20061224 Brigada Today

In this issue…

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH & LIFE INSURANCE -– Most of the major international health insurance companies that insure overseas workers are holding their present insurance rates until at least March 1. The annual rate increase is between 8-10%. To save money on insurance premiums, you might want to purchase insurance now with an effective date prior to March 1. Most companies will allow you one month’s coverage in the USA prior to leaving the USA. Thus if you need insurance to become effective on March 24th you can ask for a Feb. 24th effective date and thus get coverage in place before the annual international health insurance rate increase. For more information visit
http://www.gninsurance.com

or contact jeff(at)gninsurance(dot)com or call toll-free in USA 866/636-9100 or (480)813-9100. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] (Note that these guys have been a great friend of Brigada.)

WE GET MAIL — Even the joshua project staff reads & uses Brigada. Thanks to the point man at the Joshua Project 2000 website for writing this past week…
“Hi Doug,

Warmest greetings. Just wanted to share with you about how Brigada is such a great tool and having an impact in ways you might not know of.

A gentleman called the Joshua Project office a couple minutes ago wanting council on how to start ministry among an unreached people group. He was a young, single guy pretty much ready to go anywhere but need some direction on getting started, best practices, etc. I thought to myself, “What can I send this guy to help him?” Then the lights went on and I suddenly occurred to me that you had mentioned Garrison’s book on CPM [Church-Planting Movements] in the last Brigada issue. I found the link in Brigada and sent it to this guy. I am sure he is probably downloading the book right now.

Thanks so much for the great ministry of Brigada. You are having a significant impact in many unseen ways.

Warmly in Christ, Dan Scribner

[glow]

Thanks for the encouragement, Dan. Every time we send out an edition of Brigada in the middle of the night, it’s always so quiet . . . and I wonder if actually … does anybody *get* this stuff, let alone *read* it! Then we hear back an encouraging email like that… and life is good. :-)

By the way, find the JP site at:

http://www.joshuaproject.net/

It’s only our favorite site for all unreached people data in the world. There, you’ll find facts like this one: ” The four largest Least-Reached people groups are the Japanese of Japan, the Shaikh of Bangladesh, the Shaikh of India, and the Brahman of India.”

We also received a note from an on-field missionary, ” I’ve enjoyed reading Brigada, and I’m glad I could help in a small way. The information you include is always interesting and a great way to connect missionaries serving around the world, and I hope you are able to continue providing it for years to come! I will pray that the rest of the money you need comes in!” (Thanks Catherine!)

SOMEBODY OUT THERE LOVES US! (BRIGADA GIVING REPORT) — What an amazing week for Brigada finances. We truly feel like Jimmy Stewart — it’s a “Wonderful Life!” This past week, we received $50 from Jack Straus, who compiles the material for
http://www.npchurchlaw.com (Thanks Jack!!!)

and $20 from an anonymous representative from Kingdom Come Training

http://www.kingdomcometraining.com/ (Thanks you all!)

and $300 from Steve in Virginia, who wrote, “down to the wire for ’06, that every UPG may hear in ’07!” Thanks Steve!

and $100 from an anonymous donor who wrote, “Through years of being a lay leader on a church missions team, to going on staff as the missions pastor, and now a missionary representative raising my own support, Brigada has been my most helpful resource and continues to provide me with the latest information I need to serve in missions. Since way back in the first year of Brigada, I’ve been a fan!” (Praise the Lord, Dennis!)

and $50 from an anonymous member of YWAM-England. (We love YWAMmers. Thanks!)

Plus… $50 from Glenn, who fills the Maxwell Intercultural Chair at Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, AB Canada. He is also on the Management Team of CrossTraining, a new missionary training program in Calgary Alberta and Toronto Ontario. (Thanks Glenn!)

Plus, on top of all that, a bundle of other anonymous donations that, all together, totaled $1190 — and all that came in during the past 7 days, for a grand total of $13,244.74 for the year! Frankly, it’s amazing. We’re so thankful. Even as we celebrate, we are aware we are still in the red for 2006. Our previously stated need was $16,650 for the year. But we thank the Lord for the progress that was made. 2006 has already been a record-breaking year for Brigada support & sponsorship.

CAN YOU HELP US SWIM THE LAST MILE: — If you would be so kind, would you try your local church missions committee or a foundation? Perhaps someone will even ask you if you know of a good cause. Or is there a chance that some intended to give and just didn’t get time? (We can still apply it toward 2006 tax deductions.) Perhaps your church would have $500, $100, or even $25 remaining in a contingency fund that wasn’t allocated during 2006. Once again, we won’t take more than our stated needs for 2006, but we are allocating to 2006 any funds that come in during the next 10 days. If we *should* by some miracle go over the stated need, we’ll simply apply those funds toward the 2007 budget. Here’s what we’re looking for to finish the task:
1 to give 1000 — 0 down, 1 to go
5 to give 500 — 4 down, 1 to go
8 to give 250 — 3 down, 5 to go
10 to give 100 — 10 completed! Finished!
20 to give 50 — 20 completed! Finished!
50 to give 25 — 23 down, 27 to go

Can you or someone you know jump in on these last gifts? Just click on “Sponsor/Donate” 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. (Team Expansion is a 501(c)3 incorporation so for USA citizens, your checks made out to Team Expansion are tax- deductible.) 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.
FREE OUTSTANDING PRAYER RESOURCE/SOURCE LIST — Betty did a *super* job compiling resources and sources on prayer. See it by going here:
https://brigada.org/today/articles/prayer.pdf

Betty, thank you, and thanks to all those who wrote to you to give you ideas. This is truly another great example of how the Brigada movement can work out well for everyone involved.

FREE TENTMAKING SEMINAR (MONTGOMERY, AL) — Use your vocation to reach the nations. Discover how to use your skills in missions, integrate work and witness. Catch it on Saturday, January 27, 2007, 9am-1pm. at Morningview Baptist Church
http://www.morningview.org

Call 334-272-2304 for more info. Pre-register at

http://www.globalopps.org

or email jonathanoue(at)yahoo(dot)com with any questions. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] Presented by Global Opportunities.

ENCOUNTERING THE WORLD OF ISLAM COMING TO YOU — Another Encountering the World of Islam course is being held in San Diego, California: January 11th – March 29th. If you or friends are at all interested in understanding more about Islam or knowing how to be more effective in reaching Muslims, whether it is across the world or in your own neighborhood, you won’t want to miss this opportunity. The course is patterned after the Perspectives course and is becoming more and more popular as Christians are seeing how difficult it is to win and disciple people from Muslim backgrounds. This course will REALLY HELP YOU! More information about the course and other locations can be found at
http://EncounteringIslam.org .

For information on the class in San Diego call Becky at (619) 582-7222, ext. 260, or write beckybriggs(at)cabc(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

THE UNREACHED IN NORTH AMERICA — Four major resource networks who connect with overseas partnerships (China Source, Impact Indonesia, Antioch Network, International Turkey Network) have called for a consultation to be held in the Minneapolis area February 7th through the 9th of 2007. They are asking leaders and key participants in UPG networks and partnership work to come together to see if they can be more effective by working together rather than separately. The key question they are asking is, “Can we do a better job by sharing with each other and if the answer is yes, how do we do this?” To learn more, just go to
http://www.tinyurl.com/ueg8c

for more information or contact john.quam(at)msn(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 BIBLE STUDY HELPS ON THE WEB — We mentioned previously that there were all kinds of new Bible study resources on the web. Dave reminded us not to overlook this one…
http://www.studylight.org/

Truth is, Dave happens to have “personally talked to the person who started it. He has a wonderful attitude about wanting to provide Bible study helps for people.” (Thanks Dave!)

PASSIONATE ABOUT BOTH THE ENVIRONMENT AND MISSIONS? — Ed Brown, a leader in the creation-care movement, will convince you that missions and environmental stewardship go together. He will be doing a workshop at Urbana and he has a new book out, “Our Father’s World: Mobilizing the Church to Care for Creation.” The book is full of practical suggestions for bringing concern for the environment together with the evangelical mission of the church. You can find links to Ed’s blog and get a discount on his book at:
http://www.careofcreation.org/

LIST YOUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL IN OUR UPCOMING GUIDE — Justin Long, Editor of Momentum Magazine, noted in a recent e-mail to the Lausanne Younger Leader Gathering’s forum that SIM USA has set up a YouTube channel. He wrote Brigada, “This is the first I have heard of any agency doing this. Are other agencies or individual mobilizers using YouTube, Google Video, or other channels to publish videos specifically for missions, mission mobilization, mission education, etc.?” If so, he’d be interested in hearing from these and publishing a list of channels in Momentum (as well as making the list available to Brigada readers and others, obviously for free!). Write JustinLong(at)gmail.com with the subject line “Missions Video Channel” and I’ll compile a list. [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]
Here are 3 samples: Andy Caldwell is producing a few short video updates from Urbana called “Nudge TV.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9siUn9WoL8

Watch for 1-2 more updates posted on SIM USA’s YouTube channel here:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=SIMUSA

SIM International has a channel for sharing SIM videos/films through YouTube here:

http://www.youtube.com/SIMinternational

NEED GRAPHIC ARTS / IMAGES? — Have you tried Christian Image Library? This is an on-line library of images (contrary to earlier reports, most of these actually cost a small fee) that you can use in your handouts and PowerPoint presentations for class lessons. It contains over 34,000 photos and maps to enhance your sermons, lessons, studies, and presentations.
How to access it? Visit

http://www.christianimagelibrary.com

(Thanks Bob!)

[IF YOU NEED TRANSLATION,] DON’T FORGET THE FISH — We’ve highlighted it before, but it’s worth a reminder, don’t forget the fish. Like many, Greg has found it to be one of the most effective translator web-engines:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/

(Thanks Greg!)

SYMPOSIUM ON COUNTING SHEEP: HOW DO WE MEASURE EFFECTIVENESS? — It’s happening January 24-27, 2007. The Global Learning Center at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary (GRTS) is hosting its annual Symposium to explore the issue of how to measure “success” and effectiveness in the ever-changing world of mission. An interactive Leadership Roundtable is just $15 and held January 24-25 and a free workshop exploring the effectiveness of short-term missions will be held on Saturday, January 27. All events are held at GRTS in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For more information, visit
http:// grts.cornerstone.edu/resources/glc/symposium

GOT A PHOTO? SHARE IT WITH MOMENTUM — The next issue of Momentum will focus on West Africa and will contain a survey of the people group clusters found within that region. To add to the survey, Editor Justin Long is looking for high resolution (print ready) photographs of a bunch of peoples/clusters. He is particularly looking for photographs that can reproduce well in roughly 2″ square thumbnail photographs. Here’s a list of the people groups:
Adamawa-ubangi: the Mauye of Nigeria; Hassaniya Arabs, particularly the Moors of Maure; The Atlantic cluster, particularly the Temne of Sierra leone and/or the Serere-Sine of Senegal; The Atlantic-Jola cluster, primarily the Jola (found mainly in Senegal); the Wolof; The Benue cluster, including: ibibio, Tiv, Ebira, Anaang; The Chadic cluster, incl: Angas, Kamwe, Sura; The Kanuri-Saharan: Yerwa, Manga; the Fulani Guinean: Akan, Baule, Ewe, Fon, Edo, Brong; Gur: Mossi, Senufo, Dagaaba Hausa; Igbo; Ijaw; Kru: Basse; Malinke: Maninke, Mandinka; Malinke- Bambara: Bambara; Malinke-Jula: Jula; Mande: Mende, Dan; Nupe Songhai: Zerma of Niger; Soninke; Susu; Tuareg; Yoruba

Obviously, the Momentum editor will credit you (along with the original source, if you’re not that source). Just write to editor@momentum-mag.org with details.

SCRIPTURE-BASED RESOURCES — Here’s a resource for missionaries, worship leaders, churches, small groups and individuals. Free-lance writer, songwriter and photographer Cheryl Rogers would like to make available her growing collection of original Scripture songs, Bible columns and artwork. Visit her website at
http:// www.SongsfromtheWord.com

You’ll find music, text, artwork and more. Check it out.

FREE INTERNET ACCOUNTABILITY — Accountable2You Internet Partner is a free Internet accountability software promoting openness and transparency between members and accountability partners. Seeking to enhance integrity, trustworthiness and purity as members use the software is the goal! Find it at…
http://www.accountable2you.com
LEARN HOW TO RETELL THE STORY OF JESUS — In November 2006, all the parts of the six-year development of the Story of the Messiah came together. Sine Ministries released the combination of the seven plus hour audio program and the 350-page book that is richly illustrated with a unique collection of artwork. “The Story of the Messiah” is unique in the way that the events from the four Gospels are woven into one story. The dialogue between the old man (Maxus) and his eleven- year-old friend made it possible to provide helpful information. This helpful background information enhances the story for the listener and reader without confusing the events in the Gospels.
Complete information as well as a free study guide and audio samples are available on the special website that has been designed:

http://www.messiahstory.org .

Perhaps the greatest benefit of the story is to permit the reader to come to know Jesus Christ better – the man the Bible affirms is Savior of the world and coming King. For more information from Sine Ministries write

info(at)messiahstory(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

SERVING AT THE OLYMPICS IN BEIJING 2008? — Are you or your ministry serving during the 2008 Olympics in Beijing? If not, would you like to? Here’s a gal who is compiling a list of those serving. She hopes to be in-country by then, serving with an organization that is not currently planning on doing anything for this big event. She would be interested in learning of any ministries that are planning on doing service, outreach, etc. Write her at…
MeetMeInBeijing(at)yahoo(dot)com

Be sure to include in your email any specifics about how tightly you want to secure any of your contact information. If you’re *really* worried about your information getting out there… just tell her she can’t republish it — she can only pass it to contacts that she has secured one-v-one. She’ll come up with a report that we can publish here on Brigada.

INTERNATIONAL MISSION MEDICAL INSURANCE — Whether you are looking for short-term, long-term, individual or group mission medical insurance, feel free to email Community Insurance Agency at missionary(at)ciainsagency(dot)com
or browse to

http://www.visitorsinsurance.com/missionary_travel_plans.php

or call 800-344-9540 x15 in the USA, or 847-897-5120 everywhere else.

MISSIONARY TRAINING CAMP — Elijah Company will present another training at Living Waters Farm, Virginia from January 25-28, 2007. The four days is an intensive exposure dealing with a wide variety of essential needs. An alumni said, “Missionary Training Camp jump- started my missions career.” See their web site at
http://www.elijahcompany.org

for a more complete description of the training. For additional information and applications write to

elijah(at)elijahcompany(dot)org or call 757-226-3507 in the USA.

RETHINKING FORUM FOR HINDU MINISTRY — The 5th Annual North American Consultation for folks with an interest in contextual Hindu ministry will take place from June 22-25, 2007 in Portland, Oregon. This will also be the inaugural gathering of the Hindu Student Friendship Network for those involved in campus ministry. For a complete brochure, email info(at)rethinkingforum(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

THE HINDU-CHRISTIAN INTERFACE -– From May 10 – 12, 2007 in Pasadena, CA, this three-day training will give an analysis of the gospel of Christ in the Hindu world from historical, comparative religious, sociological and theological perspectives. For a complete brochure, email info(at)rethinkingforum(dot)com [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .]

ANOTHER CHANCE FOR YOUR “WISH FOR 2007” (PLEASE RE-SEND? OOPS) — Didn’t get a chance to send your “wish for 2007”? You’re in luck! Because of an error in configuration, the server didn’t retain any of the wishes! Lest you think your wishes won’t be granted, we’ve been granted a reprieve! Did you happen to save a copy of the email you sent? If so, would you mind terribly if we asked you to send it again? (Please forgive any inconvenience! But hey… what do you expect… we don’t have quite enough yet to pay our secretary the full amount of her part-time salary! :-) ) If you didn’t get a chance this past week, here’s your opportunity! Remember, you can be personal (“I want to lose 25 pounds”), spiritual (“I *will* pray 10′ per day”), or practical (“I will be on time to work throughout 2007”). You can attach your name, or make it anonymous. You can even be romantic, as long as you are sensitive (“By the end of the year, Gladys will agree to marry me” :-) [We reserve the right to edit these; we do have under-age participants in our mix. :-) ] ). (But at the same time, mum’s the word: your secret is safe with me. We won’t give out *any* of your identities! Have you ever read our “PRIVACY INFORMATION” in “CLOSING STUFF” below? :-) ) So send ’em my way. Please type “WISH-FOR-2007” exactly as suggested (hyphenated, all upper case). If there are just 10 or so wishes, we’ll publish them right here in-text. If there are more than 10, we’ll link to a PDF and your 2007 wish will forever be stamped in 2007 history! Give us a view to your life… It’ll be fun to see where everyone is headed. Please limit your text to no more than 8-10 lines max… like a typical Brigada Today item. (ok… tease me all you want. I’m thick- skinned. *Some* go over 10 lines. I know. :-) ) So have at it. Please send your item to:
WISH-FOR-2007(at)brigada(dot)org [As a means of preventing spam for our contributors, in the preceding email address(es), please replace (at) with @ and (dot) with .] No need to copy me at my DLucas address. :-) (And yes… this time the address really works. I tested it *twice*!)

In order for them to be granted :-) , all wishes have to be in no later than noon this Friday, January 5th. This will be the first issue of 2007… so don’t be late. Send your “wish-for-2007” today! :-)

Doug

0 Shares

20061224 Brigada Today

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Subscribe to the Email Edition

The Latest Edition

Recent Comments