In this issue…

  1. THE DIGITAL TALKING BIBLE AND TESOL PROGRAMS
  2. NEED A BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR MINISTRY?
  3. GET FREE LANGUAGE LEARNING RESOURCES
  4. NEW BOOK HELPS REACH THE TERMINALLY ILL
  5. CATCH ALL THE UPDATES AT MOMENTUM MAGAZINE
  6. CLOSE-UP ON THE HERERO PEOPLE
  7. BIBLE READING SYSTEM IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES
  8. CALLED OVERSEAS? CALLED TO WORK IN A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SETTING?
  9. THANKS TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO ENCOURAGE
  10. PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY RE: CRISES
  11. JOIN THOSE WHO MAKE BRIGADA POSSIBLE
  12. THE BACKPAGE: MORE FOR THE SAKE OF PRAYER
  13. CLOSING STUFF

  1. GUEST HOUSE OPTIONS IN EUROPE — Missionaries in Islamic North Africa are seeking information about guest houses in Europe where their colleagues can do visa renewal trips and get a little rest at the same time. If you have a line on a missionary or other kind of guest house, please click the “comment” button below the item at:

    http://brigada.org/brigade/?p=25


  2. THE DIGITAL TALKING BIBLE AND TESOL PROGRAMS — Talking Bibles International believes that its new, solid-state digital Talking Bible is a tool of choice to be incorporated in TESOL programs. The new, digital Talking Bible’s easy to use, instant search and find features open up this exciting new possibility. Talking Bibles International is encouraging TESOL folks to experiment with incorporating the combined use of the digital Talking Bible and an inexpensive paperback New Testament in their English language learning programs. The thesis is that at the appropriate learning level, if a student listens to a Talking Bible speaking the English language narration of the New Testament (NIV) while, at the same time, reading along and reading aloud from the printed copy of the New Testament that student will become fluent in English more rapidly than otherwise. Talking Bibles International says it will dramatically reduce the price of its digital Talking Bible for a TESOL pilot project in which some participate and some do not to prove whether its thesis is demonstrable or not. If someone planning a TESOL project would like to consider this possibility, you are invited to contact: info(at)talkingbibles(dot)org or call 1-800- 318-7262. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  3. NEED A BREAKTHROUGH IN YOUR MINISTRY? — Here’s a new on-field, on- the-job training option for missionaries seeking to upgrade their capacity for learning and ministry. The Breakthrough! research manual helps you choose a crucial concern in your ministry and dig into it in a structured way, talking to people in your everyday ministry situation. Practical insights and worksheets help keep you on track. Integrated prayer points keep the process God-centered. Breakthrough! is particularly helpful for those with a difficult or recurring ministry problem, a new challenge, or responsibility for project planning. By taking the ten Breakthrough! steps you’ll be better at listening to God and discovering new insights, greatly increasing your chances of seeing His breakthrough in your ministry. The cost of Breakthrough! is $21.95. Learn more about and order your copy of Breakthrough! today at

    http://www.gmi.org/breakthrough

    or call 1-800-569-6312.


  4. GET FREE LANGUAGE LEARNING RESOURCES — Check out…

    http://www.fsi-language-courses.net/

    This site has free-complete audio & text (pdf) materials for Arabic, Turkish and many other languages (Chinese, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, etc). According to Manny, the material was developed by the US government (tax dollars) for diplomats and are in the public domain. He says other organizations (Barron’s Audio-Forum, etc) update them, use CDs, and charge $200-$700 for the same material. Manny adds that sometimes, they have no updates but just give you a nice package. (Thanks Manny!)


  5. NEW BOOK HELPS REACH THE TERMINALLY ILL — Author Melody Rossi saw God work in the hearts of three close family members who died within a span of 28 months. When she had nearly given up hope that they might believe, she was amazed to find their hearts softened to the gospel message. If your unsaved friend or family member is facing death, May I Walk You Home? can help you share Christ in loving, natural ways. For more information, visit

    http://www.bethanyhouse.com/mayIwalkyouhome

    For orders, email orders(at)bakerpublishinggroup(dot)com or call 1-866-241-6733 / 616-676-9185. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]


  6. CATCH ALL THE UPDATES AT MOMENTUM MAGAZINE — Been to

    http://www.momentum-mag.org/

    lately? Justin has been busy as a bee.


  7. CLOSE-UP ON THE HERERO PEOPLE — “Christian Radio?” The HERERO People of Namibia: What does it mean to have an evangelical presence? While visiting through Hereroland recently, we asked our guide/interpreter if the people we were meeting had any evangelical presence. He said that they have a radio station which sometimes broadcasts Christian programmes. Later that day, while eating our lunch, we heard a radio programme on the station to which he had referred earlier. As he interpreted for us, the announcer was offering petitions to the ancestors and asking for blessings from the ancestors. Our hearts were broken as we realized the desperate need among the Herero people who are receiving a very mixed and biased message. They are a religious people, but they do not have a relationship with the Lord. But the saddest thought, was that most have not even heard the true life-giving Gospel. Pray for the Herero people and that the Lord will draw workers to this area. Ask others to pray for the Herero. To adopt the Herero people for prayer or for more information, please contact

    http://www.forgottenpeoples.info

    or forgottenpeoples(at)telkomsa(dot)net for more information. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]


  8. BIBLE READING SYSTEM IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES — The one-year online Bible reading plan is now completed in English, French, Spanish, German as well as Russian that lets you compare the chapters you are reading with other languages, including Hebrew and Greek.

    You will have your own — * My Daily Prayer Guide * Scripture Memory Program * My Journal – use daily or occasionally * The Love of God – blank sample for one’s own writings * Sermons – 20 sample sermons in English and Russian * Biblical Learning Center – 10 semesters of distance education …plus links to — * God’s Plan For My Life * Read the Bible in One Year * all 5 Gigabytes of materials on the Agape-Biblia website

    You can download this “combo” system free for Windows, Mac or Linux at

    http://www.agape-biblia.org/GetAll-E.htm

    For questions, please write to agape.biblia(at)gmail(dot)com. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]


  9. CALLED OVERSEAS? CALLED TO WORK IN A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SETTING? — Logos International School in Phnom Penh Cambodia is a growing ministry to locals and international students. They are currently looking for a great administrator, a librarian, a K-12 music teacher, and a middle school/high school science/math teacher. Drop an email to principal Dan at heindanny(at)gmail(dot)com if you are interested. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

  10. THANKS TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO ENCOURAGE — We are so grateful for those who take initiative to encourage us with a financial gift to help with our expenses and spur us on toward the future. We are supported missionaries, serving with Team Expansion, based in Louisville, KY. We appreciate the funding for our ministry, which also includes, for Brigada, expenses in webhosting, some small marketing projects, secretarial costs, as well as projects for world evangelism. Nothing is wasted. This past week, we rec’d a $25 from a booster in Arkansas. (Thanks!)

  11. PARTICIPATE IN A SURVEY RE: CRISES — Here’s a request from a missions researcher, hoping to learn more about crises experienced by those in ministry. He and his colleagues hope to use the information to help organizations and churches better prepare their ministers & missionaries. Here is the link to the survey:

    http://www.eiu.edu/~cats/robinsonMillsSurvey/survey.php

    Anyone who has served in any type of international or home missions work (fulltime or part-time) can take the survey. You have until Nov. 1st to do so.


  12. JOIN THOSE WHO MAKE BRIGADA POSSIBLE — Want to help? Just click to:

    https://brigada.org/donate.html

    You can pull the money from your PayPal account or from any major credit card. Or if you prefer, send a check payable to Team Expansion to: Team Expansion (Brigada secretary), 13711 Willow Reed Dr., Louisville, KY 40299. (Team Expansion is a 501(c)3 incorporation so for USA citizens, your checks made out to Team Expansion are tax-deductible.) 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. And thank you in advance for helping.


  13. THE BACKPAGE: MORE FOR THE SAKE OF PRAYER — I’m convinced. This morning, my home church did a special “missions fair” and, as a part of the program, we asked the church to embrace the “30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus”. The church let me have the main Sunday morning sermon slot to make the proposal. By the end of the morning, in a church of 700, we saw 445 booklets ordered for the Sept. – Oct. 12 thrust.

    It gives me pause, frankly.

    If our church is representative of countless other congregations across the land, then there is tremendous untapped potential . . . church members waiting in the wings, willing to lift up just such a cause to the Father of Lights. Sigh. I know I stand on the shoulders of giants, many that have gone before me, asking others to pray. But I can’t help but think . . . surely we can do more to urge prayer for unreached peoples (more than we’re doing right now).

    Ours is only one duck in a very big pond, but here were some of the characteristics of our approach:

    *** We sought permission from our church leadership in advance — Because I’m an elder in the congregation, I guess you could say we found an insider to make the proposal. But the truth is, the elders were extremely supportive of any project like this that involved prayer for the lost. We really didn’t need me… We just needed *someone* passionate for this project. After gaining permission…

    *** We found an affordable, workable plan — Purchased in bulk, the guidebooks for “30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus” are about $2. Similar books are available for kids. See the entire selection at:

    http://www.30daysprayer.com/muslim/default.htm

    And find other promotional graphic samples at

    http://www.30-days.net/shop/download.htm

    It’s an easy-in, easy-out way to get people involved. One page per day, 30 days … *anyone* can do that. We told our members that a $2 donation was “appreciated but not required.” 445 said yes.

    *** We built “30 Days” into a comprehensive strategy — We made it purposeful. Our Missions Committee explained that after “30 Days”, we would come back with another 30 day prayer emphasis on a specific land, yet to be confirmed. After *that*, we’d come back with one more prayer emphasis during a trip to visit that land, to search out opportunities. Then we’d return to make a proposal to the Missions Committee, who would then make a proposal to the elders of our church. The people in the pew apparently embraced the idea. It just might be the most popular church mobilization project in our congregation’s history… even more so than “40 Days of Purpose.”

    *** We established a strong foundation for the program — The church allowed me the entire Sunday morning sermon time to make the proposal. I was able to speak from the perspective of scriptural imperative, current need, and potentials for response. In short, it gave us enough time to build a case. And the case seems to have been successful.

    Which again leads me to my conclusion — It just feels as if we could and should be doing a whole lot more grass roots prayer mobilization on a church-by-church basis than what we’re doing now.

    [Would you like to comment on this Back-page editorial? Have an opinion? Want to share a story from your own congregation’s experience? Just click to:

    http://brigada.org/brigade/?p=26

    Thanks for pitching in!