In this issue…

  1. NEED INSURANCE? WANT TO HELP BRIGADA?
  2. MOROCCO SUMMIT ’06
  3. SYMPOSIUM: THE CHANGING FACE OF MISSIONS
  4. ‘GOD IS IN CONTROL!’ – IS THIS TRUE? (EASY ENGLISH)
  5. ETHNOMUSICOLOGY TRAINING COURSE
  6. A CONFERENCE FOR AFRICA
  7. FREE FUND RAISING ADVICE
  8. YAHOO IS TRACKING GROUP MEMBERS
  9. GO FEST ASIA 2006
  10. HOW ENGAGED ARE MISSIONARIES? ASK THEM!
  11. BARREL AQUAPONICS – CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION
  12. AQUAPONICS CONFERENCE
  13. YOURS IN OUR LORD’S SERVICE: THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT
  14. THE BACKPAGE — CHASING GOOGLE: TRY THIS EXPERIMENT
  15. CLOSING STUFF
  1. NEED INSURANCE? WANT TO HELP BRIGADA? –- Although you can purchase insurance elsewhere, when you purchase travel medical & international health insurance via the Brigada web site your purchase will help to support Brigada’s work with the missionary community. Coverage is available for any international need – short-term trips, career missionaries, trip cancellation, short-term teams and term life insurance. For coverage details, rates and the online applications of the Brigada-sponsored plans, go to https://brigada.org/referrals/recommended_services.html . They all benefit from your business and we thank you!.
  2. MOROCCO SUMMIT ’06 — Interested in reaching Morocco with the Gospel? Want to learn what others are doing in Morocco? Looking for tips on how to begin ministry there, what to do, or how to do it better? Have a vision and looking for folks to partner with you in the work? Whether you are just considering an outreach or are already ministering in North Africa, the Morocco Summit is for you. Arise Shine Morocco invites missionaries, interested individuals, mission agency and church representatives to meet together in the beautiful Tampa Bay area of Florida for two days in November 2006 to learn from one another and to explore together what has been done in the past and what might be done in the future. Workers with decades in Morocco will share from their experiences and will teach on reaching Muslims within the Moroccan context. Panel and small group discussions will address specific issues and opportunities. The overall thrust will be to unify, inform, inspire, encourage, equip and empower participants for effective ministry in Morocco. For more information or to register, go to: http://www.ariseshinemorocco.org
  3. SYMPOSIUM: THE CHANGING FACE OF MISSIONS — On February 1-3, 2006, the Global Learning Center at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (GRTS) is hosting it’s first annual Symposium to interact and discuss the growing numbers of missionaries being sent out by the Southern Church. The Symposium is free and is located at GRTS in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, visit http://grts.cornerstone.edu/resources/glc/ or e-mail glc(at)cornerstone(dot)edu [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  4. ‘GOD IS IN CONTROL !’ – IS THIS TRUE? (EASY ENGLISH) — To find out, go to http://www.easyenglish.info Click on ‘What’s new?’ and you will find an EasyEnglish Bible translation of the Book of Esther, with notes that help you to understand the text. This is the wonderful story of how God protected His own people from a wicked plot. At that time they were foreigners in the country of Persia (now called Iran). Robert Bryce has translated this story into EasyEnglish Level B (vocabulary 2800 words).
  5. ETHNOMUSICOLOGY TRAINING COURSE — Here’s one in Germany (taught in English), 27 March-13 April 2006. Organised by the European Training Programme (ETP) of Wycliffe/SIL, it will be taught by Dr. Julie Taylor, Consultant Ethnomusicologist in the SIL Africa Area. This course is of particular value for those wanting to apply principles of ethnomusicology to their mission work anywhere in the world. Participants will learn how to encourage and develop indigenous worship that is appropriate and meaningful to the culture of the people. It will help if participants have had some musical training, but no specific level or instrument is stipulated. For more details, visit http://www.eurotp.org and click on “courses”, or e-mail Uschi at admin-etp_germany(at)sil(dot)org . The cost is 900 Euro (including full board & lodging). Apply before February 17th. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  6. A CONFERENCE FOR AFRICA — Africa is rising! Join the 2006 Best Hope for Africa Conference. This time of prayer, teaching and networking will be held March 24-25, 2006. Vinelife Community Church in Longmont, Colorado USA will host this dynamic event. Contact Willie wrumenera(at)vinelife(dot)com for information. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  7. FREE FUND RAISING ADVICE — Join the more than 10,000 people who receive the free “People Raising” e-mail newsletter each month. Now there is practical advice on fund raising each month through the free “People Raising” E-mail newsletter. Whether raising personal support or organizational funds, each newsletter is designed to help reduce the fear as well as dramatically reduce the time needed to raise funds. Advice comes from Bill Dillon, author of the popular Moody Press book People Raising: a Practical Guide to Raising Support, who has been raising funds for ministry for over 30 years. This newsletter is short, extremely practical, and easy to apply. It is a valuable tool to pass on to your staff and friends. To view a sample and to begin receiving these valuable newsletters go to http://www.PeopleRaising.com/email.cfm or e-mail Bill(at)PeopleRaising(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  8. YAHOO IS TRACKING GROUP MEMBERS — If you belong to ANY Yahoo Groups – be aware that Yahoo is now using “Web Beacons” to track every Yahoo Group user. It’s similar to cookies, but allows Yahoo to record every website and every group you visit, even when you’re not connected to Yahoo. Look at their updated privacy statement at http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy bout half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, you will see a link that says Web Beacons. Click on the phrase “Web Beacons.” On the page that opens, find a paragraph entitled “Outside the Yahoo Network.”

    In that section find a little “Click Here to Opt Out” link that will let you “opt-out” of their snooping. Be careful! NOT to click on the next button shown. It is an “Opt Back In” button that, if clicked, will UNDO the opt-out.

    Note that Yahoo’s invasion of your privacy – and your ability to opt- out of it – is not user-specific.

  9. GO FEST ASIA 2006 — Here’s a global missions mobilization event by Youth With A Mission Singapore and Arise! with a goal to mobilize 4000 people from all over the world and of all ages to 15 Asian nations through 400 outreach opportunities, to reach the marginalized and the perishing. The Conference dates will be from 6th June to 9th June 2006. Misson teams will be sent out to the various outreach locations from 12th June onwards. There will also be an Arise! Children’s Conference running concurrently aimed at instilling in children a heart for the lost, equipping them and giving them opportunities to participate in outreach. For more information, please check out the Go Fest website. http://www.gofestasia.com or email admin(at)gofestasia(dot)com. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  10. HOW ENGAGED ARE MISSIONARIES? ASK THEM! — Many companies and ministries survey their employees to learn how to create more effective work environments. But typical workplace surveys don’t address cross- cultural mission issues. So, the WEA Mission Commission, Global Mapping International, Best Christian Workplaces and Generating Change have teamed up to provide Engage!, a process to help current and former field missionaries give feedback to their agencies via email and Internet. Registration is open between now and March for U.S.-based sending agencies (other WEA national movements may consider something similar). The cost is affordable and is tiered by agency size. Learn more and register your agency to participate at: http://www.gmi.org/engage Direct questions to Jim at jim(at)gmi(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  11. BARREL AQUAPONICS – CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION – – Do you want to learn to produce a constant supply fish and vegetables in an efficient, inexpensive small-scale system which will prove to be an effective “helps ministry” outreach? If so, you will want to attend a pre- conference workshop entitled, “Barrel Aquaponics – Construction and Operation” held at Camp Living Water, Bryson City, NC, March 27 & 28, 2006. Instruction will focus on “Aquaponics”, which is the combining of aquaculture and hydroponics for mutual benefit. In addition to instruction, each attendee will be given an opportunity to construct a highly productive, small-scale system from barrels, capable of producing fish and a large variety of vegetables, greens & herbs. For more information or to register, visit: http://www.aquacultureinternational.org . Full-time missionaries can register at the student rate of $30.
  12. AQUAPONICS CONFERENCE – If you want to develop skills in the emerging technology of fish and vegetable production in a naturally balanced system, plan to attend the Aquaponics Conference held at Camp Living Water, Bryson City, NC, March 29 – 31, 2006. Course participants will learn the techniques of inexpensively constructing and managing these highly productive systems which are adaptable to all types of environments and proving to be an effective outreach ministry. Come and enjoy a rich learning experience, fellowship with Believers of like interest and the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains. For more information or to register, visit: http://www.aquacultureinternational.org , Full-time missionaries can register at the student rate of $60 or $75 for the Workshop and the Conference. Aquaculture International honors Jesus Christ as the organization Head.
  13. YOURS IN OUR LORD’S SERVICE: THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT — What a boost. In today’s mail, we received a handwritten note of encouragement from an Englishman, intent on seeing us push forward. Inside the note were two $10 bills, sent via air mail from across the Atlantic. It was signed, “Yours in our Lord’s service.” How can we not push on, after receiving notes and encouragement like that? Thank you brother! If you’d like to add to this anonymous brother’s $20, just click on “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. 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.
  14. THE BACKPAGE — CHASING GOOGLE: TRY THIS EXPERIMENT — Does anybody really understand Google? I don’t. Try this experiment. (Please.) Suppose Brigada were going to move to a new site called Emerald Hills. (We are, by the way.) Suppose you were kind enough to help us explore the question, how do we promote the future home of Brigada… just to kind of help out. Well here’s that you could do:

    Open your browser, go to Google.com and search for “Emerald Hills.” When you see, among other things, tons of sites relating to the city in California (Emerald Hills, CA or even “Emerald Lake Hills”) and the golf courses (Emerald Hills), :-) don’t click to them. Instead, without logging off the web, immediately do a follow-up search like… “Emerald Hills pray retreat learn” (which should bring our new Emerald Hills campus to the top of the list: EmeraldHills.info), click on the EmeraldHills.info site so Google learns that people like to go there. Now here’s the weird thing: Google apparently *learns* that you thought Emerald Hills was . . . “more relevant” to your search. In other words, Google memorizes that you found what you were looking for (or at least you *thought* you would) at EmeraldHills.info.

    Now — first of all — thank you for your help (if you chose to give it). But second of all, this has big-time ramifications for your ministry. If you happen to have an email update, you could ask your constituency to do, essentially, the same thing. Instead of always giving them the link in your email update, ask them — just every once and awhile — to go to *Google* and search for it. Help them out by giving them the two-step that I mentioned in the above paragraph: First search for your site by just typing in the name of your org.; but tell them not to click on other stuff. Then give them a more exact criterion that you know will lift your site higher in the rankings, and then ask them to click through to your site now. In this way — apparently — you’ll climb up in the rankings. We did this with a dozen or so people in our home staff . . . and maybe 25 other volunteers… so 50 people in all and suddenly, Emerald Hills climbed from 93rd to 65th out of 2.8 million resulting pages. And that climb took place in just 48 hours. So… don’t just click to it — *search* for it now and then. :-)

    By the way, once you’re there at the Emerald Hills site anyway, why not read one or two pages. Check out the “News” section, especially under “Dreams to Build”. Click on that article, “World Harvest Center Plans Underway.” Dream with us that one day Brigada will have an archive room in that building… one that you can visit if and when you ever pass through Louisville. Dream of prayer walking on those trails… miles of them. Imagine your missions team renting that facility to do a knock- down, drag-out, top-notch retreat focusing on prayer & missions. (OK… so I’m excited about Emerald Hills. But you get the idea. :-) ) (Oh… Once again, thanks for your help with the experiment. Now you go try it on your own organization or group.)

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
0 Shares