May 2019 – Missions Catalyst

???? Give your child the world ????

In this issue of Missions Catalyst Resource Reviews:

BOOKS: Global Lit for Kids

Give Your Child the World—Raising Globally Minded Kids One Book at a Time, by Jamie C. Martin. Zondervan, 2016. 224 pages.

Where I live, school’s almost out. I wonder how many moms and dads are starting to panic about inspiring their kids toward wholesome summer pursuits?

If that’s you—or if your kids just love good books— consider picking up Give Your Child the World. This reference guide to more than 600 books includes reading lists organized by region, country, and age range (4-12) along with helpful indexes. The author, a former missionary, home schools her multicultural family, and has written several books and blogs.

Each listing includes a brief description of the book, its themes, and content Christian parents might want to know about.
Most of the books are fiction but some nonfiction is included as well.
Few of these volumes are actually written by authors from the country or culture they describe; you will have to dig deeper for that. On the other hand, American readers may be able to get many of these with just a library card. In fact, I found this book itself through my local library.
Introductory material and sidebars throughout include other tips on raising globally minded kids.

» Learn more or purchase from Amazon (or elsewhere) at US$10.98 for the paperback edition and US$6.99 for Kindle. Looks like used copies are also readily available.

» You might also be interested in Becoming a World-Changing Family by Donna Thomas or The Mission-Minded Family and The Mission-Minded Child by Ann Dunagan.

MAGAZINE: Lausanne Global Analysis

Source: Lausanne Movement, May 2019

This month’s edition of the Lausanne Global Analysis includes articles you can sink your teeth into. Each is written by a subject-matter expert.

The Rise of Hindu Fundamentalism: Implications for India and Global Mission
The New Normal for Christianity in China: Adapting to a Tighter Political Environment
Do We Care about Corruption? How Integrity Can Tame the Beast of Bribes and Extortion
Creating and Sharing Wealth: Embracing our Mission of Holistic Transformation.

» Read the articles or subscribe. Prefer to listen? Check out the audio versions and follow Lausanne on Soundcloud.

» For thoughtful article on the mobilization side, see Life Stages and Missions (Catalyst Services). It walks us through challenges and opportunities of involving people in their twenties, thirties, forties, fifties, and sixties in mission efforts.

FILM: The Kingdom

Source: GemStone Media

Friends have produced a high-quality 82-minute “prodigal son” dramatic film set in the vineyards of Kosovo and beaches of Montenegro. In the aftermath of the human rights tragedies that Kosovo endured between 1998 and 2001, this family story offers a shining example of steadfast love that restores trust and instills hope for a better life.

The Kingdom is now available in English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Dutch, Greek, Farsi, and Bulgarian, along with the original Albanian. More languages in the works include Russian and Romanian.

» Visit the film’s website to learn more and stream or download the film, trailer, promotional material, and a discussion guide from the movie website. All of this is free for you to use as a ministry resource. You might also be interested in The Traveler, another film from the same group and set in Central Asia. Watch the trailer.

» In January we wrote about a film telling the story of murdered Australian missionary Graham Staines. The Least of These is now available on DVD and digital download, and might be a good choice to watch and discuss with your church or small group.

STUDY GUIDES: Making the Journey to Global Missions

Sources: Various

We’ve written about full-on classes like Perspectives, Pathways, and the Kairos Course, as well Bible studies like God’s Heart for the Nations (by Jeff Lewis), Missions: God’s Heart for the World (by Paul Borthwick), and Xplore, and missionary training books like Mission Smart (David L. Frazier) and Cross-Cultural Servanthood (Duane Elmer). Each has its uses, emphases, and limitations.

Now we want to let you know about a couple of helpful and fairly new small group studies on missions that almost slipped past us.

Journey to the Nations: A Greater Vision for Your Greatest Mission, by Mark Sigmon. Credo House Publishers, 2017. 40 pages.

This workbook offers six 45-minute sessions you can do on your own or with a group, with ideas for several additional sessions.
It’s mostly a Bible study but pulls in other material as well.
I like that it’s designed for senders and goers alike and highlights but doesn’t exclusively focus on the priority of the unreached.
There’s a video element, but the lessons aren’t built around the videos (which come from a variety of sources; YouTube links provided).
Although a few of the suggestions feel dated, the study is solid overall. It’s enough to lay a good foundation without overwhelming and it provides next steps for those who want to learn or do more.

» You can get it on Amazon for US$11.99, or from Global Impact Services, the author’s ministry. Bulk discounts available.

The Path Series

Discovering Global Missions: Explore God’s Heart for the Nations, by Dave Guiles. Encompass World Publishing, 2017. 60 pages.

Four chapters can be used for four sessions to do on your own or with a small group.
With Matthew 28:18-20 as a starting point, the study covers the need to make disciples, the command to go to all nations, and how you can get involved.
This booklet is not designed as a workbook; it has discussion questions but not much white space. All the scriptures are printed in the text. This gives it a more contemporary, professional look but may be overwhelming.
Sessions are, in part, built around a series of videos from Global Frontier Missions. Anyone is free to use these whiteboard teaching videos; they seem to be very popular.
Considering using this study? You can sign up to get a free copy.

Discerning Your Calling: Discover Your Place as a Global Worker, by John Ward. Encompass World Publishing, 2018. 70 pages.

The booklet has six chapters plus an introduction and conclusion.
The content covers questions of calling, setting direction, building a relationship with your church, finding an agency, and overcoming obstacles.
Each chapter includes a story about someone else’s journey.
Each chapter also includes questions and scriptures to consider for going deeper. You could go through this with a group; it might work just as well one-on-one with a mentor.

Although these materials includes a few references to the mission agency that published them, Encompass World Partners, I didn’t pick up on anything that would keep the rest of us from being able to use them.

The series also include a volume about setting up a mobilization team in your church. I haven’t seen that one. You can request a sample chapter from the publisher.

» Learn more about or purchase materials in the Path Series.

EVENTS: Coming up in June

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

June 1-2, World Weekend of Prayer for Children at Risk (international). Coordinated by the Viva Network.

June 3-5, Enlace Global 2019 (Rockville, VA, USA). Lidera a tu iglesia para llegar a las naciones. Provided by Movilización Hispana.

June 3-29, COMPASS (Palmer Lake, CO, USA). Language and culture acquisition provided by Mission Training International.

June 3 to August 11, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). Intensive version; regular course June 3 to October 6.

June 6-8, Emerge Business Summit (Colorado Springs, CO, USA). Be affirmed, confirmed, and empowered to do missional business in nations.

June 9, International Day for the Unreached (global). An annual event.

June 13-14, Support Raising Bootcamp (Wheaton, IL, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions.

June 16-28, Second Language Acquisition Course (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by the Center for Intercultural Training.

June 19-20, Standards Introductory Workshop (Vienna, VA, USA). Training in the Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission.

June 19-22, Field Security Seminar (Lake George, CO, USA). Prepare to live, work, and travel in high-risk environments.

June 19-29, Breathe Conference (Wilderswil, Switzerland). Rest and renewal retreat for cross-cultural workers.

June 20, World Refugee Day (international). Many churches observe this with prayer the Sunday before or after.

June 20-22, The National African American Mission Conference (Vienna, VA, USA). An annual event.

June 25-26, Amplify Conference (Wheaton, IL, USA). Evangelism conference from the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College.

June 26-29, International Conference on Computing and Missions (Hannibal, MO, USA).

» View the complete calendar. Contact us to suggest additions. Want to know more about a specific event? Contact the event organizers.

Movement in India Continues to Thrive and Grow

“Seeing a house church in India is like getting a front-row view to the book of Acts.”

God is using simple house churches to make himself known in unreached parts of India… and the world. See related story below (Asian Partners International).

INDIA: Bhojpuri Movement Continues to Thrive

Source: Mission Frontiers, May 2019

Editor’s note: The following is excepted from an interview with Indian mission leader Victor John and describes a church-planting movement among the 90 million Bhojpuri of North India.

The movement started in 1998. I had begun focusing on work among the Bhojpuri since 1992 and in 1994 we began the ministry in earnest. We held the first Bhojpuri consultation, began a systematic survey for all the Bhojpuri districts, and made a decision to focus on obedience-based discipleship. We didn’t start with a blueprint for how the ministry would unfold; everything has been evolving through the years.

The real breakthrough with significant numbers happened when we released the first edition of the Bhojpuri New Testament in 1998. After that the movement began growing exponentially. It wasn’t a huge movement at that time. Things were happening in various places, but we had no idea of the big picture of what the Lord was doing.

In 2000 an audit was done by the International Mission Board (IMB), and they pointed out that exponential growth was taking place. The tipping point had been in 1998, when things just shot up. We only had 800 pastors at that time, and all of their ministries had grown within the previous two or three years. The IMB’s audit showed the rapid growth curve and it hasn’t stopped since then. Additional audits have been done by other groups in subsequent years, showing the endurance and growth of the movement.

I just met yesterday with 35 or 40 leaders who shared amazing stories. We were counting the generations of believers and churches and it’s over 100 generations! Every generation of believers starts a new church. We don’t count the number of believers (how many people got saved). We count the number of churches started.

» Read the rest of this interview. Readers may want to check out the rest of this edition of Mission Frontiers, focused on India: The Greatest Challenge to World Evangelism.

» For more of the story, get the new book Bhojpuri Breakthrough: A Movement that Keeps Multiplying, by Victor John with Dave Coles. The paperback edition $US15 from WIGTake Resources if you order before the end of May. An US$9.99 Kindle edition should be available soon. See excerpts: Bhojpuri Movement Transforming Social Dynamics (Mission Frontiers) and Bhojpuri Girl Raised from the Dead (Beyond).

ALGERIA: God Opens a Window

Source: Create International, April 2019

Years ago, the Lord led Create International to do two films for Algerian Arabs, a very unreached people group. Later while attending a mission conference in Malta we met up with our friend who played a significant role in one of these films. He told us how God is using this film in miraculous ways and how the Lord has given him a new ministry as a result.

» Listen to the story (18-minute interview). This is the first in a series of podcast episodes from Africa. You might also want to check out other resources and opportunities from Create International, a ministry of Youth with a Mission.

BURKINA FASO: Pastor and Five Others Shot after Church Service

Source: Open Doors, May 7, 2019

[It] seemed like any Sunday for 80-year-old [Assemblies of God] Pastor Pierre Ouédraogo, who has spent 40 years serving his church and village community in the northeastern Soum province of Burkina Faso. On April 28, he gathered for worship with his congregation. And like every Sunday, he preached the Word of God with the wisdom that seasoned years of life and ministry bring.

But shortly after the service, an ordinary Sunday suddenly turned deadly and a church building where worshipers had just gathered became a crime scene.

Pastor Pierre was still talking with several congregants in the churchyard [when] a dozen men on motorbikes stormed the area.

A local leader who wished to remain anonymous told World Watch Monitor, “The assailants asked the Christians to convert to Islam, but the pastor and the others refused.”

Reportedly, the attackers gathered Pastor Pierre and the five other congregants under a tree and then confiscated their Bibles and cell phones.

“Then they called them, one after the other, behind the church building where they shot them dead,” the leader said.

He and his five congregants [one his son] were buried the same day in a ceremony that drew people from both Christian and Muslim communities. The pastor leaves behind his wife and six other children.

The community leader said that when he and others advised the pastor to leave the area, he refused, saying he “would rather die for his faith than leave the community he has been serving for 40 years.”

» Read full story or the related story from World Watch Monitor (with background on the spike in violence in this region). See also a report on this attack from the BBC, as well as one about another attack on a Catholic church this past Sunday (May 12). Let’s pray for Burkina Faso.