- HOW MANY SUBSCRIBERS THESE DAYS?
- DOES EGROUPS (YAHOO) PAY BRIGADA?
- DOES BRIGADA RECEIVE ADVERTISING DOLLARS FROM RESOURCE PROVIDERS?
- HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR MINISTRY LIBRARY
- FREE RADIO SCRIPTS FOR CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE STORYING, NOW ONLINE
- ROSETTA STONE RELEASES ARABIC LEVEL 2
- PEERS ENCOURAGE MISSIONS COMMITMENTS
- PEOPLETEAMS.ORG LIKE THE DURACELL BUNNY (KEEPS ON GROWING)
- LINGUALINKS LIBRARY AVAILABLE ON CD-ROM THROUGH MTI
- AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO PERSEVERE
- STUDY TESOL IN CHINA
- COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OFFERS A DEGREE IN ISLAM
- SUMMER MINISTRY/TRAINING IN TURKEY
- HELP THE CRY OF THE HEART
- NEED TO RAISE FUNDS? PLAY GOLF!
- MUSIC TO REACH UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS
- THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION VIA PILOT COURSE FROM GERMANY
- YOU PLAY TENNIS?
- GREAT SLANT ON PRAYER JOURNEYS
- THE BACKPAGE: MORE ON HOW GOOD TEAMS BECOME GREAT TEAMS
- CLOSING STUFF
HOW MANY SUBSCRIBERS THESE DAYS?
When EGroups transitioned to Yahoo groups, the code-writers polished up the servers and tightened up the reporting a bit. Turns out we have somewhere above 9,000 subscribers… but not quite 10,000. That’s okay. Nobody gets paid per subscriber. 
DOES EGROUPS (YAHOO) PAY BRIGADA?
Nope. Originally, they talked about it… back at the beginning. Seems like we got 3 checks, each averaging around $25…. spread out over the first 12 months. By that time, they had become convinced that their model would never work… and that was the end of that. Now we pay about $60/year to make sure there aren’t any of those crusty “ad trailers” on the ends of these emails. So… [yawn] nobody’s getting rich from Egroups… that’s for sure. DOES BRIGADA RECEIVE ADVERTISING DOLLARS FROM RESOURCE PROVIDERS?
About 2 or 3 times/year, some enterprising business will say, “Do you guys accept sponsorship dollars?” (The answer is always a resounding “Yes!” ) We place their information prominently on the web site: https://brigada.org and feature them in a big headline in the next couple of issues. But we never “charge” the people who list resources in Brigada Today. If someone decides to donate, they give from the heart. Then we pay bills. Like for instance, this past Christmas, we sent nice gift certificates from Circuit City to our web volunteer and customer service volunteers. (In case anyone ever asks you, there’s a “Donate” button at the website that allows folks to give by check or credit card, if they can join PayPal, or, if anyone ever receives an inheritance , our address is:
Brigada Today
c/o Team Expansion
3700 Hopewell Rd.
Louisville, KY 40299
Checks made to Team Expansion are tax-deductible.)
HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR MINISTRY LIBRARY
Remember Mark luvhaiti@bellsouth.net, a missionary church planter, who wanted to classify his personal library? Guess what: He kept his word. If you’d like to see his 46K summary of elegant, sophisticated and simple classification systems to track books, audios, videos, etc., just send an email to library-systems@brigada.org. Within minutes, you’ll receive an auto-responder full of great brainstorms. And thanks to all those who responded! Some of these library systems are terrific! Great job Mark! FREE RADIO SCRIPTS FOR CHRONOLOGICAL BIBLE STORYING, NOW ONLINE
/strategy_network/storying_resources/sub8/index.html
(If we listed the entire link, it would line-wrap and that always results in a ton of emails saying the link is bad. It’s not bad… but it does require “assembly” since it’s so long.) (Thanks Chris!)
ROSETTA STONE RELEASES ARABIC LEVEL 2
Finally the Rosetta Stone language CD-Rom, Arabic Level 2, that many of you have been waiting for has been completed. If you or someone you know is learning Arabic, this is the program for you. Level 1 is also available for those that are just beginning to learn Arabic. There are 24 different languages available through Mission Training International at an exclusive price for missionaries of $99, plus shipping per level. To order call 800- 896-3710 or 719-594-0687, or write Mission Training International Mintern@aol.com and visit http://www.mti.org. PEERS ENCOURAGE MISSIONS COMMITMENTS
PEOPLETEAMS.ORG LIKE THE DURACELL BUNNY (KEEPS ON GROWING)
Like that Duracell bunny featured around the world in battery ads… that “keeps on going and going,” PeopleTeams.org (PT) now has 330 websites. Actually, 167 websites are actually hosted by PT; 148 sites are links and 15 were created by PT staff for priority unreached peoples or cities without a msy presence. In addition, there are links to 33 missions resources and 85 missionary-sending agencies. On their birthday, PT had 160,000+ hits for the month. The Miao website was #1 with more than 7,000 hits from 650 unique visitors and the Palestinians were #2 (626 unique visitors). http://www.peopleteams.org LINGUALINKS LIBRARY AVAILABLE ON CD-ROM THROUGH MTI
The LinguaLinks Library has 8 Bookshelves with over 97 on-line books for you. The Bookshelves include material concerning Anthropology, Language Learning, Linguistics, Literacy, Sociolinguistics, Consulting, Scripture Use, and Translation. Also included are Cookbooks, Where There is No Doctor or Dentist, and Solar Electricity. It is compiled by Wycliffe Bible Translators and available through Mission Training International. A sensitive version is available for those in sensitive countries. The cost is $75 plus shipping. To order call 800-896-3710 or 719-594-0687, or email Mintern@aol.com and browse: http://www.mti.org. AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO PERSEVERE
A new book, Five Loaves and Two Bowls of Borscht, gives church planters (and anyone else involved in ministry) a picture of what God can do with our meager offerings. Using a touch of humor, author Janice Lemke relates lessons learned through struggles on the mission field and shows how God worked in spite of those difficulties to start a successful church planting movement in Ukraine. For ordering information, write cjlemke@cs.com. STUDY TESOL IN CHINA
China needs 250,000 English Teachers for next year! A TESOL course will be held, June 1-July 14, 2001 at a university in Henan Province, China, with hopes of training English teachers to help fill this need. The school will prepare you to teach English almost anywhere in the world! For more information, visit: http://www.tesoltraining.com or email tesol2001@hotmail.com. COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OFFERS A DEGREE IN ISLAM
Earn a graduate degree with core courses on Islam by studying during the regular academic year, Summer Studies, Winterim (January) and by Extension. Summer Studies 2001 again offers two, 2-week sessions: Session I, July 9-20: Introduction to Islam (Steve Johnson), Folk Islam (David Cashin), Muslim Evangelism (Phil Parshall). Session II, July 23- August 3: Apologetics for Muslim Ministry (John Gilchrist), Qur’an and Muslim Traditions (Sam Soloman), Islam in North America (Carl Ellis). Each 3 s.h. course for credit is $897; audit is $150. Room and board is $175 per week. For more information, write Warren muslimstudies@ciu.edu or call 800-777-2227 x3325 (803-754-4100). Web: http://www.ciu.edu/programs/sem_ma_muslim.htm SUMMER MINISTRY/TRAINING IN TURKEY
METS 2001 Middle East Training Session is slated for May 23th – July 4th in Turkey with experienced local workers. There will be ministry opportunities with English speaking Turkish university students, local workers, and at summer camps for Turkish children. Also included: practical and academic studies in Bible, Islamics, history, culture, and conversational Turkish. College credit is available upon request. Cost is U$S 1195 plus airfare and personal spending money. If interested, contact IDEA Ministries ideamin@ideaministries.org before March 15th. HELP THE CRY OF THE HEART
NEED TO RAISE FUNDS? PLAY GOLF!
MUSIC TO REACH UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUPS
Would you like to help a group develop indigenous Christian songs? Take a week-long course at CITI in N. Carolina, April 16-20. The focus is on empowering a community to create culturally-appropriate Christian music, and to use it effectively in evangelism, worship, and church planting. You do not need to be a musician to benefit from this course. For course information visit http://www.citi.org and for examples of the approach taught see http://www.worship-arts-network.com/eth-music-articles-list.html. THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION VIA PILOT COURSE FROM GERMANY
In anticipation of offering a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership at Columbia International University (CIU), Dr. Robert W. Ferris will lead theological educators in a week of intense instruction and interaction at CIU’s Korntal campus. Dr. Ferris will focus on “Theological Foundations for Educational Practice” (ITE 7320) from June 5-9, 2001 (to be taught in English). Credits earned in this course will be applicable toward current M.A. and M.Div. degrees or toward any future programs. Tuition will be DM 705,00 for students taking the course as part of their Master of Arts or Master of Divinity programs. An announcement regarding doctoral program entrance standards, program requirements, and costs will be made during the ITE course in June. For further information please contact cbsinfo@aem.de. YOU PLAY TENNIS?
GREAT SLANT ON PRAYER JOURNEYS
Here’s a church in Cincinnati, Ohio (Clovernook Christian) that has taken a slightly different tack on prayer journeys. They’re asking participants to make a commitment to pray after the prayer journey, on a regular basis, for a minimum of six or twelve months. Great idea! Seems like we should all be implementing that! THE BACKPAGE: MORE ON HOW GOOD TEAMS BECOME GREAT TEAMS
Last week we wrote that good teams become great teams when they have these three starter components:
- A clear sense of purpose
- Motivated team members
- Determination
This week we expand the list with 1 more item. Again, most of this stuff is just common sense, but I’ll admit that it comes from having watched 20 years worth of teams in formation. Good teams become great teams when they have…
d. Gifted team members — You thought I’d forget this, didn’t you. But it’s true. As much as we’d like to think that story-book champions come from dreams and passion, the truth is that most championships are won by teams with athletes who are incredibly talented. Look at the way a guy like Pele can seemingly lift a nation to international fame. Born to poor parents, here’s a guy who learned to play soccer by wrapping up his brother’s underwear into little balls! Later, he’d practice with grapefruits and oranges. But all you have to do is watch him chest a ball down to his feet, then shoot it first touch — and then you appreciate the fact that this guy has more natural ability in his big toe than most of us do in our whole bodies! You’re heard the phrase that “winning is 80% motivation.” I believe it. But that other 20% can sure make a difference sometimes. So on our mission teams, we need people who can really share Christ effectively. We need sharp leaders with grace-filled pastoral care gifts. We don’t just want average language guys. We want incredible language speakers. The kind where the words roll off his or her tongue.
I love listening to one guy in our mission who has an IQ off the scoreboard. I’m convinced he could have done anything he set his mind to. I found him (okay… so maybe God found him ) on the campus of a Midwestern Bible College about 10 or 12 years ago. I had gone to the Academic Dean and asked, “Would you write down the name of your best preacher, your most gifted learner, and the most promising student in the college.” He said, “That’s easy — it’s one guy, with all three titles.” The next morning I ate breakfast with that fellow. Probably one of the best breakfasts I ever had… and I don’t even remember what I ate! But that one morning changed our lives… both of our lives! He joined our organization and we’ve never been the same since. His Chinese is so good, nationals have told me it sounds like he was native born. Sometimes they close their eyes and they forget that he’s not Chinese. Once I dared him to be ready for the fall of “the bamboo curtain”… to train Chinese leaders all the more into the very best leaders they can be. Thing is… he isn’t waiting for any curtains to fall. With God’s power, he and his beautiful wife are walking right through them.
Now… when are they going to get around to inventing DNA cloning for humans. Who needs extra sheep!
Seriously — how do we find those kind of guys? Seems to me that today’s missions enterprise depends on us finding the Simon Peters and Andrews (and the guy in the Midwestern college) and all the others who will make a difference. Then we’ll have great teams. Then we’ll see the harvest God promised. Then we’ll see churches pop up like mushrooms around the earth.
Give me a team full of gifted team members and I’ll show you a great team — as long as some other issues are in place. More about those next week.
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