In this issue…
1. HALF WAY THERE ON FOLLOWERSHIP SURVEYS! (PLEASE HELP!)
2. SEMINARS IN MUSLIM STUDIES
3. START IN MISSIONS WITH A DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING SCHOOL
4. NEW WEB BASED CHURCH SOFTWARE
5. MISSIONARY NEEDS A RESOURCE TO ADOPT A TSUNAMI AFFECTED ORPHAN
6. THANKS TO THOSE WHO MAKE THIS BRIGADA POSSIBLE
7. FOR STORYTELLING?
8. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE WORD OF GOD FOR NINE MONTHS
9. TEACH TO REACH
10. ORAL BIBLE RESOURCES
11. DO YOU THINK GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A MISSIONARY?
12. LEARN HOW TO LEARN A LANGUAGE
13. WANT TO BUILD A BRIDGE TO THE NEXT BRIGADA?
14. THE BACK PAGE: WHAT’S IT TAKE TO LAUNCH A MOVEMENT?
15. CLOSING STUFF
1. HALF WAY THERE ON FOLLOWERSHIP SURVEYS! (PLEASE HELP!) — Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. But as of midnight on June 23rd, 247 team members had completed the followership survey that I’m using for my doctoral dissertation! That means we just crossed the halfway mark to our hopeful goal of 500 surveys. What’s more, we’ve approached the leaders of 181 of those followers and 123 have already responded. That means 2 out of every 3 team leaders are taking time to give input! Thank you so much for the time you’ve invested… and for your interest in helping further our joint understanding of followership. Now… the other side of the coin… Gulp… we still have to find another 253 followers… and we have to hope that all their team leaders will respond too. (The surveys can’t be used unless the leader takes part.) Will you take 5 minutes and participate today? Remember, we state in writing — you aren’t going to be added to any lists. (See the privacy release.) (After more than 10 years of preparing Brigada Today, we’ve never sold or distributed a single email address to anyone; we’re not about to start now.) It’s this simple: I’d love to finish my Ph.D. Will you help? Do you know someone who might? Just send them to: http://brigada.org/followership/ Thank you!
2. SEMINARS IN MUSLIM STUDIES — In 2005, students from all over the world will gather to learn from qualified, experienced and passionate professors, as they develop and sharpen their skills in Muslim ministry. The Zwemer Center is offering four Muslim Studies seminars during the month of July at Columbia International University in Columbia, SC. Seminars may also be taken for credit. Summer Studies 2005: July 4-8 Introduction to Islam (CIU faculty) July 11-15 Folk Islam (Dr. Dave Cashin) July 18-22 Approaches to Islam (Dr. Phil Parshall) July 25-29 Revelation, Qur’an and Muslim Tradition (Dr. Steven Masood)
For more information: US callers can dial toll free 800-777-2227 x3327; others may call 803-754-4100 x3327. Or check out: http://www.ciu.edu/muslimstudies or Email muslimstudies(at)ciu(dot)edu [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] BTW, they also have a significant number of scholarships ($300 each) available.
3. START IN MISSIONS WITH A DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING SCHOOL — YWAM Turner Valley Canada offers DTS for you to grow in relationship with Christ and obedience to Mark 16:15. Dates are September 14th, 2005 – February 10th, 2006 OR mid March 2006- mid August 2006. The school includes 12 weeks of teaching and training in Canada and an 8 week field assignment in South East Asia or North Africa. Topics during training include: Character of God, Sin & the Cross & Repentance, and much more. Please call 1-403-933-3754 for information or email to turnervalley(at)ywam(dot)ca. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] Check out the website at: http://www.ywamturnervalley.com
4. NEW WEB BASED CHURCH SOFTWARE — Imagine if all your church leaders, staff and even missionaries around the globe could look up member information via the web at any time from anywhere. Ascribe is a new information solution for churches that integrates both member and website management into a single, powerful web-based solution. With Ascribe you can empower each ministry with online tools to manage information, assign tasks, print labels, send email and build community. You can also use Ascribe to publish your entire website: webpages, calendars, photos, blogs & custom forms. For more information visit http://www.ascribedata.com
5. MISSIONARY NEEDS A RESOURCE TO ADOPT A TSUNAMI AFFECTED ORPHAN — Can you help an American missionary in Spain who desires to adopt a child displaced and orphaned by the Tsunami? Please contact him if you are aware of a reputable agency or a specific need. His email is: adoptachild(at)gmail(dot)com
6. THANKS TO THOSE WHO MAKE THIS BRIGADA POSSIBLE — Hats off to the anonymous giver who gave $100 “for the kingdom and what you do to promote Mission Network News.” Thanks, also, to the giver working in Brazil, who shared $50, almost completely anonymously — obviously moved with compassion. And thanks for the gift of $250, writing, “Your work is a constant source of blessing and vital information. May the Lord bless you as you bless His sending community.” We also heard from a worker with “Women of the Harvest”, with resources for missionary women all over the world – $100. Blessed Hope – $14.14 + $15 for someone who opened an Inphonic account.
7. To these and all others who help undergird Brigada, we say thank you!!!! FOR STORYTELLING? — Many of you have purchased Bible-based ESL curriculum from Don Erickson at EFCM International Network. The EFCM domain has been getting more Spam than they can digest. Therefore they are dropping that domain name very soon. Please change the e-mail address for ordering curriculum to DonErickson(at)efcaim(dot)org. In countries where web security is an issue the address sales(at)eslcurriculum(dot)net can be used. If possible please pass this change on to anyone you know that may want or need to know.
8. IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THE WORD OF GOD FOR NINE MONTHS — YWAM Turner Valley Canada’s School of Biblical Studies (SBS) is an intensive Bible school open to C/DTS graduates. Inductive study is done book by book employing thorough observation, careful interpretation, and personal application. Students go through the Bible five times in nine months! SBS gives a balanced view of the Scriptures as a whole and exposes students to the richness of the Bible in its continuity, various styles of literature, and historical backgrounds. We’re praying that God is directing you towards this blessing! SBS begins September 12th, 2005 and concludes June 30th, 2006. Please call 1-403-933-3755 for information or email to turnervalley(at)ywam(dot)ca.
9. TEACH TO REACH — Nations are crying out for English teachers. You can reach them with the gospel as you teach English. The YWAM TESL center can train you to teach effectively in their TESOL course. Courses will be offered August 29 through September 23 and October 3 through October 28 at YWAM Lebanon, Pennsylvania, USA. Additional information and application forms can be found at www.ywampa.org or e- mail questions to ywampa(at)comcast(dot)net
10. ORAL BIBLE RESOURCES — Here’s the perfect way to get started with biblical storytelling. Two great DVD workshops for only $10 each. Paul & Teresa have trained more than fifty biblical storytellers in Asia. Now they share their insights in these professionally produced DVDs, “Telling God’s Stories,” and “Multiplying Storytellers.” Each 55 minutes long, these DVDs are chock full of excellent tips on how to become an effective biblical storyteller and how to train others to tell God’s stories. Check it out at http://www.fullfaith.com/missions/paul.html or email storyteller(at)FinalApproach(dot)net [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address, please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .].
11. DO YOU THINK GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A MISSIONARY? — Neal Pirolo has done it again! If you are in a Youth Group, a Short Term Team, or a High School or College Graduate, a Youth or Missions Leader, any part of the missions endeavor then you need Neal’s latest book, “I Think God Wants Me To Be A Missionary.”
This exciting story features four young people who believe God wants them to be a missionary. Join them as they deal with issues everyone considering going to the mission field should consider long before saying good-bye.
To find out about a special pre-publication offer and to place your order, visit ERI’s website at http://www.eri.org or call 858 292-7020.
12. LEARN HOW TO LEARN A LANGUAGE — Fuller Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies (Pasadena, CA) is offering the course MB530 “Language/Culture Learning and Mission” July 16 (Saturday) to July 29. This 4-unit (quarter system) practical course teaches language and culture learning skills, and includes field-work in one of the many ethnic communities in the Los Angeles area. For more information about the class, please see the course description on Fuller’s website http://www.fuller.edu/swm/ecds/053/MB530_Brewster_053.html or contact Dr. Betty Sue Brewster brewster(at)fuller(dot)edu [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] call 1-800- 235-2222 (USA toll-free) ext 3751, or 626-304-3751. You can enroll for audit or credit – for enrollment information call 1-800-AFULLER (USA Toll Free) or 1-626-584-5400.
13. WANT TO BUILD A BRIDGE TO THE NEXT BRIGADA? — If you’d like to build a bridge to the next Brigada, just click “sponsor” in the top menu (to use PayPal or a credit card), or just send a check payable to Team Expansion to: Team Expansion (Brigada secretary), 13711 Willow Reed Dr., Louisville, KY 40299. Thanks! As always, be sure to let us know if you’d like us to promote any particular service or ministry, or if you’d prefer your gift be anonymous. These gifts help us cover costs like webspace, part-time secretarial help, and a small amount of advertising.
14. THE BACK PAGE: WHAT’S IT TAKE TO LAUNCH A MOVEMENT? — Ten Universal Elements. That’s what David Garrison found in research for his little booklet, “Church Planting Movements”. He found that, after surveying church planting movements (CPMs) around the world, these 10 elements seemed present in every single one of them. It probably goes without saying, then, that those who want to start a CPM would want to invest some time in figuring out how to implement these 10 practices as a matter of course:
*** Prayer
*** Abundant gospel sowing
*** Intentional church planting
*** Scriptural authority
*** Local leadership
*** Lay leadership
*** Cell or house churches
*** Churches planting churches
*** Rapid reproduction
*** Healthy churches
I suppose some of those are common sense. For example, healthy churches grow faster than unhealthy churches… “Duh!” But the truth is, we seldom think *proactively* about all 10 items comprehensively. And maybe that’s part of what helps a church to grow — thinking about doing it all right in *concert*, so all 10 cylinders hit in stride at the same time!
That’s probably what it’s going to take in some of our tougher fields. I suppose that’s what it *might* take in yours.
God bless your weekend!
Doug
PS. Read the full text of David Garrison’s book on “Church Planting Movements” at: http://www.imb.org/CPM/ You can even order a free copy. How ’bout those Baptists. :-)
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