- 7/30 ~ STRATEGY ~ Sending Overseas Missionaries in Community ~ by George Tissiere and C. Bug (9marks.org)
"If love for one another within a local church distinguishes us as Christ's disciples (John 13:35) … if there is a uniqueness to the display of the gospel through the local church (1 Pet. 2, 1 Cor. 14) … if we desire to model the communal elements of discipleship for new believers in unreached nations … doesn't it makes sense to send people in community to engage in mission, even in overseas mission? We at Providence Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, thought so. We began a discussion in 2005 which culminated in the decision to send groups of members to two unreached overseas cities as church plants."
- 7/29 ~ BAM ~ Business As Mission: A Relevant Response to World Needs ~ edited by Marti Smith (missionscatalyst)
"It just could be that you're the kind of person (or connected to the kind of person) whom God is pushing toward the nations, even toward the unevangelized parts of the globe - but maybe not toward the whole "missionary" thing. Are you? If so, you need to know about a growing body of ideas and approaches loosely grouped under the label "business as mission."
- 7/28 ~ PERSECUTED CHURCH ~ Persecution Update: Somalia, Iraq, China (khouse.org)
"Early in the morning of July 23, 1948, a Bulgarian pastor named Haralan Popov was arrested in Sophia on trumped up charges of espionage. He would spend the next 13 years being starved and tortured in Communist prisons. God was with Popov in prison and afterwards, but one of Popov's greatest grievances was that the Western world knew so little about the suffering of Christians under the Soviets, and that the Christians in the West did so little to help. Remembering Haralan, let's consider a few of our tormented brothers and sisters in Christ, that we can stand with them in prayer. Perhaps by raising a concerted fuss on different fronts, we can bring them some comfort and encouragement, relief and aid."
- 7/27 ~ BLESSING THE NATIONS AMONG US ~ Texas Church Reaches the World at Its Doorstep ~ by Mike Ebert (bpnews.net)
"Even though the Forest Meadow phenomenon is somewhat unique in North America ... the ministry has "not been all that complicated. You have to do a lot of hard work. You have to do a lot of research, (and) you have to resist the temptation to go in with a generic North American method of sharing the Gospel."
- 7/21 ~ BAM ~ What If We Spend Money Where It Would Get the Best Return? ~ by Kent Humphries (businessasmissionnetwork.com)
"If it costs $25,000 for one salvation decision using church staff and only $1,700 per decision for workplace chaplains, then why do not we redirect our staffing and funding?"
- 7/20 ~ UNDERSTANGING ISLAM ~ A Clash of Stereotypes ~ by Dinesh D'Souza (christianitytoday.com)
"A recent survey reveals what Muslims detest most about the West."
- 7/17 ~ ORALITY ~ What Do You Think, Mr. Guttenburg? ~ by Avery Willis (dnaofdiscipleship.org)
"I had thought for so long that the Guttenberg revolution was a worldwide phenomenon. I grew up thinking that literacy was the one thing the world needed to level the playing field for everyone. Then one day I made an alarming discovery: five hundred years after the invention of the printing press only thirty-three percent of the world are truly literate. This stopped me dead in my tracks. Imagine the banner headline: “Approximately sixty-seven percent of the people of the world are non-literate oral learners! Read all about it!”"
- 7/16 ~ NEW INTRODUCTION TO MISSIONS COURSE ~ Kingdom Expansion 101 ~ Edited by Bruce Camp (dualreach.org)
"This is a new and innovative six-week introductory, online global outreach course. Interactive and facilitated, KE101 uses a variety of techniques to equip and motivate believers to involvement in world evangelism. Missions pastor Dan Crane writes, "The course material is fresh, fascinating and comprehensive." Currently it is offered to churches and individuals by DualReach and ReachGlobal. Soon other agencies will begin to facilitate classes also."
- 7/15 ~ BOOKNOTES / LEADERSHIP ~ Leading from the Sandbox by T.J. Addington ~ Outquotes selected by David Mays (davidmays.org)
"The sandbox is a creative and simple paradigm to bring clarity to team operation, a clear and powerful model for leadership. The chapters are chock full of very practical recommendations, including lots of helpful tidbits. Each chapter begins with a one-page executive summary. I give this book high marks. - David Mays"
- 7/14 ~ PASSING THE BATON WELL ~ The Invincible Determination of Wilberforce and Buxton (therebelution.com)
"Wilberforce succeeded in abolishing the slave trade in the British Empire — but not slavery itself. As he continued to work towards emancipation for existing slaves, Wilberforce realized that the cause would need younger men to continue the work. So, in 1821 he asked Thomas Fowell Buxton ... to take over leadership of the campaign. Buxton himself was an exceptional man, a strong Christian, and a dedicated abolitionist. For twelve years he served as leader of the abolition movement in the House of Commons — not only persevering, but succeeding. In 1833, slavery was officially abolished in the British Empire — one month after Wilberforce’s death."
- 7/13 ~ LANGUAGE LEARNING ~ Language Learning Is Communication - Is Ministry! by E. Thomas Brewster & Elizabeth S. Brewster (from urbana.org weekly newsletter)
"The missionary anthropologist Charles H. Kraft was asked, "How much time should one who goes to serve as a two month short-term missionary spend in language learning?" Kraft responded: "Two months." The questioner continued, "What about one who stays six months?" "Then spend six months in language learning." "And if he stays two years?" "There is nothing he could do that would communicate more effectively than spending those two years in language learning." Kraft continued, "Indeed, if we do no more than engage in the process of language learning we will have communicated more of the essentials of the Gospel than if we devote ourselves to any other task I can think of."
- 7/11 ~ THE NATIONS HAVE COME TO US ~ Who Moved My Church? by Oliver R. Phillips (missionstrategy.org)
"The two challenges that should demand immediate attention are one, the rapidly changing immigrant landscape here in the US & Canada, and two, addressing the tragic gap between existing and emerging leadership styles in our congregations and districts. If Dorothy of Oz has taught us anything it is that “we are not in Kansas anymore!” Under both scenarios, the church, as we have known it in the past, has moved. New wineskins are needed for the foreseeable future."
- 7/10 ~ STRATEGIC PRAYER INITIATIVE / BOOKLET ~ Iran 30 ~ Discover, Pray, Transform (iran30.org)
"Thirty years of Islamic revolution have made Iranians the most open Muslim people in the world to Christ. And it is only the Gospel that can bring peace to Iranians and the whole Middle East. But for the Gospel to be preached with power there must be prayer. With short easy to read prayer topics, Iran 30 will help you play your part in proclaiming Christ to Iranians."
- 7/04 ~ THE NATIONS HAVE COME TO US ~ Welcoming International Visitors to Your Church by Ellen Livingood (catalystservices.org)
"As travel becomes easier and cheaper, more and more churches receive international visitors—either guests connected to a global partnership endeavor or visitors introduced by one of their field missionaries or agency partners. For maximum benefit of both hosts and visitors, hospitality in these situations must consist of more than providing a room and meals. You will want to prepare your congregation to understand their role in making this a spiritual highlight for both sides."
- 7/03 ~ STRATEGIC SHORT-TERM MISSIONS STUDY ~ Effective Engagement in Short-Term Missions ~ Robert Priest, Editor (williamcareylibrary)
"Effective Engagement in Short-term Missions represents the single most ambitious effort to date to understand and improve upon patterns of ministry in STM." Note: Of all the books on Short-Term Mission, this is far and above the most remedial and strategic that we've come across so far.
- 7/02 ~ QUESTION ~ What Kind of Extremist Are You? by Mats Tunehag (varldenidag.se)
"In that dramatic scene on Calvary's hill, three men were crucified. We must not forget that all three were crucified for the same crime--the crime of extremism."
- 7/01 ~ DID YOU KNOW? ~ Critics and Supporters Agree John Calvin was America’s ’Founding Father’ as they Celebrate his 500th Birthday by Michael Ireland (assistnews.net)
"Long before America declared its independence, John Calvin declared and defended principles that birthed liberty in the modern world."
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