In this edition of Resource Reviews:
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Source: Voice of the Martyrs
The 2022 International Day of Prayer video, Rebecca: Nigeria tells the story of a Nigerian woman who watched helplessly with her daughter as Boko Haram militants killed her husband and son and burned her home. When she searched the charred remains of her home, she found the Bible she and her husband had received on their wedding day. “I still use this Bible,” Rebecca said. “It reminds me of God’s faithfulness.”
You might want to share this video with others on or before the day of prayer, November 6, or some other time during November. Learn more about the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church and download additional resources.
Source: Moody Publishers and Pioneers
Is the Commission Still Great? 8 Myths about Missions and What They Mean for the Church, by Steve Richardson. Moody Publishers, 2022. 208 pages.
In our day, skeptics raise a lot of questions about international missions—and so do many Christians who might have previously accepted these efforts without much thought. Rather than fearing or rejecting such questions, Pioneers-USA President Steve Richardson presses in for a closer look at the some of the most common issues and concerns. Is the day for Western missionaries past? Can local evangelists and short-term helpers complete the job without long-term missionaries? Is missions just for a select few? Are mission efforts harmful or ineffective?
The author draws on research data, helpful metaphors and illustrations, and his own experience to analyze and address eight perceptions that keep people from participating in global mission. This book is a good resource for mission advocates and skeptics alike.
Visit the book website to watch the book trailer, learn more, or buy the book for US$10 (or US$9.99 for the Kindle edition). Bulk pricing is also available. The website includes a free, ten-session curriculum for using the book with a small group.
See also A Conversation with Steve Richardson (Outreach Magazine) or watch/listen to an interview on Mission Minded Podcast (ITEC).
Sources: Various
Know a healthcare provider asking questions about serving in global missions? The healthcare missions community is quite active and ready to engage with those interested. MedicalMissions.com is a good place to start.
Check out Christian Global Health in Perspective, an online training course inspired by Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, and other initiatives and resources from Health for All Nations (a project of Frontier Ventures). They even have an academic journal.
The September/October issue of Mission Frontiers is focused on “healers and preachers” and has several good articles dealing with healthcare and holistic missions. To go deeper, pick up a few books about medical missions from William Carey Publishing.
Many sending organizations welcome medical workers, but there are also specialized groups like the Christian Health Service Corps.
Source: Good Soil Evangelism and Discipleship
Reflections from God’s Story of Hope unfolds the storyline of the Bible through 50 Old Testament and 50 New Testament events—from Genesis through Revelation, in a hardback book suitable for display. It’s a Bible storybook that can be used with children or adults, Christians and non-Christians alike, and it includes:
Learn more or buy the book for US$40. Bulk discounts are available. Related resources include a free downloadable study guide and an audio version with professional dramatized recordings of all 100 narratives, available either as a collection of MP3 files or a mobile app (with images included). Plus the pictures are available as museum-quality prints.
Good Soil, a ministry of ABWE, has lots of great resources, including chronological Bible storying workbooks available in languages from Bengali to Zulu and sets of colorful, pocket-sized chronological Bible storytelling cards. They also provide Bible courses and training seminars to help you use tools like these to share your faith with anyone.
Source: Marti Wade
Ever heard of MissionWorks? Maybe not. It’s a U.S. ministry based near Portland, Oregon, born of several mergers to form a family of five mission-related and recently renamed ministries. I serve on their board of directors.
One of these ministries, MissionConnexion, has been around in some form for about 20 years and provides free, regional, community-based weekend mission conferences as well as more focused events.
Here’s what they have coming up:
November 4-5, MissionConnexion Southwest (Chandler, AZ, USA). This conference will include four plenary sessions, more than 50 workshops and 40+ exhibitors. This year’s theme is “Together Here, Serving There.”
November 4-5, StudentConnexion (Beaverton, OR, USA). A mission conference just for middle school and high school students. “Our purpose is to challenge students, ages 10-20, to give their life for a cause that is greater than anything they may have previously thought of or imagined.”
January 20-21, MissionConnexion Northwest (Portland, OR, USA). This weekend mission conference will include 100 workshops, four plenary speakers, and many exhibitors, plus a day-long pre-conference event, LeadershipConnexion. That event will feature Steve Richardson, author of Is the Commission Still Great? (see review above).
February 24-25, Short-Term Mission Connexion (Seattle, WA, USA). This event is designed to help equip (or help you equip) short-term team members and leaders for greater effectiveness. Consider coming early for a pre-conference workshop on the seven standards of excellence in short-term missions from MissionExcellence (another part of MissionWorks). Those workshops are offered multiple times and places each year.
MissionWorks includes several more ministries related to short-term missions: a mission-trip finder, a travel-insurance service created specifically for short-term mission teams, and a nifty new relationship-based fundraising platform.
Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar
November 1-2, Support Raising Bootcamp (Houston, TX, USA). Provided by Support Raising Solutions. Note they will also be offering a bootcamp in Egypt November 10-13 and a virtual bootcamp December 5-7.
November 2-5, Christian Community Development Association National Conference (Charlotte, NC, USA). Learn about CCD and network with others to help people and communities experience God’s shalom.
November 3, Are These Countries Really Closed? (online). Free webinar from Sixteen:Fifteen.
November 3, So You Wanna Have a Podcast? (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.
November 3-5, International Conference on Missions (Columbus, OH, USA). An annual conference in the Christian/Disciples of Christ tradition.
November 4-5, MissionConnexion Southwest (Phoenix, AZ, USA). Free, community-based mission conference. A ministry of MissionWorks.
November 4-5, StudentConnexion (Beaverton, OR, USA). A mission conference just for middle school and high school students. A ministry of MissionWorks.
November 4-5, Missions Fest Seattle (Edmonds, WA, USA). Free, community-based mission conference.
November 6, International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (global). Observed annually.
November 6-12, Perspectives Intensive for Pastors & Leaders (Monroe, WA, USA). Prefer online? The next class is November 6 to March 19.
November 7 to December 2, Mission Mobilization Equipping School (Chiang Mai, Thailand). From the Global Mission Mobilization Initiative.
November 9-10, People Raising Conference (online). Be equipped for raising personal support.
November 10, Organization Initiatives for Sexual Wholeness (online). A virtual event from Missio Nexus and introducing a new working group with the same name.
November 2-14, Field Security Seminar (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided by Crisis Consulting International and regularly offered in different times and places.
November 10-12, Global Missions Health Conference (Louisville, KY, USA and online). World’s largest healthcare missions conference; annual.
November 13, Call to Prayer Virtual Prayer Gathering (online). Engage the Muslim world through prayer on the second Sunday of each month.
November 14-16, Building and Leading Diverse and Effective Mobilization Teams (Dallas, TX, USA). Training event from Missio Nexus.
November 14-18, Abide Debriefing for Global Workers (Joplin, MO, USA). Provided by TRAIN International for missionaries in re-entry.
November 15, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer For Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI for the third Tuesday of each month.
November 17, Crowdsourcing Missions via Remote Work (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.
November 30 to December 1, Denominational Roundtable for Mission Leaders (Antioch, TN, USA). Provided by Missio Nexus.
View the complete calendar, updated regularly. We welcome submissions.
Source: Media to Movements monthly newsletter, September 21, 2022
“Khalil,” a young adult from the Middle East, experienced many injustices in his life and was searching for a place to belong when he found a gospel video that [a media ministry team] posted on Facebook. This video sparked Khalil’s curiosity, and he quickly wanted to meet with someone to learn more about Jesus. From that first meeting, he couldn’t stop reading the Bible.
Khalil soon surrendered his life to Jesus; and from that time, [the] fear disappeared. He said, “I will not fear anyone as long as Jesus is with me.” He was later baptized, quickly developing a passion for Christ, and is now sharing his newfound freedom with his entire family! He continues to learn more every day and meets with believers whenever possible.
Pray for his wife and sister who are now reading the Bible, that they too, would come to faith. Pray that Khalil’s spiritual roots would grow strong and deep and that God would multiply fruit through this passionate brother.
Editor’s note: Media to Movements, which provided this story, is looking to add a full-time social media marketing coach to their team. It sounds like a great job and ministry opportunity for someone. You or someone you know? Learn more about their work or contact them.
See also a story about a man from the Arabian Peninsula who took his questions about faith to the internet (Operation Mobilization).
While many question the faith of their ancestors, we read an interesting story about people returning to an ancient faith. Read Greeks Return to Worshiping Gods of Ancient Greece (Greek Reporter). Pray for them!
Source: Every Home for Christ, October 2022
Martha’s 11-year-old son, Jonah, has cerebral palsy. Jonah desperately wants to go to school, Martha tells me. Jonah’s physical challenges and his family’s financial circumstances make that impossible. Martha just wants a full life for her son.
The stigma against people with disabilities in Africa is oppressive. It’s tragic. It’s infuriating.
Children and young people with disabilities are treated as outcasts and often neglected. Governments provide little or no support to families with children who have disabilities. Husbands frequently abandon their wives when their child’s disability becomes apparent. Disability is often seen as a curse on a family. Families and communities blame mothers.
The Bible says children are a blessing from the Lord. It does not specify able or disabled children. They are all a blessing.
Jesus calls us to reach not only the people we are comfortable with but the ones we are not so comfortable with. We are to urge anyone we find to come to the house of the Lord. Anyone means any human being you find with God’s breath, regardless of shape or form, abled or disabled. That’s the Great Commission.
In the full story, the author talks about her own son, who has autism, and her ministry to people on the margins.
This is a global problem, not just a problem in Africa. Scripture has much to say about ministering to the marginalized. And many of us look away. See a short post comparing the themes of the top 25 Christian worship songs with what’s in the Psalms (Craig Greenfield, via Global Christian Worship). You’ll see some notable gaps.
