In this issue…

  1. LEGAL & TAX INFO FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
  2. CROSS-CULTURAL & BIBLE PREPARATION
  3. MISSIONARY TRAVEL SERVICE
  4. “WHERE IS LOVE?”
  5. MISSIONS VIDEO CLIPS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD
  6. UK MISSION STAFF NEEDS
  7. NEW MISSION PARTNERSHIP “HOW-TO” BOOK
  8. MISSIONAL INTERNATIONAL CHURCH CONFERENCE
  9. THANKS FOR LIGHTING THE TORCH [APPRECIATE THE GIFTS]
  10. WHAT SHIPPER DO YOU USE THESE DAYS?
  11. THE BACKPAGE: SPEAKING INTO SOMEONE’S LIFE
  12. CLOSING STUFF
  1. LEGAL & TAX INFO FOR RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS — The latest issue of Nonprofit and Church Legal Trends Memo is online. Some items: the U.S. Department of the Treasury updates its anti-terrorist financing guidelines applicable to nonprofit organizations, common fundraising mistakes, designation of funds by donors should be honored, update on liability associated with 15 passenger vans, the enforceability of written pledges, why consider registering a service mark, trademark, or copyright, including employee benefits in Christian mediation and arbitration agreements, the importance of asking pre-employment questions in the right order. A part of each paid subscription goes to Brigada. Check out more at http://www.npchurchlaw.com or email info(at)npchurchlaw(dot)com Make sure you type “Brigada” in the “How did you hear about us” field.
  2. CROSS-CULTURAL & BIBLE PREPARATION — Check out

    http://www.cit-online.org for the new program schedule which includes multiple cross-cultural prep modules per year and several different program packages for the whole family. Summer Bible Intensives are available as well. Join the many CIT alumni who repeatedly say that “CIT is the best kept secret! I couldn’t have made it on the field without it!” The CIT campus is located in the foothills of the beautiful Blueridge Mountains of North Carolina. Contact them at 800.887.1786 or citmail(at)cit-online(dot)org 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 .]

  3. MISSIONARY TRAVEL SERVICE — Contact

    http://joangoddard.charter.net

    for fare quotes for international missionary travel. Joan has 18 years experience arranging travel for missionaries, individuals or groups, worldwide. She began her work in missionary travel as Travel Manager for the International Conference for Itinerant Evangelists, held by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in July 1986 in Amsterdam NL, arranging travel for 8000+ participants to attend the meeting.

  4. “WHERE IS LOVE?” — Wondering about Oliver Twist’s question, “Where is love?” Then you might like to know that God’s answer can be found in the Bible. Visit the EasyEnglish website at:

    http://www.easyenglish.info

    If you click on “What’s New?” you can find “A Wonderful Song about Love”. This is Mark Kirkpatrick’s EasyEnglish version of the Song of Solomon and he has added helpful comments on each chapter. And that’s not all! Mark has prepared a second version – “How to love God with all your Heart” with more helpful comments by Keith Simons. Both versions are in EasyEnglish Level B (2800 word vocabulary).

  5. MISSIONS VIDEO CLIPS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD –- Bluefish TV has produced several short video clips that focus on missions. Currently there are nine clips available at their website including the stories of Gracia Burnham’s kidnapping in the Philippines, Don Richardson’s Peace Child, a family serving in Croatia, a couple preparing to leave for India and others. The clips are available for download and are helpful in conveying the emotions and thoughts of real missionaries serving around the world. For questions or feedback, email brian(at)bluefishtv(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

    http://www.bluefishtv.com/DownloadableVideos-Search.aspx?Topic=1013

  6. UK MISSION STAFF NEEDS — HCJB-UK is the British arm of HCJB World Radio, an international Christian radio and healthcare ministry. HCJB- UK is looking for the following staff in the UK: 1. Programme Manager to develop and oversee radio production. 2. Marketing Manager, to co- ordinate publicity and presence at events. 3. Funding co-ordinator. 4. Prayer co-ordinator. 5. Administrator of Audipot, the online library of Christian audio. 6. Personnel manager. 7. IT Support Engineer. HCJB-UK does not pay salaries but relies on volunteers, with a Christian commitment. Please contact HCJB-UK at vacancies(at)hcjb(dot)org(com)uk [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  7. NEW MISSION PARTNERSHIP “HOW-TO” BOOK — Phill Butler’s new book, Well Connected, addresses the theory, the theology and the practice of networking, which helps mission organizations and churches realize Jesus’ vision that “they may all be one so that the world will know you have sent me.” Order the book at 20% discount at http://www.connectedbook.net (case-lots of 32 books qualify for discount). See more on networking at http://www.powerofconnecting.net For info, write info(at)powerofconnecting(dot)net [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
  8. MISSIONAL INTERNATIONAL CHURCH CONFERENCE — Leading an International Church is like trying to stack marbles! Each member has a mind of their own. They are different sizes, shapes, weights and colors. They come from all around the world. They have different, viable and valuable traditions, preferences, expectations and theological backgrounds. Where did you learn to stack your marbles? Our network will help you get going and stay focused on the task. The Missional International Church Network (MICN) models and teaches how international churches can dynamically engage in God’s transformational work. The third MICN Conference will be 24-28 April 2006 in Bangkok, Thailand. Speakers are all experienced international church leaders. Register before April 3, 2006, so hurry! For information contact: conference(at)micn(dot)org or on the web at: http://www.micn.org
  9. THANKS FOR LIGHTING THE TORCH [APPRECIATE THE GIFTS] — Hats off to those who have sent donations to Brigada during the past month. They include: $100 from Create Int’l, YWAM, “Thanks for your many years of service to mission agencies like ours. You have been a blessing to so many and it is our privilege to contribute to this wonderful ministry.”

    $25 from a top staffer at Audio Scripture Ministries http://www.asmToday.org , “We appreciate your informative ministry.”

    $25 from a missionary with ABWE, “Keep up the great work!” $20 from Global Airtime http://www.globalairtime.com . “Thanks for continuing to provide valuable resource information to the Christian missionary community.” $50 from Oscar – http://www.oscar.org.uk $25, $5, and $10 from anonymous friends of Brigada. $500 from a cross-cultural worker, “I do missionary work in Cuba and Central America. I’ve seen your faithfulness over years, and just wanted to do my part.”

    Want to join these and others in making a way for Brigada? Just click on “sponsor” in the top menu (to use PayPal or a 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. 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. In any case, thanks for considering Brigada in your estate giving, your monthly church missions fund, and/or your own personal giving for this calendar year.

  10. WHAT SHIPPER DO YOU USE THESE DAYS? — Got a favorite shipper you use (to handle your international moves)? If so, just send a note, with the contact information, to brigada-feedback(at)googlegroups(dot)com We’ll gather up all the responses, then present a summary report next edition. Note that you don’t have to join this particular group in order to send the message to it — and your message will be read only by me. It won’t be broadcast to any list. Thanks again for any feedback you might have on the best shipping company.
  11. THE BACKPAGE: SPEAKING INTO SOMEONE’S LIFE — HOW DO WE DO IT? — Last week we introduced the question of how do we best speak into someone’s life. In other words, how do we make the most of these opportunities to give and receive input? Obviously, the first step we’ve got to implement is prayer. We have to ask the Lord to enable us to speak the truth in love. The second step — and this is oh so important — is that I believe we have to approach the person one on one if at all possible. Matthew 18 teaches us the principle when it discusses approaching someone taken in a sin . . . but the same principle, in my opinion, applies to *any* occasion in which we’re broaching on a difficult topic, especially one that might cause the person some degree of shame or embarrassment. So, let’s say during a missions banquet, you observe a fellow missions committee member talking down to a visiting missionary national, while seemingly being enamored with a missions professor from a nearby college. I can’t tell you exactly how to approach the person the *right* way, but I *can* tell you that it *won’t* work as well if you bring it up right there at the supper table in conversation that others can hear. The fellow missions committee member will likely become defensive, at best, and perhaps, at worst, completely offensive in denying what might very well be the truth.

    So… let’s say you’ve prayed, and you’ve pulled the person aside in a quiet corner of the atrium after the banquet. *Now* what do we do? Well that depends on your relationship with the person. If you’re the chairman of the committee, you have a bit more resources at your disposal. You could, for example, simply explain, “On my watch as Chairman, we’re not going to conduct our missions business this way.” Some people might call it “pulling rank.” But it can actually be very effective at stopping the visible forms of the behavior — at least for the time being. Have we internalized long-term change? Have we helped another human being shape behavior for the good? Maybe… or maybe not. But we at least address the problem and end what might be offensive or even deceitful behavior.

    Are there other ways? And… what if we aren’t the chairman? or what if we’re actually trying to *address* the chairman? More about that next week.

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