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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….
* PRAYER SCOREBOARD
* FINAL REQUEST FOR FINAL FRONTIER
* EPISCOPALIANS HAVE A HOME IN CYBERSPACE
* CATCH AN EYE AND A HEART WITH THIS NEW GRAPHIC ARTS FIRM
* GET PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF BRIGADA TODAY FOR FREE!
* THE SECURTY DEBATE CONTINUES
* SO WHERE DO YOU GET GOOD HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MISSIONARIES?
* TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: GIVE US YOUR BEST MISSIONS FILM
* WEB WATCH
* WANT A LIST OF AGENCIES WILLING TO WORK WITH TENTMAKERS?
* GET READY FOR PTWIII WITH HINDU WORLD PRAYER FOCUS
* PLEASE FOLLOW THE “PROTOCOL”
* IMAGINE THIS DEAL FOR IMAGE-MAKERS
* SO HOW DO YOU SPELL YOUR MISSION PROJECT?
* WOULD YOU HELP ME WRITE THE GATEWAY PEOPLE CONSULTATION DECLARATION?
* GREAT SOURCE FOR PRAYER CARDS
* NOW YOU CAN REACH YOUR AMDO TIBETAN NEIGHBORS!
* TRAVEL CONFERENCE ALIVE AND WELL!
* PRAYER REQUEST FOR LIBYA
* YOU’RE INVITED TO TEE-TIME
* ONE MORE RESOURCE FOR CHURCH-PLANTERS!
* HINDU CONFERENCE COMING THIS WEEKEND AND NEXT!
* HERE’S A GREAT STORY FOR THIS WEEK’S SERMON
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PRAYER SCOREBOARD
As of yesterday, the Manna Church of Fayetteville, NC had logged 14,300+ churches committed to pray for least reached peoples on the Joshua Project 2000 list! Prayer-tracker Dick Gaffney wrote, “What a blessing to hear from people all over this globe who want to pray for the unreached people groups. These are exciting times!” If your church hasn’t registered, send a note to Dick at RGaff13817@aol.com. If you’ve already registered at Envision ’96 or with AD2000, you’ve already been recorded. Thanks for your work, Dick!
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FINAL REQUEST FOR FINAL FRONTIER
This is your last chance to participate in the Brigada study on which people group(s) would be most desperately unreached. Send your nominee to DLucas@TeamExpansion.org but please make the subject line read:
final frontier
We’ve gotten some great responses that will be reported on next week. I think you’ll be surprised at some of the results!
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EPISCOPALIANS HAVE A HOME IN CYBERSPACE
Apparently, Episcopalians can write to Missionsmobilizer@Episcopalian.org to join a discussion group about mobilizing missions among their group. And guess what! They’re evidently very active in Brigada groups too! A few years ago, you might have concluded they were dying out. Guess it wasn’t only Mark Twain’s death that was greatly exaggerated! :-)
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CATCH AN EYE AND A HEART WITH THIS NEW GRAPHIC ARTS FIRM
We’re told that this new missionary prayer letter service designs prayer letters with eye-catching graphics and a professional layout to motivate readers. “Trevco Designs” is owned and operated by Brenda Branson, of The Evangelical Alliance Mission. There are evidently two options: design letter only and forward camera-ready copy to designated mailing service (2-day turnaround) or design letter and provide complete mailing service (1-week turnaround). For further information, references, or to request a brochure, contact Brenda bbranson@teamworld.org. Whew! What a relief this will be for some tired layout fingers! :-)
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GET PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF BRIGADA TODAY FOR FREE!
There are two ways to access previous editions of Brigada Today. The easiest, of course, is via the web at https://brigada.org where there’s even a search engine that will find that illusive text string you’re searching for (like… “Where do I write to get information on “Praying Through the Window III”?). But if you don’t have access to the web, you’re still in luck. Just send email to hub@xc.org with only the words,
filelist brigada
in the text of the message. In a few moments, you’ll receive an emailed message containing a list of all the files stored in the top level of the Brigada file archive. Just pick out the edition you want, by date, then send another message that contains something like this:
get brigada brigada-today.970411
Or whatever date you want! It’ll be automatically emailed to you immediately. Kind of like a nifty fax-back service . . . except no long distance bill! And it works from anywhere in the world!
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THE SECURTY DEBATE CONTINUES
In a recent Brigada Today, we mentioned “back-masking” (where, using special software tools, you can bury your message in the noise of a background to a graphic that you email to a buddy overseas; http://www.iquest.net/~mrmil/stego.html or http://www.enter.net/~chronos/cryptolog1.html#Stego ). A friend (thanks Art!) reminded us that . . . if your buddy’s email is being watched closely by sophisticated monitors . . . and he or she starts sending out pictures to the same people… and they’re not all that interesting anyway… :-) and maybe the same picture is going out with different binary signatures… suffice it to say that back-masking isn’t a panacea either. :-( So . . . once again, treat email as if it’s sending a post card… and watch what you say!
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SO WHERE DO YOU GET GOOD HEALTH INSURANCE FOR MISSIONARIES?
Karen Lafferty 100340.3723@CompuServe.COM would like to know! And guess what… she’s willing to compile a list for us!!! So, personnel guys, please get out that list and send her your best sources for good coverage, at home and abroad. She’ll compile the list and we’ll make it available here on Brigada. We’re especially interested in
1. policies that work for those living overseas
2. reasonable policies for missionaries that live and work in the USA
3. policies covering those who aren’t USA citizens
Thanks Karen!!! (Insurance sales people are welcome to respond too! :-)) Please send a three-line summary at the top of your page of info…. and . . . please limit your response to a page max. Give a couple of examples of premium costs please. Thanks!
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TAKE YOUR BEST SHOT: GIVE US YOUR BEST MISSIONS FILM
Steve Cox firstevan@compuserve.com wants to assemble a great list of missions videos, movies, and other AV/media resources and their sources. Please send him brief summaries and he’ll make the final list available to us in a couple of weeks. Thanks!
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WEB WATCH
Here’s a new prayer calendar at http://www.churches.com/world/Missions/worldpray and the author, Roger E. Doriot doriotre@ticnet.com is even willing to email copies to those without web access! On the same page is the calendar for world leaders. Also, have you visited http://www.hotmail.com lately? They’re doing a great business with on-the-web email . . . and they can now also let you check your regular email box. It’s all free. (Thanks for the reminder from CMDNet, Bob!) Check it out! By the way, Bob’s got a great site himself at http://www.cmd.org.nz/books.html.
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WANT A LIST OF AGENCIES WILLING TO WORK WITH TENTMAKERS?
Chris did. He received email responses from Brigada Today participants and prepared a summary sheet of agencies and their addresses. So now, if you’re headed out as a tentmaker with the UN or whatever, you can link up with other tentmakers for service and support. Get Chris’ list by sending a note to hub@xc.org with only this line in the text of the email message:
get brigada un-tentmakers
As you guessed, the “un” stands for United Nations . . . not for “un” like uncola! :-) And . . . isn’t it nice to read Brigada Today on the web . . . so you don’t have to mail out for all these “get” files? Bob Mayhew fixes it so we just point, click, and read . . . and the files instantly appear like magic! Thanks Bob!!!
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GET READY FOR PTWIII WITH HINDU WORLD PRAYER FOCUS
In this 50th year of India’s independence, Christians are being called to humbly learn about, pray for and reach out to the world’s Hindu peoples. Beginning May 18 (Pentecost Sunday), Hindu ministry leaders are calling for a week of prayer focus on the Hindu peoples. For more info, news release, cover illustration, price and order information, etc., check out: http://www.ywam.org/prayer.hindu.html In addition, the 12 minute Video “Gods of India” is done, booklets will go to print any day now. And $2 Posters are done too. And by the way, those without web access can get the same info by writing YWAM’s International Communications Network at wcn@xc.org. Thanks Paul!!!
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PLEASE FOLLOW THE “PROTOCOL”
The welcome screen to this top level Brigada conference is going through some revision. One change is that new conference participants are being asked to email hub@xc.org with this message:
get brigada help-detailed
get brigada protocol
The second line (new to the welcome message) is a set of protocols to follow on Brigada conferences. Please get it when you have a chance and follow it at all times. Thanks! (This “protocol” file builds on and adds to earlier protocol files that were dated in their extensions [like protocols.960929 or whatever]. The latter will soon be erased to conserve resources.) (By the way, if you want to see the current welcome message, send a message to hub@xcorg with this line:
info brigada
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IMAGINE THIS DEAL FOR IMAGE-MAKERS
If you’re a photographer and haven’t checked out Seattle Filmworks in awhile, maybe you should give them a second look . . . especially if you’re now using digital images (for the web or for your desktop publisher). Brigada participant Chris wrote, “They have a deal where they will develop a roll of film, make a print of each image, make a slide of each image, digitize each image, print a thumbnail summary of each roll, and give you a new roll of film all for about $20. I haven’t tried them yet, but I will. Look for them at http://www.filmworks.com or call 1-800-filmworks or email at cs@filmworks.com. Thanks!
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SO HOW DO YOU SPELL YOUR MISSION PROJECT?
Chris Bushnell is a Personnel Coordinator for a mission agency in the midwestern USA (notice that I say it that way when I don’t want you to find out he works for Team Expansion! :-)). He wrote recently about how difficult it sometimes is for new missionaries or interns to state the full details of their project in a concise enough fashion. As a result, he’s now recommending that new workers consider using this outline . . . or anything like it . . . as a guideline:
Who:
tell about yourself, your family, your experience, your hopes and dreams.
When:
tell about your hopeful time-frame for your new work, including time spent in language and culture learning.
Where:
tell about the people and the place God has burned into your heart.
What:
tell about your mission organization and it’s distinctives.
Why:
ell about your passion to obey the Great Commission and share His love.
How:
tell your potential supporters that you need their prayers, encouragement and financial partnership to fulfill your God-given passion.
I’d say maybe he’s onto something! (By the way — please pray for Chris; he’s just learned that he’ll have to undergo knee surgery for a torn ACL. Maybe skiing and missions don’t mix after all! Better stick to golf, Chris! :-))
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WOULD YOU HELP ME WRITE THE GATEWAY PEOPLE CONSULTATION DECLARATION?
If you have an electronic copy of a past conference/consultation “declaration” that you could send my way, I’d greatly appreciate it. I’ve been asked to chair the effort to put together the declaration for the Gateway People Consultation at the US Center next week . . . and I’d love to get a look at your favorite manifesto! Just mail to DLucas@TeamExpansion.org with subject line “declaration” and I’ll greatly appreciate it! Thanks!
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GREAT SOURCE FOR PRAYER CARDS
One Brigada participant found a super supply source for those prayer cards that everybody puts on their fridge. :-) You scan your color photo, place it into a Pagemaker document and send the disk to Copy Craft Printers. They do the rest. For full color business card prayer cards, it’s reportedly under $115 for 1000 inc shipping!!!!!!! Email rollie@copycraft.com for a catalogue. Sounds like a good value to me!
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NOW YOU CAN REACH YOUR AMDO TIBETAN NEIGHBORS!
Take them a copy of the cassette entitled, “God’s Powerful Savior” in the Amdo-Tibetan language with beautiful Tibetan Flute playing for bridging and background. What?! No Amdos next door? Well you can also get a brief testimony from a Tibetan believer accompanied by Tibetan music and singing. Then join the growing network of believers who are praying for an Amdo Tibetan church! :-) Order from
Audio Scripture Ministries
P. O. Box 46063
Escondido, CA 92046
Fax 619 745 8150
Or write asm-ca@xc.org. WWW site: http://www.AudioScriptures.org/asm
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TRAVEL CONFERENCE ALIVE AND WELL!
Those who had tried the brigada-travel-bids conference recently might have been discouraged by few quotes in your inbox. Apparently, there was some kind of mishap in the configuration of the conference, making it impossible for the dozens of travel agents there to see your request for a quote. Late last night that was all resolved, so they’re back on line!!! Plus (and maybe most importantly), I have secured the commitment of at least one travel agent who says he will focus his full time efforts on the conference, meaning that you will get quotes back for every request! This guy can buy wholesale fares from several sources . . . and there are over 50 other travel agents subscribed, waiting to see how they can save you and your ministry big bucks. So try it today! Just email brigada-travel-bids@xc.org and explain your reqest for a bid. No need to subscribe… your message goes to the conference “as is” and they write you back directly with proposals.
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PRAYER REQUEST FOR LIBYA
Thanks to Bob and CMDNet for this note on Libya… “Each year the Southern Baptists, in conjunction with other groups, focus prayer for a day on an area of the world in need of mission attention. This year (May 16-17) the focus will be the Arabs of Libya. Only a few Libyans living inside the country or abroad are known to be Christians. A resource kit to support the prayer emphasis is available from the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board. The kit consists of a video on Libya, news coverage on Libya and a prayer guide. To order, call (800) 866- 3621 or write Customer Services, Foreign Mission Board, PO Box 6767, Richmond, Virginia, VA 23230-0767, USA.”
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YOU’RE INVITED TO TEE-TIME
Chris cajel@iquest.net wants to know all about TEE . . . well maybe more specifically, he’d like to learn what kind of TEE programs have been successful, what accessed via the internet, video, cassette, etc., are there GED programs by video or net specifically for urban areas, . . . etc. Don’t forget to include programs designed for the USA in your answer, too! He’ll compile a list and we’ll make it available here in a couple of weeks.
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ONE MORE RESOURCE FOR CHURCH-PLANTERS!
Don’t forget that you can send mail to majordomo@genesis.acu.edu with only the following command in the body of your email message:
subscribe churchplanters
[Note that this is not a Brigada group. In Brigada conferences, you would never add your email address on the end of a subscribe command. It causes the subscribe command to bounce to the owner of the conference.]
They reportedly discuss everything from vision to questions, specific problems, experiences, testimonies, and practical suggestions!
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HINDU CONFERENCE COMING THIS WEEKEND AND NEXT!
Here’s a conference that looks top notch! “Christian Witness in the Hindu World,” billed as “An Exciting two-weekend seminary in Los Angeles with Dr. Roger E. Hedlund, South Asian expert and Christian Scholar. Sponsored by CenSas (the Center for South Asian Studies) will be held at
Church on Brady
717 So. Brady Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90022
Phone: 213 728-4850
E-mail: bradyjobnt@aol.com
April 17, 18 & 19 1997 (Module 1)
and
April 24, 25 & 26 1997 (Module 2).
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HERE’S A GREAT STORY FOR THIS WEEK’S SERMON
Need a little “closing illustration” for commitment to missions and mobilization? Here’s a real live story from an Adult Bible Fellowship in a congregation in Louisville, KY. I was helping a missions team there plan their “next steps” for reaching a Muslim group in N. Africa through one of those PACE Projects I’ve been telling you about (quick commercial — https://brigada.org/pace :-)). They’ve been trying all kinds of innovative approaches to make sure the church-planting effort gets promoted in the home and throughout the church. One project they have is placing collection cans for loose change and all in every home of their Couples for Christ Adult Bible Fellowship (the primary advocate group behind this project). So from what I understand, just about every family has these cans sitting around their house now! Pretty cool idea! Anyway, one of the Moms (whose real name is “Tina”) was sharing about the effect on Ryan, her 5-year-old! Apparently, he had lost a tooth that previous week and gotten a whoppin’ $5 from the tooth fairy. (I know . . . it was only a quarter when you were growing up! But hey! It’s the nineties! Inflation!) Anyway . . . Tina (the mom) was pretty shocked when Ryan walked to the Tina tried to explain to Ryan, “Now you understand that you can’t get this back?” He said, “I know, Mom. I want Jesus to have that to help people learn about God.” They say, “Out of the mouth of babes….” . . . but it seems to me Ryan is onto something. If we could just arrange our priorities to give some of our uttermost energies, our uttermost prayers, our uttermost offerings . . . to the uttermost unreached people . . . we would accomplish the uttermost results ever imagined! So . . . grab those cans and pray for your little ones to lose their teeth!!! :-)
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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
*ADVANCE: Mark A. Kelley, Kainos Press, 70420.1057@compuserve.com
*Brigada Website: Bob Mayhew, Brigada Volunteer, mayhew@xc.org
*Technical Development: Jonathan Marsden, MAFxc jonathan@xc.org
*Brigada Customer Service Manager: Revis Ann Massey, RevisAnnMassey@xc.org
*Brigada Coordinator: 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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