Category: Resource Reviews

Source: African Leadership Study

African Christian Leadership: Realities, Opportunities, and Impact, edited by Robert J. Priest and Kirimi Barine. Orbis Books, 2017. 320 pages.

Wish you had a better understanding of the issues and questions African Christians face as they seek to live out their faith in their cultural context? Wonder how Africans themselves frame these questions and their answers?

Would you like access to actual research that can confirm your own experience or bring new information to your attention that would deepen and broaden your understanding?African Christian Leadership, the result of a multiyear study implemented by African scholars, offers insights on the support and training necessary to promote African Christianity and to foster the healthy development of Africa. Featuring input from over 8,000 African survey participants and dozens of in-depth interviews, it provides invaluable insight and concise analysis of the dynamics of the development of African Christian leaders today.

» Learn more or purchase the Kindle edition for US$15.12. Also available in paperback. Want to dig deeper into the data and analysis? The Africa Leadership Study website includes resources to help you engage further.

Source: Global Frontier Missions

Are you a pastor or missions leader looking for ways to help your church catch a vision for global missions or international ministry in your hometown? Looking for an opportunity to give your family or small group a cross-cultural experience that will impact their worldview? Maybe you’re a college student looking for exposure to unreached people groups and cultures without spending a fortune. Check this out.

Every month, Global Frontier Missions offers “Global Missions Journeys,” reasonably priced, thoughtfully designed, weekend experiences in multi-ethnic Clarkston, GA for missions exposure and training. They include mission education, prayer walking, interacting with people from different cultures and religions, and resources you can take home to use in engaging your local church in cross-cultural ministry at home and abroad. GFM adheres to the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission, and that’s always a good sign.

“Global Missions Tours,” scaled down to eight hours, are also available in Atlanta, Houston, and Richmond, and now in Sydney, Australia.

» Learn more. Other opportunities from GFM include internships, missionary training programs, and an online course.

» This and several other mission exposure programs are described in Start Here: First Steps to Ministry with Least-Reached Peoples (Catalyst Services).

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

February 1, Five Types of Strategies for Mission Organizations (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

February 2-3, Santa Barbara Mission Conference (Santa Barbara, CA, USA). An annual event.

February 2-4, Missionfest Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB, Canada). Free, annual, community-based mission festival for all ages.

February 2-8, Thrive Retreat (Paphos, Cypress). For North American women serving cross-culturally.

February 5 to June 10, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). This intro-to-missions course follows a four-month format.

February 6-9, Support Raising Leaders Conference (Orlando, FL, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.

February 11-23, Second Language Acquisition Course (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by the Center for Intercultural Training.

February 12 to March 10, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition provided by Missionary Training International.

February 14-21, Learning Culture through Purposeful Observation (online). Course provided by the Center for Intercultural Training (CIT).

February 14 to March 25, Seek God for the City (global). Annual prayer campaign coordinated by Seek God for the City.

February 15 to March 15, Foundations of Media Strategy (online). Training course from Mission Media U.

February 18-23, ABIDE (Joplin, MO, USA). Debriefing and re-entry help for returning missionaries.

February 21, Mobilizing the Next Generation of Missionaries (online). Free webinar from 16:15 and Cafe 10/40.

February 21-23, International Conference on Turkey (Mesa, AZ, USA). Sponsored by the International Turkey Network.

February 21 to March 21, Story in Ministry (online). Mentored course by Mission Media U on applying elements of story to your outreach.

February 22-23, Standards Introductory Workshop (Portland, OR, USA) presented by Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.

February 23-24, Midwest Conference on Missionary Care (Burnsville, MN, USA). An annual event.

February 23-24, Defy the Ordinary (Portland, OR, USA). Conference focusing on short-term missions presented by Short-Term Mission ConneXion and Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.

February 23-25, Missions Fest Alberta (Edmonton, AB, Canada). Free, annual, community-based mission festival for all ages.

» View the complete calendar. Please let us know about mistakes or omissions. For more about a specific event, though, contact the event organizers.

Dear Readers,

Thanks to all who took the time to participate in our recent one-question survey about how to make Missions Catalyst better or wrote to tell us how much you like what we’re doing (in response to Shane’s bold request). It was great to hear from many of you, and it isn’t too late to chime in.

Today’s edition has just one item: our curated calendar of mission events planned for early 2018. Take a look. Perhaps there is something that should be on your calendar, too?

We’ll return to our regular schedule with a batch of News Briefs from Pat on January 10. Until then, Shane, Pat, and I wish you a happy New Year. May the Lord continue to bless you and make you a blessing.

Cheers,
Marti Wade

Mission Conferences, Courses, and More

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

January

January 1-13, Darshan (Pasadena, CA, USA). Training for ministry to Hindus from Christar.

January 1 to March 25, Encountering the World of Islam (online).

January 7-13, Perspectives Intensive (New Freedom, PA, USA). Provided by Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.

January 8 to February 13, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition provided by Missionary Training International.

January 8 to May 13, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online).

January 11, Crisis Management and Legal Liability in Global Missions (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

January 14 to February 9, Equipping for Cross-Cultural Life and Ministry (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by the Center for Intercultural Training.

January 15-19, Abandoned Devotion Conference (Chiang Mai, Thailand). Sponsored by SVM2.

January 18, Detecting and Preventing Mission Fraud (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

January 19-20, Mission ConneXion (Tualatin, OR, USA). Free, annual mission conference for all ages.

January 23-23, Support Raising Bootcamp (Austin, TX, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.

January 22 to May 27, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online).

January 26-28, Missions Fest Vancouver (Vancouver, BC, Canada). Free, annual, community-based mission festival for all ages.

February

February 1, Five Types of Strategies for Mission Organizations (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

February 2-3, Santa Barbara Mission Conference (Santa Barbara, CA, USA). An annual event.

February 2-4, Missionfest Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB, Canada). Free, annual, community-based mission festival for all ages.

February 2-8, Thrive Retreat (Paphos, Cypress). For North American women serving cross-culturally.

February 5 to June 10, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online).

February 6-9, Support Raising Leaders Conference (Orlando, FL, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.

February 11-23, Second Language Acquisition Course (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by the Center for Intercultural Training.

February 12 to March 10, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition provided by Missionary Training International.

February 14 to March 25, Seek God for the City (global). Annual prayer campaign.

February 15 to March 15, Foundations of Media Strategy (online). Training course from Mission Media U.

February 18-23, ABIDE (Joplin, MO, USA). Debriefing and re-entry help for returning missionaries.

February 21-23, International Conference on Turkey (Mesa, AZ, USA). Sponsored by the International Turkey Network.

February 22-23, Standards Introductory Workshop (Portland, OR, USA) presented by Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.

February 23-24, Midwest Conference on Missionary Care (Burnsville, MN, USA).

February 23-24, Defy the Ordinary (Portland, OR, USA). Conference focusing on short-term missions presented by Short-Term Mission ConneXion and Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.

February 23-25, Missions Fest Alberta (Edmonton, AB, Canada). Free, annual, community-based mission festival for all ages.

March (more events likely to be added)

March 4-10, Perspectives Intensive (Orlando, FL, USA). Provided by Perspectives on the World Christian Movement.

March 18 to April 13, Equipping for Cross-Cultural Life and Ministry (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by the Center for Intercultural Training.

March 23-25, Jesus to the Nations (Halifax, NS, Canada). Free, annual, community-based mission festival for all ages.

March 26-27, Support Raising Bootcamp (Clyde, NC, USA). From Support Raising Solutions.

March 26 to June 17, Encountering the World of Islam (online).

» View the complete calendar. Please let us know about mistakes or omissions. For more about a specific event, though, contact the event organizers.

From Forest Hills Church in Charlotte, North Carolina: Watch this reminder that we have much to be thankful for.

1. SURVEY: Missions Catalyst in 2018
2. ONLINE TRAINING: Building Bridges with English
3. BOOK: The Advent of Relationship
4. CLASSES: Perspectives Intensives
5. PODCAST: What’s Happening in Missions Today?
6. DECEMBER EVENTS: A Conference, a Convention, and More

Follow us on Twitter for more great content. Got this from a friend? We’d love to have you subscribe.

Greetings, readers! We’re thankful for the chance to serve you and grateful to our families and colleagues who continue to give us the freedom to keep this thing rolling. Much thanks!

Quick question for you as we head into the last month of 2017:

What’s one thing you would have us change about Missions Catalyst to make it more helpful to you in 2018?

Source: ECFA ReachGlobal

Need ESL training? Building Bridges with English might be just what you need. This 25-hour course is geared toward missionaries, volunteers in church-based ESL programs in the US, and Christians who have a heart for reaching out by tutoring English. The four-week course (with orientation the week preceding) is facilitated by ESL professionals. Most find the course requires 4-6 hours per week.

The course includes audio, video, interactive lessons, quizzes, PowerPoint presentations, readings, online discussions, and practical application assignments. Participants also have access to a library of ESL resources with hundreds of free tips, ideas, lesson plans, worksheets, templates, and even a number of free, downloadable books and teaching manuals.

The next course offering will be January 15 to February 18, 2018.

» Learn more or register for the course. The cost is US$75.

Source: Peregrini Press

The Advent of Relationship, by T.J. MacLeslie. Peregrini Press, 2017. 66 pages.

“Have you ever been alienated from a loved one? Have you ever been estranged from a friend? Have you experienced separation where you desire connection, distance where you want closeness?

“I have. I have experienced geographic distance, as I have lived across the sea from my family and friends. But I have also known what it is to be physically close but a million miles away in the heart.

“Relationship is the root and trunk of the universe. God designed and created us for life with him. We are hard-wired for relationship. But we messed up. Both corporately and individually we have made mistakes (some of them willful) that have broken our relationship with the Community that is our Trinitarian God.”

• In what areas of your life are you aware of God’s nearness?
• How might you cultivate broader and deeper awareness of him?
• As you approach Advent, is there anyone with whom you need to seek reconciliation?

T.J. MacLeslie is the author of several books we’ve highlighted here before. This one is a devotional which includes only glancing references to cross-cultural ministry. I think, however, you’ll appreciate its portrayal of many of the dynamics of walking with the God who took on flesh… and living out our faith in relationships.

» Purchase The Advent of Relationship from Amazon for US$5.99 (paperback) or US$2.99 (Kindle) to read and meditate on alone or with others during the Advent season.

» For something a little lighter to do with your kids, download Kate & Mack’s 12 Days of Christmas and learn how 12 different countries celebrate (Wycliffe Bible Translators). It’s free but requires registration.

Source: Global Missions Podcast

Got 25 minutes for a podcast? The November 7 edition of the Global Missions Pocast features Ted Esler of Missio Nexus providing an overview of how the North American church is participating in missions. He highlights three major trends and gives advice about how to respond.

» Listen to the podcast or skim the show notes. See also the North American Mission Handbook (reviewed in our October edition).

Source: UnMissions.net Events Calendar

“So you have always wanted to take the Perspectives on the World Christian Movement class but could never make it work out with your schedule. It always happened to be on a night of the week which wouldn’t work,” write mission advocates Joe Steinitz and Dave Shive of unmissions.net. “How about cramming a semester’s worth of Perspectives into one week?”

“You can still do the reading before and after the class itself, but you’ll have one week exposure to multiple teachers. Definitely worth the investment. Great for pastors, missionaries, and others who can’t make it to a weekly class spread over four months.”

Upcoming intensives will be offered in Pennsylvania (January 7-13), Florida (March 4-10), and Texas (July 22-28).

» Check out these classes. About 160 regular 15-week classes launch across the US in January. Online classes start throughout the year.

» Kairos, too, is offering one-week intensives, this winter in North Carolina (January 3-10) and Kentucky (January 15-19), as well as classes in Spanish and Korean. And don’t forget PathWays to Global Understanding, though their website doesn’t list 2018 courses yet.