20010211 Brigada Today

In this issue….

FROM THE “I CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S FREE” DEPT.

These IMB people continue to surprise me. I think it all started in Seoul, Korea, when Avery Willis stood up during a session at the AD2000 conference (GCOWE 95). His promise went something like this: “We’re opening up the store!”

Maybe you thought he was joking.

Now that he’s the top man at the Southern Baptist’s International Mission Board, he’s standing true to his word. Check out the resource below — well worth the download time! Hat’s off to author David Garrison, too. Though he’s copyrighted it (so you can’t ethically print copies and sell them), he’s also made it free for the globe to use. You’ve gotta’ love a guy like that since it stands to reason that several downloads might have possibly been paying customers at the bookstands. Bravo to Mr. Garrison for his unselfish spirit… and here’s hoping that it comes back to him many-fold over in the Kingdom to come!

GET THIS FREE RESOURCE IF YOU WANT TO PLANT CHURCHES

Funny how I had just told our Personnel guy at the Team Expansion office, “We’ve got to find some more training materials for teaching our new missionaries to plant churches.” The next thing you know, I learn about this 892K Word file, accompanied by a 2.38 Meg PowerPoint teaching presentation that goes with the booklet, and a 318K bonus Powerpoint on “POUCH churches”. So now, tomorrow morning, I’ll say to our Personnel guy, “Chris, thanks to the unselfishness of Avery Willis and David Garrison, we’re ready to rumble! Find them all at: http://www.newwway.org/cpm.htm

HOW TO PLAN FOR POSTMODERN SENSITIVE MINISTRY

As if the Garrison resource wasn’t already enough, two great articles on the subject of ministry that is sensitive to postmodernism by Ross Rhode are available on newWway this month: “Practical Considerations for Postmodern Sensitive Churches” and “The Gospel and Postmodernism”. Also, part of knowing how to communicate to a target population is knowing in what position the message should be presented. What is Positioning? find out the answer at http://www.newWway.org

SAFEGUARD THE RTF FILE ATTACHMENTS YOU RECEIVE

Do you sometimes receive text files in “RTF” format? (Hint: If you don’t know what RTF format is, then you probably don’t have anything to worry about.) If so, trot on over to this link and install the virus fix: www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms00-005.asp Can you believe it? Not even RTF files are safe anymore (’til you install that link.) What will these vicious virus-laden vandals think of next?

NEW PACE VIDEO FOR $15

Are you on the edge of your seat wondering how the “PACE” concept is working out, nearly five years after it was first introduced at Envision ’96 (a missions mobilization conference held in Lexington, Kentucky, Nov. 1st – 3rd, 1996)? Do you lie awake at night, tossing and turning, constantly asking yourself questions like, “I wonder if there are any churches actually using the PACE paradigm…” Are you curious as to what the acronym “PACE” even stands for (Hint: Pray, Activate, Commit, Enlist). Fret no more! Now you can order an 11-minute promotional video aimed at helping you remember those three nights in 1996 and how they are impacting the future of missions today. And now, for no extra charge, dubbed onto the same video, see an extra 11-minute video containing footage from last week’s “PACE-Lab” in Louisville, Kentucky. So together, these 22 minutes of fast-paced, music-filled images will encourage your soul and broaden your hopes. (Okay… so maybe they won’t do all that, but at least they’ll fill you in on some positive points of using the PACE approach.) To order, send a check for $15 to Team Expansion (attn: PACE video), 3700 Hopewell Rd., Louisville, KY 40299 or use PayPal to send payment to info@TeamExpansion.org. You can also to the Team Expansion website at http://www.teamexpansion.org, click on “Resources”, then click on the PayPal icon to transfer the $15 instantly and safely using your credit card or bank account. Just add a note to info@TeamExpansion.org that gives your shipping address.

BECOME A MAP-MAKER

Have you found yourself wishing for a great color map, but unable to lay your hands on one? Now you can! Check out these geographic gold mines, all with free mapping features:

Expedia.com – slanted toward N. Am. and Eur.

mapblast.com – worldwide street maps, driving directions in ten languages, yellow-page listings to print

mapquest.com – slow response at times, banner ads, cluttered screens, world atlas, worldwide road maps, topo. maps, airport locations, white & yellow pages, U.S. traffic reports

maptech.com – maps and charts; enter a town or place name and state, get nautical charts, topo. maps, aeronautical charts, sat. photos

REVISED PATTERSON CHURCH-PLANTING CD AVAILABLE

After weeks of manufacturing delays, Enable! Media is pleased to announce to those who inquired about George Patterson’s e-textbook on CD-ROM, that the manufactured edition is now available and shipping from Carriage House Bookstore, 5511 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland OR 97215 USA, local telephone 503-517-1850, toll-free 800-547-4546, fax 503-517-1801, e-mail bkstore@westernseminary.edu. Sorry, they cannot accept credit orders at this time. [For Windows only.]

HOW DO YOU TRAIN KIDS WITH LITTLE OR NO RESOURCES?

That’s what Kerryn skshaw@lccs.edu would like to know. She’s hunting for training materials for children’s workers in low-resource areas where children’s ministry is starting from scratch. Send her your best ideas, sources, and links and she’ll make us a file that we’ll later release here in Brigada Today. Good luck Kerryn!

ETHNIC WORKERS’ SUMMIT DEADLINE DRAWS NEAR

The deadline for the $60 registration fee for the Ethnic Workers’ Summit (April 19-21 at BIOLA University, sponsored by the Mission America Ethnic America Network) is the end of February. After that the registration fee is $75 (registration for couples is $100 and does not increase). Get more info on the Summit at http://www.ethnic-america.net?

GLOBAL ECONOMIC OUTREACH INTRODUCES GEO ONLINE MISSIONARY FORUMS

At Heartland MissionsFest, Global Economic Outreach announced the introduction of GEO Online. GEO Online is a collection of online forums where missionaries and other community development workers can exchange information and post questions on a wide variety of topics. It is also a place where professionals, craftsmen, and hobbyists can answer questions from their own experience. Imagine participating in forums like, “Agriculture, Arts, Community, Construction, Cottage Industry Economics, Education, Energy, Environment, Finance, General Administrative issues, Health, Marketing, Missionary Issues, Political Science, Recreation, Small Business, Technology, Transportation, and Import/Export. Plus… I really like this interface! What’s more, regular use of GEO Online helps build the searchable knowledge base. Visit GEO Online at http://www.teamgeo.org/forums. Direct questions, suggestions and feedback to mail@teamgeo.org.

GLOBAL ACTION TOUCHING THE WORLD

Global Action is committed to proclaim the kingdom of God in word and deed around the world, and serve the church by empowering, training, motivating and mobilizing its people, so that they become full-devoted followers of Christ. Global Action has five strategic areas. These are: Evangelism and Outreach, Training and Motivation, Compassion, Children and Youth, and Multiplication. Check them out at: http://www.globalaction.nu Global Action also offers short-term mission trips to those who want to serve in a holistic ministry around the world. They offer trips all year long and have a unique opportunity for Christians that are 55 years and older to experience missions. For more info, call Jill in the USA at 888-725-3707, or Email jjackson@global-act.org.

NEW INTERACTIVE BOOK DISCUSSION LIST FOR MISSIONARIES

The Coffee Shop is a new email list service for Christian missionaries to discuss and apply books related to cross-cultural mission and ministry. Each monthly issue includes Reader Raves, Discussion Threads, and Short Book Reviews. It’s a great way for missionaries worldwide to communicate and learn together. Joining is easy. Go to http://www.globalcompassion.com/thecoffeeshop.htm for more information, or send an email to thecoffeeshop@globalcompassion.com.

MISSIONARY ETHNOMUSICOLOGY TRAINING PROGRAM

Prairie Bible College and Graduate School (Three Hills, Alberta, Canada) sponsors an annual Ethnomusicology Institute for five weeks during May and June. The program is designed to provide a basic theoretical foundation in applied ethnomusicology for missionaries and musicians preparing for cross-cultural ministry. Courses may be taken for undergraduate (PBC) or graduate (PGS) credit. These courses will be offered this year:

THEOLOGY & PRACTICE OF WORSHIP (3 credit hours; May 7-11)
MUSIC IN WORLD CULTURES (3 credit hours: May 14-18)
INTRODUCTION TO ETHNOMUSICOLOGY (3 credit hours: May 22-June 8)
ETHNOMUSICOLOGY FIELD METHODS (3 credit hours: May 22-June 8)

For information on the program, costs, and application procedures, check out: http://www.pbi.ab.ca/college/finearts/ Email Vernon.Charter@pbi.ab.ca or phone 011-1-403-443-5511, ext. 3394.

WEF CD OFFERS VIRTUAL LIBRARY

World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) is releasing WEF The Theological Resource Library on CD ROM. This CD ROM is completely searchable and is rich in material for missions, evangelism, discipleship, church history and theology. If you purchase all the material the CD contains in print it would cost you over $1000. WEF is offering this CD at a special price for BRIGADA TODAY subscribers. The CD normally sells for $49.95 but if you tell WEF you saw it in BRIGADA TODAY the cost is only $35.95. The complete run of the WEF Theological Commission journal Evangelical Review of Theology 1977-2000 is on the CD. The journal contains articles from a global perspective covering a wide range of topics in missions and current theological issues such as homosexuality, ethics, salvation, and theological education. The acclaimed, “A Contemporary Evangelical Perspective on Roman Catholicism” both in English and Spanish is included. The resource library contains Bibles, ASV and KJV, in English, Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, Arabic and Chinese. Historic Creeds and Confessions, History of Christianity, eight vol. set by Schaff, sermons by Wesley and Whitefield and WEF publications are also on the CD. The cost for the WEF Theological Resource Library is only $35.95 plus $3, domestic, or $5, international, for shipping and handling. For ordering or to obtain a complete list of contents contact WEF at 630-668-0440 or email Philip Philckenyon@aol.com. WEF will accept Visa and Master Charge. Volume discounts are also available.

THE BACK PAGE: MORE ON HOW GOOD TEAMS BECOME GREAT TEAMS

So far, in our series on how to good teams become great teams, we’ve covered these four key components:

A clear sense of purpose
Motivated team members
Determination
Gifted team members

This past week, Pete Holzmann wrote to say that God had been teaching him a ton lately — and most recently, he had appreciated the principles in a book, “Topgrading.” It’s apparently all about choosing, and coaching, the best players for your work team. Though it’s not written from a Christian perspective, necessarily, Pete felt that, if extended into our paradigm, it would offer great help on some 50 different areas of competency. According to Pete, “One of the most valuable little tools it provides is a division of those 50 areas into three categories:

Weaknesses easily fixed (through education, etc)
Weaknesses NOT easily fixed, but doable with significant effort
Weaknesses very difficult if not impossible to fix (without the Lord’s intervention)

Examples:

How to choose the right people (easily fixed)
How to be more personable (hard to fix but doable)
How to be more intelligent (uhhh… that’s a toughie!)

Okay… so we’re ready to expand the list. [drum roll ] From my perspective, another key principle to turn good teams into great teams involves appropriate leadership.

e. Great teams have great leaders — If you don’t believe this, just study some of the great coaches of the world. I think of Anson Dorrance of the University of North Carolina’s women’s soccer program. Here’s a coach that has dominated a sport. Probably no other coach in the history of the universe has so effectively captured repeating titles in any other sport in existence. How is it that other great soccer players can assemble great talent, yet come away with mediocre winnings? There’s some kind of chemistry present when a great leader steps onto the field with a good team.

So what does Anson do? For one thing, he measures everything. His logic is… unless he follows it, no one will focus on improving it. So he has his team members compete in speed races, shoot-outs, and just about every possible soccer skill imaginable. For those of us who work in missions, maybe one parallel would be that we simply meet regularly with our team members to assess how they’re doing.

In our own mission, we recently began a top-to-bottom process of asking team leaders to meet with team members on a monthly basis, to focus not only on “job performance” (as cold as that sounds), but also on spiritual walk, relationships, and a dozen other factors. It’s taken us a while to implement it, but almost without exception, all the teams which have begun the process are reporting amazing feedback. One team leader in Asia wrote that although it’s “frightful territory” to enter into these “checkpoint” sessions, they indeed are promoting better communication, healthier relationships, and better conflict management.

And for good teams to become great teams, all those factors have to be in place.

Want to get a list of the entire discussion so far regarding turning good teams into great teams? Just send an email to great_teams@brigada.org and you’ll receive the assembled text back in your inbox in minutes. And… be careful out there. It’s a jungle.

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