In this issue…

  1. TIRED OF SPAM? TURN IT IN!
  2. ACTIONS AT THE 4TH TIE CONGRESS
  3. TESOL IN LEBANON, PA.
  4. FREE TENTMAKING SEMINAR IN TORONTO
  5. USA RURAL ISP
  6. CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONS AND THE WEB
  7. FREE SOFTWARE TO HELP RAISE SUPPORT
  8. NEED A PRIVATE MAILBOX?
  9. GET THE SCOOP ON INSURANCE
  10. TEFL JOB INFO
  11. THE BACKPAGE: 10 CHURCH PLANTING ELEMENTS
  12. CLOSING STUFF

  1. TIRED OF SPAM? TURN IT IN! — You know… the “remove me” notes at the end of most unwanted junk mail (“spam”) just alerts the spammer that the address is alive. Want a better option? Forward the message to the Federal Trade Commission by sending it to: <uce@ftc.gov>.

  2. ACTIONS AT THE 4TH TIE CONGRESS — … included the election of Dr. Danny Martin as the new International Director. His first order of business was commending and thanking the outgoing director, Mrs. Berit Helgoy Kloster, of Norway. Dr. Martin has proposed that TIE become a more service oriented organization with its headquarters in Phuket, Thailand along with the Asia Center for World Missions. Ben Bester, former director and training specialist from South Africa’s Global Careers, has joined the Asia Center staff and will be responsible for TIE’s training information. TIE is planning to send out monthly news letters via email. If you are interested in receiving a copy notify <Benjamin@asiacenter.ac> . The full story and list of resources in on the web: http:\\www.tieinfo.com

  3. TESOL IN LEBANON, PA. — Lebanon’s next TESOL course begins September 23, 2002 and ends October 18, 2002. The total cost: $950.00 plus a $35.00 registration fee. Immediately following this course a Discipleship Training School begins for 5 months. You may wish to enroll in both schools. For further information write <davidbbauman@cs.com>. Phone: 717-274-9010.

  4. FREE TENTMAKING SEMINAR IN TORONTO — Global Opportunities for tentmakers is offering a free, fast paced, 921 seminar (9am to 2pm; get it?) Saturday August 10, at Saalem Church in Toronto Ontario Canada. 2570 Bayview Ave. Willowdale. For information and registration go to: http://www.globalopps.org/seminar. If you are looking for more in-depth training, their Light to the Nations course will be offered again October 16-20 at the US Center for World Missions in Pasadena CA. Global Opportunities desires to partner with mission agencies and churches and would love to co-host a training course or one day seminar at your location. For more information, please contact Executive Director, David English, at: <dave@globalopps.org>

  5. USA RURAL ISP — For those needing an Internet Service Provider in rural areas, try this. The system only uses 1-800 numbers so there is no hassle with local access numbers or credit cards. The charge is 6- 1/2 cents per minute and you can connect at hotels, phone booths, truck stops, libraries or wherever a phone line is that will accept 1-800 numbers (and most will). Prepaid service may be purchased online and there is no expiration date or penalty for not using the minutes and there is no monthly service charge. http://www.BAMnet.com or call 1-877-322-6638. Thanks Rich! ( <rich@bamnet.com>)

  6. CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONS AND THE WEB — Very few mission groups actually use the Web for direct evangelism, even though it is a key to the 10-40 Window. The Internet is a medium just waiting for missions to exploit – and returned/retired missionaries too. The Web Evangelism Guide is available free for any mission to insert as a syndicated page within their own website, blending in completely and with the opportunity for a customized introduction and ending. See what it could look like on your site:

    http://www.web-evangelism.com/mission


  7. FREE SOFTWARE TO HELP RAISE SUPPORT — Keep track of all your ministry supporters using the RDMA (Resource Development Ministry Application) version 2.0. Written for missionaries, this software helps you keep track of all basic information, communication, and financial transactions for each church or individual that helps support you. It also provides an easy way to print out mailing labels for selected groups. Go to http://members.truepath.com/rdma to find out more information and download it. If you have any questions, feel free to email <Al.Schauer@netzero.net>.

  8. NEED A PRIVATE MAILBOX? — Try http://www.pmbx.net. “Ron” seems to have what it takes to serve you! Check it out!

  9. GET THE SCOOP ON INSURANCE — Thanks to our good friend, Ken, for refreshing the file on insurance for missionaries. Get a copy of the latest compilation by sending an email to: <insurance@brigada.org> and a revised version of our previously available insurance auto- responder will be sent your way. (Thanks Ken!)

  10. TEFL JOB INFO — The English Job Maze is a new secular international ESL/EFL job & information site for ESL teachers and employers around the world. But it is also much more than ‘just another’ ESL job site. It contains a wealth of free TESL industry- related info for teachers, including ‘Countries @ a Glance’ – the most comprehensive TESL guide to pay, taxes, visas, etc, in 50 of the world’s most popular teaching destinations.

    http://www.englishjobmaze.com (Thanks Tony!)


  11. THE BACKPAGE: 10 CHURCH PLANTING ELEMENTS — Ten Universal Elements. That’s what David Garrison found while researching for his little booklet, _Church Planting Movements_. He found that, after surveying church planting movements (CPMs) around the world, these 10 elements seemed present in every single one of them. It probably goes without saying, then, that those who want to start a CPM would want to invest some time in figuring out how to implement these 10 practices as a matter of course:

    *** Prayer
    *** Abundant gospel sowing
    *** Intentional church planting
    *** Scriptural authority
    *** Local leadership
    *** Lay leadership
    *** Cell or house churches
    *** Churches planting churches
    *** Rapid reproduction
    *** Healthy churches

    I suppose some of those are common sense. For example, healthy churches grow faster than unhealthy churches… “Duh!” But the truth is, we seldom think *proactively* about all 10 items comprehensively. And maybe that’s part of what helps a church to grow — thinking about doing it all right in *concert*, so all 10 cylinders hit in stride at the same time!

    That’s probably what it’s going to take in some of our tougher fields. I suppose that’s what it *might* take in yours.

    God bless your weekend! (Note: See David’s complete little booklet at: http://www.imb.org/CPM/default.htm What’s more, at: http://www.imb.org/GlobalVision/NewDirections/new_direction_dir.htm get it as a PDF, or in Spanish as either a PDF or Word doc. To order a free copy while quantities last, see… http://resources.imb.org/index.cfm/fa/prodlist/CatID/5/DeptID/1.htm Thanks to David and the folks at the IMB for unselfishly making it available on the web!)