In this issue…

  1. SPONSORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE
  2. ESL INSTRUCTION
  3. MORE SPAM CONTROL
  4. NEW FEATURES ON WEB EVANGELISM GUIDE
  5. SPANISH VIDEO ON MOROCCO
  6. CHEAP CALLS TO CHINA
  7. CANADIAN TENTMAKER NETWORK WEBSITE GETS NEW LOOK
  8. SHARPEN YOUR INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
  9. NETWORKING FOR MISSION
  10. ORIENTATION NOTES ON INDIA
  11. WEBSITE FOR CHRISTIAN MAGAZINES
  12. BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
  13. NEW WORLDWIDE PERSPECTIVES AVAILABLE
  14. EVANGELISTIC LITERATURE OFFER BY SOON MINISTRIES
  15. CHECK OUT THIS FREE SUPPORT-RAISING SOFTWARE
  16. NEED SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE WORLD?
  17. TRUST FUND FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
  18. CHRISTIAN FUTURES AND STRATEGIC FORESIGHT
  19. FIND A TEAM!
  20. CLOSING STUFF
  1. SPONSORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE — Thanks again to those who have partnered with us to help Brigada become more current. All sponsorship money will go *directly* toward helping us pay for a new part-time secretary! She started Monday and — *already* she’s made a difference! She’s returning phone calls, emails, messages, and letters, some of which have gone unanswered for longer than I’m willing to publicly admit. :-) Thank you so much for your help! As a result, you’re seeing a catch-up on Brigada Todays… already! Today we’re thankful for an anonymous donation from a prof. at Wartburg Theological Seminary http://www.wartburgseminary.edu in Dubuque, IA. Please take special note of their Masters program in Theology, Development, and Evangelism. See other sponsors by clicking to: https://brigada.org then clicking on “Sponsors” in the link at the bottom of the page.
  2. ESL INSTRUCTION — Here’s an ESL (English as a Second Language) course, three months in length, taught via immersion at the YWAM base in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA. The next school is scheduled for September 29 through December 19, 2003. For more information, see website: http://www.ywampa.org, or email <ywampa@comcast.net>.
  3. MORE SPAM CONTROL — Thanks to Arne for yet another spam controller program: http://www.spampal.org/ Looks very versatile, and it’s free, like MailWasher. And then there’s the product produced by a Caleb Project staffer friend of mine who is a closet-programmer. John Hanna at Caleb Project has spent his spare time over the last year creating an amazing anti-spam tool. It’s custom designed from the ground up to be the perfect anti-spam tool for small to medium-sized organizations. It’s already being used on more than 100 servers (w2k, *nix, os/x, even os2) on three continents and is blocking more than 30,000 spams (and about 200 viruses) per day. If your organization hasn’t solved the spam problem yet, send your IT guy/gal to http://assp.sf.net — it’s not only a great solution, it’s free.
  4. NEW FEATURES ON WEB EVANGELISM GUIDE — Now you’ve got the ability to seamlessly insert any page from the Guide into another site, on a range of evangelism, communication and writing issues. A few lines of insert code are included at the end of every page: by copy/pasting these into another webpage, the main content of that Guide page will be instantly called up in the user’s page. (The text of all pages is also free to reproduce in any printed medium.) – a set of study questions about each page is available for individual study, group discussion, or as part of any academic study course. https://brigada.org/today/articles/web-evangelism.html Great job, Tony!
  5. SPANISH VIDEO ON MOROCCO — Arise Shine Morocco (ASM) announces a long-delayed Spanish-language version of its resource video is now available. Approximately 30 minutes in total length, it includes several short videos about Morocco and the Berber peoples. For those who will use them for mobilization purposes, complimentary copies may be obtained from ASM by emailing . Extensive information and various resources about Morocco continue to be available in Spanish and many other languages through the ASM website: http://www.interum.org/ASM </asm@interum.org>
  6. CHEAP CALLS TO CHINA — For those needing to call China from the USA, It’s only 6.5 cents/minute using a rechargeable phone card. Get 10% off by entering promotion code “PROINC” when prompted. https://www.pincity.com/signup_step1.asp?accountType=proinc For calls within the USA, AT&T has a 3.9 cent calling card with no restrictions, no fees, no minimum charges-obtainable at any SAM’s Wholesale club. (Thanks Kurt <aefcenter@hotmail.com>.) </aefcenter@hotmail.com>
  7. CANADIAN TENTMAKER NETWORK WEBSITE GETS NEW LOOK — Did you know that 1.5 million Canadians work abroad? How many of them could be potential tentmakers? CTN’s website has been updated and will get regular attention from now on. They’re asking your help in getting the word out to all Canadians. When you visit, don’t forget to leave a virtual footprint in their CTN Public Forum, eh? :-) Note that there is an upcoming tentmaking seminar in Toronto Ontario on Saturday September 27, 2003. Visit them at http://www.tentmaking.org or email <info@tentmaking.org> </info@tentmaking.org>
  8. SHARPEN YOUR INTERPERSONAL SKILLS — International Training Partners offers Sharpening Your Interpersonal Skills Workshops in different parts of the world. These five-day, highly interactive workshops focus on biblical application of skills in relating to one another and to the host people.

    An workshop hosted by International Training Partners will be held at Palmer Lake, Colorado near Colorado Springs September 7-11, 2003. Contact Paul <plere@earthlink.net> for information.

    Go to http://www.itpartners.org for details on all of the workshops and information on ITP. If your mission is interested in sponsoring a SYIS workshop, contact Paul. plere@earthlink.net>

  9. NETWORKING FOR MISSION — The Web can be used for networking in a remarkable way. Read how a web-savvy missionary used the Internet before his arrival, to make his ministry much more effective: “Before I arrived in [Asian country] as a missionary, I went online to the city I was sent to. It is a mixed Christian-Muslim regional center in a very remote part of the country.) I then read the daily paper online, emailed the mayor and local officials, joined a local discussion group, got informed and made friends. When I arrived, a number of people whom I had met online invited me out to dinner and my ministry started as soon as I arrived. I also managed to join the email group of the then Vice-President (now President) and made a few constructive comments – so when I had problems with my visa, I just sent an email and it was soon fixed! I reckon that I saved between six months to two years of ministry time by making a wide range of high-level friends before I arrived and “starting fast and well-informed”. Sure, only 1% of people there were online, but that 1% were the leaders and they boosted my ministry so it became effective. Church-planters can use the Internet to network their way to success.”

    10. (Thanks Tony!)

  10. ORIENTATION NOTES ON INDIA — “Laura” has been living and working in south India for four years. When she came she had no orientation to the culture or terminology differences in India English. After a season of learning the hard way, she has compiled a 10 page document of the most commonly misunderstood culture and vocabulary differences. This is designed to help short-term visitors or newcomers to India. It is by no means thorough, but she will gladly make it available to anyone who requests it by emailing <abrahamjoseph@hotmail.com>. </abrahamjoseph@hotmail.com>
  11. WEBSITE FOR CHRISTIAN MAGAZINES — Check the Magazine Training Institute’s website at http://www.magazinetraining.com for hundreds of pages of resources and valuable information for Christian magazine publishers. The site includes a directory of Christian magazines in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, a calendar of conferences, training events, published materials and courses available from a variety of sources, and nearly 100 pages of downloadable sample materials related to magazine editing, circulation, advertising, design, and management. The Magazine Training Institute is a mullt-faceted program which seeks to deploy a variety of publishing training resources in order to strengthen Christian magazine publishing around the world.
  12. BETWEEN TWO WORLDS — Being part of two worlds and two cultures isn’t easy. Cristina Larson grew up in Brazil, and even though her parents are American, she feels Brazilian. It’s Jason Erickson who is American. Or is he? His mother was born in Korea. This novel for young teens by LeAnne Hardy, explores individuality and conformity in the context of the third-culture kid experience. The author’s own two daughters, who were born in Brazil, grew up in Mozambique and went to boarding school in Kenya, have given her insights into the struggles of missionary kids caught between worlds. “Between Two Worlds” is available for $6.99 from Kregel Publications at http://www.kregel.com or by emailing . </kregelbooks@kregel.com>
  13. NEW WORLDWIDE PERSPECTIVES AVAILABLE — YWAM Publishing is offering a great new tool in the Perspectives Movement arsenal: the new 12-week curriculum “Worldwide Perspectives: Biblical, Historical, Strategic and Cultural Dimensions of God’s Plan for the Nations”, edited by Meg Crossman. Both classic Perspectives material (taken from the Missions Master’s degree at Fuller) as well as new insights and options are refreshingly presented in an accessible approach that can well serve local churches and their Kingdom professionals. New maps, graphics, charts, and many pictures and sidebars engage the reader and highlight the material. It can be ordered by calling 1-800-922-2143 or 480-838- 5350, via email <megcrossman@cox.net>, or on the web at http://www.ywampublishing.com (type “Worldwide Perspectives” in the Search window). Substantial discount rates are available for Perspectives Coordinators. (Thanks for the tip, Mike!) </megcrossman@cox.net>
  14. EVANGELISTIC LITERATURE OFFER BY SOON MINISTRIES — This team has spare capacity for mailing out their evangelistic paper in easy-English to individuals anywhere in the world. If any radio station or correspondence course ministry has address lists for contacts who would benefit from receiving the paper, SOON is happy to send to them. The paper can also be sent in any reasonable quantity to any Christian worker or TEFL teacher wishing to use them. Other language papers also available: African French, African Portuguese, Swahili, and a range of Fula/Fulani dialects. The team urgently needs several Fula/Fulani people (of any religion) living in the West as by-phone language helpers for article checking. http://www.gospelcom.net/guide/resources/free-papers.php The team is also seeking old telephone directories in order to do direct mail outreach to new contacts. Help is needed in obtaining directories: http://www.gospelcom.net/guide/resources/phonebook.php
  15. CHECK OUT THIS FREE SUPPORT-RAISING SOFTWARE — Built around a mailing list, the program will help the missionary keep track of names and addresses of individual partners and churches, a history of donations Important dates in the partner’s lives (birthdays, anniversaries), a history of contacts and personal touches with the ministry partner, and notes about the partner, their family, occupation, etc. You’ll also be able to store profile information about the donor, print out mailing labels & envelopes, and do merges to most popular software. It’ll print out reports about ministry partners, contributions, etc. You can even attach a picture to a supporters file so you will never forget the donor’s face! Check it out at http://www.donormanager.com/
  16. NEED SATELLITE CONNECTIVITY WITH THE WORLD? — You’re in luck. The folks at Global Resources for Computing (GRC) http://www.grcomputing.net/ have made quite a name for themselves setting up sat systems in Iraq. Check ’em out! They’ll treat you right! :-)
  17. TRUST FUND FOR SCHOLARSHIPS — Below are two different links to the same program that might be of interest, for those interested in government service, academia or in the marketplace, not for missionaries and only for US citizens. NSEP was established by the National Security Education Act of 1991, which created a trust fund in the U.S. Treasury to provide resources for scholarships, fellowships and grants. It is guided by a mission that seeks to lead in development of the national capacity to educate U.S. citizens, understand foreign cultures, strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness, and enhance international cooperation and security. http://www.ndu.edu/nsep/ http://www.iie.org/Template.cfm?&Template=/programs/nsep/default.htm
  18. CHRISTIAN FUTURES AND STRATEGIC FORESIGHT — Here’s another “Christian Futures” consultation, Friday and Saturday Sept. 26-27, in Virginia Beach, this time focused on foresight and organizational development. This roundtable is hosted by Regent University’s graduate Leadership Studies program. A full cohort of professional futurists are joining in, including Tom & Christine Sine, Bob Dale, Peter Bishop, Jay Gary, and Andy Hines. Registration is just $79.00 — a real deal; housing is separate. They are looking at how faith can develop an organization’s “strategic foresight,” beyond routine strategic planning. See the news release on this unique gathering at: http://www.wnrf.org/cms/regent2003.shtml Thanks Jay!
  19. FIND A TEAM! — Looking to personalize your overseas involvement? A great online resource presents more than 560 websites published by teams of field workers. PeopleTeams.org is three years old and gets more than 1,600 unique visitors EVERY DAY (453,000 hits per month). Explore the world by region, by country name, by city name or by people group name. Teams place their prayer requests online, an overview of their work and stories that will amaze you! A toolbox is also built into the website to help visitors. PT is not affiliated with any single group in order to facilitate networking. Educators, mobilizers, pastors and missions committees will really appreciate this site! http://PeopleTeams.org
Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
0 Shares