19990808 Brigada Today

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News and Notes about Brigada, Your Gateway to Missions Networking!
On the WorldWide Web, browse https://brigada.org or http://www.eGroups.com/list/brigada-today
Brigada Today is “the missionary helper newsletter!”
Compiled by Doug Lucas <DLucas@teamexpansion.org>, Louisville, KY
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In this issue….

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS BRIGADA?

Brigada, pronounced “bree-GAH-dah”, is the rough equivalent (in Russian, Spanish, and even Filipino!) of a “brigade.” The idea is to stand side by side to pass buckets of hope for those most in need of Christ’s eternal message! Read 4+ years of weekly back issues at https://brigada.org. See recent back issues and links at http://www.eGroups.com/list/brigada-today . (Compiled by Doug Lucas DLucas@teamexpansion.org, Louisville, KY)

UNREACHED PEOPLES RESEARCH UPDATE

Dan Scribner from AD2000 & Beyond’s International Office in Colorado just sent another update on people groups listed in the Joshua Project 2000 database. Dan reported that there are now 1596 people groups on the active JP list, with 1118 having no Church of 100 reported. In fact, 550 peoples have no reported on-site Church Planting team. But the good part is that only 194 remain as “untargeted or “unclaimed.” So the good news is that there have literally been thousands of linkages formed in the short time that the Joshua Project 2000 list has been around. Many of those linkages were no doubt already in process prior to 1995 (when the JP2000 list was first presented by AD2000), but there were few ways to learn about them. The AD2000 & Beyond Movement concept has promoted the concept of synergy, i.e., getting the body to work together on the remaining task. So how do you spell success? If you truly want a “church for every people” by the end of the year 2000, then we would need to see new churches of 100 or more worshipping believers among those last 1118 people groups. If, on the other hand, one defines success as that a church-planting team is laboring among the group, only 550 more teams are needed. And finally, if one were to hold that success is equal to gaining a commitment from some agency or church that there is an intention to eventually place a church-planting team among a particular group, only 194 groups remain. Take your pick. Many have concluded that the latter goal is within our sphere of influence — it’s something we can change. The “team on-site” goal is a bit tougher, because it requires tons of trained personnel, but it’s still within our reach. The “100 worshipping believers” thing is largely up to God himself. Unfortunately, we can’t effect that kind of change without the cooperation of the Spirit, tons of willing listeners, and lots of unique opportunities. Only God can move in that way… and fortunately, among many people groups around the globe, that’s exactly what He seems to be doing!

THE ANTIOCH NETWORK ANNUAL GATHERING OF CHURCHES

This year’s Antioch Gathering focuses on nuts-and-bolts “how to” steps for churches to meaningfully engage an unreached people group. Speakers include George Miley, President of Antioch Network, Larry Stockstill, Senior Pastor of Bethany World Prayer Center, Les Beauchamp, Senior Pastor of Trinity Church, and Fred Markert of YWAM. A wide array of workshops support the plenary sessions. The Gathering will be held at the beautiful Mission Palms Resort in Tempe, AZ, (Phoenix area) August 25-28. It’s not too late to decide to attend. Telephone 602-589-7777 or write gathering@antiochnetwork.org. Or register online at their website at http://www.antiochnetwork.org. Registration is $150/person. Resort accommodation $79/night. For housing, contact the resort directly by calling (from the USA) 800-547-8705.

FAXES FOR FREE

Now you can send and receive faxes for free! From anywhere in the world to the U.S., and within the U.S. all faxes are free. Sending outside the U.S., there is a small fee. Free Fax numbers available. Free Fax blasting for non-profits too. The site is http://www.fax4free.com. This is a great deal for our overseas missionaries to fax back to the U.S. Obviously, you must have web access. Thanks Rich!

VOICEMAIL IN YOUR INBOX

Rich is coming up with a way to give away voicemail, delivered to your inbox wherever you are in the world. I think this thing has possibilities. He’s using Real Audio via e-mail. Voicemail numbers provided for free. According to Rich, more areas codes are coming this fall, but for now, only the (718) area code is available. So most of your callers would have to dial a toll number to leave you a voice mail. But this has potential, especially for those who aren’t computer users who want to get you a quick message overseas. For more information, check out http://www.messageclick.com or write Rich Rich@Niccolls.org.

FREE INTERNET ACCESS OFFERED BY ALTAVISTA

In a move to fortify its existing customer base and attract new users by offering direct dial-up Web links, AltaVista http://www.altavista.com is offering free Internet access to those in the USA. It’s already the Web’s 10th-most visited destination and I have a feeling it’s about to solidify its place! (Thanks for the tip, Herb!)

ENGEL SCALE ONLINE

Tony tony@soon.org.uk has been looking high and low for info. on the Engel Scale. The best he has found so far is at http://www.revivalnet.net/churches/lwcf/evang.htm If you know of other good sites, drop him a note. Thanks Tony!

WEB-WATCH: WORLD CHRISTIANS IN 2 LANGUAGES

Check out http://www.worldchristians.org where you’ll find DCI’s free 85-lesson university accredited Bible/missions training course, missions news updated daily, and a live support line. The developers are seeking suggestions for additions and improvements. Write lesnorman@compuserve.com to ask questions or give input. This site has some potential!

WEB-WATCH: MISSIONS TRAINING SITE

Thanks to Tony who pointed out http://www.aguaviva.com/manual.htm which at first glance seems to offer some good missions training help online!

SAY HELLO TO IBOOK – THE IMAC TO GO

Okay… so here’s my nod to the devoted MAC users I’ve always snubbed.

Geoff just filled me in on the iBook, Apple’s new notebook computer. According to Geoff, the iBook is just the thing for missionaries looking for power. It’s made of polycarbonate (the same material they make bullet proof vests out of) and a tough rubber surrounding the edges. Inside is a 300Mhz Power PC Processor (up to twice as fast as a pentium II), 32MB RAM, 3.2GB Hard Drive, a 24xCD ROM, a 12.1″ Active screen, 10/100Mbps Ethernet, USB port and a 56k Modem. It comes with all the software you need to connect to the Internet and is priced at US$1599. For more information check out http://www.apple.com/iBook or call 1-800-795-1000 in the US. Now then. I did it. Sigh. I knew I could get it out.

SCAM-WATCH: AREA CODE 809?

This past week, several Brigada participants have unearthed questions about “area code 809.” Apparently there’s some fear that this will develop into a kind of scam, since area code 809 sounds like a toll-free line but is really the country code for calling the Bahamas! We even ran an item in Brigada Today way back when (October 19, 1996). Trouble is, although warnings are profuse, I have yet to hear of a single Brigada participant who has been bitten by this scam. And I can’t even figure out why anyone would try to pull it off, except as a downright mean practical joke. In other words, how does it help the con artist if you dial a long distance number in the Bahamas. What can the con artist hope to gain? So… after some thought, I’m back to the common conclusion — this 809 scam-watch warning that’s circulating (again) is probably another form of bandwidth-wasting junk mail filling up our inboxes!

TIPS FOR INT’L EMAIL TRAVELERS – PART 6

Thanks to Jonathan K., who wrote this past week to encourage me to point out that, in several countries, the voltage traveling through those phone lines in your hotel room can be deadly. Gulp.

Though I’ve never experienced a problem with directly connecting jumpers to the bare wires of a phone terminal, I suppose we should print some kind of disclaimer encouraging people to first attempt all other courses of action before any kind of bare-wire direct-connect approach. As we’ve recommended in other “tips” items, be sure to try to find a proper plug-to-jack adaptor for your modem cable, so you can avoid the risk. Jon also suggested the possibility of a good acoustic coupler as a contingency. The telephone equipment supply sources we’ve provided have those for sale. An acoustic coupler is a device that literally “hears” the modem noises through the phone and converts them back into electronic data for your modem cable and vice-versa. The devices typically cost a few hundred dollars and permit transfer rates of up to 4800 baud maximum — which is still “okay” for email but would never accommodate browsing the web, of course. Thanks for watching out for everybody’s safety, Jonathan K.! If you’d like a compiled copy of all the “TIPS FOR INT’L EMAIL TRAVELERS” segments that we’ve shared over these past few weeks, just send a note to email_traveling_tips@brigada.worldchurches.org and a copy will be sent to your email inbox within minutes (5 pages, 27K).

INSURANCE SERVICES FOR MISSIONARIES

Adams & Associates International (A&AI) aai@aaintl.com is an insurance firm providing all types of insurance (not just medical) exclusively to missionaries and mission sending organizations, since 1980. Adams & Associates International’s products and services are designed specifically for the needs of the missionary. According to the folks at A&AI, clients range from the smallest of churches that support one missionary to the largest sending organizations that send thousands of missionaries and their families abroad each year. A&AI clients also include over 50,000 short-term volunteers each year who use a product designed by Adams in 1982 and has undergone continuing improvement since. Check out their website at http://www.aaintl.com, where you’ll find applications, claim forms and opportunity to give feedback. Fax in the USA at (803) 252-1988 or telephone call toll-free from within the USA 800-922-8438.

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COPYRIGHT — This issue of Brigada Today is Copyrighted © 2001. However, permission is granted to freely redistribute these materials, including those available through email autoresponders, provided that such redistribution is to those who will help the Good News of Christianity to reach the unreached. But please include this phrase: “For a free subscription of Brigada‘s weekly missions publication, write <brigada-today-subscribe@egroups.com>.”
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DISCLAIMER — Please note that there’s no way we can possibly screen all the text on all the web sites or items we recommend. We try to check them out first… but if we miss something, please don’t assume that the opinions on those sites are identical to those of the Brigada family of networks. “Eat the corn, leave the cob!”
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SUBMITTING CONTENT — To submit content or ideas to Brigada Today, first please get a copy of “Guidelines for submitting items to Brigada” Then, once you’ve composed your item in keeping with those guidelines, send your item for Brigada Today to DLucas@teamexpansion.org.
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PLEASE DON’T SUBSCRIBE US TO YOUR LIST — It’s always better to ask before manually force-adding anyone to your list-serve or mailing list. Recently, tons of well-meaning people have been subscribing Doug to their lists. Since he often travels overseas, he doesn’t join many of those, for obvious reasons (like being charged big-time for overseas access). So as a general rule, please don’t bulk-mail us! See the note above if you’d like to submit items for Brigada Today. Thanks for understanding. Bottom line: We will never create Brigada Today items from bulk mail. Bulk mail gets deleted immediately — sorry. Nothing personal. We suggest you apply the same standard to everyone. Ask first!

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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
Brigada Website: Bob Mayhew, WebServant@brigada.org
Brigada Customer Service Manager: help@brigada.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!