Month: July 2020

GHANA: 20 New Disciple-Making Groups Start During COVID-19

Source: OneWay Ministries (email), July 17, 2020

With the Jesus Film Campaign and other large outreach events on hold, OneWay Africa’s Joshua G. recently began a disciple-making group among the unreached Mamprusi people. The group multiplied rapidly and has now become 20 groups with three generations and counting. “The members are vibrant, growing in their faith and reaching out to Muslims, idol worshipers, and more.” Praise the Lord!

» Also from OneWay Ministries, read Audio Bibles Fuel a Movement to Christ in Ghana.

BURMA: Testimonies from Karen Christians

Source: Asia Harvest Ministries, June 2020

My name is Samuel, and I have served as a pastor among my people since 1993. Long ago, when I went to Bible school, I had my own Bible, but during the war, Burmese soldiers came to our village and we had to run for our lives, leaving our possessions behind. Since that time, I have served the Lord without a Bible.

I later moved, but there wasn’t a single Bible in the whole village. Three years later, the church was able to obtain one Bible, but it fell apart from overuse. The Word of God was so rare and precious that the believers decided no one could touch the Bible except me. It had to remain in the church, and I could not take it home, for fear that I might lose it and they would again be without God’s precious Word.

On January 1, 1999, we started asking the Lord to provide us with our own Bibles. Now, after your workers visited, our hearts are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude! Not only did you provide one Bible for every family in our village, but they were completely free! Hallelujah!

Just one month after your visit, our church members were studying their Bibles every day, and great changes came to our village. People are now full of the joy of the Lord, they have stopped smoking and drinking, and they love one another. When I walk through the village, I hear people reading God’s Word aloud and singing praises. Our meetings have overflowed, and our church building cannot hold everyone. We have been so blessed by God that I feel like we now live in a heavenly village!

» Full article has more testimonies, photos, and background on the Karen.

COVID Stress & Thankfulness

Missions-Catalyst-no-tagline_large

In this together

By Shane Bennett

Are you hanging in there? Barely surviving, or actually thriving? If you’re like me, it may depend on the day. And these are days like we’ve not seen before. I sincerely hope you’re doing okay.

If you live in a land that’s celebrating summer, you may be scrambling to get things done before a vacation. I appreciate you taking some valuable minutes to read this month’s abbreviated Practical Mobilization column.

To remind us we are all in this together, here are seven things I’m a little worried about right now. I know, I know: Worry inversely correlates to faith. It’s like a rocking chair.* And it’s bad for my tummy. I’m not celebrating my worries, just being honest here, and sometimes these things stress me out. I’m also going to tell you ten things I’m really thankful for. (That list is longer, so you won’t think I’m too unspiritual!)

Seven Things I Worry About

1. Local Churches

I worry that churches, and the people who attend them, will increasingly only focus on getting by. They’ll feel the need to bunker up and conservatively plan for the worst. The offerings at my church have recently taken a bigger hit than can be attributed to the normal summer slump. What if people are doing their best to give but will need to stop soon in order to just pay for food and housing? Will churches have to make hard decisions to cut staff and curtail ministry?

2. Support Levels

What does the income hit many are experiencing mean for workers on support? For me? Will donations begin to dry up? Have they for you?

3. Missed Opportunities

I worry that I, that we, will miss some of the unique opportunities that come with these weird days. What bold and intrepid actions am I leaving undone because I’m simply trying to figure out how to make the home situation work and wondering what else might go wrong?

4. Mobilization

I fear we’ll lose global outreach momentum. That workers in waiting will get delayed, then distracted, and finally disinterested. That others will return to their passport culture and never go back.

5. Vulnerable Places

What’s going to happen with India? Both in terms of health and then economic health in the aftermath of the COVID?

6. Kids and Schools

In addition to my five adult children, I’m dad to three young ones now. To be honest, I’m a little worried they won’t go back to school in August! I love them and am learning all kinds of patience through these months. It’s just that they miss their friends and teachers. Yeah, that’s what it is. They really miss school.

7. Lessons Unlearned

I’m a little worried that people will ask, “What did God teach you during the lockdown?” and I’ll say, “Hmm, good question. I learned there are a lot of mean people on Facebook and the snarkiness of Shane doesn’t accomplish the righteousness of God.”

Ten Things I’m Thankful For

1. This Chance to Connect

I’m thankful part of my job is to write for people like you. It’s really not fair that once a month I get to wrack my brain, put down a few goofy but heartfelt words and dear saints like yourself take valuable time to read it.

2. Free, Virtual Events

I’m thankful for the thoughtful people who’ve taken their conferences virtual and made them free! Here are two where I’ll be presenting and one more I am registered to attend:

3. Cool Input

I have access to all kinds of cool and helpful books and tools. I still wonder with a little fear what William Carey may have accomplished with the iPad I use primarily to watch Jack Ryan, Season Two. (Regarding that by the way… the language and violence may not be your taste, but get this: Muslims aren’t the bad guys! That merits some support in my book. Apologies to Venezuelans!)

4. Fast Internet

One of the specific tools for which I’m thankful is fast internet. And not just so I can watch Jack Ryan. So many things are easier than they might be. So much information is closer than it used to be. And I can chat with new Muslim friends in far-off places.

5. Cross-Cultural Servants Ready to Deploy

I’m thankful for the intrepid people whose hearts had already moved to an unreached people, but whose bodies have been held up by COVID. I spoke to a fully funded friend this morning who’s riding out the virus while dreaming of her new home-to-be in South Asia.

6. Brave Friend-Raisers

I’m also thankful for those wild women and men who are raising support during these wacky days. More power to you! May God be honored (even if He’s also amused) by your audacity and bring in those Pesos pronto!

7. Health and Healthcare

I’m thankful I’m not sick. And if I contract COVID, I can reasonably hope for access to quality treatment. And if that treatment should prove insufficient to address the issues, there will be morphine to ease my transition to life beyond.

8. A God Who’s With Us

I’m grateful God is not surprised by the events facing each of our countries right now. The things our churches and families are dealing with and even the climate of our own souls are not unknown to the God who loves us.

9. A God Who’s Got This

I don’t think we have any reason to believe God is taking a COVID holiday. His purposes are progressing as he gives grace to new believers, courage to old ones, and kingdom growth in both expected and surprising places. I’m thankful he invites you and me to dream and scheme with him for the new things that will emerge from the cauldron of these days.

10. You, Saints

Finally, I’m thankful for you, happy that we can share this tiny snippet of life. As I write I’m praying God’s blessing on you, your family, and your work. If you’d like to share specifically how I can pray for you, I’d be honored to do so.

* Like a rocking chair: “Keeps you busy, but don’t get you nowhere!”

Stories & Statistics | World News Briefs

Missions-Catalyst-no-tagline_large

In this edition: Stories & Statistics

  1. WORLD: Where Do Missionaries Go?
  2. BANGLADESH: A Flower Jesus Made Bloom
  3. PAKISTAN: Couple Appeals Death Sentence for Alleged Blasphemy
  4. IRAN: Virtual Church Faces New Opposition
  5. MIDDLE EAST: Confessions of a Bible Smuggler

Greetings,

I’m finding it harder and harder to trust any statistics related to COVID-19. To reignite my confidence in stats, I turned to missiologist Justin Long. See below for his article on the nuances of counting how many missionaries work among the unreached.

Justin also mentioned the new UNHCR report on Forcibly Displaced People (refugees, etc.). It has great infographics to help you wrap your head around the data, and the five-minute video at the top of the page is beautifully done.

All these great resources reminded me of this graphic showing how the Bible is a single, great narrative.

Blessings,
Pat

WORLD: Where Do Missionaries Go?

Source: Justin Long, June 3, 2020

I frequently teach Lesson 9 of Perspectives [see lesson summary]. Whenever I do, one feature of the session that is often done, either at the beginning or at the middle break, is the “Worldview Demonstration.” This presentation attempts to show people the world’s population, the breakdown of religions, and how many of the world’s missionaries and the world’s mission money goes to the “more reached” vs. the “less reached.”

Inevitably, I often get asked how old the statistics are, and whether they have been updated. And the answer is, “fairly old” and “sort of.”

It takes a significant amount of time and personal relationships to attempt to gather any sort of credible estimate of missionary numbers per country. Maintaining them over time—that is, looking for trends and ebbs and flows in missionary information—is even more difficult. Fortunately, we have two good, recent sources, both from the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. One is the 2010 Atlas of Global Christianity and the other is the latest World Christian Encyclopedia.

In the latest WCE, the total number of missionary workers globally is estimated at 425,000 (this includes all traditions).

But the real question we want to get to is “What percentage of these workers are laboring among the unreached?” And that’s where it gets even stickier… [But] here is what you wanted all along:

Globally: 425,000 missionaries

  • Total in World A countries: 11,940 (3%)
  • Total in World B countries: 87,000 (20%)
  • Total in World C countries: 326,060 (77%)

Based on this we can note 77% of the missionary work force is almost certainly not focused on the unreached. 23% of the workforce is in places where “unreached” and “evangelized” peoples are largely found, but the workforce focused on the really difficult, most unreached peoples is probably not more than 3% of all missionaries.

» Read the short essay with regional breakdowns, definition of terms, and explanation of challenges. While there, check out other research and writing from Justin Long.

» Last week’s Missions Catalyst Resource Review mentioned a new app to help would-be missionaries (from the US?) find a sending agency. If that’s you, see also the matching service MissionNext.

BANGLADESH: A Flower Jesus Made Bloom

Source: Bible League International, June 29, 2020

Prodip’s family first arrived in Bangladesh from India in 1970. Today, he’s 43 years old and lives in a tea garden in eastern Bangladesh with his wife and many other migrants from India. For a long time, Prodip spent his time drinking and doing drugs. He notes, “I spent half my money on alcohol and marijuana. It gave me a high when I was depressed.”

Then, a church planter visited Prodip’s family and shared with them about the Good News of Christ.

At first, Prodip ignored the believer, but the more they spoke, the more he was impressed by the pastor’s humility. He talked to Prodip at length about the gospel and the Bible. He says, “I understood that I was a sinner and needed Jesus to rescue me.”

While the pastor was praying, Prodip became emotional and began crying, which surprised him and his wife since he is not very emotional. “I knew that God had touched me deeply. I felt my life was like a flower that Jesus made bloom.”

[Eventually] Prodip confessed his sins to God as well his wife. Now, their relationship is growing better every day. He no longer drinks or uses drugs and has learned to handle life in a better way. “I can see the look of wonder and disbelief on people’s faces when they interact with me. I’m equally surprised to see myself changed and transformed.”

» See full story with picture.

» Also from Bangladesh, read a fun story about The Bangladeshi MacGyver Turning Trash into Robots (Compassion International).

PAKISTAN: Couple Appeals Death Sentence for Alleged Blasphemy

Source: Christian Freedom International, June 24, 2020

Shafqat Emmanuel and his wife Shagufta Kausar are two more victims of Pakistan’s unjust blasphemy laws [which outlaw insulting Islam and its founder, Mohammed]. The young Christian couple was accused of sending blasphemous texts to a Muslim cleric in 2014. They were sentenced to death and have spent six years in separate prisons waiting for Pakistan’s High Court to hear their case. Their appeal has been repeatedly postponed and is now set for September 2020.

The illiterate couple have four young children. Shagufta was the sole breadwinner of the family since 2004 when her husband Shafqat became paralyzed following an accident that fractured his spinal cord.

The alleged texts were written in English. But neither Shafqat or Shagufta speak or read English. An investigation revealed that the couple was involved in an argument with their accuser months before the blasphemy accusation was made against them.

» Read full story and pray for this couple and their children.

» You might also be interested in learning how Pakistani churches are pulling together in COVID-19-related relief efforts (MENA Collective, via Mission Network News).

IRAN: Virtual Church Faces New Opposition

Source: Mission Network News, June 19, 2020

Iran’s latest legal changes target virtual churches and online ministries. According to Article18, new amendments to an existing law expand Iranian authorities’ ability to persecute religious minorities.

“Iran’s latest legislative amendment appears to be, in part, a response to internal uprising and political unrest across the country,” says Mike Ansari of Heart4Iran.

“For a long time, Iran has waged war on its minority population and blamed them for its misfortune. Many feel this is a desperate power-act by Iran to secure its longevity and survival.”

Meanwhile, a spiritual revolution is underway in the Islamic republic. “In the last three months, our call center at Mohabat TV has registered an all-time high of 3,000+ monthly decisions of faith from Iranian Muslims who are converting to Christianity,” Ansari says. “This ten-fold increase, compared to the same period in 2019, is a major indication that the Islamic Republic of Iran is losing a cross-section of its Muslim population to Christianity.”

» Read full story. Another story from Mission Network News shares good news from Syria.

MIDDLE EAST: Confessions of a Bible Smuggler

Source: Open Doors, June 23, 2020

“John” arrived at the airport late in the evening. There was only one more hurdle to get through before he was safely with his contacts, secret Christians who were following Jesus in this Middle Eastern country.

He had to make it through the border.

He went to the customs line at about 9:30 pm. His hope was the customs officers wouldn’t ask to see inside John’s suitcase; he hoped they would just wave him through.

That’s not what happened.

» Read full story.