20021110 Brigada Today

THE MOST POPULAR EMAIL SCAM OF ALL TIME? — Perhaps now the most pervasive email scam of all time, the “Can-I-transfer-a-million-into- your-account?” email campaign continues. It has seemingly gotten the attention of just about everybody, including the Federal Government of Nigeria itself. Check out the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recommendations at: http://nopa.net/Useful_Information/419/cbn.html. Perhaps they say it best: “If it sounds too good to be true then it is [probably] not true.” :-) Search Google for the quote “Nigeria Scam” and you’ll see hundreds and hundreds of pages trying to warn us all. Yet dutifully, the scam artists around the world (certainly not only in Nigeria) continue to pump out the emails, giving Nigeria a bad name along the way. We apologize, on behalf of the whole Internet community, for calling this scam the “Nigeria scam alert”. Please forgive us — Brother Udemba and others who might have been insulted for our “catch- all phrase” of “Nigerian scam alert.” It’s a disservice to all the good people of a wonderful African nation. This is not the first time that someone’s good reputation suffered because of the dirty deeds of an unwholesome few. The Snopes urban legends site has a great list of resources to help put an end to it all. See it at: http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/nigeria.htm

SHORT-TERM MISSIONS AND ITS LONG-TERM IMPACT — Short term missions has the potential to change lives, churches and nations. The ServantPrep Seminar was developed by Mission Training International to prepare STM leaders as life-changing team trainers. This 3-day program develops the skills needed to understand the spiritual, personal, relational and cultural challenges and opportunities of STM experience. For more information on this intense, experiential, Scripture-packed seminar, read the article “Train That Team Well” in the current Short- Term Missions Today or contact Ray at or Greg at <commit@juno.com> about seminars currently scheduled for Juarez, MX (1/8-12/03); Appleton, WI (2/13-15/03) or Honolulu (3/20-22/03) or to host one for your community. </servantprep@aol.com>

“INTO ALL THE WORLD” READY FOR SHIPPING TO ALL THE WORLD — The brand-new, 2003/4 Edition of “Into All the World Magazine” is now available. This issue has a special feature (80 pages out of the 132 page issue) on “Short-Term Missions Today.” (You can go to http://www.aboutmissions.com to see a complete editorial outline of the 28 important articles.) Copies are available for just $2/copy for the first 20 copies ordered, and just $1/copy (plus modest S&H charges) for all copies over twenty. An invoice will be enclosed with your shipment. Request all the copies you can use. Send an e-mail to Bill Berry, Publisher, at <intomorecopies@aol.com>. intomorecopies@aol.com>

EVANGELISTIC LITERATURE FOR THE FULAS — SOON Ministries’ new evangelistic paper in the Pulaar language of West Africa is now available in PDF format, as well as free by post. The members of team are seeking additional language helpers and also anyone who might wish to adapt the material into other Fula dialects: http://www.gospelcom.net/guide/resources/booyataa.php

SEEDBED: PROMOTING AND NURTURING INNOVATION IN MISSION — Seedbed has been set up to assist missionaries and mission agencies respond effectively to the extraordinary challenges facing Christian mission in our times. Many consider that the time is right to be more proactive in seeking out and encouraging creative new forms of mission that God is raising up across the world, and Seedbed is an attempt to turn this desire into reality. Visit the Seedbed website to find out more: http://www.seedbed.info or contact the Seedbed Coordinator <peter@seedbed.info>. </peter@seedbed.info>

COURSES IN ISLAM — Columbia International University offers courses in Islam for field worker candidates, workers on home leave, professional tentmakers in a Muslim country, pastors in an area where there is a growing number of Muslims, and students sensing God’s call to work with Muslims: WINTERIM: Church Planting Among Resistant Peoples (Bailey), Jan. 6-17, 2003. SUMMER, 2003: Introduction to Islam (Johnson), July 7-11; Folk Islam (Cashin), July 14-18; Approaches to Islam (Joseph C.), July 21-25; Women in Islam (Maxwell), July 28-Aug. 1. EXTENSION: Introduction to Islam (Larson) and Women in Islam (Stacey) For more information, telephone (in the USA or via Net2Phone) 1-800-777-2227 Ext. 3325 or email <muslimstudies@ciu.eduu>. You can also apply on line http://www.ciu.edu . </muslimstudies@ciu.eduu>

CATCH A VISION FOR TRANSLATION — This spring break, “total” it up in Tucson AZ, March 10-14, at the “Taste Of Translation And Linguistics” (“TOTAL”). This five-day course includes introductory classes on phonetics and phonology, grammar, language and culture learning, translation and semantics, as well as field reports, videos, and personal testimonies. Learn in a relaxed, informal setting with experienced SIL translators from many different countries and language projects. Devotions, prayer time and group living build meaningful relationships between staff and students. Housing and meals (breakfast, lunch and tasty ethnic dinners) are provided. Cost is $125 per person. Scholarships are available. For more info, write <wade_remer@wycliffe.org>. </wade_remer@wycliffe.org>

GLOBAL MISSIONS 2003 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE — Global Missions Fellowship (GMF), an evangelical ministry of church planting through saturation evangelism of communities worldwide, is holding its biannual International Conference in the Dallas area January 23-25, 2003. The Conference features speakers like Dr. James Draper, President and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, the publishing agency of the Southern Baptist Convention. The conference worship times will be led by talented worship leaders, such as the nationally known Chris Machen, with more than two dozen unique workshops grouped into six ministry tracks, so that attendees can adapt their conference experience to their individual ministry needs. The conference will be held at the Harvey Hotel near Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, Thursday through Saturday, January 23-25, 2003. Registrations are being taken online now at GMF’s website — http://www.gmf.org For more info, visit the site or call toll-free in the US or on Net2Phone, 1-800-5-I-CAN-GO.

RETREATS FOR PROSPECTIVE MISSIONARIES — “The Journey Deepens” is a weekend retreat to help prospects explore, discover and connect with how they could become a long-term missionary in another culture. These weekends are for college students, professionals, and high school seniors who are willing to become a missionary but not sure if that is God’s will or how that could unfold. Each retreat of 100 participants and 10 experienced missionaries from multiple agencies is highly relationship with extended worship, small group discussions, personal reflection and much prayer. Discussions include the missionary call, support-raising, singles/families, etc. A number of these are being planned across the U.S. with the first being Feb. 28 – March 2 near Tulsa, Oklahoma. The Journey Deepens is presented by MissionsFocus Int’l and co-sponsored by ACMC, Caleb Project, Perspectives and the U.S. Center for World Mission. Browse http://www.TheJourneyDeepens.com or email <missionsfocus@askamissionary.com>. </missionsfocus@askamissionary.com>

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