Sign up for long distance via a Brigada sponsor today! Save money, help Brigada instead of some big corporation, & get clear signals!

In this issue…

  1. RESOURCE TO ENCOURAGE MISSIONARIES [THANKS!]
  2. SAVE ON YOUR PHONE BILL, HELP BRIGADA INSTEAD OF BIG BUSINESS
  3. TRUE-LIFE TESTIMONY: PORNOGRAPHY FILTERS BLOCK BUT DON’T PROVIDE
  4. HAVE YOU SEEN THE “UPDATED” JOSHUA PROJECT SITE?
  5. MORE INFO AT JOSHUAPROJECT.NET
  6. EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS AT THE USCWM
  7. EUROTRAIN: AN INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG LEADERS
  8. THE NAMA/DAMARA PEOPLE
  9. STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN SHORT-TERM MISSION
  10. THE HERERO PEOPLE
  11. TRAINING FOR SHORT-TERM MISSIONS LEADERS
  12. SYNERGY SUMMIT FOR CHURCH MISSIONS MOBILIZERS
  13. MISSIONARY MENTORSHIP CONFERENCE CALL
  14. CLOSING STUFF

  1. RESOURCE TO ENCOURAGE MISSIONARIES [THANKS!] — A Bible study guide called, “Finding Strength for the Journey,” provides a tool for member care or personal encouragement. Author Janice Lemke drew from experiences as a missionary when writing this series of thirty studies that explores topics such as perseverance in hardship, dealing with depression, handling conflict, and benefit from trials. For Brigada readers, they’ve discounted the price to $5.00, plus shipping. There’s a bigger discount ($4.00 each) for orders of 20 or more. For more information contact cjlemke@cs.com (And thanks to the author for sending a personal check to Brigada for $100, just to say thanks for previous times we’ve mentioned her book!)

  2. SAVE ON YOUR PHONE BILL, HELP BRIGADA INSTEAD OF BIG BUSINESS — When you pick up the phone and make a long distance call, you’re definitely helping *somebody*. Unless you have personal friends at MCI, would you consider teaming up to help provide for a Brigada secretary? Check out our options at: https://brigada.org/phone.html (Thanks to Andy and the folks at Dial-Abroad for a $40 sponsorship check representing Brigada folks dialing long distance through October. So to those Brigada folks who have signed up with Dial-Abroad, thanks *loads*, and please be all the more talkative in the future!!! :-) )

  3. TRUE-LIFE TESTIMONY: PORNOGRAPHY FILTERS BLOCK BUT DON’T PROVIDE — Perhaps those living on Mars haven’t heard that we’re trying to raise funds for a Brigada secretary. Everybody else probably knows by now, I guess. :-) Actually, the project has gone okay, with only a few “bumps in the road” so far. One of those is our attempt to offer a pornography filter to the Brigada world, and thereby subsidize a portion of her salary. Literally hundreds of you went and looked (Thanks!). A few dozen opted to try it (We appreciate it!). Only 6 people bought it. (We love you — you noble 6 people you! Oops… I’m one of the six. :-) ) Bottom line: After 10 months promoting Integrity Online, we’ve still not received a single sponsorship check… not even for $25. All of this can be interpreted several ways. a) If you’re someday tempted to believe you can sponsor a secretary via proceeds from a pornography filter, perhaps you should have a look at the latest bridges for sale in New York. :-) b) Maybe there are other options God has in store. c) Lots of people realize the *need* for filtering pornography, but either they don’t care enough to buy a filter or they handle it in other ways. You’ll have to form your own opinions. For now, we’ve pulled the banner from the Brigada site, just so there’s no illusion that our secretary can even eat *lunch* once riding on Integrity Online. :-) Just FYI…

  4. HAVE YOU SEEN THE “UPDATED” JOSHUA PROJECT SITE? — If not, you’ve *got* to have a look. Log on at… http://www.joshuaproject.net
    *** Get a complete picture of the unreached peoples.
    *** View all people groups for any country.
    *** View all countries for any specific people group.
    *** View Patrick Johnstone’s Affinity Bloc and People Clusters.
    *** Download free of charge a complete MS Access application and data for viewing data from numerous perspectives. (Note: You have to install Access on your own PC for this to work though.)
    *** Download Joshua Project data in various formats or an up-to-date Powerpoint presentation on the status of World Evangelization.
    *** View a people profile for any people group on the planet.
    *** Find specific ministry tool availability by unique linking into other sites to see Language, Scripture, Jesus Film, Audio Recordings and God’s Story resources direct from their producers.
    *** Submit updates But that’s not all. Read on!

  5. MORE INFO AT JOSHUAPROJECT.NET — But wait… there’s more!
    *** See a global summary and interesting people group facts.
    *** Try various unreached peoples queries such as the 100 largest unreached people groups, the Adopt-A-People UPG153 groups or all groups smaller than 10,000 and many more.
    *** View Patrick Johnstone’s Church Planting Progress Indicator (6- level) and his Agency Progress Indicator (6-level) for most people groups.
    *** Get answers to frequently asked questions such as “Why the jump from 1,600 to 6,400 unreached peoples?”, “Why are there so many different people group numbers in the mission community?” and “Where else on the web can I find unreached peoples data?”

    The [top-notch] compilers welcome feedback from anyone regarding the site and its content. In beta-testing these features over the past couple of weeks, I’ve found them to be responsive, passionate about the unreached, and *sensitive* to my questions and input. In fact, one of the key compilers is working totally as a volunteer!!! Another leader there has been with the project since its inception at AD2000. *Very* helpful information. Let’s *use* it!

  6. http://www.joshuaproject.net


  7. EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS AT THE USCWM — If you ever thought of working “behind-the-scenes” in missions mobilization, training, strategy or services, then perhaps “Explore” is for you. Designed for people who wish to learn more about the U.S. Center for World Mission in Pasadena, CA, this 4-day seminar covers the history, impact and mission of the USCWM, with a focus on how you might use your gifts here to reach unreached people groups out there. The next Explore Seminar is scheduled for February 4 – 7, 2004. Space is limited, so register early. For more information, please visit the USCWM website http://www.uscwm.org or email David.Flynn@uscwm.org

  8. EUROTRAIN: AN INNOVATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR YOUNG LEADERS — Top Flight Leadership is taking nominations for EuroTrain 2004, an innovative training experience for young leaders. EuroTrain (for leaders age 16- 22) is a completely unique experience and an answer to the new paradigms needed to develop new generations of leaders. For three weeks next summer, EuroTrain participants will travel through four countries in Europe learning leadership, developing ministry skills, getting a grasp of their destiny, building key relationships, and creating a plan for long-term personal and leadership growth. Get the details and nominate a young leader (or request to be nominated) at http://www.eurotrain2004.com or contact Top Flight Leadership at <info@eurotrain2004.com>, 866-9- LEADER, or 817-447-1100. </info@eurotrain2004.com>

  9. THE NAMA/DAMARA PEOPLE — They’re a people of central and southern Namibia in Africa. A Nama woman in Keetmanshoop, Namibia was open to hearing the Gospel, but she said, “Belonging to a church is enough to get you into heaven.” She would not pray to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. Like most Nama/Damara people she believed that joining a church gets you into Heaven. It was confusing to her and the five others with her to grasp that they aren’t saved by joining a church. In times past, her people have been told that they could not work without first having a “baptismal certificate” (joining a church). Because of that, many claim to be Christians, but the true Gospel has never been preached to them. Pray for the Lord to build prayer support for the Nama/Damara, an unengaged people group. To get more information or partner with the IMB in adopting the Nama/Damara People or for more information, check out their site http://www.forgottenpeoples.info or email swacsc@iafrica.com

  10. STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE IN SHORT-TERM MISSION — A group of U.S. mission agencies and short-term practitioners have developed nationally-derived Standards of Excellence in Short-Term Mission (SOE) at http://STMstandards.org (e-mail: rpeterson@STEMmin.org; phone: 952-996-1385). The seven standards were developed on the heels of similar codes in the UK and Canada. The need for such standards is growing as each year more than one million U.S. volunteers are sent out as short-term missionaries. Churches, agencies and schools can use these standards as a training and assessment tool and can choose to adopt the standards as a way of demonstrating a commitment to excellence in their outreaches. Membership brings professionally structured guidance for achieving goals and an impressive network of organizations offering opportunities for resource sharing, improved training, minimized risk, and mentoring. Members of the steering committee come from Campus Crusade for Christ, YWAM, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Reign Ministries, Teenmania, STEM Int’l, Adventures in Missions, Perimeter Church (Atlanta), Taylor University, Northwestern College and many other groups.

  11. THE HERERO PEOPLE — They’re from central and eastern Namibia in Africa. Godhard Kahuure, a Herero and a police officer in the small town of Okakarara, Namibia, was standing outside a fence watching three Christians telling people about Jesus. He asked them what they were doing. When the translator explained it, he invited them to his home just a few steps behind the jail. All four sat under a tree on old metal chairs in his sand yard. He heard the Gospel and prayed to receive Christ. Afterward he explained that he has been “waiting for someone to come and tell him God’s Word.” Pray for the Lord to build prayer support for the Herero, an unengaged people group. To get more information or partner with the IMB in adopting the Herero people, visit http://www.forgottenpeoples.info or email swacsc@iafrica.com

  12. TRAINING FOR SHORT-TERM MISSIONS LEADERS — Don’t forget about the training for short-term missions trip leaders. It’s a Boot Camp in San Diego, CA Jan. 7-9 or in Dallas, TX Feb. 2-4, 2004. This training is conducted by Global Missions Fellowship. For more information about these Boot Camps, email jennifer.bankhead@gmf.org To learn more about the ministry of GMF, click over to http://www.gmf.org/

  13. SYNERGY SUMMIT FOR CHURCH MISSIONS MOBILIZERS — Specifically designed for mission agency staff involved in church mobilization, the two-day “Synergy Summit” program includes training, networking, encouragement and resources. Sponsored by DualReach, the Summit will be held January 15-16, 2004, in San Juan Capistrano, California (south of Los Angeles). Seminars will focus on topics for beginner and experienced church representatives, and special sessions will address the interests and needs of mobilization directors. The registration cost is only $150. For a complete schedule, go to http://www.dualreach.org or send an email to info@dualreach.org.

  14. MISSIONARY MENTORSHIP CONFERENCE CALL — Elijah Company Missionary Mentorship will host a FREE one hour conference call for anyone seeking missions involvement. The call will be on Thursday, December 11 at 8:30 P.M. E.S.T.. The aim of the conference is to provide coaching. Veteran missionaries will share followed by a time of questions and answers. The conference is a lead-in to other training options. Reply to mentorship@elijahcompany.org for the dial-in phone number, access code and outline of contents. See their new website at http//www.elijahcompany.org for bio¹s and other related info.