men and women for the joys and challenges of serving cross-culturally. They are offering two online courses this coming semester (January 9 to May 5), both related to ministry among believers of a Muslim background (BMBs, also known as MBBs).

• Deliverance in BMB Discipleship
• BMB Perspectives on Identity, Community, and Theology

Learn more. Note that these are college-level courses offered in partnership with Wesley Biblical Seminary and will cost a bit, but discounts are available for those who audit and students from the “majority world.”

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

January 8, Call to Prayer Virtual Prayer Gathering (online). Join others to engage the Muslim world through prayer on the second Sunday of each month. From Missio Nexus.

January 9-13, Storytelling Training (online). Get hands-on experience with oral Bible storytelling with five three-hour sessions provided by Story Runners, a Cru ministry.

January 9 to February 4, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition provided by Missionary Training International.

January 9 to April 9, Encountering the World of Islam (online). New online classes start several times a year.

January 9 to May 14, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). New online classes begin regularly. Note that about 120 in-person classes are also scheduled for early 2023 in locations across the US.

January 10-11, Support Raising Bootcamp (Fayetteville, AR, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions. Note there will be another January bootcamp January 23-24 in Costa Rica (in Spanish).

January 12, The Ancient Roots of Innovation (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

January 15 to February 10, Equipping for Cross-Cultural Life and Ministry (Union Mills, NC, USA). Followed by Language Learning Accelerator course from February 12-24. Provided by the Center for Intercultural Training.

January 17, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer For Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI and held on the third Tuesday of each month.

January 19, Thought Leadership for Servant Leaders (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

January 19-21, Help! We’re Going on a Short-Term Trip (Atlanta, GA, USA). Seminar for team leaders from CultureLink.

January 20-21, MissionConnexion Northwest (Portland, OR, USA). A free, regional missions conference, the largest event of its type in the region. Come early for a related event designed to equip church mission leaders, Leadership Connexion.

January 25 to March 22, Kairos Course (online). An interactive overview of the plans and purposes of God. An additional class will be running in a different time slot from January 26 to March 23. Prefer a face-to-face class? Consider the one-week intensive in Louisville, KY, March 20-24, in partnership with Team Expansion, or find a class in your part of the world.

January 26, Missio Nexus Innovation Fund (online). Webinar introducing a new opportunity for funding from Missio Nexus.

January 28-30, Mission Central Conference: Serve (Vancouver area, Canada). Formerly Missions Fest Vancouver.

January 26-28, Azmera Stateside Summit (Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, USA). A mission event just for women, how cool is that? Provided by Azmera. Be sure to also check out their Haven retreats for women serving cross-culturally.

January 31 to February 3, Critical Skills for Emerging Leaders (Winter Park, FL, USA). A training event from Missio Nexus.

View the complete calendar, updated regularly. We welcome your submissions.

Source: The Gospel Coalition

Christmas has everything to do with missions, says David Platt. He challenges Christians to reflect at Christmas on the many people around the world who still have not heard the good news of the gospel.

Watch the video (or click on the image below). It’s just a few minutes long.

You might also be encouraged by a recent article from The Gospel Coalition, 4 Ways to “Be Still and Know” This Christmas. It’s a reflection on Psalm 46 and its implications for Christmas and God’s global mission.

Source: OSCAR

Christmas is a great time to reach out and connect with a missionary you know! OK, maybe any time is. But as you’re looking through your Christmas list, consider if one or more of these items should be added. The article is from Mike Frith at OSCAR, the UK mission information service.

1. Send them Christmas greetings
2. Send a Christmas present
3. Give them a financial gift
4. Pray for their Christmas celebrations
5. Pray for their Christmas outreach
6. Include them in your Christmas
7. Help those recently returned

Read the brief article, then browse OSCAR’s Christmas resource list.

It’s probably too late to post packages. But you can still bless friends abroad in other ways. Any of these might be much appreciated.

Source: Upstream Collective

Far from home and feeling a bit down about it? Maybe you could use some words of lament to speak and pray. Upstream published some last year.

Take a look and download the liturgy to use with your team or family or share with a friend.

See also A Liturgy for When a Loved One Is Ailing Back Home.