- TALKING BIBLE PROJECTS FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS THIS SUMMER
- END OF THE SPEAR: THE MOVIE
- LAST CALL FOR DALLAS TENTMAKING COURSE!
- LEARN TO RAISE SUPPORT
- CHRISTIAN COMICS TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA
- INTERESTING AND RELEVANT EZINE FOR MOBILIZERS
- FREE WEB SITES FOR MISSIONARIES
- MINISTRY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS
- MIM SEEKS WOMEN TO CARE FOR ABANDONED BABIES IN NORTH AFRICA
- GREAT INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC CALLING RATES FROM USA
- SLIDE SHOW ON CONFLICT IN ISLAM
- SYMPOSIUM: THE CHANGING FACE OF MISSIONS
- CENTER FOR TESOL
- USE MEDIA FOR GOOD!
- RETHINKING HINDU MINISTRY GATHERING IN MICHIGAN
- FRIENDS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
- THE BACK PAGE: HOW ‘BOUT THOSE LONGHORNS
- CLOSING STUFF
- TALKING BIBLE PROJECTS FOR VACATION BIBLE SCHOOLS THIS SUMMER –- Talking Bibles International is urging DVBS leaders to engage their students in learning more about families with children living in oral cultures who need Talking Bibles because they do not read. TBI has a packet of information that makes it easy and fun for DVBS leaders to stimulate and involve the children. The packet includes an attractive short video showing how the Talking Bible works and the important difference it makes for those who do not read. Children get excited and are happy to be able to give a Talking Bible in a needed language to someone who cannot read. For more information visit:
http://www.talkingbibles.org and/or
http://www.audioscriptures.org
or Contact info(at)talkingibles(dot)org or call 1-760-745-8150. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- END OF THE SPEAR: THE MOVIE — The End Of The Spear (the movie) comes out Jan. 20th. All over the country, groups are watching premierings at local churches this week. Visit:
http://www.endofthespear.com
for more on the movie. (The website is very cool, by the way. :-) ) Seems to be very powerful. A savage killer from a remote Amazon tribe becomes grandfather to the grandchildren of the North American man he killed. End of the Spear is a dramatic feature film based on the true story of the documentary film Beyond the Gates. The movie is rated PG- 13. This is an opportunity for all believers to reach out to others in their workplace and neighborhood by taking in this stirring movie with a story of redemption. See resources to help you use this movie as out reach at
http://www.daretomakecontact.com
(Hope you like it Corban! Thanks Herb.)
- LAST CALL FOR DALLAS TENTMAKING COURSE! — Global Opportunities for tentmakers invites you to attend their Light to the Nations tentmaking course in Dallas Texas February 22-26, 2006. If you want to investigate tentmaking and business as mission or if you are a tentmaker in between jobs, consider attending this one of a kind course. Course material is specifically designed for working and doing ministry in closed countries. Speakers include David English executive director of GO, Steinar Opheim director of TENT Norway, Ari Rocklin international director of GO and guest speakers. They cram a two week curriculum into 4.5 days of intense and fast paced training. If you can not attend this one, there are two upcoming courses in Bergen Norway and BC Canada in 2006. Registration deadline for the Dallas course is January 31, 2006 which can be done directly at the GO website.
or email Ari at ari(at)globalopps(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- LEARN TO RAISE SUPPORT — Boot Camp for Personal Support Raising is an intense two day training seminar to help Christian workers get to their ministry assignment quickly and fully funded. The participants prepare extensively and the seminar leader helps them to apply the tools and principles they learned during their preparation, whether they are just starting out or are a veterans. Learn more at
http://www.thebodybuilders.net
or info(at)thebodybuilders(dot)net
Upcoming Boot Camps include: Jan 12-13 (Indianapolis, IN), Feb 13-14 (Colorado Springs, CO), March 8-9 (Nashville, TN), May ? (Seattle, WA), May 8-9 (Ft. Meyer’s, FL).
- CHRISTIAN COMICS TRAINING IN AUSTRALIA — The COMIX35 ministry will hold their first 2006 Christian comics seminar in Sydney, Australia on May 29-31. The seminar is for any Christian communicator (editor, publisher, writer, artist) wishing to learn about the production and use of comics-style literature for evangelism and discipleship. Attendees do not need to be illustrators. Seminar topics include Identifying Your Audience, Plotting & Scripting, Storyboarding & Visual Storytelling, Editing/Art Directing, and Cultural/Communication/Evangelism Strategy Considerations. The scheduled teachers include Graham Wade and Nate Butler. To apply, or for more information, contact Graham Wade at grawade(at)ihug(dot)com(dot)au [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address, please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] Since 1996 COMIX35 has held 30 training events around the world, for over 750 attendees representing 49 countries. To learn more about the COMIX35 training ministry, visit their web site at
- INTERESTING AND RELEVANT EZINE FOR MOBILIZERS — Missions Catalyst (from our friends at Caleb Project) is a weekly ezine designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide to be a voice for strategic ministry. If you’re a mobilizer and don’t know everything already, Missions Catalyst is for you. Original and reprinted content covers missions news, resources, and fresh ideas to facilitate mobilizers. Subscribe by January 10 to receive the Practical Mobilization article advocating youth missions projects among domestic unreached peoples. For more information and a free subscription, go to:
or email info(at)cproject(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- FREE WEB SITES FOR MISSIONARIES — missionary411.com is a new website that offers missionaries a free web-managed web site to keep their partners up on what they are doing as a missionary. Creating your own web site is free of charge, though donations to defray server and usage costs are welcome. The site offers a variety of features; a personal web address, anonymity if serving in a sensitive area, unlimited news updates and prayer requests, picture uploading and total management of the web site with no knowledge of html. To find out more information about this ministry, or to sign up for your own account, go to:
- MINISTRY TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS — MATS provides vehicle solutions through many God ordained sources for Christian Ministry persons, pastors, missionaries, staff persons, para-church, and retirees. They have everything from new and used bicycles to semi-tractors. For more information, log on at
or call (765)965-7777 or fax (765)962-4645 or email car(at)mats(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- MIM SEEKS WOMEN TO CARE FOR ABANDONED BABIES IN NORTH AFRICA — MIM is seeking English or Spanish speaking Christian women to care for abandoned babies in a small city among mountain tribal peoples in North Africa. French and/or Arabic is useful but not required. For more info, contact MIMUSA(at)telefonica(dot)net [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] Misión Integral Mediterranea (MIM) busca mujeres cristianas de lengua española o inglés para cuidar bebés abandonados – en una ciudad pequeñaa del Nórte De África con tribus de las montañas. El frances y el árabe son utiles, pero no indispensibles. Escriba: MIMUSA(arroba)telefonica(punto)net
- GREAT INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC CALLING RATES FROM USA — Thanks to Judy for sending $15 recently from her TEL3Advantage long distance service account. She wanted Brigada Today readers to know that they can get great calling rates while helping Brigada — for domestic (starting at 1.9 cents/min to continental US and Canada) and international calls (200 countries for less than 10 cents/min …UK 3 cents, France 3 cents, Russia/Moscow 2.5 cents, Israel 3.2 cents, Colombia/SA 4.2 cents, South Africa 9 cents). Call from any touchtone phone including cell. Prepaid service. No contracts. No monthly, activation, or connection fees. No need to switch carriers. Up to 470 FREE minutes on signup. Lots of convenience features. For more info go to:
http://www.tel3advantage.com/?agentnumber=837371
An agent affiliate program with good income potential is also available at no cost to sign up. Based on sign-ups, she says she’ll send additional sponsorships to Brigada Today. So — please, everybody, call someone! :-)
- SLIDE SHOW ON CONFLICT IN ISLAM – Operation Reveille has produced a 12 minute slide show detailing the nature and implications of conflict between modernist and fundamentalist Muslims by comparing and contrasting the conflict with differences between liberal and evangelical Christians. You may view a low quality QuickTime version of the show at
http://www.oprev.org/3rdQtr05/ConflictInIslamWeb.mov
Higher quality versions in PowerPoint, AVI, ShockWave, Keynote, MPeg, or QuickTime format may be requested on CD-rom or as e-mail attachments from bside(at)oprev(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- SYMPOSIUM: THE CHANGING FACE OF MISSIONS — February 1-3, 2006, The Global Learning Center at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (GRTS) is hosting its 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 .]
- CENTER FOR TESOL — Asia’s Center for TESOL in connection with the Biblical Seminary of the Philippines will be holding its annual TESOL training in Manila Philippines. The 5-week course will run from April 10 until May 13, 2006. The course is 120 hours of instruction, complimented by a 20-hour practicum and observation component. Air conditioned dorm room facilities and meals are available. Class size is limited to 20 students. Non-native English speakers must pass an English Language proficiency test or hold a authentic TOEFL score of 550+. Please inquire to actesol(at)i-manila(dot)com(dot)ph or see their web page
- USE MEDIA FOR GOOD! — Here’s a site:
that has general mediastrategy resources on a variety of media types (Thanks to the tip from an anonymous tipster who preferred his name not be mentioned.)
- RETHINKING HINDU MINISTRY GATHERING IN MICHIGAN — This conference happens Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006, 9:30-3:30, Central Michigan University, at His House Christian Fellowship Church. The consultation will present various stimulating perspectives on service for Christ among Hindus. For more information contact Rodney: yuen_rj(at)yahoo(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
- FRIENDS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE — Thanks to the folks at TelligenceTech for sending a gift of $15 in honor of Brigada readers who purchased at: http://Lintel.US/brigada/ You’ll recall that this open software disk — available to the rest of the world at: http://www. TelligenceTech.com at a higher price — is a basket full of goodies that could make you more productive in spite of the low low cost to assemble them. Also rec’d this week was a check for $100 from a couple of American teachers in China who wrote, “We’ve been using bits and pieces and links from Brigada from almost your beginnings in 1995.” Whoa. Sobering. Based on the date on the check… and since it came all the way from China, I’ve added it into the 2005 tally. But get this — a $750 check from an anonymous couple in Indiana. “Thank you for all you are doing to further the kingdom.” Gulp. Whoa. Thank you!!! Add in a $20 check from PA and the total from this past week tallies to $885! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! To all who shared sacrificially in 2005, we’re very grateful! Shew. Now we roll the numbers over to zero and begin 2006.
- THE BACK PAGE: HOW ‘BOUT THOSE LONGHORNS — I came in last Wednesday night from church and joined my son in time to catch the 2nd half of the University of Southern California vs. Texas in the Rose Bowl game. Frankly, we had a blast watching it. Those who follow [American] college football know that USC has remained undefeated for nearly the last *3* years. (I believe their last loss was like their 2003 season opener!) So, with 2 season championships already under their belt — and having forgotten what it feels like to lose — USC faced off against Texas, with just about everyone assuming they would walk away with the trophy. Just about everyone except for a certain Texas quarterback named Vince Young.
Now Young had his doubters. In the first place, to quote one of the announcers, “he just doesn’t throw right.” [sic] :-) I’m telling you. His passing form looks … like … something out of a 6th-grade sand lot football failure. But somehow… it works. Columnist Ivan Maisel (ESPN) wrote, shortly after the game, “Young ran for 200 yards and threw for 267, completing 30-of-40 passes with a motion that still makes NFL scouts reach for their Rolaids. But even the pickiest of scouts knows how to read a scoreboard.” :-) (Read the whole story today at:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/index
But it’s really his running game that is so bizarre. As he’s running and scrambling, the typical viewer thinks, “Oops.. he’s gonna get sacked.” Well he never does. (He went the whole night without one sack — meaning, they could never catch him and tackle him behind the line of scrimmage to force lost yardage.) Maisel observed, “He makes it sound simple, he makes it look simple, and to him, it probably is simple.” But to all of the mortals on our planet, what he does seems next to impossible.
Time after time, when one would think that it’s over, Vince Young would slide through some unseen seam and — next thing you know, he’d be scoring. And when he scored the winning touchdown of the game it was almost surreal. The camera caught his eyes after the run, as if he were scanning to see if some official would rule against it. It was as if you could see those little wheels turning in his head, “Did that count? Did I really just do that? Did we just beat USC?” He must have felt that way because — it truly looked so easy for him. The truth is, nobody even *touched* him as he jogged into the end zone… with just 19 seconds to go, against a defense that hadn’t been beaten in about 3 years! Who *does* that? Vince Young does.
As I was mulling over the game in my mind, I thought to myself, you know… I know some workers who probably look like that now and then in their jobs. We use unorthodox means, we do things in weird ways, but in the end, we get the job done sometimes… and come away with big outcomes for the Lord. I think . . . Vince Young actually teaches us a strong lesson about grace. I heard the coach talk about Young’s freshman year — which wasn’t nearly as successful. He explained that the coaching staff was trying to force Young to use proper form . . . and nothing was working. Last year, to be honest, they finally “gave up” on him and let him try it his own way. Last night was the culmination of grace. And boy did he model it. Boy did it work.
So … next time somebody doubts your form, don’t be so hard on yourself. Ask (or pray) for some patience. Don’t become so frustrated. Just take it easy, one step at a time. (Granted, if you don’t get the job done, you might need the coaching. Be glad for it.) But if you’re completing your objectives on time, effectively, maybe you need to pull out a video of the Rose Bowl, just to give ’em something to think about. At the very least, they might give you a chance. And sometimes, like Vince Young, a chance is all you’ll need. I pray you can find a mission to work with like the one that employees me. It seems to specialize in granting grace, extending options, giving another chance. Oh yes… there are those times of tough love. But the truth is… if one is trying hard to follow . . . and if he/she is making a difference, Team Expansion, for its part, seems to see a “Vince-Young- future” in those of us lucky enough to work here. That’s the Team Expansion paradigm. I hope your agency or organization is similar. Because there are enough frustrations as it is. (If they’re not, I’ll join you in praying that they’ll *become* so.) Either way, take heart. Pray. Run. Don’t give up. Your Rose Bowl is coming. :-)
Doug
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