Looking for tools to inspire your church, small group, or family for God’s global purposes? This issue features a bunch of new resources for missions education. Check them out! (Image: Momentum)
Day: November 29, 2018
FAMILY CURRICULUM: The Big Story Series
Source: Weave Family
Here’s a new children’s curriculum you will want to have! These three, high-quality related resources are designed to open kids’ hearts to peoples around the world who have never heard of Jesus and help each family find their role in God’s global story.
One Big Story: Discover God’s Purposes in His Word
These 52 family devotions walk you through God’s Word chronologically over the course of a year, revealing God’s purpose of blessing the nations revealed through the ways he blesses his people. 68 pages.
One Big Vision: Embrace God’s Love for the World
Through simple activities that can be woven into your daily life, your family will learn about the peoples of the earth who are unreached with the gospel. Stories and coloring pages bring into the daily lives of children from different people groups and religious blocks. Learn about what their lives are like, what they believe, and how to pray for them. 68 pages.
One Big Adventure: Explore Your Role in God’s Work
Meet Sophia, Sung Min, Arianna, Victor, and Amira—five ordinary kids who are changing the world with their families. Discover the different roles your family can play as characters in God’s story. 38 pages.
All the materials are written for families who have children ages 5-12, though One Big Vision includes activities to help older children go further in learning about worldviews.
» Learn more or download the digital copies of all three books and supplemental resources for free! Registration required. Thank you, Weave Team. These look great.
Want them in print? You can purchase physical books separately (US$8.95 each) or as a bundle (US$21.95) within the United States.
» See also Windows on the World, an Operation World resource designed for kids. The new, revised edition just came out!
CHURCH CURRICULUM: Momentum
Source: Momentum
Maybe you’re looking for something to use with a church class or small group ministry… something that looks at Scripture, the state of the world, and ways to respond. This one may be just what you need.
Momentum is a free, online video-based curriculum for churches and small groups. Born in 2012 as a discipleship class at Crossroads Christian Church in Evansville, Indiana, it’s designed to invite everyday people to rethink God’s mission, the call of the church, and their individual roles. Use it for six 90-minute sessions or divide lessons in half for a dozen 45-minute sessions. Looks like you can personalize it for your context, too.
» Learn more, watch the videos, and download materials. You won’t need to sign up for anything but you can contact the creators with questions.
BIBLE STUDY: God’s Global Glory and the Unfinished Task
Source: Bethlehem College and Seminary
God’s Mission and Christian Missions: God’s Global Glory and the Unfinished Task. Minneapolis, MN: Bethlehem College and Seminary, 2018 edition. 120-page download (student workbook; instructor guide also available).
Looking for a theologically rich resource to help a group understand and embrace God’s global purposes? This six-week course unpacks the truth that God is on a mission to fill the earth with his glory through his redeemed people. Students will examine key biblical passages and provocative questions related to a God-centered perspective on Christian missions and why ambassadors for the gospel must be sent to every people group.
In addition to inductive study of the Bible, lessons require participants to listen to four sermons and a conference by John Piper, all posted on the Desiring God website.
» Learn more or download materials. No cost and no registration required.
» Just need encouragement God can use you? Check out a new five-day Bible reading plan from Frontiers and the YouVersion Bible app. It’s called Christ In You: Living Into Your Life’s Purpose.
BOOK: Women in God’s Mission
Source: InterVarsity Press
Women in God’s Mission: Accepting the Invitation to Serve and Lead, by Mary T. Lederleitner. IVP Books, 2018. 240 pages.
Mission researcher Mary Lederleitner, author of Cross-Cultural Partnerships, surveyed 95 respected women in mission leadership from 30 countries. The author shares their experiences in their own words and identifies best practices and key traits of thriving leaders.
Readers will appreciate the author’s commitment to honoring those who hold diverse views about gender roles without failing to address the realities of gender discrimination. I found this book well written, carefully documented, and rich with examples. The suggestions for how husbands and colleagues can help women thrive were also helpful. I’d recommend this book to both men and women.
» Purchase from Amazon (or elsewhere).
» I also just finished another new book from IVP, Eddie Byun’s Praying for Your Missionary: How Prayers from Home Can Reach the Nations. Might make a good gift for senders and supporters. I’ll post a review on Amazon.
EVENTS: Coming up in December
Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar
December
December 4-6, Finishing the Task Conference (Lake Forest, CA, USA).
December 13, Factors Affecting Asian American Participation in World Missions (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.
December 13-14, Support Raising Bootcamp (Orlando, FL, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.
December 26-29, Chinese Missions Conference (Houston, TX, USA).
December 27-31, Urbana Conference (St. Louis, MO, USA). Intervarsity’s triennial student missions conference.
…and here’s a preview of January events:
January 2-5, Cross Conference (Louisville, KY, USA). Student missions conference.
January 9 to June 28, School of Global Harvest (Chiang Mai, Thailand). Provided by SVM2.
January 11-12, The Journey Deepens (Bellevue, WA, USA). Provided by Mission Next.
» View the complete calendar. We’d be grateful for your help in rounding up the details for 2019 events that should be added to this calendar. Just shoot us an email! If you want to know more about a specific event, though, contact the event organizers.