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News and Notes about Brigada, Your Gateway to Missions Networking!
On the WorldWide Web, browse https://brigada.org
[Pass this issue to a friend! To subscribe, see instructions at end.]
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In this issue….
* DUST SETTLES FROM THE GATWAY PEOPLE CLUSTER CONSULTATION
* FINAL FRONTIER – THE ANSWER
* DIVERSITY MAGNIFIES GOD?
* HOW DO WE LIFT UP LIBYA?
* WANT TO LEARN HOW TO MENTOR CHURCH PLANTERS?
* SOUTH AFRICA FARES A TAD HIGH?
* WANT TO REALLY NETWORK? INT’L CONFERENCE ON COMPUTING & MISSIONS
* FREE GRAPHICS FOR YOUR CHURCH/MISSION NEWSLETTER!
* INTERESTED IN ONE OF THOSE TELEPHONE “CALL-BACK” PLANS?
* NEED CROSS-CULTURAL YOUTH MINISTRY?
* PATHS TO A STRONG CITY NATIVE CHURCH
* CALLING ALL TRANSLATORS OF REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED AND APPLIED
* GLOBAL GLIMPSE
* YOU’VE READ THE JAPANESE BOOK; NOW GET THE JAPANESE MOVIE!
* CHAT SPLAT – IRC FOR THEE?
* CORRECTION ON ADOPT-A-PEOPLE CLEARINGHOUSE
* AN HTML EDITOR TO GO!
* PATTERSON “OBEDIENCE ORIENTED EDUCATION AND EVANGELISM BY EXTENSION”
* NEW CONFERENCES READY FOR ACTION!
* GOT RESOURCES? GET NETWORKING!
* TO DOUG: PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
* TO SUBSCRIBE TO BRIGADA TODAY
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DUST SETTLES FROM THE GATWAY PEOPLE CLUSTER CONSULTATION
Well, the dust is now settling from the Gateway People Cluster Consultation, held this past weekend at the US Center for World Mission in Pasadena, CA. I wish I could give you a full report but two or three issues are “in the way.” First, we all signed a security release stating that we’d be very careful about what we publicized. It would be a whole lot better for you to read the official press releases by subscribing to the consultation news conferences and retrieving the files that organizers have posted there. (To retrieve those files, create a message to hub@xc.org with these lines as the content:
subscribe gpcc-announce
filelist
Look the file list over when it comes to your inbox and use the “get” command to download the press releases you’d like to see.
But there’s a second reason it’s tough to give a full report. The truth is, we don’t know for sure what will come out of the conference. So much of the consultation was designed to be a kick-off of a process – the process of
1. recruiting and training more “resource advocates” (those who champion the cause of some unreached people group)
2. recruiting and training more “strategic partnership facilitators” (those who work mostly in the field to create more networking between field workers
3. creating training opportunities for both the preceding roles
4. launching additional consultations and networking opportunities to help breed more interaction between those who have a love for a common unreached group, and
5. refining a new kind of categorizing of the full JP2000 list of 1739 peoples into around 140 or so “cluster” groupings.
I can tell you that consultation delegates worked hard, very hard, at addressing all five of those goals, as well as hitting security and several other issues at the same time. Pages and pages of feedback were collected. They’ll now be collated and feedback will be given to conference delegates. This is an ongoing process. It’s a marathon not a spring. So let’s have patience . . . and see where this takes us. I believe we’re definitely moving forward.
And at least one other clarion call came out of the meeting: YACC. “Yet Another Call for a Clearinghouse.” Nearly every working group seemed to be asking for a source for information about people group mobilization tools, adoption cross-matching, and security training. Brigada-peoples can help in the meantime to pick up some of that . . . but I believe other tools will also rise to the surface in the months to come. So let the games begin . . . and let’s hope that this YACC results in a real option that works for all of us!
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FINAL FRONTIER – THE ANSWER
We received responses from some 33 different individuals to the recent request for recommending a “final frontier” least reached group for the “Brigada missionary couple.” Remember that this particular couple had volunteered to go anywhere in the world that God would send them . . . but their quest was to go to the most desperately unreached group. Well, . . . I know we can’t claim to have “the answer” . . . because the answer is that there are desperate needs in so many places. But what I can promise you is that the representative sampling you’ll receive in our compilation is a group of some of the most desperately unreached peoples in the world. To get the 15-page compilation, send email to hub@xc.org with only this phrase in the text of the message:
get brigada finalfrontier
We’ll keep you up to date occasionally as this particular couple discerns God’s will for their lives!
(Note to those viewing this document on the web: This particular file won’t be placed the web because of its sensitivity. To retrieve it, use the “get” command above.)
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DIVERSITY MAGNIFIES GOD?
As I write this, I’m sitting here at the Gateway People Cluster Consultation (at the US Center for World Mission in Pasadena, CA), listening to John Bendor-Samuel, President of Wycliffe. The key issue of his devotional this Friday morning is that “diversity magnifies God.” It never occurred to me before that God would be glorified through what I took as disunity. His thread of thought took us through the Babylonian captivity and the way it dealt with idolatry and through the development of synagogues. In a sense, as Dr. Bendor-Samuel pointed out, God used the judgment that resulted from Babel to glorify Him. Each language has its own beauty, its own power. It lifts up God in unique ways . . . that perhaps would never have been possible in one monolingual world. Of course, the final question he asked is the most interesting: What’s going to be the language of Heaven? Bendor-Samuel said we’d be multi-lingual. God actually said in Rev. 21 that they “would be my peoples” [plural]. We won’t have any problem understanding one another — ’cause the Bible says that in Heaven there’ll be no tears there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-)
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HOW DO WE LIFT UP LIBYA?
Well now there’s an easy way to get started. You’ll recall last week’s reference to one denomination’s emphasis on Libya PRAYER REQUEST FOR LIBYA. Well now a Libya network is enlarging that all the more to a worldwide thrust . . . and you can start by requesting a file that we’ve logged here at Brigada. Just send a note to hub@xc.org with only this line in the text:
get brigada libya-pray
Included is info on how to get a new video on prayer for Libya for just $5 (how can they produce the video, package it, and mail it to you for that price?????), and how to unite in a global plan to pray for Libya for one 24-hour period (6pm May 16 to 6pm 17). Sharp little packet for mobilizing prayer at you church or agency. Grab the “libya-pray” file for free!
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WANT TO LEARN HOW TO MENTOR CHURCH PLANTERS?
Then DCPI has a deal for you! You can call 800-255-0431 or write BeckerDCPI@aol.com and ask for a brochure about the upcoming Mentors Conference will be in Indianapolis from April 30-May 2, 97.
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SOUTH AFRICA FARES A TAD HIGH?
Having trouble finding a good fare to South Africa to attend GCOWE97? Try sending a note to brigada-travel-bids@xc.org with info. about your travel needs. You’ll probably receive 5+ responses or “bids” from which you can choose… and some of them will be bottom dollar but top value. Also, by the way, we had previously published news about a travel agent in Canada who had worked out special fares to South Africa but apparently, she can always get half-off fares on SAA schaubeck@baxter.net. You can also contact Celia Klare, the official GCOWE travel agent, at 800-847-4640 in the USA, 315-422-2612 for our non-USA participants, fax: 315-422-5932.
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WANT TO REALLY NETWORK? INT’L CONFERENCE ON COMPUTING & MISSIONS
Check out http://www.iccm.org (or write info@iccm.org, the web site for the International Conference on Computing and Missions (ICCM). Scheduled for June 6-10, 1997 in Abilene, TX, the conference hopes to provide a unique experience of spiritual fellowship, information-sharing and vision renewal by providing a forum for missions-related people to meet personally and to share ideas, information and expertise in order to perform their jobs more effectively. If your missions job is at all computer-related, then this is the place to be!
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FREE GRAPHICS FOR YOUR CHURCH/MISSION NEWSLETTER!
Check out http://members.aol.com/charismaco. There, the Charisma Design Company is offering free clip-art collections for your publishing needs! Church representatives without internet access can receive the disk version for a $4.00 (more outside of the USA or Germany). Thanks Charisma! (You can also call +1-303-617-7342 (North America), or +49-7153-75617 (Europe), e-mail: charismaco@aol.com.
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INTERESTED IN ONE OF THOSE TELEPHONE “CALL-BACK” PLANS?
Check with PacificStar Telecom Service pacifics@sainet.or.jp. They’ve got that and more!
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NEED CROSS-CULTURAL YOUTH MINISTRY?
Cross Cultural Youth Ministry would like to know! Write ccym@lts.net for more info. Their strategy is to place trained youth ministers in partnerships with missionaries or solid national churches throughout the world. They would also like to serve as a clearinghouse for missions agencies or organizations that are searching for youth workers.
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PATHS TO A STRONG CITY NATIVE CHURCH
The path begins at the 3rd Annual Native Urban Church-Planting Symposium, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, April 28 – May 1. Write 103535.3026@compuserve.com or call 204-586-1137 for more info.
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CALLING ALL TRANSLATORS OF REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED AND APPLIED
If you’re translating (or have translated) Murray’s Redemption Accomplished and Applied into Russian, dbsmith@paco.net would like to know.
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GLOBAL GLIMPSE
This week mission leaders from across the 10/40 Window will be meeting to discuss how to further cooperation in reaching many of the world’s least-reached people groups. Possibly one of the most strategic meetings this year, discussions will revolve around how best to help link in churches which have adopted people groups and startup mission agencies as they begin to focus on specific unreached people groups. This is often a challenge because of the sensitive nature of ministry in most places in the 10/40 Window. Conference planners expect a great breakthrough in the areas of cooperation, partnership, and communication.
(Source: Caleb Project field report, 4/14/97.) John Hanna, Caleb Project, Littleton, CO.
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YOU’VE READ THE JAPANESE BOOK; NOW GET THE JAPANESE MOVIE!
You heard that Praying through the Window III Prayer Calendar was done in Japanese. Now the movie is done! For 1500 yen you can get a copy of To the Ends of the Earth in Japanese!!! Write japmin@ibm.net for more info.
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CHAT SPLAT – IRC FOR THEE?
Anybody know of any IRCs for missionaries? (An IRC is an “internet relay chat” or something like that; using special software, several people can “talk” [via the keyboard] to each other live; differs from email in that the communication is real time; all parties have to be on the Net at once.) If you do, email Jerry Witt at HALUSA@WITTY.COM. Jerry, please send us a list if you find some, okay?
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CORRECTION ON ADOPT-A-PEOPLE CLEARINGHOUSE
My bad on the reference to the Adopt-A-People Clearinghouse a couple of weeks ago. I mentioned that I didn’t believe it had ever been their purpose to “register” adoptions (by a church or individual) or report them upon request by inquirers. I got back a note from the AAPC staff person (I think there’s currently just one or two) saying that indeed that always had been one of their priority purposes. I’ve asked them to drop us a couple of paragraphs on how they receive and/or distribute this info. I’m clueless, even though our mission organization is a supporting member! My bad.
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AN HTML EDITOR TO GO!
Need an HTML editor for your mission newsletter (that’s someone who prepares your written newsletter for the web)? Linda (see her web site at: http://www.inworks.net/comm/image/image.htm ) wants to help. Check out her services . . . e.g., $15 to prepare the bulletin for the web, $25 to post it on the site. She’d like to provide a central place for mission news.
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PATTERSON “OBEDIENCE ORIENTED EDUCATION AND EVANGELISM BY EXTENSION”
You can now get a complete sample set of the 62 booklets including the Church Planting Guide, and the Pastoral Trainer’s Manual for US$95 plus US$25 seamail or US$50 airmail postage. To order, please send two checks to the Missionary Training Service (address below) in US dollars (one for US$72.50 and the other for the remaining amount – this is because they apparently can’t process checks above US$72.50 at the moment without incurring large charges).
The Missionary Training Service
18 Aston Way
Oswestry, Shropshire, SY11 2XY, United Kingdom
E-mail: coordmts@xc.org
I’ve got to save up my pennies and get a set of these! They’re sharp and have apparently been very effective in each location where they’ve been used.
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NEW CONFERENCES READY FOR ACTION!
Wow – a whole flurry of new conferences has emerged these past couple of weeks. One is BRIGADA-PEOPLES-QASHQAI, moderated by Justin Long of David Barrett’s office in Virginia, promises to wave the flag for the Qashai. According to the welcome message by Justin, “Only a miniscule number have ever met a Christian. There are some Christians in the cities, but not many have ventured out to the rural areas where they live. There is not even one church in the world that worships in their language, nor do they have any Christian radio broadcasts. The Bible hasn’t been translated into their language. There are nearly a million of them — but at most maybe 50,000 have heard the Gospel in their lives.” Join it by sending email to hub@xc.org with only this sentence in your email:
subscribe brigada-peoples-qashqai
There will probably be only one or two failings per week.
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GOT RESOURCES? GET NETWORKING!
This just in from Mary Ann Stone of the AD2000 & Beyond International Office. Let’s load her up with all the resources we can find!!! “It is a delight to watch the growing response to Joshua Project 2000 goals of adoption networking and church planting for unreached peoples. The Lord is indeed placing the vision “a church for every people” on the hearts of individuals and organizations around the world. However, with such interest comes an increasing plea for resources which are both informative and motivational. Prayer teams and groups, researchers and church planters are hungry for a better understanding of the peoples to whom they have made a commitment.
To assist those concerns, AD2000 and Beyond, is seeking to compile a resource list of available videos and films which feature any of the Joshua Project 2000 unreached peoples. (List is available on the World Wide Web http://www.ad2000.org ) We plan to gather informative resources whether Christian or secular in nature. If you or your organization has produced or distributed such a video or film or know of others who may have done so, please contact Barb Bills at AD2000 barb@ad2000.org with the following information as soon as possible:
* Name of the People targeted in the video or film.
* Country where the filming took place.
* Publisher name, address, phone, fax, and e-mail.
* Retail price for the video or film.
* Versions and formats for the resources.
* Languages in which available.
* Additional Contacts: Name, Organization, Address, Phone, Fax, Email.
These resources will eventually appear in a new column on the AD2000 Joshua Project 2000 peoples list and on our Web site at http://www.ad2000.org
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TO DOUG: PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!
This past week, I heard from a Brigada participant who made a good point. He said I had commented more than once on the way that international use of encryption (encoded) messages would always look suspect until it was utilized by the masses. So he asked courteously why I never used PGP or any other encryption software. “Hmmmm,” I said. “Because I routinely don’t have anything private to say in my typical notes,” I thought to myself. But you see, that’s exactly what 99% of all Internet users are saying . . . which makes the other 1% feel a bit anxious (and look suspicious) when they do choose to use PGP! So . . . starting this week, my signature (at the bottom) carries a reference to my PGP “public key” and I’ve pledged to start using PGP more as each week goes by. Yikes. The price we pay for progress! :-) But you know, he was right. If we really wanted to help secure email to be birthed on the net, we’d all go out and get PGP public keys (there’s no cost involved) and start using this stuff… or utilizing the new S/Mime (or is it S/Myme) built-in security in other emailers.
So how ’bout it, Brigada family. Can we start looking at this PGP stuff or what?
To learn more about PGP security, do a search on the net for it this week. Then send in your best PGP tutor file/URL to DLucas@TeamExpansion.org with
PGP HELP
in the subject line. We’ll make the results available to everybody next week and maybe we can help the whole world be more secure! :-)
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TO SUBSCRIBE TO BRIGADA TODAY, send email to hub@xc.org with only the following message:
subscribe brigada
(Sure you can quote from Brigada Today! But please tell your readers where you learned about the item, and if it’s not asking too much, include the 3 lines on how to subscribe – see above.)
TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send email to hub@xc.org with 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
*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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