19991128 Brigada Today

In this issue….

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS BRIGADA?

Brigada, pronounced “bree-GAH-dah” (rhymes with armada), is the rough equivalent of a “brigade” — in Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Albanian and even Filipino! Founded 25 January 1995, the idea is to stand side by side to pass buckets of hope for those most in need of Christ’s eternal message! Check out nearly 5 years of weekly back issues at https://brigada.org. See recent back issues and links at http://www.eGroups.com/list/brigada-today. Brigada Today is compiled by Doug Lucas DLucas@teamexpansion.org, Louisville, KY.

WHY 2K!? STEM THE TIDE: BRIGADAFEST 2000

So why, after 2000 years, would there still be 2000 people groups, tribes, castes, and kindreds without sufficient numbers to evangelize their compatriots? In our opinion, this is the real Y2K crisis. Want to make a difference? Why not attend BrigadaFest 2000 in Louisville, KY, Feb. 3-5. Stem the tide of the “Why 2K!?” crisis! This meeting is especially designed for

missions mobilizers to share “shop talk”,
church leaders to discover ways and means of adopting and reaching those without Christ’s message and
bringing together “a” and “b”.

Hear Caleb Project on people group advocacy, learn about PACE (a prayer-based approach that follows a special church-oriented strategy for accomplishing Mission), and sit down with Interdev to learn about forming international partnerships. Register on the web by going to http://www.teamexpansion.org or write Angela AKeeran@TeamExpansion.org in Louisville, KY.

MUSLIM PRAYER FOCUS BEGINS IMMEDIATELY!

Coinciding with Christmas 1999 and the beginning of Y2K, millions of Christians worldwide will again humbly learn about, intercede for and reach out with God’s love to our “biggest” religious neighbor–the Islamic world. As Muslims seek to honor God and fulfill one of their religion’s major obligations, we will ask God to indeed draw near to them. Booklets are available in over 25 languages and the N. American English edition is in full color this year. For more information about the 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus, write wcn@xc.org, or call toll-free if in the USA (or via Net2Phone) (888)WCN-NEWS.

UPDATE ON JOSHUA PROJECT PEOPLES

Dan the man, from AD2000 & Beyond, wrote this week to update us on the status of the Joshua Project List of Unreached Peoples. He’s currently listing 1596 peoples with 1118 having no church of 100 reported. Together, some 542 have no on-site planting team, and 188 haven’t even been claimed yet. We’ve still got some work to do! But look how far we’ve come!!!

DYNAMIC EQUIPPING OF THE CHURCH

Veritas College offers Integrated Leadership Development using a self study interpretation of the Bible. The course is not run from a building. It is affordable — $40 a year. According to the organizers, a successful field test in Romania resulted in 17 churches being planted. For more information see http://www.veritascollege.com or email nicoe@umfolozi.ntech.ac.za

WE FINALLY GOT A CHECK FROM IGIVE.COM

Okay. It’s for real. We got our first check from iGive.com this past week. Granted it was only $12, but hey… that’s $12! They have tons of shopping sites there . . . and you can add others. Just go to http://www.igive.com first, then use the links there to connect to other sites to buy toys, electronics, and more. Your designate your shopping points to your favorite non-profit (make sure yours is registered there first!), who then gets a check, not unlike a frequent flyer awards program! It doesn’t cost the consumer a dime to participate… but could result in great gains for the non-profit . . .like . . .maybe a $12 check!

(Thanks for the reminder Eric!)

FILES YOU CAN RETRIEVE FOR FREE!

Want some info. from the Brigada autoresponder? It’s easy. Just address your email to one of these file names, with “@brigada.worldchurches.org” tacked on the end. All the files are free! So… to get the first file, compose an empty email (subject ignored) and send it to this address:

(Note! Please don’t simply send a reply to this Brigada Today — and whatever you do, don’t email it to Doug! Look again at the instructions above!)

blind-resources (24K — to help you reach the blind)
brigada-submissions (3K — how to submit items for publication)
children (81K — how to best help the children of the world)
cults-resources (46K — to learn about cults)
deafministry (5K — to help those who cannot hear)
email_traveling_tips (14K travel and stay connected)
evaluating-missions (22K — accountability and missions)
file-list (3K — this file list)
family-missions (6K — resources for helping families in missions)
housechurches (17 — how to start them)
indigenousmusic (5K — resources to help best bring it about)
interpersonal-skills (3K — learn them!)
leadership (7K — resources to learn how to do it)
muslim-outreach (58K — understanding how to share hope with them)
muslim-training (15K — where can you receive live training)
opc (3K — read this before sending any forwarded emails!)
packing (36K — the best cartons, routes, routines, etc.)
puppets (70K — how to start a ministry with them)
satphones (7K — resources and tips)
stripreturns (3K — macro for Microsoft Word; removes carriage returns)
tesl (13K — programs to learn how to do it)
tesl_resources (41K — curriculum, guides and other helps)
top20upgs (11K — 20 high priority unreached groups as of early 1999)
transition (12K — transfer your mailing list from xc.org to egroups)
travel (19K — saving money on airfare for international travel)
turkish-resources (11K — Turkish christian resource directory)
unreached-directory (149K — ministries who provide info on unreached)
untargeted (12K — the least targeted groups as of Aug. 1999)

HERE’S HOW TO TAKE GOODS TO THE FIELD

Larry had to know. So he asked! We put the word out on Brigada Today (September 24, 1999) and he got 22 responses… in 4 general categories (Detailed Packing Tips, Container Recommendations, Keep It Simple, and Shipping Agents/Consultants). Folks told him about trunks, boxes, barrels, Rubbermaid trashcans, cubical computer boxes, tea chests, hockey bags, bicycle boxes and even shipping agents/consultants — the works! Several individuals gave detailed packing and travel tips. And some gave a caution to seriously consider what message the things you take can send to the people of your host country, with reference given to the article “18 Barrels and 2 Big Crates” from the April 1992 issue of Evangelical Missions Quarterly. A word to the wise. To get the full report, write to: packing@brigada.worldchurches.org. Thanks Larry!

FROM THE “YET-ANOTHER-INSTANT-MESSAGING-FORMAT” DEPARTMENT

When you have a chance, stop by http://www.firetalk.com to check out yet another instant messaging format (like ICQ). It’s reportedly firewall friendly, it’s free, and it’s fast. Both communicators need to have firetalk running on their computers. Thanks Roger!

FREE ONLINE DISCIPLESHIP COURSE

International School of the Bible, Marietta, GA, USA has a free web-based discipleship course (over 100 lessons-English) as well as short devotions at http://www.isob-bible.org. (The course is also available in book and CD-ROM for nominal S&H.) Check out testimonies from ISOB locations in Africa and Haiti and other places. This course which emphasizes the Blood Covenant has been especially effective in the third world. Instructions on starting a virtual Bible school for discipleship. You can also write isob@xc.org or call 770-565-8736 in the USA.

CHRISTIAN VIDEO CLEARINGHOUSE

Got a Christian video? Looking for one? Check out http://www.christianvideos.org. The organizers would love for you to enter info. on your list of videos! (Thanks Kenneth!)

ELECTRONIC LIBRARY LOOKING FOR PARTNERS

The International Electronic Library, a study and research tool being developed by Dr. David Goodman, President and CEO, with the help of the International School of Theology and Logos Research Systems, is looking for assistance from those who are familiar with resources in the following ten languages: FRENCH, MANDARIN CHINESE, SPANISH, PORTUGUESE, RUSSIAN, ARABIC, JAPANESE, INDONESIAN, KOREAN and VIETNAMESE.

Specifically, assistance is needed from those who

have electronic expertise, especially with scanning in OCR format
know books and can assist in selecting the best books available in these ten languages for training pastor and church leaders around the world.

If this is you, e-mail Wendy wludo@megsinet.net.

STRATEGIC MEDICAL MISSIONS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 10/40 WINDOW

Are you a physician interested in missions in the 10/40 Window? For the past 6 years the In His Image Family Practice Residency Program has been taking short term medical education trips to Central Asia, Russia, Mongolia, China, Ghana, Egypt and other countries where they teach medical topics to medical students and doctors. Each conference ends with a spiritual/moral/ethical conference as a way of sharing the gospel. The fields are truly ripe! For more info, write Bridget admin@inhisimage.org or visit http://www.inhisimage.org.

SCRIPTURE ON THE NET

Check out Audio Scriptures International’s web site for Scripture in Real audio and with MP3 files. They have their Portrait of Jesus arrangement of passages from the gospels on their web site in 57 languages. Real audio and MP3 players for listening can be downloaded for free when you select the desired language at http://www.audioscriptures.org. You’ll be glad you’ve checked this out. It’s a great way to share the essential truths about Jesus Christ with those who need to hear in their own language.

CULTURALLY SUITABLE SPANISH PASTORAL TRAINING MATERIALS

The Western Honduran Extension Bible Institute (HEBI-West), currently serving several hundred pastors from many denominations, has put together superb, culturally suitable, Spanish pastoral training materials available at a low cost. Each of the five TEE, self-study manuals of the “Compendium de Preparacin Pastoral” were written by George Patterson and manualized by HEBI-West. Good use of graphics, Q & A’s and practical homework. 100-150 pp each. $3 each (this includes postage). For info, write Patrick connor@hondutel.hn.

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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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Emphasis is placed on items relating to unreached peoples and challenges faced by those reaching them cross-culturally.

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!

WARNING ABOUT FORWARDING EMAILS — Please, before forwarding any kind of request (even if it says “please send this to all your friends”), please check to make sure it has a VERIFIABLE ORIGIN, a VERIFIABLE PURPOSE, and a VERIFIABLE CLOSURE (OPC). By following this simple approach, many “email viruses” could be nipped in the bud… at least in the Brigada family. More information about the full Brigada OPC protocol is available. Thank you.

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!