December 2023 – Missions Catalyst

Best Books, 5 Links to Follow, Articles & Events

Missions Catalyst Resource Reviews

Thanks for reading Missions Catalyst in 2023! We love writing for you and pray your new year gets off to a great start. In the meantime, here’s a quick book review and a roundup of articles and events. Enjoy.

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Afghan Mountain Faith, Stories of Justice, Beauty, and Relationships

Afghan Mountain Faith: Stories of Justice, Beauty, and Relationships, by Miriam Adeney and Rashid Aalish. William Carey Publishing, 2023. 150 pages.

If you’ve supported work in Afghanistan, served in the country, or ministered to Afghan refugees—or if you plan to—you’ll find this book a great resource. In providing a concise introduction to Afghanistan and Afghan people, it explores the country’s history and provides keys to understanding the cultural and religious backdrop. Refugee stories and testimonies of Afghan Christians bring it all to life. This book is fairly short but provides plenty of nuance and is beautifully written. I really enjoyed it.

Learn more and get the ebook edition for US$7.99 or pay $13.99 for a paperback copy. See also the publisher’s Top Books of 2023.

Every year, Ellen at Catalyst Services polls readers about books they’ve read. See Best Missions Books of 2023. Find your next great read!

Roundup: Five Links You Might Want to Follow

What would you guess are the top-ten most religious countries? What about the top-ten least religious countries? Check out an analysis piece based on the World Values Survey from Ryan Burge’s Graphs About Religion.
What’s the most popular Bible verse these days? YouVersion Bible app tells us it’s Isaiah 41:10—again. They also report a 20% increase in daily Bible reading in 2023. Good news.
Every year, Ministry Watch publishes a list of best ministries to support based on their financial transparency, accountability, and efficiency. Take a look. Some of us have room to improve.
For a list of fun and intriguing facts—each with attribution—see Tom Whitwell’s 52 things I learned in 2023. What a cool annual project! You may find something to use in a message or presentation.
Move over, 10/40 Window. Did you know that 50% of the world’s population, including most of the least reached people, can be found in a circle of significance with just 15% of the planet’s landmass? The model and map are from John Mayer of City Vision.

Articles: For Missionary Families from A Life Overseas

Source: A Life Overseas

Parents of Missionaries

Whether they are followers of Jesus or not, typical parents are not thrilled when their kids move overseas to serve in mission. But consider what it may cost them, especially when there are grandchildren involved. Read Dear Sending Church: We Need to Get the Parents of Missionaries on Board (Amy Medina) and follow links to some helpful resources.

Another piece honors the parents of cross-cultural workers. Read Dear Mom and Dad, Thanks for Letting Us Go without Letting Go of Us (Craig Thompson).

Missionary Families

Maybe you’ve heard of “adverse childhood experiences” (ACEs). But research also suggests eight categories of positive childhood experiences (PCEs) that can make kids more resilient. Learn what you can do to make a difference for missionary kids. Read It Takes a Village—Including for Missionary Families (Tanya Crossman).

With all the potential dangers of a life overseas, should people with kids even become missionaries? One mom struggled with this question, wishing she could protect her children from everything ugly. Read The Myth of the Ideal Childhood (Abigail Follows). Thought provoking.

Events: Helpful Conferences and Courses Planned for Early 2024

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

January 3-5, CROSS Conference (Louisville, KY, USA). Help this generation make their lives count.

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

January 8 to April 7, Encounter Muslims (online). Online classes held regularly. The next one will be April 29 to July 28.

January 8 to May 12, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). An additionally January class begins January 22, with more classes launching year-round. For a good alternative, check out Kairos.

January 11, The Harvest Is Plenty—What If the Workers Were Too? (online) Webinar from Missio Nexus.

January 11, Leverage Your Website to Reach the Nations (online). Peer2Peer event for communication and marketing teams.

January 13, The Heart of Jesus in the Skin of Every Culture (online). Three-hour training event with AllNations.

January 14, Virtual Call to Prayer (online). Join others to engage the Muslim world through prayer on the second Sunday of each month.

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

January 15-19, Storytelling Training (online). Offered regularly by StoryRunners, a ministry of Cru.

January 16, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer For Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI and held on the third Tuesday of each month.

January 17-18, Support Raising Bootcamp (Rogers, AR, USA). Provided by Via, formerly Support Raising Solutions. More classes held around the world throughout the year. Another bootcamp will be held in Kampala, Uganda, January 30 to February 1.

January 19-20, MissionConnexion Northwest (Portland, OR, USA). A free, regional missions conference, the largest event of its type in the region. Come early for Leadership Connexion, designed to equip church mission leaders. This year, a more focused event called Short-Term Mission Connexion meets at the same time with shared plenary sessions and exhibitors.

January 19-20, Help! We’re Going on a Short-Term Trip (Atlanta, GA, USA). Seminar for team leaders from CultureLink.

January 31, Critical Dilemma – a CEO Thought Leader Briefing (online). Briefings held regularly for mission CEOs only, provided by Mission Nexus.

February 1-3, Azmera Stateside Summit (Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, USA). A mission event just for women. Provided by Azmera. Be sure to also check out their Haven retreats for women serving cross-culturally. For 2024, retreats are planned for Namibia, Tanzania, Bolivia, Malta, and Israel.

February 3-4, Missionfest Manitoba (Winnipeg, MB, Canada). Community-based mission festival.

February 3, Santa Barbara Mission Conference (Santa Barbara, CA, USA). An annual regional mission event.

February 8, How to Double Your Next Fundraising Campaign (online). From Missio Nexus for mission communication and marketing teams.

February 10, Generational Discipleship (online). Three-hour training event from AllNations.

February 11, Virtual Prayer Gathering: Call to Prayer (online). Join others to engage the Muslim world through prayer on the second Sunday of each month.

February 12-13, Support Raising Bootcamp (Austin, TX, USA). Provided by Via, formerly Support Raising Solutions. More classes held around the world throughout the year. Note that two virtual bootcamps will be held in February, one for folks in Australia (February 5-7) and another for the UK (February 27-29).

February 15-17, MissionFest Vancouver (Vancouver, Canada). A free, community-wide mission conference.

February 16-17, Help! We’re Going on a Short-Term Trip (Tampa, FL, USA). Seminar for team leaders from CultureLink.

February 20, Contend: Monthly Day of Prayer For Mission Mobilization (global). Coordinated by GMMI and held on the third Tuesday of each month.

February 20-23, Critical Skills for Emerging Leaders (Winter Park, FL, USA). A Missio Nexus training event.

February 22-24, The International Congress on Language Learning (online). Learn about field-based language learning, best practices, coaching language learners, and connecting with experts in second language acquisition.

February 22-25, Refugee Highway Partnership Roundtable (Warsaw, Poland). An annual gathering.

February 23-24, Midwest Care Connexion (Roseville, MN, USA). An annual event, formerly Midwest Conference on Missionary Care (MC2), now a ministry of MissionConnexion and MissionWorks.

February 28-29, Move Conference (Marietta, GA, USA). Annual mission conference sponsored by Johnson Ferry Baptist Church. All are welcome.

View the complete calendar, updated regularly. Submissions welcome.

Church Growth in Ukraine | Escape from North Korea

Missions Catalyst News Briefs

Read or share the email edition.

Ukraine: Churches Report New Visitors, Growth, and Baptisms

Source: INcontext International, December 6, 2023

In Ukraine, despite warfare continuing throughout 2023, there were reports of people being the hands and feet of Jesus by remaining in danger zones to hand out food parcels, provide shelter to those whose homes were destroyed, and preach the gospel to those without hope in times of suffering and uncertainty.

For the citizens who have chosen to stay in Ukraine, there have been reports of a thriving and multiplying Church.

In the last three months of 2022 and the beginning of 2023, the Ukrainian Baptist churches reported 2,300 baptisms and 15,000 new visitors.
One church, in partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, had 40 members after people began to flee, but since February 2022, this church has expanded to more than 600 in a venue that holds only 200.
This is not an isolated incident as many churches report record numbers of baptisms and new converts.

The hope that is brought by the Ukrainian Church, through relief efforts in such a difficult season, has seen people turning to Christ where hope is difficult to find.

Note: This is an excerpt from a lengthy, year-in-review piece from INcontext exploring how 2023’s crises and challenges have helped the global church continue to grow and mature. Read and be encouraged by ways God is at work amid wars, humanitarian crises, global migration, coups, and geopolitical shifts.

See also the music video You Reign, updated annually to provide a look back on the year’s events through the lens of God’s love and sovereignty (Prayercast).

Indonesia: Official Calls Government to Support Christians This Christmas

Source: International Christian Concern, December 12, 2023

An Indonesian official called for regional governments to support Christians who are having difficulty carrying out Christmas services this year.

[The Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhajir Effendy] emphasized that he wants to prevent discrimination, saying, “Everyone must receive the same service; there must be no discrimination. If you cannot carry out your worship because of difficulties, there are no facilities, the government must provide them under the Ministry of Religion offices in each region.”

Please join us in praying for a safe Christmas for Christians across Indonesia gathering to celebrate our Savior’s birth.

Read the full story.

Another recent story from ICC reports that authorities in Mauritania have arrested many Christian leaders and their families following calls for punishment by Muslims outraged over a baptism video.

Christians in other places may also have “difficulties” gathering, particularly to celebrate Christmas. In Iran, Christmas is a time of terror when believers are frequently arrested (Back to Jerusalem).

India: Christian-Majority State Welcomes Refugees from Myanmar

Source: Global Christian Relief, December 8, 2023

Mizoram is a Christian-majority state in northeast India [and] 90% of its 1.2 million people identify as Christian. The state shares a 300-mile border with Myanmar [formerly Burma], a country that has been under a strict military regime since 2021. Fleeing the constant violence, many from Myanmar had nowhere to turn. That is until the people of Mizoram opened their borders and welcomed them.

The civil war in Myanmar has been ruthless, with over 30,000 killed and another 2 million displaced. To make matters worse, churches have become soft targets, with 70 being destroyed in one state alone. Citizens had nowhere to escape the violence. But now Mizoram is a sanctuary for refugees.

A local Indian official says an overwhelming majority of the refugees are ethnic Chin Christians.

Read the full story.

See also a video about a revival taking place in Myanmar (Asia Harvest) and read about a Burmese church in the U.S. sending out its first missionaries (IMB).

Uganda: Believers Unite to Translate Scripture in New Languages

Source: Mission Network News, December 6, 2023

Denominational splits in the global Church cover everything from minor to primary theological and Church life issues. Often groups can struggle to work hand in hand post-split. However, recent efforts in Uganda brought together members of diverse churches with the single goal of Bible translation.

Lindsay Olesberg with Wycliffe USA says, “For example, in a group of eight that would come from a particular language community, they would be from multiple villages and from multiple denominations. So you’d have an Anglican next to a Catholic, next to a Pentecostal—all working together on translating the Scripture for their community.”

This collaboration benefits translations through additional workers and also helps build the unity of the global Church as a whole. Believers have the opportunity to work with members of other churches to accomplish the Great Commission as a team.

“I think the Bible is the great unifier—that all Christians have confidence that it’s through God’s Word that we know who God is. So regardless of the denomination, people can rally together around, ‘We want the Bible in our own language, so that the pastors within our denominations and church members, they’re able to really understand it.’”

Read the full story.

Also: YouVersion reports that Bible engagement accelerated worldwide this year with record-breaking app installs and daily use. Good news.