In this issue….

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AD2000 & BEYOND CLOSES ITS DOORS

ad2ksm Well, as of this issue, we close a chapter not only on a decade but also on a millennium. Interestingly enough, we also say goodbye to a close friend of Brigada Today, the AD2000 & Beyond Movement. Started in the late 80s in an attempt to mobilize and unite splintered outreach efforts from around the world, the AD2000 staff, headed by a visionary leader named Luis Bush, coined or at least popularized such now-common terms the “10/40 Window” and the “Joshua Project List of Unreached Peoples.” Created with a mandate that had eternal ramifications, AD2000 was carefully crafted to never become a permanent power base. As a result, its founders imagined a movement as flat as a pancake. To emphasize its humility, it purported to dissolve itself at the end of the decade. I suspect that many along the way must have quipped, “Yeah, right… Like AD2000 is going to close its doors.” I mean, after all, I imagine missions history books will probably write it up as one of the most influential missions mobilization movements of the 20th century — if not one of the ten most successful movements in history. So my hunch is that probably nobody really thought they’d close down. Well guess what: They’ve apparently done it!

And, though they weren’t able to go out with a bang (at Celebrate Messiah 2000, which was canceled due to a host of problems, not the least of which were striking visa clerical workers in Israel and ongoing tensions among Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land), they at least did what unfortunately few organizations dare to do: They kept their word. They closed the doors. Though we ache at its passing, we celebrate its integrity. Though we dread the vacuum left behind in its wake, we year to be so true to our principles. Though we can’t imagine life without its colorful presentations of the planet’s least reached peoples, we now carry with us a pattern for telling others — and Luis, we will carry the baton forward as best we can . . . though perhaps we will never be able to carry it with as much class as you did! Thanks to you, Luis, and to Barb, Dan, Deb, Tom, Mary Ann and the many other sometimes unsung heroes of the AD2000 & Beyond Movement. To all the National and Regional leaders, to all the Track Coordinators and Chairmen (I never did figure out the difference between a Coordinator and a Chairman :-) ), to all the volunteers, to all the donors . . . thank you, thank you, thank you!

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AD2000’S LEGACY LIVES ON: ATTEND THE CONFERENCE THAT NEVER WAS!

ad2ksm Virtually, that is. You see, AD2000’s legacy lives on. For example, maybe Celebrate Messiah is one of the most interesting conferences that you’ll never get to attend. And maybe it’s one of the few in history that you can still attend even though it never happened! :-) I’m talking about the materials that were dutifully posted on their web site day by day, at the appointed times (as if they were real-time), even though the conference didn’t happen. So basically, you can experience just about everything but the traveler’s diarrhea. :-) Just click to: http://www.ad2000.org and select the Celebrate Messiah link at the top of the page. You can read the greeting from Luis Bush, just as he would have given it; you can almost hear Eric Watt as he excitedly explains that as “A Movement Ends. A Revolution Begins.” Hear as he talks about “Standing on the Shoulders and not in the Shadow,” “The World Sees Bones, We See an Army,” and “A Movement Ends.. A (Spiritual) Revolution Begins.” You can even do an all night prayer session with David Bryant! So don’t be a no-show at Celebrate Messiah. Be there… virtually! :-)
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LAST SUMMARY (PROBABLY) FROM AD2000

ad2ksm We tip our hats one last time to Dan Scribner who became the data-cruncher par excellence for AD2000. His latest report…
  • Peoples on active JP list – 1581
  • Peoples on active JP list no Church of 100 reported – 1095
  • Peoples on active JP list no reported on-site Church Planting team – 499
  • Peoples on active JP list not targeted or “claimed” end year 2000 – 232
  • Peoples on active JP list not targeted or “claimed” mid-year 2002 – 0

He has posted current copies of all JP2000 files at: http://www.ad2000.org/peoples/download.htm Also, if you have Adobe Acrobat Reader (available free on the web) you can get a fully formatted, printable version of the Joshua Project list is now at: http://www.ad2000.org/peoples/jpllist.pdf

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TEMPTED BY ONLINE PORN?

In February 2000 a study revealed an “alarming rate growth in the number of [Chr] men becoming addicted to viewing online pornography”. Pride makes men believe they are “mature enough” not to be ensnared. Only 5% of all Chr households block pornography or provide a method of accountability. But it has been said that pornography intensifies an individual’s drive to serve oneself rather than serving others. What’s more, 70% of pornography websites are accessed during the 9-to-5 workday. Two tips to nip it in the bud: 1) set up a technological solution to deny access to online pornography and (2) set up some method of accountability–a pro-active solution that will keep the problem from happening and provide an example to other men.
Helpsites:
  • http://www.onlinesexaddict.org
  • http://www.victimsofpornography.org/index.htm
  • http://www.porn-free.org
  • http://www.SettingCaptivesFree.com
  • http://www.safesitesyellowpages.com (under construction)

    Filters:

  • http://info.lifewayonline.com
  • http://www.hedgebuilders.com
  • http://www.characterlink.net
  • http://www.fol.net
  • http://www.711.net
  • http://www.safeaccess.com
  • http://www.afafilter.com
  • http://www.iExalt.net

    (Congrats to Chr Computing Mag for tackling the subject. CCM Special Issue Fall 2000)

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    FREE WEBHOSTING

    WebWatch Those looking for free or low cost web hosting for their church or mission should check http://100best-free-web-space.com/ which has reviews and specifications of 100 hosting services. You can see if a site offers cgi support, or has annoying pop-up ads, or will allow you to use your own domain name. (Thanks to Steve shayes@dunelm.org.uk for the tip!)

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    PICK UP NORMAL POP3 EMAIL FROM ANYWHERE

    letter and ligntening bolt Traveling and want to pick up your POP3 normal email? Open a Hotmail account. Then enter ‘Options’. Insert details of your POP3 server, user ID and password and click OK. By logging onto Hotmail and clicking ‘POP Mail’, you can pick up your real email, from several POP3 accounts if wish, from any computer anywhere. Note – if you reply, the message will appear to come from your Hotmail account rather than your real account – unless you go back to potions/Preferences, find the ‘Reply to’ feature, enter your real email address here. Then your replies will be shown as coming from your real email address. Note – if you don’t use your Hotmail account every 60 days, they will cancel it. http://www.hotmail.com (Thanks to Tony for the tip!!!)

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    THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD

    book The book “The Foolishness of God” is an autobiography of a young woman from Georgia who obeyed the call of God on her life and went to Mexico in obedience to the Great Commission. Her vision was to “sow the seed of the word, and it won’t return void”. In April of 1964, her husband, Jerry Witt, was shot down in his plane while dropping in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico. He and his fellow labourer who accompanied him that day were killed instantly, and their bodies were taken to the county seat and placed on public display to demonstrate “the judgements of God against these protestant christians”. This book is published by Creation House, and if you’d like to order a book (or books) please feel free make requests to:

    Sarah Henley
    653 Ellerbe Gardens Blvd.
    Shreveport, LA. 71106-7456
    sagehen@bellsouth.net
    Tel: 318-869-0134
    Fax: 318-869-0136

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    READ THE BIBLE THROUGH IN 2001, CHRONOLOGICALLY!

    Bible Read through the Bible in a year, using a daily Bible reading schedule from Grace Notes. With this arrangement, you read the whole Bible in a year, but in the chronological order of events. So, for example, many of the Psalms are included with the readings for historical books, because they were written at the time of those events. Likewise, the writings of prophets are included with contemporary historical events. To receive the Bible Reading list, send a request to Grace Notes wdoud@bga.com.

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    GREAT PRICES ON TOSHIBA LAPTOPS

    computer Todd, our good friend working in Bosnia, tipped us off on what he says is a great location for cut-rate pricing on Toshiba laptops. See for yourself at: http://www.cornerstoneportable.com or contact Steve Maurer, CornerStone SMaurer4JC@aol.com. (Thanks Todd!)

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    LEARN TO TEACH ENGLISH IN CHINA!

    graduation cap A six-week TESOL course will be held June 1-July 14, 2001 in Henan Province at an American owned university. Teaching opportunities will be available upon successful completion of the school. The course will utilize proven American instructors and curriculum. Be language sensitive. Unsecured internet site in China. For more information, write tesol2001@hotmail.com. http://www.tesoltraining.com

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    MISSIONS BOOKS CAN BE FUNNY TOO

    book A funny missions book? Unbelievable but true, Siberian Shivers is a collection of true anecdotes told by Bill Harris, a missionary serving in Siberia. Each story is humorously told, then wrapped up with insights of practical use to newcomers to the foreign scene, whether or not they are headed for cold climes. Here is an entertaining way to get a real eye opener to culture shock issues sure to be faced in any culture. Check out Siberian Shivers! You can read the first story “Uaz Adventure” for free by going to: www.william.n.harris.homepage.com/sibshive.htm or order directly by writing to: sleepydick@bigfoot.com. It’s never been cooler.

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