In This Issue: BAM, Worldviews, Reaching Muslims, and More
- BOOKS – Top 25 on Business as Mission
- BOOK – Making Sense of the World’s Spiritual Chatter
- DVD – Video-Based Curriculum on Reaching Out to Muslims
- TRAINING MANUAL AND MORE – The China Games and Beyond Equipping Kit
- VIDEOS – US$1.99 Missions Videos from Bluefish TV
- EVENTS – New Items on the Missions Catalyst Calendar
- QUESTIONS – Can You Help Us?
Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!
Resource Reviews, edited by Marti Smith, are published once a month.
BOOKS – Top 25 “Business as Mission” Books
Wrestling with how to weave together faith and commerce? The Business as Mission Network has updated its list of the 25 best books on the topic. Pick up one or more of these books to sharpen your thinking and inspire your work and ministry.
Still topping the list is God Is at Work, by Ken Eldred. Great Commission Companies, by Steve Rundle and Tom Steffen, has been in my to-read shelf for a while now; it’s number five on the list. Robert Fraser’s Marketplace Christianity gets a great review and comes in at number six.
See the complete list here.
BOOK – Making Sense of the World’s Spiritual Chatter
Blah, Blah, Blah: Making Sense of the World’s Spiritual Chatter, by Bayard Taylor. (Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House/Baker Books, 2006), 256 pages. Price: US$11.99; available for US$9.59 from Amazon.
This creative and engaging book boils down philosophy and religion to six basic major worldviews, cutting through jargon, comparing and contrasting them, and equipping students, (especially) to enter into dialogue with others and understand where they are coming from, as well confidently, effectively representing their Christian faith in the marketplace of ideas. The author, who has his M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, speaks, teaches, and writes on worldviews to high school, college, and parent groups.
For a limited time this book comes with significant bulk discounts: US$6/copy for seven books, US$5/copy for 14, and US$3/copy for a case of 56 books. Contact the author directly.
This book would be a good addition to the reading list for student ministry groups or short-term mission programs. For endorsements, reviews, and more information, see the author’s web site here.
DVD AND MORE – Video-Based Curriculum on Reaching Out to Muslims
Do you care about Muslims and want others to care too? Crescent Project has designed a video-based group study to help Christians understand and reach out to Muslims. “Bridges,” featuring Lebanese-born Fouad Masri, is a six-lesson study for classes and small groups.
What’s distinctive about this study is that it focuses on the similarities between Christians and Muslims more than the differences. It’s also biblical, easy to understand, practical, and focuses on building relationships.
The leader’s kit includes a DVD with the six 30-minute videos plus a promotional trailer, the 70-page companion study book, and copies of two of Masri’s previous books. At US$169.95 it sounds expensive but looks excellent.
Learn more, see sample materials, or place your order here.
See also: Building Bridges, by Fouad Accad, and God’s Heart for Muslims, by Keith Swartley.
TRAINING MANUAL AND MORE – The China Games and Beyond Equipping Kit
Source: Brigada Today, April 4, 2008
Going to China? Go prepared. The China Games and Beyond Equipping Kit is a collection of key tools to help prepare teams to serve China during the 2008 Summer Games. The Equipping Kit includes two manuals, a CD, a DVD, a 65-page handbook, and more. Teams will learn about strategies for effective ministry, avoiding mistakes, the church in China, needs and opportunities, practical trip essentials, and security issues. For more information see Serving China or send them an email.
Subscribe to Brigada Today or browse its archives here.
See also: The special edition of Missions Catalyst resource reviews we published on April 30. It included many resources about China, some focused on the upcoming Olympic Games.
VIDEOS – US$1.99 Mission Videos from Bluefish TV
Looking for high-quality video content with missions themes? Find it (and lots of other material you can use for teaching) at Bluefish TV. You can watch any of the videos that interest you, make your selection, then download the files to use in your presentation. Most videos are 4-6 minutes long and typically cost US$1.99. Check out these, for example:
Searching for More than the American Dream: Chad and Serena have decided to give up everything they have built in the US and live their life of faith in India. They honestly discuss the process, excitement and fears.
Starting Life in India: Beth and Donnie moved to India from their home in Kansas. Now they are in the process of adjusting to a different culture while focusing on building relationships with the people they encounter.
The War on Terror Hits Home: Gracia and her husband Martin, missionaries in the Philippines, were captured by terrorists and spent over a year as prisoners in the jungle. Throughout this ordeal, Martin and Gracia clung to their faith.
Sudan: A New Life: When Dennis and Lilly started an orphanage in war-torn Sudan, Kelly joined them as a nurse. In this video illustration, Kelly openly shares about her new life; the difficulties and joys of caring for many children under harsh circumstances.
If you have always wanted to use your creative skills to build up God’s kingdom, Bluefish looks like a fun place to work! Watch their ‘about us’ video here.
See also: I found this on GodTube: Like Incense is a six-minute video created by Wycliffe Bible Translators. “Images from the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe emerge and intertwine for an experience of prayer that is unlike any other. Listen to prayers, based on Scripture, featured in French, Spanish and English.” (Unlike some of the others, this should play well to a non-American audience.)
EVENTS – New Items on the Missions Catalyst Calendar
We have an inside tip that it’s not too late for Perspectives instructors and coordinators – past, present, and prospective – to sign up for the Perspectives National Conference June 12-15 in Dallas, Texas. If you come, look for both Shane and Marti!
Here are some other missions events coming up a little further down the road:
July 20 – Vision for Asia: Beyond Beijing 2008 (Byron Center, MI, USA). More info: OMF.
July 16 to 19 – GoForth National Missions Conference (Singapore). More info here or send an email. Theme: “God’s Glory in the East: Our Asian Challenge.” Featuring 35 workshops and speakers including Ajith Fernando, Loren Cunningham, Morley Lee, and David Wang.
August 14 to 16 – Transformational Development Conference (Newburg, OR, USA). More info here. Co-sponsored by Food for the Hungry and George Fox University. (Still accepting presentation proposals).
October 18 – Vision for Asia: Beyond Beijing 2008 (Glen Ellyn, IL, USA). More info: OMF.
Can You Help Us?
Your friendly Missions Catalyst staff members have their fingers in a variety of projects for their churches, ministries, or organizations. Can help us as we’ve helped you?
Shane says thanks for all the input on the Top Ten Myths about Missions list he began in our May 14 edition, but if you haven’t written in he’d still love to hear from you. Likewise, keep sending in stories responding to his April 9 inquiries about family-friendly mission trips and glorious mobilization failures.
Pat is writing a new missions policy manual for her church and would love to see samples from other churches. (She’s already in touch with our friends at ACMC and says she has also found this site helpful). Can you give her a hand?
Marti is preparing a session to help short-term team leaders equip their teams for prayerwalking, and wonders if there are any newer articles or training resources she hasn’t heard about. (She’s already using the Hawthorne/Kendrick book and material from WayMakers.) Are people still doing prayerwalking and prayer journeys? Are you? What resources have you found most helpful?
Questions? Problems? Submissions? Contact publisher/managing editor Marti Smith.