- PIONEER CHURCH PLANTING BOOK SCORES BIG
- KC’S TRAVELS: CELEBRATE!
- GET THE LOWDOWN ON DRAMA
- FROM AKEBU TO ZAPOTEC… A BOOK OF BIBLELESS PEOPLES
- MASTER OF ARTS IN INTERCULTURAL STUDIES ONLINE
- CUTTING EDGE MISSIONS EDUCATION/TRAINING
- LEARN HOW TO HELP THE POOR
- SHORT TERM SUPPORT MANUAL FROM PEOPLE RAISING
- BACK PAGE: APOLOGIES FOR “HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE ADAPTING”
- CLOSING STUFF
- PIONEER CHURCH PLANTING BOOK SCORES BIG — Getting started as a church planter? Want to gain more insight in your existing church planting efforts? Trent and Vivian Rowland are seven years into leading a church planting team in Asia. In this handbook they articulate their experiences to help guide and inspire teams. Some items covered include: Basic requirements and practices of a team leader, screening and assessing candidates, preparing new team members, research, networking and strategies, articulating ministry philosophy, setting goals for initial years, and implications for mobilizing new workers. I’ve got to tell you, as I sat down and started paging through my review copy, I began seeing all *kinds* of extra training possibilities for the mission with which I personally work. I’m convinced that we will expand and *improve* our church-planter training program as a result of the changes we incorporate from the Rowlands’ work in this book. I’m thankful to them … and to Caleb Project… for unselfishly making these many tools available to our entire global family. This is a new release (Dec. 2001) and it’s available for $19 for a limited time only at http://www.calebproject.org/books.htm . My encouragement: Get it. You’ll be glad you did. (And in case you’re wondering… there’s no commission coming my way. :-) My only hopeful outcome is that we all do this job more effectively. I’m persuaded that if we followed this book, it would happen.)
- KC’S TRAVELS: CELEBRATE! — Here’s a new video adventure for kids 5- 11 years of age. KC, a talking suitcase, is not your average talking suitcase. He’s a seam-stretching, adventure-seeking, live-by-the-seat- of-his rollers world traveler. In this video, he visits the Quechua people of Peru with this digital friend Lynnk. For $10.95 you can jump on board. Order it from Wycliffe Bible Translators at
or <richard_boss@wycliffe.org>, or call toll free 1-800-992-5433, ext. 3778 (407-852-3600 locally) for ordering information. </richard_boss@wycliffe.org></patty_perkins@wycliffe.org> - GET THE LOWDOWN ON DRAMA — DramaShare Christian Drama Resources has released their new manual, “3C – Cross-Cultural Creativity”, the use of non-verbal drama in missions and outreach, (internationally and locally). This comprehensive program teaches the “how-to’s” of ministering through drama, and also teaches how to pass on your skills to others in the mission field church or group, (a “teaching them to fish” philosophy). Those in the program receive an annual membership in DramaShare, giving them full and free access to over 600 scripts, many of which are non-verbal drama, written for this program. For full details, click on over to http://www.dramashare.org/3c.html or write
In North America phone toll-free 1-800-DO-DRAMA (363-7262) or Fax (Canada) 306-653-0653. And as the authors say, “May God bless your ministry, dramatically!” </contactus@dramashare.org> - FROM AKEBU TO ZAPOTEC… A BOOK OF BIBLELESS PEOPLES — Here’s a great book by June Hathersmith, complete with sound affects on CD, taking you to 26 different peoples without God’s word. Get it for $9.95 (the book and CD combined). To order, or for more information, contact Wycliffe Bible Translators at
or
, or call toll free 1-800-992-5433, ext. 3778 (407-852-3600 locally). </richard_boss@wycliffe.org> - MASTER OF ARTS IN INTERCULTURAL STUDIES ONLINE — Crown College recently launched an online Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies in the Fall 2002, at http://www.crownonline.org . The College is regionally accredited with North Central Accreditation (N.C.A.) and also accredited with Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (A.A.B.C.). Crown is also a full member of Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (C.C.C.U.). Crown has been providing missionary training since 1916. The first course for this degree program begins August 18, 2002.
- CUTTING EDGE MISSIONS EDUCATION/TRAINING — You have about three weeks left to register for the “Issues in Missions for the 21st Century” course taught in the graduate extension program of Columbia Biblical Seminary June 10-14. Dr. Michael Pocock will be on the campus of Toccoa Falls College (90 minutes northeast of Atlanta, GA) for those dates to lead this examination of the major issues that will directly impact how we do missions for decades to come. To register for credit or to audit the course write <gradadmissions@tfc.edu>. You are welcome to examine the course syllabus online at: http://www.toccoafalls.edu/graduate/two_year_projected_schedule.htm
- LEARN HOW TO HELP THE POOR — Have you felt the need for training on how to help the poor? Dr. Russell Mask of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development will begin a 6-week module on Christian Microenterprise Development in the Two-Thirds World in August. This course is taught via e-mail. Application deadline is June 14, 2002. For details see the Chalmers Center’s website: http://www.Chalmers.org or email <chalmers@covenant.edu> or call 706-419-1805 in the USA or via Net2phone.
- SHORT TERM SUPPORT MANUAL FROM PEOPLE RAISING — Now there is fundraising help for those going on short term/summer missions trips through a specially designed “People Raising” support manual by William Dillon, author of “People Raising: A Practical Guide To Raising Support.” This manual captures the nuts and bolts of People Raising and puts it in a way to be the most help to short termers. It is concise and offers 7 key steps that will walk anyone quickly through the support raising process. It is designed to reduce the fears many people have as well as dramatically reduce the time needed to raise the funds. To order multiple copies for your ministry go to http://www.peopleraising.com/tools.cfm#stm or e-mail <bill@peopleraising.com>. </bill@peopleraising.com>
- BACK PAGE: APOLOGIES FOR “HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU’RE ADAPTING” — My apologies to those who were offended by our incorporation of the ways that a missionary can know if they’re truly adapting to missionary life in last issue’s “Back Page” editorial. Some felt that by saying that my 12-year-old “came up” with the items, I was implying that he composed them himself. I was careful not to actually say that… because he had indeed actually gleaned them from a site he often reads on the web. But as far as I recalled, it was the first time I had seen them myself. And the truth is, after he showed them to me, I did a search at Google.com, prior to including them, in hopes of finding the original source. I only found about 20 copies on the web, and in my cursory search, I saw no one purporting to be the original author. Still, I should have made it clear that he “came up with them” by finding them on a website. Either way, today I rec’d a note from “Chris” pointing me to the page, http://members.kconline.com/kerr/mk.htm) which highlights Andrew and Deborah Kerr’s book, “You Know You’re an MK When…” (Thanks Chris!) Yikes! I had no idea there was even a book about it! As I’ve said before, I’ll try harder to make sure we search for primary sources on everything… and may I just continue to ask your indulgence to let us know when we miss something. Whenever we do, you also have my honest word that we’ll print this kind of apology in the very next edition. I’ll also be more careful not to fall into the trap of saying something that isn’t original… or even allowing you to draw that conclusion — then not telling you that it isn’t original. The burden for the truth is of primary importance in each of our Christian lives. Honestly, I have no false visions of grandeur about convincing you that my kids are child prodigies (although I confess that, at times, I do appreciate their humor a lot :-). Bottom line… again… my apologies if I was at all out of line and I’ll try to do better in the future. Thanks.
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