19950129 Brigada Today

In this issue….

THE PURPOSE OF BRIGADA

to pull together the people, the resources, and the networks to complete the task of reaching a particular city and/or people group with the love of Jesus Christ.

THE PLAN FOR BRIGADA

to form “conferences”, overseen by a moderator (insuring integrity and safety for those in creative access situations), that will allow for pooling information, prayer requests, possibilities, people, plans, projects. This will happen through the magic of the INTERNET and put the information right into your email ‘inbox’, thus relieving you of the need to go search for it ‘somewhere out there.’

THE PEOPLE OF BRIGADA

Brigada is currently in the development stage. Among those who have been approached for input are John Robb and MARC, Viv Grigg and the Unevangelized Cities Track, Terry Riley and the Adopt-A-People Clearinghouse, John Gilbert and the Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptists, Pete and Jonathan at CrossConnect, and many others. In fact, if you’ve got feedback, please send it to brigada@brigada.org and we’ll build your ideas into the future! Who knows what God will do!?!

ALBANIAN PRESIDENT PROPOSES PRIVATE RADIO AND TV STATIONS

Sali Berisha on 25 January proposed setting up private radio and TV channels to offer a broader and more impartial dissemination of information, Reuters reported the same day. Berisha said the present state-run radio and TV stations should be turned into public institutions partly subsidized by the state but not responsible to it. He added that this measure “will also influence the quality of the existing media.” Albanian Television has been broadcasting 16 hours a day via satellite since the beginning of 1995. The opposition claims that Albanian radio and TV are controlled by the ruling Democratic Party. Although current legislation does not permit private radio stations, several pirate stations are already broadcasting.
– Fabian Schmidt
(The above should not be republished without permission of OMRI.)

30 DAYS OF FOCUSED PRAYER FOR THE MUSLIM WORLD

You are invited to join tens of thousands of Christians all over the world, for one month of prayer for the Muslim world, January 31 trough March 1, 1995. Each year the number of churches and believers participating in this prayer event grows. This prayer event coincides with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, a month of prayer and fasting observed by all Muslims. You are not being asked to observe the Muslim fast, but to use this time to pray for the Muslim world. There are one billion Muslims today. Most have little if any Christian witness in their midst. Less than 1% of the global missions force is deployed among this 20% of the worlds population. There are many reasons for this great disparity, but prayer is the first step in turning barriers into opportunites. For more information, write DA Drachenberg 73053.3137@compuserve.com.

GMI’S DMIS ENCOURAGES BRIGADA IDEA

(The following was just rec’d from David Nesmith DAVE@gmi.org, who staffs Global Mapping’s Directory of Mission Information Sources. The investment of energy represented in David’s reply is a tribute to how strongly he believes in the vision behind the mission of Brigada. I hear him saying that this project needs to go forward and that he is very much willing to work with us to make it happen. I hope you’ll join me in thanking God for David’s input… and pray with me that we can come up with concrete responses to the opportunities and challenges he signals. Doug)

In the vernacular of Madison Avenue, you have run it up the flagpole–I salute it. I think your time schedule is unrealistic, but go for it. …

We will work alongside whoever and whatever is involved in the product’s delivery. We will do all within our power to help move it along, within the limitations of our resources. (This is my heart response; I really don’t know what that means in specifics.) I cannot conceive of not working with it since it can help accomplish my own DMIS mission.

… Consideration could be given to posting the newsletters on on-line services such as CIN and even CompuServe. All back issues could be archived for late comers to download. The master file (wherever it is) could be accompanied by a search engine which would enable the user to choose to search for keywords and download pertinent portions rather than the whole thing.

Consideration could be given to producing it in geographic segments. The idea here is elastic but the principle is that individuals could focus on certain areas of high interest.

… Consideration could be given to designating certain people or organiza- tions as the focal point (or clearinghouse) for specific topics. There could be clearinghouses (or nodes) for topics like Islam, urban, shanty (or garbage dump) ministries, evangelism crusades, maritime ministries, people groups, India, community development, refugees; the list could go on and on. News items could be channeled through the nodes on their way to the final compiler, thereby minimizing the compiler’s burden. It would also produce a better product if an expert in that topic was responsible for it.

The research track coordinators of AD 2000 would have worthwhile input to the project.

This cannot be solely a Western product. It must have Two-Thirds World participation and input. It should be translated into other languages after the trial period works out the bugs and it becomes a going con- cern. This may present a content challenge but one which can be solved.

I must readily admit that I am prejudiced, subjective, and partisan with this idea. It will help to accomplish my DMIS purpose. I want to hitchhike on it and help make it work. DMIS is most willing and eager to serve as a node on the network and to otherwise cooperate in any way that will help it to accomplish its purpose.

I would support and work with it even if there was not a DMIS but my participation and outlook on it is understandably colored and molded because of it. …

Let us reject out of hand the notion that it won’t work. The resources and the technology are with us. The only preventive factor is the lack of our will and desire to make it happen. High-tech is handing us a golden opportunity. Let’s grab it!

I must temper my enthusiasm with the reality that says, “Is this God’s time for this?” That is an honest and legitimate question, but one which I feel can be misused to knock ideas whose time has come. Let’s ask it honestly, seeking His true leading.

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This issue of Brigada Today is Copyrighted © 1999. However, permission is granted to freely redistribute these materials, including those available through “get” links, provided that such redistribution is to those who will help the Good News of Christianity to reach the unreached. But please include the email address above (<brigada-today-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>)
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For subscription questions or problems, write owner-brigada@brigada.org. To submit content or ideas to Brigada Today write DLucas@TeamExpansion.org.
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BRIGADA TODAY IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE FOLLOWING TEAM OF REGULAR VOLUNTEERS:

Global Glimpses: John Hanna, Caleb Project, jhanna@cproject.com
ADVANCE: Mark A. Kelly, Kainos Press, MarkKelly@xc.org
Brigada Website: Bob Mayhew, Brigada Volunteer, WebServant@Brigada.org
Technical Development: Jonathan Marsden, MAFxc jonathan@xc.org
Brigada Customer Service Manager: brigadacoord@xc.org
Brigada Coordinator: Doug Lucas, Team Expansion & Brigada, DLucas@TeamExpansion.org
and many other occasional contributors too numerous to mention!: But thanks for working together! That’s the dream of Brigada!