Missions Catalyst

In this edition: Inside Xinjiang, to the ends of the earth with mission aviation, and ways to pray for ultra-orthodox Jews. Image from MAF.

1. Book: New China Chronicles Book Focuses on Xinjiang
2. Documentary: Ends of the Earth (with MAF) Now on DVD
3. Prayer Guide: Ways to Pray for Ultra-Orthodox Jews
4. Short Takes: Found Around the Web
5. Events: Helpful Mission-Related Training, Conferences & More

Read or share the email edition or scroll down for individual articles.

Source: Asia Harvest / Piquant Editions

Xinjiang: China’s Gateway to the World, by Paul Hattaway. Piquant Editions, 2022. 347 pages.

You may know what is happening to Uyghurs (and others) in the Chinese province of Xinjiang. But you might be surprised to learn more about why this region is significant to the nation, or its rich Christian history going back 1,400 years. It’s quite a story!

The China Chronicles series is an ambitious project to document the advance of Christianity in each province of China, decade by decade, from the time the gospel was introduced to the present day. The primary purpose is to bless and encourage the persecuted church in China. Yet the books are written first in English and are very accessible to a Western audience. Previous books focus on Shandong, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Tibet, and Henan.

This volume, the sixth, includes stories about Nestorian, Catholic, and Swedish mission efforts alongside those of people you may know, like George Hunter, Percy Mather, and the plucky team of CIM women called the Trio. But the focus is just as much on the Chinese missionaries and martyrs. Read the story of the Uyghur Bible and learn about the launch and impact of groups like the Back to Jerusalem Evangelistic Band and the Northwest Spiritual Band in the 1940s and 50s, as well as the ups and downs, breakthroughs and challenges of recent decades. Some of the stories are very sobering and many are inspiring.

Visit the Asia Harvest website to learn more and purchase this volume or others at US$9.99 for Kindle editions or US$18 for the paperbacks. These are great books!

By the end of October, you will be able to get all of them from William Carey Publishing, which has already published the first two at a lower price. So that may be the way to go.

On another note, William Carey has lots of good books, including a new one about mobilizing GenZ for missions. Check it out.

Source: Mission Aviation FellowshipImagine flying over breathtaking landscapes only to land on an airstrip hand-dug by local villagers on a remote mountain deep in the jungle. It sounds like an adventure movie, but it’s real life for the pilots of Mission Aviation Fellowship. Ends of the Earth brings viewers face-to-face with hard-to-reach villages, awe-inspiring landscapes, and the incredible people who are willing to risk it all for the sake of sharing Christ’s love.

Production and distribution of this film were much delayed by the pandemic, but it was released in theaters almost a year ago and later made available via streaming. Now you can get it on DVD. Looks like Vision Video has the best price (US$14.99).

Visit the film’s website to watch the trailer, learn more, or purchase.

This beautiful documentary might be a good addition to a mission conference or class or be something to watch with your family or small group.

Source: Jews for Jesus, The Lausanne Movement, and others

Orthodox Jews are one of the most unreached groups in a number of major cities around the world. The Lausanne Movement’s Jewish Evangelism Network, together with other Jewish ministries, has published a free prayer guide designed to mobilize a global movement of intercession for the Orthodox Jewish community (referred to here as the Heredim).

At 49 pages, this informative prayer guide features large pictures and an extensive bibliography along with scripture, stories, and prayer points related to history, culture, daily life, festivals, and more.

It looks like this booklet was designed for print but is only available here as a PDF download. Excerpts might make a good resource for a group prayer meeting, and you could offer the whole guide to those who want more.

Learn more or download the prayer guide.

Sources: Various

Missionary Advocate Teams for Local Churches

Advocate teams should provide ongoing presence and intentional care to their missionaries as well as be a voice for them to the church as a whole and to church leaders, says Nathan Sloan.

Read Advocate Teams, the Local Church Caring for Missionaries (Mission Frontiers). This edition includes other articles on missionary-care topics.

Three Ways to Pray for Missionaries

“Prayer is supplying missionaries with essentials for their survival… I’ve found that there are some simple prayer requests that are always applicable and always needed,” says Elliot Clark.

Read Prayer Will Win the Nations (Desiring God).

Talking With Kids About Poverty

Poverty. War. Famine. Disease. These are incredibly complex issues to understand as an adult, let alone for a child. But this era of social media and instant news means our kids are more exposed to these global realities than ever before. How do we tackle these tough conversations?

Read Tips for Talking With Your Kids About Poverty and Other Tough Stuff (World Vision).

Flying With Kids Internationally

Rebecca Hopkins says she now measures her worst nights of sleep against nights flying with kids. But she made a list of tips from friends and her own experience that can help you with those long-haul flights.

Read Flying With Kids Internationally: 25 Tips (Go.Serve.Love.)

Finally, on the Lighter Side…

What are duffling and metapacking? Have you ever suffered from the fortnightlies or bait and glitch, or been seated behind the passenger of imminent domain?

Read Because There Just Aren’t Enough Words to Describe the Overseas Experience, Here Are a Few More for Your Lexicon (A Life Overseas).

Source: Missions Catalyst Events Calendar

August 1 to December 4, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement (online). New online classes begin regularly. A second online class will be offered from August 15 to December 18. Many in-person classes begin in August as well, though perhaps not at pre-pandemic levels yet.

August 1-5, Cubs to Lions (Dallas, TX, USA). Discipleship for Christians with a Muslim background offered annually by Horizons International.

August 3, From Harlem to the World – the Local Church Mobilized for Global Missions (online). Peer-to-peer event for church leaders from Missio Nexus and Sixteen:Fifteen.

August 9 to September 4, Equipping for Cross-Cultural Life and Ministry (Union Mills, NC, USA). Provided regularly by the Center for Intercultural Training.

August 11, Mobilizing Children and Families (online). Free webinar from Sixteen:Fifteen and Weave Family Ministries.

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

August 17-29, Field Security Seminar (Lake George, CO, USA). Prepare to live, work, and travel in high-risk environments. Offered by Crisis Consulting International. Also offered August 22-25.

August 18, Communications and the Mission of God: Aligning Organizational Communications with God’s Purposes (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

August 24 to October 5, Intro to Mobilization (online). Join Frontiers USA for a seven-week cohort exploring mobilization and ways to mobilize in your own context. Great idea!

August 25, Debriefing Short-Term Missions (online). Webinar from Sixteen:Fifteen and SOE.

August 26, A New Word: Redeploying Returning Missionaries Among Diaspora People (online). Webinar from Missio Nexus.

August 29 to September 11, ORIENT pre-field training for global workers (Eminence, MO, USA). Provided regularly by TRAIN International.

View the complete calendar, updated regularly. We welcome submissions.