Now with 1688 Participants!
News and Notes about Brigada, Your Gateway to Missions Networking!
[Pass this issue to a friend! To subscribe, see instructions at end.]
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In this issue….
* ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEK, “BRIGADA CONCEPT” BORN
* LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTERS OF THE REAL KIND
* FOLLOW-UP ON GETTING IN STEP
* THANKS TO REVIS ANN!
* FOLLOW-UP ON “FROM THE GENERALLY INTERESTING WEB PAGE DEPARTMENT”
* WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE YOUR LIFE?
* AIMS TO SPONSOR “PENETRATING THE 10/40 WINDOW”
* GLOBAL GLIMPSE — JESUS FILM CONTINUES TO BRING FORTH FRUIT
* EUROPEAN MISSIONS MOBILIZERS CONFERENCE SET FOR GERMANY
* TO SUBSCRIBE TO BRIGADA TODAY
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ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEK, “BRIGADA CONCEPT” BORN
Tonight, memories have come flooding back as we looked at some of the original “scribbles” and proposals for what later became Brigada. It will soon be one full year that we sent the actual first conference message, an exchange between Jonathan Marsden and Doug Lucas — the only two subscribers on the conference! That was January 26, 1995, and believe me, back then, Brigada seemed like a pretty lonely place! :-) Now, nearly on the eve of those first experimental communiques, there are 1688 in our family, taking part in around 50 email-activated “conferences” and a world-wide web exchange. (If you’d like a list of active conferences, just send email to hub@xc.org with only the word
conferences
in the body of the message text.) The doors didn’t officially open, however, until March 21st, some two months later, and by that time, well over 100 mission executives and specialists were exploring the new medium. Early on, Jonathan Marsden said he wouldn’t be happy until we had 10,000 caring world Christians involved. Can we at least be 1/5 of the way there by March 21st??? To pull that off, we ask that you share this Brigada Today with a friend and invite him/her to subscribe! (See the instructions at the end.)
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LIFE-CHANGING ENCOUNTERS OF THE REAL KIND
Call, write, fax, email, or catch a plane to Denver and buy Life-Changing Encounters. This new book was prepared especially for short-term teams and their Joshua Project 2000 research trips. But it can probably teach us all something about cross-cultural field visits. And even if it doesn’t, you’d still better get it just so you’ll know what everyone will be reading in preparation for their visit to come and see you in lower Slobovia… wherever that is.
You’ve probably already heard that the JP2000 thrust is one of AD2000 & Beyond’s two key strategies for the last five years of the decade, in hopes of seeing a “church for every people and the gospel for every person by [the end of] the year 2000.” (The other is National Initiatives.) Inevitably, one of the first questions that arises when the JP2000 subject comes up at the lunch table is, “So, what’s going to keep all these new research and exposure trips from stumbling all over each other… and from fouling up the ministries of full-time field workers who might already be living on site?”
Enter Life-Changing Encounters! (Okay — so I’m a bit idealistic. But at least it’s a start in the right direction! :-) ) In just 100 pages, this manual walks you through the basic foundational principles and assumptions behind a JP2000 project, as well as the planning and preparing stages, training, interviewing, on-site logistics, debriefing, and preparing prayer profiles about your key people group or city. You might be able to do more with your $12 if you use it to invest in Microsoft stock at just the right moment, but unless Bill has given you some “insider’s tip”, you’re probably just as well off buying this book (…especially now that Windows ’95 has been relegated to the position of “John the Baptist” for Windows NT!).
From the moment you read Luis Bush’s forward, you know you’re in for a fast-paced rollar coaster ride: “Welcome! You have chosen to be part of an adventure Dr. Ralph Winter of the US Center for World Missions calls ‘the most ambitious global research project ever to be conceived.’ Come, let us explore the lands of the most spiritually needy peoples of our world! There is a call going forth for on-site researchers to visit these peoples as part of a unique global venture that envisions a church for every people by the year 2000. You have in your hands a tool that can greatly enhance your on-site research experience.”
But somehow, Caleb Project’s staff, with Debra Sanders at the helm, has managed to incorporate the best of their Exploring the Land, combine it with some 15 years of experience doing this research thing, and sprinkle in a boat-load of input from all the right outside sources — including Mary Ann Stone, AD2000’s Coordinator for JP2000 teams. If you’re considering going on a JP2000 trip this year or next, sell two or three of your favorite CDs and get this book. (Those CDs are just damaging your hearing anyway! :-) ) If you’re thinking about hosting a JP2000 team, get it, read it, then mail a copy to your fast-approaching team leader!!!!!!! :-) And if you’ve said it can’t be done (“There’s no way these short-term lay people can add anything to the Cause in the 10/40 Window!”), better take a look at the steps listed on pages 46-57. They just might cause a “Hmmmmmmm….” reaction. :-) The planning checklist (pp. 83-85) alone is worth the 12 bucks. Consider the rest of the book a giveaway. Bethany Prayer Center contributed nicely to the prayer profile templates and the 6-page questionnaire (way to go Gabriela! ), as well as to the Guide for Effective Research of Unreached Peoples in the library. Sure, the “Adopting a Missionary or a Project” section is just one paragraph hidden away on page 95 (when in reality, that’s one of the key reasons I thought we were doing this JP2000 thing), but hey… when Luis is sayin’ “100 pages tops” and it’s the week before “The Launch”, something’s gotta go! :-) The bottom line is, it’s the best stuff out there and it’ll only work if we use it. I’ve already bought and paid for two personal copies — one for my desk at home and one for the office. (You think I’m kidding. Come visit Penny and me and we’ll roast marshmallows out back in the snow $$$ drifts while we read through the five appendices!) Now it’s your turn. And in case you were wondering, Caleb Project doesn’t pay my “big bucks $$$ Brigada salary.” :-) But mark my words — your teams are going to like this book! And after all, if you buy it and are dissatisfied, send it back. I’ll go on record saying that Greg Fritz, the director, will personally and cheerfully refund your money. Right Greg? Greg??? Uhh.. Greg? :-) (To order Life-Changing Encounters, contact Caleb Project at 10 West Dry Creek Circle, Littleton, CO 80120-4413; tel. 303-730-4170; fax 303-730-4177. Email info@cproject.com .)
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FOLLOW-UP ON GETTING IN STEP
College Press has set up a special email address to receive orders for the Getting in Step with the God of the Nations video series mentioned last week. Once again, to receive the special Brigada pre-publication pricing, you’ll need to order before Feb. 1st. Write to college_press@woodtech.com and ask for the set by name. Tell them you heard about it on Brigada and get the set for $64 instead of the normal $69 sell price. Shipping is extra. You’ll receive four tapes (7 sessions of 45 minutes each), patterned along the lines of a mini-Perspectives-type course, complete with 6 study guides. In the USA, you can also call toll-free to 800-289-3300; overseas callers may use 417-623-6280 or fax to 417-623-8250.)
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THANKS TO REVIS ANN!
We feel a great debt of gratitude to Revis Ann Massey, of Dallas, TX, who this past week took the lead on moderating the top level Brigada conference. With 1688 folks to follow up on (nearly 50 of which joined in the past 7 days!), she has her hands full!!! :-) (Just make sure you send all those commands to the hub! :-) ) Seriously, by contributing in the administrative wing, she’s allowing all of us to share the measurable results of her unique giftedness from God! Thanks a million Rev’!
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FOLLOW-UP ON “FROM THE GENERALLY INTERESTING WEB PAGE DEPARTMENT”
Note the new URL for Christian Answers to Islam: http://acme.gatech.edu:8001/~gt6125c/Islam/ Send all questions about it to Jochen Katz, jkatz@math.gatech.edu .
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WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO GIVE YOUR LIFE?
Justin Long, of David Barrett’s office in Virgina, says that more have done so than we realize! His tally of “average martyrs annually” is sobering:
* 1996 – 159,000
* 1900 – 35,600
* 1970 – 230,000
“Martyrdom across the ages has garnered a significant amount of interest recently. In Our globe and how to reach it (1990, Barrett & Johnson), the grim facts are presented. From AD33 to 1990, there were 420 situations of martyrdom (where large groups of Christians are killed). In 56 of these over 100,000 were killed; in 20, more than half a million were killed and in twelve over 1 million were killed. The bulk of these situations occurred in two periods: the first, between 1000 and 1500 AD, and the second, a much shorter period, 1900-1980. 26 million, over half of all Christian martyrs ever, were killed in this latter period. Some 9.9 million were martyred in the past forty years alone.
(Justin Long, gemrsrch@ix.netcom.com
GEM, Virginia)
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AIMS TO SPONSOR “PENETRATING THE 10/40 WINDOW”
AIMS (Association of International Missions Services) and Regent University are co-sponsoring on March 10-13, 1996, a conference called Penetrating the10/40 Window.
George Otis, Jr., author of The Last of the Giants and co-coordinator of the United Prayer track of the AD 2000 and beyond movement will be the principle speaker. The conference will be held on the campus of Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA. From all appearances, it will be an excellent chance for networking. In addition, organizers say there will be tracks designed to help build alliances between churches, agencies and Great Commission Christians in seven areas of Unreached Peoples. They are the Tibetan Buddhist world, China, Indonesia, India, Uzbekistan, Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), and Fourth World Peoples (drug addicts, prostitutes, street children).
Write Nathan nathcra@beacon.regent.edu for more info. or call him at (804)-579-4525. Also, check out their home page at http://www.regent.edu/acad/schdiv/div-con.html
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GLOBAL GLIMPSE
JESUS FILM CONTINUES TO BRING FORTH FRUIT — “More than 3 million people in India saw the Jesus film in seven months recently,” quotes John Hanna, in this week’s Global Glimpse. “And 337,412 indicated an interest in knowing Christ. The film is used in 35 languages in India, where 301 film teams partner with churches and mission agencies. In Sudan, a three-week project resulted in 120,000 people wanting to know more about Christ.”
(Source: January, 1996 Advance, Mark Kelly, 70420.1057@compuserve.com , 8992 Midway Rd., Richmond, VA 23229. (C) 1996, Kainos Press.
Used by permission, John Hanna, Caleb Project, Littleton, CO)
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EUROPEAN MISSIONS MOBILIZERS CONFERENCE SET FOR GERMANY
In just a little over a month, Aims Germany and YWAM will offer “Mission 2000”, a conference in Bispingen, Germany (last of Feb. through first part of March) to help equip European missions mobilizers in targeting the unreached peoples. Speakers include Bill and Amy Stearns, Pari Rickard, John Rodgers, John Bardsley and Don McCurry. Although the conference was intended primarly for Germany, there are approximately 20 applications from Eastern Europe. The plenary sessions and most workshops will be held in both English and German, with some workshops being only in German. For more information, contact Kerstin Hack 100711.2622@compuserve.com at AIMS Germany, Postfach 450 129, 12171 Berlin, Germany Tel: (49)30-76890445 Fax: (49)30-76890448
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TO SUBSCRIBE TO BRIGADA TODAY, send email to hub@xc.orgwith only the following message:
subscribe brigada
TO UNSUBSCRIBE (Horrors! ), send email to hub@xc.orgwith this line in the text:
unsubscribe brigada
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BRIGADA TODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING TEAM OF REGULAR VOLUNTEERS:
Global Glimpses: John Hanna, Caleb Project, jhanna@cproject.com
People of the Week: Justin Long, GEM/Barrett Office, JDavidLong@aol.com
ADVANCE: Mark A. Kelley, Kainos Press, 70420.1057@compuserve.com
Web Wizard: Bob Mayhew, Univ. of California, mayhew@xc.org
Web Art: Patti Mayhew, pmayhew@discover.net
Technical Development: Jonathan Marsden, MAFxc jonathan@xc.org
Communications: Revis Ann Massey, rmassey@post.cis.smu.edu
Compiler: Doug Lucas, Team Expansion & Brigada, DLucas@TeamExpansion.org
and many other occasional contributors too numerous to mention! But thanks for working together! That’s the dream of Brigada!
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